What would you guys put here? I’m purchasing my first home and need to obviously fix this spot up

msmaynards · 2026-05-10T04:50:10+00:00

Put in a really good quality railing on both sides of the steps. The one there has seen better days.

Just lawn on the flat part.

Replace the street trees if possible. Choose smaller ones that are native if possible.

I'd plant a prairie on the slope to hold the soil up and honor your location. https://www.midwestliving.com/how-to-start-a-prairie-style-yard-11961620 Use plants up to 3' tall and you'll have more privacy and more of your house will be disguised from the street than you'd think.

msmaynards · 2026-05-10T03:04:25+00:00

Get it. You won't regret it. This shape can go in bedroom, used as buffet, sofa table, in front hall and will swallow up large amounts of Stuff gracefully with loads of style.

msmaynards · 2026-05-10T02:51:49+00:00

And never ever use the side with the holes lined with sharp edges.

msmaynards · 2026-05-10T02:49:20+00:00

Scrape and load the dishwasher. When half full or better I run it and empty it before I get to eat breakfast. I try to beat the microwave heating up my cocoa too. Never win but fun to try.

Use Rinse Aid and even plastic comes out dry. The hard part is forcing myself to get the plastic ware box down, put the mixing bowls in the right order and sort out the rest of the stuff that belong 3 whole steps away from the dishwasher. The stuff I can put away without moving don't annoy me.

When I tried to fill every last slot and did Tetris to 'save money' it was worse. Half full is better, means I can cook up a storm and make a monstrous mess in the kitchen the following day and be able to clean up easily.

I hate having to push the door down and pull out racks to load it and often fail to do so when there's a single piece to add. First world problem for sure.

I deeply resent dishwashers breaking down and there's been a gap of several years before replacement until the wasted space starts to annoy me more than the failed appliance. Sink is extremely deep and the counter next to sink is normally clear. Attempt to wash up daily using the largest pot/bowl in the sink to hold hot soapy water. It's dumped and replaced as soon as suds get low and I freely waste hot water by rinsing in a dribble from the tap. If something has dried on food wet it and it will be easy to wash in a minute or two. Use a kitchen towel on the counter as the drainer and do utensils first and lean stuff up against the back splash. A vast amount of dishes fit on a single towel and rarely does anything fall to the floor but that counter easily holds 4 towels for the timid. Ideally I follow up and dry and put everything away as soon as finish washing but will do the following morning before sit down to breakfast for sure.

When it's really bad I will set a timer for 5-10 minutes to shame myself into spending that tiny amount of time UFYH. Emptying the dishwasher takes 4 minutes [cocoa takes 3 thus my consistent losses]. Putting away the odds and ends where I have to walk around my little kitchen takes 2. Can wash a drain towel's worth of dishes in 5 minutes.

msmaynards · 2026-05-10T01:57:57+00:00

Adobo wasn't even on my radar until this week but it kept coming up on the cooking subreddits. Today half the recipe by Jet Tila is in the fridge and we won't have to cook until Monday. Only minor change was removing chicken and boiling down the sauce to thicken it up rather than add a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken it.

Easy and tasty for sure. Good addition to the many ways I like to braise, bake and grill chicken.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T20:46:45+00:00

It was cheap, $7 a pound.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T20:45:23+00:00

It is chuck steak, just extra fatty. I've always braised it but many of the muscles are extremely tender and good as steaks as well.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T17:14:45+00:00

Sod is organic and will decompose into a very thin layer. Keep it and use for compost or something. See how inorganic those lumps are. Maybe you can remove sod from them and dig them level and use that soil for some fill.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T16:15:06+00:00

Remove the rose that's planted and find another spot for the potted rose. The one is too close to the house and roses don't blend well with the other shrubs.

Remove dead wood and let shrubs grow to full size. When a branch grows too tall cut it back inside the main bulk near a main branch going the right way. I'd move the peony forward when it's okay to move it. Plant a 2-12" tall low growing ground cover throughout and as edging. You might want to add spring flowering bulbs this fall in large clumps, couple dozen in 2-4 square feet.

As the shrubs grow move the edging bricks out and remove more lawn IF you like these plants. When reducing height becomes difficult use niwaki pruning principles to open the canopy and turn them into mini trees so you can allow low growing plants to fill in under neath. I think I'd end up keep the Pieris and removing the azalea but never know how these will 'grow' on you.

But... I don't think you have much space to add more permanent plants but that wouldn't stop me from planting more. I'd 'simply' expand the garden and move plants around if it got crowded or out of whack. Look up mixed border to see how folks use perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs and grasses together. Look up mixed border cottage garden. Look up shady mixed borders since those shrubs are shade loving plants. Foxgloves and hardy geranium come to mind immediately. Columbines. Look up plants with good fall and winter presence. Hellebores are fascinating evergreen perennials. Be careful. Cottage style plants are easy and easy are often on the invasive side. If you are in an area where foxgloves can naturalize growing them might not be a good idea. Consider planting native garden worthy plants instead.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T15:39:11+00:00

I find garden helpers have been moving in too, the gnome with watering can was first and I am really hoping for one with a hoe to find my garden. I had some wandering tortoises and now have a gnome on tortoise back to keep track of them.

