Octoberfest 2: Around the House

In addition to our big impact, more expensive rock and mulch improvement, we got around to fixing a few things around the house. When we bought the house, our inspector suggested we seal all the cracks in the porch to keep water from getting in. We found a great caulk that looks and feel like brick mortar by Quikrete, and it really gets the job done well. The sealer blends seamlessly with the old mortar, dries quickly, and it can expand and contract (unlike mortar).

Sealed vertical gap

Sealed .5" gap between steps and porch

Becca's loves her flowers, here a few recent blooms.

Clamatis

Purple clamatis on trellis

Purple coneflower

She also attacked our elderly neighbors rosebush that was overtaken by poison ivy. We hauled off a truckload of thorns and hairy vines, hopefully soon we can update her landscaping. Unfortunately, Becca had a really bad reaction to the poison ivy, so the last week was filled with itching and more itching.

Recently cleared side yard of neighbor

Next week, we plan to continue fixing gaps in mortar, and Becca is going to plant more vinca in our back patio area. You can see the first round of vinca is spreading nicely.

Vinca minor