a "used" garden project...

So each year, we invest a bit of Justin's bonus to complete one project for the house.
This year, we were planning to do A LOT...but with the lay off, we're cutting down the project: fix/repair/bring to code/permit the existing patio overhang. Too much of this structure is just not kosher...so while we really should have saved this $$ and put it away, since who-knows-when CA will get their act in gear when it comes to education spending, we needed to do this project. There are too many structural issues, and since it's not permitted, if the thing comes crashing down, insurance won't touch the claim with a ten foot pole...
So away we go with this project. Since this is a building thing...and the ball was rolling with the contractor prior to this pledge, we are having the project be totally exempt. Though, I would expect we would not actually be doing the physical purchasing of materials, only paying the contractor to do such work.
When thinking about this patio, we also decided to take care of the landscaping out back, thus completing the entire "area" (much like we completed the library by getting all the components to complete the room design...). this includes: taking out Cyprus trees (DONE!), plating new bushy plants by patio (DONE, and before the pledge), building a retaining wall and planting fruit trees, doing something with the other side of the lawn by the shed, building a fort for kids, planting large shade tree in center of the lawn.
So since you can't really buy used plants/trees, we are exempting the part when we purchase the trees, and the part when we purchase lumber for the fort. but the rest of the landscaping will be accomplished with used materials. The "purist" out there might say: "well, then you're not sticking to your pledge now, are you?" To them I would reply: "These were projects that were in the works before the pledge was made. We didn't want to wait until these projects were finished to do this, since that could mean a few months from now....we are still trying to stay true to this while we finish the project, as much a logically possible..."
Yah, so there.

On the note of trying to do landscaping with used materials, I managed to score over 400 bricks, FREE from craigslist. We plan to use them to fill in a large space on the left side of the lawn, next to the shed and the nectarine tree. We were debating on what to put there for awhile: more lawn? lava rocks? poured concrete? and in my boredom one night I found a posting of a local guy getting rid of a ton of bricks...the SUCK part was having to move all those bricks ourselves, but we did it...now it's a matter of Justin laying them out, even with the existing concrete (I don't have the patience for that kind of stuff...). It seems like there will be enough bricks. If we need more, then I'll look on craigslist again! ;-P

So, in summary: things purchased used since March 12, 2010: outdoor dining table & chairs, oodles of brick, several "Fly Guy" and "Magic Tree House" used books for Auggie's reading logs.

Things purchased new: Mulch (6bags), brick edging (5), Sonicare toothbrush.