A Fence for Riley—Part Two

Last time I showed you how my Papa and brother John assembled all the posts and rails for our new backyard picket fence.  Well a picket fence without pickets is just this:

Not much for keeping dogs in, huh?  So, of course the next step is to slap some pickets on those rails!  Our pickets were cut from 1 x 4’s which as we all know are really like 3/4” x 3 1/2” (whatever, lumber people).  And they are 4’ tall in most places and taller in some areas to keep the slope the same as the fence falls down the hill.  The top corners are also dog eared just for fun and so that my fence looks like popsicle sticks from far away. :) 

Here is how you apply your pickets:

First you have to figure out how far apart your pickets will be spaced.  Maybe you want complete privacy and your pickets will be right next to each other.  Maybe you want to save a lot of money on pickets and you will put them a pickets’ width apart.  Me, I chose to put our pickets 1 1/2” apart so when you view the fence from an angle you can’t see through it, but when viewed straight on, there is a small space for debris and what not to pass through.  Rileys, on the other hand, can not pass through. :)  Once you have decided on your spacing, you begin screwing the pickets on the rails leaving a space between.  This is like rocket science, I know!  And continue on down the line, cutting pickets to length as you go.  Soon you will find yourself fenced in (or out, depending on which side you are on)!

While you are at it outside, you might as well fill in the space in front of the new fence with a flower bed!  Hostas, daffodils, and black-eyed susans happily edge the new fence.  Can’t wait till summer for those blooming beauties to put on their show!  Here’s a look around at the rest of the new fence:

Riley continues to examine the defensive network for weaknesses. 

 

View from the side front yard.  Here’s a sneak peek of what’s been going on over here… a new flower bed full of hostas and a rock path.  I’ll be bringing you updates on this area soon!

Now for your fun fact of the day!  This backyard already had a fence when we bought the house.  It was five feet high and spanned the entire end of the driveway.  (Can you believe the state of those flower beds?  I know, they’re so nice now!) ;)

While I appreciated the privacy it provided, we weren’t so enthusiastic about the dilapidated state of the fence and the closed off feeling it created.  So, one day, we all just went to work tearing it down!  And now we have a brand spankin’ new fence in its place.  

You might notice that a couple of trees are also missing in the after picture.  Okay, you probably didn’t notice, but that is the best I can do for a segue into the next topic—Papa and John cut another tree!  They had to do it… the tree was in the way of Riley’s fence.  :) And they used a rope to pull it across the yard, and I got pictures this time!  :)   

Disclaimer:  Do not try this at home. :)  This tutorial is purely for entertainment purposes. ;)

How to cut down a tree… Guthrie style.

Step 1.  Climb a ladder and tie a rope to your [tiny, sad] tree.

Step 2. Tie other end of rope to another tree across the yard in the direction you want your first tree to fall. 

Step 3.  Tighten rope until taut.

Step 4.  Hide on the deck while Papa cuts down the tree. :)

Step 5. Admire fallen tree.  Then run away fast before someone makes you haul away limbs and logs!

That brings us to the end of the picket fence.  We are currently getting underway with the wire fence sections that complete A Fence for Riley.  I’ll be back with all the details on how to install wire fencing in part three of the fence story!  Check back, too, for updates on the new landscaping and other outdoor projects of late.  Thanks for stopping by!