This is from several days ago, That row of very old RR Crossties were in line with the one in the foreground.
It took everything I had alone to get them rolled over, it took me nearly 20 minutes to catch my breath.
My counselor had told me about a site called.
"Taskrabbit.com"
which matches you and your task with someone nearby with the experience and time to help you (or do it for you: a number if different tasks are available from each "Tasker".
We'd set this up day before yesterday, we got a late start because it was cold (er) and it was drizzling (which turned into sleet briefly)
With his help (mostly digging out the stumps of old shrubs, vines that had been cut and regrown repeatedly making more stumps) we got this far before he had to leave.
Of course, since he is a musician we were talking, but I was working alongside him so...He promised to come back this afternoon if possible (the job is still open)
After he left, I got my tiller out, and got the soil loosened, until my tiller hung up on this↓
An old (very old) ground stake, the one that is connected to the house wiring is MUCH more substantial and located all the way back up the hill from this corner of the bed.
I was scared to death I'd somehow hit the Natural Gas line, (which IS right along there, but one would hope deeper than this) and I had to get down on my hands and knees to dig and work until I could get the tiller loose (going by the sound it made when it FROZE, I was also afraid I had burned something up in the machine)
I'm done for today, if he comes back, he will rake out as many rocks and roots and weeds as possible, input the peat moss and soil, mix it, cover it with the landscape fabric then pine bark mulch.
After I recover, then I'll begin installing my vegetables and spices.
Basil, oregano, and peppers up here, tomatoes cucumbers,squash and okra etc out back.
"Recovering/converting a flower bed"
by
Jerry E Smith
©04/09/2022
All images taken with my cellphone, all but the
First one taken today.