Mukilteo Musings

Mudslide Recovery

The past two winters set records for extreme weather and copious amounts of rain. We had a fairly significant slide a little over a year ago on the back side of our property. Last spring, we made an effort to try to stabilize the slope by getting rid of the non-native blackberry bushes. In addition, we planted a few native plants and trees and in the steep spots, Dave spread grass seed. We still had an area where we could not reach the blackberry bushes and part of this hillside sloughed this past winter. The good news is that last year's slide stayed put hopefully because of our recovery efforts. As such, if we attack our new mudslide with native plantings, we should be ok for years to come.

Last Year--slide looking west

Blackberry bushes still hanging on the slope.

Photo taken today of the same area but looking east

See to the left and center right the native willow trees. They are supposed to really suck up the water with deep roots that then hold the soil.

Photo today of new mudslide

More blackberry bushes came down.

Also taken just an hour ago

The jungle that is Big Gulch from the bottom of our property! Or call it a rainforest. See our back fence at the top? Apolo was up there throwing a fit that I left him in the yard.

I really do love the fact that it is practically wilderness out there behind our back fence.