Please Fence Me In

Last year's big project was the replacement of a retaining wall running along the west side of the house. The original had been built in 1920 or 1921 when the house went up; over the years, the wall developed an increasingly precarious tilt, and toward the back of the property the lip had begun crumbling.

As part of the demolish-and-replace process, the wooden fence running along the west side of the property also had to come down—along with a mature acebia and an unfortunately gnarly blackberry. Although the wall itself was completed last autumn, a wet and wild winter set in before a new fence could go up. As spring (and then summer) arrived, plans to replace the fence kept falling through—until last week. Suddenly lumber appeared on the back patio, and Wednesday afternoon the new fence went up!

New fence!
New fence with trellis

Now the whole back yard smells of cedar. And, after a spring and summer of being fenceless, the back yard feels somewhat smaller—although I'm sure our immediate neighbors appreciate that the fence also affords them more privacy in their backyard!

And as if to celebrate being away from prying eyes, an enormous day lily which has emerged unbidden from a fallow planter on the back patio decided to bloom. I have a thing for plants which look like monstrous invaders from outer space: day lilies fit the bill nicely.

The mystery lily in bloom
The Mystery Day (er, Oriental!) Lily in bloom

[Update 01-Aug-2007: I've been informed by an Astute Reader that this space monster-simulating flower is not a day lily, but an oriental lily. Thanks!]

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