We don't talk all that much about landscaping, etc on this forum, but I'm interested to see what everyone is doing to make their yard nicer. I'll start! Our plans for this year mainly involve building some raised beds along our back view fence.
Before:
Low-tech concrete saw seems to work just fine:
All cut and ready to move:
Anchoring the edges as we go (no making fun of my hat):
All pulled up:
Part 1 of 500 is now done!
Pavers to be re-used elsewhere:
Since we were outside all day, might as well tend the smoker, right? Mmmmmm......
Here's where we are going with it: the red in the pictures below is a new row of block I'll add to the wall. I'll just take down the metal fence, put the layer of block, and re-install the same fencing. With the bottom raised, we can actually build a raised bed there without the dirt falling out the back.
The beds will eventually look something like this. The gap in the fence is where the new gate will go, and the new fire pit will be in the seating area to the right of the gate.
This will probably take most of the year! Lately I've been working on branching off the existing irrigation system and running new lines to the back areas...it's more work than it sounds! I'll get some pictures of that stuff, and I'll update this as progress is made!
Before:
Low-tech concrete saw seems to work just fine:
All cut and ready to move:
Anchoring the edges as we go (no making fun of my hat):
All pulled up:
Part 1 of 500 is now done!
Pavers to be re-used elsewhere:
Since we were outside all day, might as well tend the smoker, right? Mmmmmm......
Here's where we are going with it: the red in the pictures below is a new row of block I'll add to the wall. I'll just take down the metal fence, put the layer of block, and re-install the same fencing. With the bottom raised, we can actually build a raised bed there without the dirt falling out the back.
The beds will eventually look something like this. The gap in the fence is where the new gate will go, and the new fire pit will be in the seating area to the right of the gate.
This will probably take most of the year! Lately I've been working on branching off the existing irrigation system and running new lines to the back areas...it's more work than it sounds! I'll get some pictures of that stuff, and I'll update this as progress is made!
. Now for the most important question, what are you smoking on?
Dude that's not a sombrero he's wearing!
. It is a vertical (i.e. not horizontal) oriented 55 gallon smoker with option for two 22.5" diameter levels for cooking, that I built myself from one of the tried and true plans on the internet. I have used: pellets, offsets, wsms, converted refridges etc. but the best q I have made has come from the UDS design. Let me know if you are interested in more detail. Mine is not pretty looking, but it you google up the uds, you will find that people have done some fancy stuff. I like the BGEs too, but more for their high temps then for their low temp cooking...there cooking space and price is limiting to me (my uds only cost me ~$70 in parts)...being the cheapskate I am 
If I had a place to store a UDS out of sight that might be different, but I don't 
Still need a deck though. For me smoking meat is one of my obsessions, and the flavor/taste of the food that comes off that vertical smoker maybe what keeps me alive