This is an ordinary urban view of an ordinary unkempt backyard. The view is important to me because the view wasn’t available for several years. From 1991 until 2008 I used the back door often. In 2009 a renovation made it harder to open, and I gradually stopped going out that way. This year my washing machine started failing, so I needed to make the door usable again. After several days of rasping and sawing it’s openable, though still a bit too tight. The house is happy to have all of its limbs working again, providing light and cross-ventilation as well as access.
The new washer is not only fresh and SMOOTH, it’s a toploader. When I bought the old frontloader in 2001 I didn’t realize the disadvantages. With a toploader I can SEE what’s going in, judge the size of load, and pause if needed. This machine also holds a larger load so I can wash less often. Bonus: It’s “assembled” in America, which isn’t the same as “manufactured” in America, but at least it includes SOME nominal labor by Americans. We used to be the manufacturers, with branches in foreign countries doing the “assembling.” Now we’re the branch.
More views of the yard where Nature is creating lots of beauty right now. These wild roses form a yellow wall larger than the side of the house.
I planted these lilacs in 1991. They’ve taken over the front, giving some shade to the south wall.
Polistra's Mill 