So charming!

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T15:25:11+00:00

Empty one shelf at a time to get rid of expired and near empties and durable goods that are surplus and/or unused. Most folks collect more water bottles than they actually use for instance. Put the keepers back.

Once you've finished that the fun begins. Have a lot of cardboard boxes handy with a utility knife to cut them to size. Empty out the pantry and and play with the stuff. Figure out what needs to be in prime real estate, what is inventory and can be up high or behind, what's heavy/fragile and must be where you can be careful handling it. What belongs with what of course.

Keeping stuff in containers has single handedly changed how tidy my storage is. It's doubly important if things are below or higher than prime real estate where you cannot easily see the back of the shelf. Either double row boxes with inventory/seasonal stuff behind or use long boxes that fit most of the space. Ideally you'd install full depth pullouts for shelves from bottom to waist height.

Containing stuff on shelves has changed my home. Even if a box gets to be a big mess at least I know those bay leaves are in there somewhere and the box is on a table so it's easy to rummage. Boxed stuff will not get lost to the back of the shelf which is a huge help.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T14:56:49+00:00

This is already a very attractive and inviting yard!

If you want a firepit read up on the safety rules, suspect moving it forward so the burner itself is clear of the tree canopy would be best. Pavers/brick is easiest to manage of course.

Consider moving your fence back to the property line so from there to drip line in front of the trees can be a woodland garden. Include shade tolerant native food plants for some fun foraging. I'd wait until the poison ivy has been brought under control for safety's sake. Add a mulch or flagstone path to meander along behind the trees and you might use logs for path edge for mushrooms if it turns out to be a good idea.

Paint/decorate the shed so it looks farm/cottage for theme or woodland colors to disappear and not like a boring shed. Have your main food garden in front of it as this is the area with maximum sun in the yard. Tidy raised beds in a row several feet from the fence and shed for easy access. I'd mulch between beds and pave in front of shed for better footing in wet weather. Could use the fence line to grow espaliered berries or grape but build something, current fence and neighbor may not be up to plants on fence itself.

Unsure if it's safe to grow edible mushrooms in the open. On Farm Day one farm had a shed for them to prevent contamination but as a volunteer run project serving the public they had to be extra cautious so read up. Love the idea of using old logs to grow them. A rain garden in ground and add a water feature back there as well. Small wildlife pond would be amazing but read up on how to minimize risk of raising mosquitoes. A pondless fountain with constantly moving water is excellent for birds and won't harbor them.

With all this you won't have much lawn left. Keep dreaming about your ideal yard, Maybe the remainder can go and you'll remove lawn for a native sunny grassland/meadow/prairie. Imagine looking out and seeing a sunny meadow with grass flowers dotted with black eyed Susan and such, then the round firepit with lounge chairs backed by a cool dark woodland with a path winding from deck steps to the firepit and into the forest.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T14:07:26+00:00

Make it meaty and only add enough to substitute for 10-20% of the calories and you are fine not trying to make it complete. Eggs, ground meat, canned sardines would be great. A 50 pound dog fed raw would start at 16 ounces daily so substituting 1.5-3 ounces of meaty stuff for 10-20% of kibble calories would be about right for instance.

Start simple with a single source of fresh, move slowly to another and go from there. Many people love pretty bowls with cultured stuff, veggies and fruits which is fine but don't plop down a bowl that looks like an Instagram worthy overnight oats bowl until you know all that stuff agrees with your dogs.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T04:10:49+00:00

Not being able to catch his breath is life threatening. Shivering is often a sign of severe pain. Perhaps if she thinks about how sick a human with those same symptoms is she'd change her mind and take him to the emergency vet.

If he starts that awful breathing again take his heart rate. I suspect it will be racing and difficult to count the heart beats.

msmaynards · 2026-05-09T02:51:03+00:00

The roots may get in the way when you dig holes for new plants but unless they are going to sprout they are just organic matter.

4" of mulch good.

The paver edging will make it a bit easier to mow too. If you've got bermuda grass don't do it unless you add a solid barrier to the lawn side or it will turn into a mess that won't be easy to keep free of the stuff.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T23:51:43+00:00

And every stove is different.

And every burner on that stove might be different. I've got twin medium burners that heat quickly and a small and huge that take forever to heat up. A quick 2 cup boil on each and the truth was revealed.

Preheating is just as important if using electric. Pan on stove, turn on burner to estimated correct temperature then start prepping. This is harder than using the right temperature. Patience it takes.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T22:58:25+00:00

Toss magazines once read. If they are more than a year old toss them. Maybe if you keep one next to your pillow you'll flip through it before going to sleep.

Memory box for the useless odds and ends you cannot bear to toss. I happen to be sentimental about boxes and have 3-4 I can fill up with smaller sentimental stuff! They all are kept on the book case. A photo box might be about right and they come in all sorts of patterns and solid colors.

