It's green!
A month ago I spread a layer of new soil in the back yard and scattered fertilizer and grass seed over it. This wasn't the first time I've tried seed and fertilizer—many earlier attempts failed—but now I'm hoping that the new soil will make the difference.
Today you see a respectable layer of green grass poking though the straw. Not exactly lush, but at least there's hope that with more time and TLC it will grow and thrive.