Just a quick note to thank you all for sharing your thought, ideas, experience and time. I especially want to thank Bluenan and decoenthusiaste for being with me through the all process for the last 6 months or so..., just wanted to post few photos of the results (https://www.houzz.com/discussions/any-ideas-for-final-touches-to-this-living-dinning-room-dsvw-vd~569586) as I feel it is not only me who created this space but it is your creations as much as mine. It may not be perfect or according to the the "Rules", but it is Me and my family. Each and every piece was chosen by me in different parts of the world and each one of them has a unique story behind. I am very pleased with my space. I love it! I am very blessed. .... and so I am off to my new project now... Back to school.... that's really going to be hard ;) Thank you all, once again.

You can go far enough out on your slope so the vertical distance from the ground at your existing terrace and the slope is 3' or less. There are lots of retaining wall systems you can DIY there at the 3' limit and backfill to level a larger area. You might take in dirt when someone excavates for a pool, for instance - contact the pool contractors in your area and offer to take dirt for them as spring comes. you can also borrow the dirt from your own land further out. Once you make a larger flat area, treat the area where it slopes off from it with some thoughtful planters surrounding 6-10 wide / 4' deep "stairs" . Your leveling above will make the transition area a bit more steep . . so use this area for kitchen garden / raised beds that you sit at from the terrace side and walk up to from the bottom. The slope between should be stairs and on the outside edges you can use groundcover or plant more edibles. Then you'll always have herbs near the kitchen. The stairs will be large and wide enough to provide more seating or even be a play stage with audience arrayed below. Consider shade and where you want it when you plant trees. Deciduous trees are wonderful in colder climates as they give shade only in the summer and then provide architecture but no leaves for allowing winter sun in . . . Think of the land as a series of "rooms" with functions. The larger flat area will allow you to provide a dining terrace behind the grill area and expand your seating where you have the french doors. Your dining area might benefit from a pergola / open frame / trellis above that eventually you grow some lovely pole beans up on. . .

May I suggest since you are going to be weed fighting for a time, that you cut a curving path or track to place dg over gravel on with a border, and rake in native wildflower seed after the next rain - see if you have a native plant society and phone to ask who is the commercial restoration seed supplier in your region ( it will be lovely things like lupine, lacy whites, ) They will have a stock mix for your area and that will bring you some simple loveliness whilst you determine more long term goals . .. the larger elements provide some nice shelter and enclosure here . . . possible you would want to go up the slope to where you've a nice view and make a larger area (again, using edge or pavers for edge, put down gravel then decomposed granite or chip seal (local term here, sorry) - something that will drain and provide a destination for a short ramble eventually, you might plant a garden along the way from here to there .. . don't tear anything out that is established . . as with trimming it will give you a mix of sizes so you can layer in the garden

not alot happening at the moment, its winter! alotta rain, lotta. but i am bedding down to get this over with and maybe in the spring the spirits will rise once more. i hope so. i would love to feel i was doing something to keep my hopes and dreams alive, i dont see what i can do until the spring. when i bring the topic up, especially to those that moved away and came down this neck of the woods, they say they had friends who felt it was too far too and moved back home. i guess thats how i feel, thats what i want and i just want to be a bit more uplifted, i think rain dampens down things a bit!!! santa Ma Margaret!