So the storms did throw a pause into our yard work, not for being too light-weight wussy crappy pants to work in the rain, but because the next chunk of work required electricity. I like being alive.

With reciprocating saw in hand, I climbed on down to our ever retreating jungle.

Behold, the first victim:

And the second:

My solar radio was servin’ up some Go Country 105.

I pulled up another 600 cubic feet of Johnson grass and added it to the pile.

A pile of broken concrete. Yay!

Poor Chico the dog.

Some of the day’s trash finds:

Assorted debris that I chucked upstairs throughout the day:

Another beautiful sunset.

More trash parading your way later today :)

We’ve been rained out here at TheLOH for the past week, so now that sun has returned to us, I can resume bushwhackin’. What buried treasure will I find today?

Witness the monotony of these last days:

We’re starting a new column here at TheLOH – Your Tangible Shopper. You know, for when something catches me enough to actually buy it, or at least visit it off screen and in person.

I found Brook Farm General Store while browsing Big Cartel for our Virtual Shopper column we started earlier this month, and decided to place an order. On a mission to rid ourselves of plastics and replace disposable items with reusable ones, we bought 18 of the stainless steel straws. I also got a tiny solar radio so I can listen to Go Country 105.1 while I toil outside.

Look at the goods:

The straws will especially come in handy for parties. They were $18.00 for a set of six, and now we’ll never buy straws again.

The radio is a tiny thing, measuring just 3″ x 3.25″. The site says that fully charged, it will run 7 hours, but it’s going longer. It’s got me singing and smiling through some tough work. $32.00 well spent.

If the sun quits on ya, a few cranks will generate surprisingly long play time.

They also included their card and a lil’ chocolate. Who told them the path to my heart? The pouch says, “Thank you for shopping at Brook Farm General Store.”

If you happen to live in the NYC/Brooklyn area, here’s their address:
75 South 6th St. Brooklyn, NY, 11211 (between Berry & Wythe)

I’ve placed a few orders with small shops this week, so I’ll have more goodies to share with you soon!

Note: We did not receive any goods, money, discounts, or services from Brook Farm General Store. We are just fans, and we hope to turn you on to some good finds from small, sustainable, and responsible businesses.

While we continue bushwhackin’ in the Lower Garden & Orchard, these are the things that we have to get done before we start building our lounge/fire pit area:

- bring 1 more load of scrap metal
- cut back bougainvillea
- till & tamp the land
- design and install drainage
- finalize lounge/fire pit area design
- measure & spray paint the ground
- shop materials

Here are our inspiration photos:

(both photos from the now defunct Western Interiors)

I’m not going to put the pressure of deadlines on us, but I would like to have this built by the time my brother and his girlfriend come to visit at the end of April. April 26th is my birthday, and we closed on TheLOH on this past April 27th. I would very much like to have a welcome-to-L.A.-Scott-n-Jenn/my-birthday/1st-year-at-TheLOH party.

And, I want an ‘after’ photo to show ya’ll so badly!

I’d like to get the ball rolling on the cushions for the outdoor lounge/fire pit area. I know that Sunbrella is at the top, but their prints are rather uninspiring. Is there anyone out there making Sunbrella-quality outdoor fabric with more interesting prints or a wider variety of colors? Stripes and paisley just aren’t my bag.

Look:

Please leave ideas in the comments section – I will be so grateful!

:) Brooke

Luckily, most of the junk that we’ve unearthed is of the recyclable variety, a win-win for both the earth and the wallet. Check out the haul:

Buh bye!

Score!

On the way to the recycling spot:

Got a problem? Call Dick Poon.

Oh boy. Now the internet porn trollers will be stoppin’ by.

It’s raining and will be for the next week, week-and-a-half. For those who don’t know, rain in Los Angeles = apocalypse. Not to me, ’cause I’m not a light-weight wussy crappy pants, but to everyone else. Nevertheless, the rain does throw a pause into our yard plans.

So, in honor of the new season of 24 (starring my girl Annie as the hot one), I’d like to take things indoors to The Interrogation Room.

The previous owners installed these two light fixtures in the living/dining rooms, and they come with the distinct bonus of giving you a nice interrogate-y feeling no matter where you are in the room.

My favorite feature: the instruction/warning stickers around each light. Classy.

Check out the first installment of Unintentional Comedy here.

The entire yard is spongy and springy under the foot due to so many years of growth and neglect, but every few steps the ground will feel solid. A little digging reveals why:

The roots of the grass are tough…

… but if you yank hard enough, you can pull it up kinda like a carpet…

… uncovering more glass treasure.

Here’s our haul so far:

On deck for tomorrow: shlepin’ scrap metal.

Remember this guy, found in nature and humanity’s collaborative thicket down in our Lower Garden?

I’ve just returned home from Sentimental Lady: Lost & Found at Upright Citizens Brigade (“Diaries. Jewelry. Puppies. Someone lost it, you found it. Sentimental Lady presents an entirely improvised show based on objects that YOU found! Bring items you’ve found and watch as they’re taken and turned into a hilarious, one-time-only show!” – UCB).

Our trash baby – on stage!

The audience chooses the item of improv inspiration, and we very nearly won, being just barely beat out by a Jesus keyring. Boo! Now that trash baby gas can has had a taste of the spotlight, we’ve got to go again next week. Muahhahaha!

Ready or not, the trash is on parade, about to pass by the digital grandstand of your screen. Imagine a nice rousing march, if you will.

Da dadaDa Da Da Dadada!

Gimmie some big brass.

Here’s where the strings swell.

BOOM (big drum)!
A kennel?

Chunks of concrete. A most unwelcome sight. Yay!

The grand finale! Fireworks!

Can ya’ll believe what we’re lookin’ at over here?

Tune in for the trash party tomorrow.