Midday in the garden of weeds and stones

Where I was able to slay cane-like grasses...

Hand-turning the soil in our yard has been difficult and interesting: I've found old batteries, a marble, a toy soldier, other garbage, a vast tangle of ganglia-like grass roots, many river rocks (along with an old concrete anchor for what I presume was a city bus route sign that no longer occupies our yard) and two survivors among the crop of nine trees planted last spring. Incredible to find them a-thriving!

The only surprise has been in seeing the difference in volume between freshly turned soil and the severely compacted portions I haven't gotten to yet. I think the yard is about three inches taller now :)

I'm about 40 percent done and judge I'll need three more days (over three weeks because of garbage/weed disposal constraints and the need to demo a concrete slab) to kill off this part of the project.