Fences, Yardwork and Printers - It Actually Was a Busy Sunday

We got the quote from the fence company. It's going to be expensive, but not as bad as it could be. Considering we've had the original fence for 30 years, and it's a bit less than double that cost, it could have been much worse. I'll be accepting their bid today so that we can get onto their books. It's probably going to be 3-4 months before it actually gets done. 

The fence style we want is just like this. Alternating 
boards on the bottom section with a lattice top and 
a straight span without finials. We'll have them put a 
capping board across the top to help with water issues, 
and if it lasts as long as the previous one, we shouldn't 
have any issues. They'll get all of the permits, etc. 

DH is talking about building a three-compartment composting bin. We had one at the old house when we first lived up here and it worked really well. We've got the space for it, and if he uses the boards from the old fence, it'll be almost free. We have three panels of the old fence down - the posts rotted and unable to allow them to stand proudly from the earth. Those boards could easily be reused for the compost bin. We'll see if it actually gets built, or if it's another smoke dream, but it would be a nice thing to have. 

We're thinking about a three-compartment compost 
bin similar to this. The cedar planks from the old 
fence should be perfect for the sides and backing. 
It would be a better use than just having the fence company 
haul away the old sections. 

Our tulips and lillies and other early bloom flowers are starting to come up, and it's a pleasure seeing green coming to the garden once again. He's plotting what he wants where - the garden is his thing, and he's lost and at loose ends in the winter when he can't putter with the flowers and plants. The deer, however, have been coming into our yard without hesitation since we no longer have the fence intact. They've been eating some of the bulbs - seeming to have a special love for our crocus bulbs. I'm not sure how many crocus will escape the browsing killers, but hopefully some will. We do love our early Spring crocus blooms, and of course they can't bloom if they're eaten by the damned deer. 

We love our spring crocus flowers, but apparently the 
deer consider it a delicacy. I think, out of maybe eight 
plants (or more), we might have two that have survived 
the deer. *sigh*

We spent a good amount of time yesterday raking up the dead thatch from the grass and getting the last of the fall leaves off the grass as well. Things are starting to green up now, and Spring is fully here. It was the weirdest Winter I've ever experienced up here in the Frozen Northlands. We only had two snowstorms of any accumulation. I shoveled at the shop exactly two times. We had some cold temps, but not much, really. It was as if Nature was apologizing for last year's record-setting snowfalls. But, it also means our soils are parched - no snowmelt to give them a good soaking. We'll have to be early with our watering this year, I fear. 

I'm SO looking forward to having my new 
Epson 4830 printer set up at the shop. I adore 
Epson printers - their clarity is outstanding 
and they're workhorses. I've had the one at 
home for more than a decade and I work it 
hard. It will be a joy to be able to print 
things out at the shop right away instead of 
taking them home to be printed and returned 
the next day. 

So that's about all - not really exciting. Oh! I did buy a new ink-jet printer for the shop. It's two steps above the Epson printer that I use here at home - my workhorse. It was on sale at the office supply company for less than $150 - more than $100 off the usual price - but only through Saturday. I wasn't able to get to the store until first thing Sunday morning, but their computers hadn't been updated yet, and I still got the sale price! Yippee. A total WIN. I'm taking it to the shop this morning and hopefully will have it installed and ready to go no later than tomorrow night (it all depends on how easily things work with our computer system). It won't work for our inventory/sales system, but it will be used to print things like government forms, inventory sheets that I'm devising on the laptop, and other items. It will be a joy to have a top-notch printer at the shop, and when we close, it's coming home with me. It will replace the computer I have next to me in our computer room, and the printer I use now will move to my craft room. Perfect! 

The Epson 4720 printer (just like this) is what 
I've been using at home for more than a decade. 
It's extremely dependable, gives a quality, 
crisp and clear printout, and I can't imaging 
functioning without it. We have an HP printer 
at the shop and it's a piece of crap. The printing 
is fuzzy and it's just NOT a good printer. It 
was free - that's the only good thing about it. 
But I need some quality at the shop now, so 
Epson got the nod. 

So, have an excellent day. I'm plugging photos in here and wrapping things up. I'd like to get started getting that new printer set up ASAP, so I'll be at the shop unusually early today. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.