A plan

I have little birds that come to eat every morning just outside my bedroom window.  It always happens about 6:30-7 a.m.  Somewhere between 10-30 of them come in, eat stuff from the ground, and then they fly off.  I want to get some seed to set out for them but I haven't remembered while I'm in town.

I've begun my garden planning in earnest now.  I'm going to work off the four-square plan.  Beds surrounding the perimeter, four beds in-between paths that cross in the middle, and a center piece where the paths cross.  We are thinking with all the birds up here that we want a bird bath for our center piece.  The trouble I'm having at the moment is deciding what material to use for my pathways.  Gravel, brick, cedar mulch, or grass?  I like the feel of grass and the look but I don't like the amount of water it takes.  Gravel and brick are fairly expensive and labor intensive to put in but don't take water to maintain.  Cedar mulch isn't as labor intensive or expensive but in the long run it probably is as expensive since I would have to replace the mulch every year.  The nice part there is that I could change my mind easily about the location of my paths.

I need some pallets for my composting area too.  Or to buy a composter but I think I'd rather have three bins going.  I'm noticing with my little compost that is out right now though I am going to have to get serious about fencing critters out.  Even if that critter is my own dog.  He is a pain about getting into stuff like that.

Once I get compost set up and my path material decided on then I can really go to work.  I've started to dig beds a little.  It looks like I have some pretty decent dirt.  I will amend it some with some manure since the previous folks so kindly left us lots of straw and manure.  Some people wouldn't be happy about that but I am.