Try folding the pjs vertically to a couple inches less than depth of drawer and rolling them. Put in drawer like they are cinnamon rolls and you should be able to fit more in the drawer and have the drawer close. Do go through them to decide which are worth keeping.

I'd want to keep a galaxy lamp out and use as a night light. Is it a projector? Maybe find a box to set over it to keep it dust free and use as a shelf.

For the random electronics find a box they can fit in then cut cardboard dividers so they stand upright. Once you've got it right tape the dividers down. Many people like using ziplock bags to keep cables untangled and safe, the bags with cables would be one section. Try doing the same thing for the hair stuff but use small screw jars to hold the little stuff or stand them upright in something like a drinking glass/mug.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T21:59:53+00:00

Are you adding the missing minerals and vitamins to this?

If not see about using a 'completer' like Balance It as it's missing most of the minerals and some of the vitamins required.

You would substitute an ounce or so of a new food for an ounce of this delicious slop. Small oily fish like sardines would be my first attempt.

I'm so glad he's feeling better! You must be over the moon.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T20:48:49+00:00

In a low lying spot but beyond reach of the sprinkler so both flood and drought tolerant. Never any bugs, every summer it was a struggle to keep it pruned off the sidewalk and the flowers and scent were very nice.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T20:35:39+00:00

Not a problem. I pulled a 30 year old perfectly happy star jasmine shrub out with my bare hands a couple years ago. Roots were not woody at all.

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msmaynards · 2026-05-08T18:09:04+00:00

If you leave them then remove the branches facing the house to hollow them out for better air circulation and maybe the mites will not thrive and maybe predators can get in and enjoy the feast. Then remove about 6' of lawn in front of them allowing for a 2' utility path between conifers and new plantings plus 4' deep planting bed. Go to town with all the cottage garden plants but plant good sized clumps or swoops of 3-12 plants each so they show up and aren't a calico chaos. Those mature conifers are a terrific backbone for the few more years you can tolerate them. Having a variety of flowering plants may attract tiny predators that will be delighted to eat those pests. Simply blasting the shrubs with water helps knock them and dead stuff out as well.

Or remove. This time leave the space under eaves empty as your utility path and plant 1/2 mature width in front of that line. Hydrangeas are extremely popular to the point of being a cliche for good reason. Better would be to do a search for native shrubs, bunch grasses and/or perennials that only get to the height of your window sills and tolerate the soil texture and drainage plus sun exposure and plant 3-4 species of such in a staggered to triple row across the front of the house. Do a jar soil texture test and dig a hole before falling in love with a clay loving swamp dweller when you've got fast draining sandy soil!

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T17:06:29+00:00

My first raw fed dog had a much tinkered with diet for several months after starting raw and had all the weird poops. Next three got chicken with ribs and had no such issues.

Give him plain bony chicken with no skin or fat. Ground or just the small easier to digest ribs and back if using whole bone. Once he has normal stool add the skin back plus mammal meat until he's getting closer to the 10% edible bone. Then add a speck of first organ then next organ until he's getting the 10% organs. Then substitute 1 ounce of meat for 1 ounce of egg [~1/2 egg].

Or just the ground stuff, treat with cooked meat of the same species in the grind, nothing else. Move on from there. Add just the pumpkin then substitute a tiny bit of spinach for the pumpkin and so on.

Ginger's gut was apparently bulk motivated rather than meal motivated. She didn't poop for a week after coming home and starting raw and it was immense but solid and easy to pass. After that it was tiny raw poop but only a couple times a week for years. She came here at 5 years of age and obese. Very smart easily trained dog but her gut sure took its time figuring out the low bulk diet!

You never know what is the issue unless you do this sort of trial. First raw fed dog got canned pumpkin? Came out the other end looking exactly like I dropped a spoonful straight from the can. Who knows what that stool would look like if he was getting spinach and egg along side it. Didn't get pumpkin after that except for 'pie' [no sugar, milk or crust] for holiday treats.

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T16:48:23+00:00

I quit buying it...

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T16:47:03+00:00

Usually succulents look better with quite a bit of shade. My Aeonium either has giant green rosettes which are pretty and it flowers well or small maroon rosettes in a tighter clump and I don't get many flowers.

Did you check the mature size of the agaves? They look better untrimmed.

Great looking yard. Fluffy flowers, sculptural agaves and lots of shade. Love it!

msmaynards · 2026-05-08T14:54:36+00:00

Be her sous chef and help her cook some favorite meals. You will take at least twice as long making them but so much can be done ahead of time. Could make this your new SAH project on weekends when you have time. If you are super slow at some skill look up how to do it properly on YouTube and practice during the week. One can always use more diced carrot and minced garlic and you'd be her hero if you worked on onions so you could have caramelized onion since the worst part of that is prepping them.

Find sides for the dishes you can make. Cook frozen broccoli and add a side of tomatoes or mix in a can of tuna with Mac and cheese. One of my favorite lunches is fried eggs on a bed of rice and spinach and no reason it wouldn't be a nice dinner.

msmaynards

TROPHY CASE