Jeff has been working like a demon for weeks to prepare our yard to plant the lawn--front and back yards. The biggest problem is the soil: CLAY! We had topsoil brought in, then raked for days and leveled out the "pools" that naturally occurred. Finally we can see enough green poking through to make it look rather like it has taken hold.
Here's the front of our home, taken from the north. You see the essence of grass along with the sprigs of "OLD" grass that refused to vacate the premises!
The view of our front from the driveway on the east of our house. You see the duplex-type condos that are the trademark look of our street--the far left of the 4 garage doors belongs to Susan Easton Black when she comes to town. Our homeowners insurance should be reduced because we are so close to the fire hydrant, don't you agree?
A second BIG problem has developed. This is the side of our back yard--you notice that the vacant field next door has a higher elevation than our yard (thus we can have a walk out basement). BUT, when the rains hit, which they have done frequently since we planted, the deluge must run somewhere, and strangely enough, it usually chooses DOWN. Here's the drain system Jeff put in, trying to save our newly planted lawn (actually done beforehand).
When that failed, we added a 2 x 4 and some gravel to form a dam. Lastly, Jeff resorted to digging a trench which diverts the water off through our garden area to the field behind our house. We are watching today to see if the grass planted yesterday can stay in place long enough to germinate and hold the soil down.
You can't look too closely--this is how the grass is growing when you look in more detail. I prefer to see it from a distance, where it looks like we have developed into successful grass farmers!
The harvester drives across the field, and somehow the corn is extracted from the dry stalks.
The corn shoots through a tube (arm) and fills the truck.
Here's a second truck full of corn ready to take to market (probably to be loaded on a huge barge which takes the harvest down the Mississippi by way of the locks at Keokuk).
And what's left in the field is acres and acres of stubble. These photos were all taken from the road leading from our street back into town.
Here's the front of our home, taken from the north. You see the essence of grass along with the sprigs of "OLD" grass that refused to vacate the premises!
The view of our front from the driveway on the east of our house. You see the duplex-type condos that are the trademark look of our street--the far left of the 4 garage doors belongs to Susan Easton Black when she comes to town. Our homeowners insurance should be reduced because we are so close to the fire hydrant, don't you agree?
A second BIG problem has developed. This is the side of our back yard--you notice that the vacant field next door has a higher elevation than our yard (thus we can have a walk out basement). BUT, when the rains hit, which they have done frequently since we planted, the deluge must run somewhere, and strangely enough, it usually chooses DOWN. Here's the drain system Jeff put in, trying to save our newly planted lawn (actually done beforehand).
When that failed, we added a 2 x 4 and some gravel to form a dam. Lastly, Jeff resorted to digging a trench which diverts the water off through our garden area to the field behind our house. We are watching today to see if the grass planted yesterday can stay in place long enough to germinate and hold the soil down. 
You can't look too closely--this is how the grass is growing when you look in more detail. I prefer to see it from a distance, where it looks like we have developed into successful grass farmers!