Another tough day

Tough to think what to write!  We spent some yard time yesterday.  DH cleaned out the eavestroughs/rain gutters.  Second time this spring!  stupidtreeflowersandseeds.  That made him wonder about the rain barrel.  So, he opened the top.  Most of the stuff was floating, and he hand-skimmed it.  I gave him one of my new kitchen skimmers to finish off.  It is only water, and will be washed well.  I bought them for making breaded shrimp.  Anyway - he used a long stick and tested the bottom - though there might be a lot of stuff down there. We pondered the problem of how to clean it out (mostly we thought we could just do it when we drain for the winter, but now realize it needs regular checking, just like the eaves troughs).  I wandered through our garage, spotted some wire coat hangers.  I refuse to part with those yet.  Asked him if he had any scrap screen around... Bent the coat hanger, cut a piece of screening, stapled it on (the staples will rust over time, but we have more ;) and can fix as needed) and then we used a hose clamp to attach it to an old broom handle that was hanging out in the garage... Doesn't look half bad, and works like a charm :)

I think I really am turning green!  Recycling and no money investment at its finest!

We also put in a couple more patio blocks for our gazebo.  The ground has been so very dry, that digging to level out the floor was difficult for the first four.  I had thought that maybe if we watered the area a few hours before hand, that it might be easier.  Well, all that rain... even though most of the ground was protected by the gazebo cover, one side was wet.  Turns out, that mud is just as hard to work with...

Today - my sister is scheduled to come for a visit, so I don't know what all or how much we'll be doing...

I'll take pictures of the skimmer, though, so I have something to post tomorrow.  Maybe the gazebo floor in progress, too.