Rocks, Lights, Action

***warning----LOTS OF PHOTOS***

The past week our property has been in the throws of rock laying.

This is by the same company we used last year for our flagstone sidewalk and patio areas, and they did a great job last year, so we hired them once again.

I showed you earlier the covers they built around our culverts, and this week the fun stuff was done, at least FUN to the eye as far as we are concerned.

The two columns at the entry to our property were built, then power and lights added to them by my husband, and the rock wall was also done.

We would still like to add one more wall on the other side of the driveway, but $$ requires that we wait, plus, we also are planning to have this all paved.

One thing at a time.

I'll just shut up now as I let you take a look at all of the stone masons' hard work, my husband testing the wall for strength, or fun, or whatever, and also Izzy as she takes a look at the new entry, and Rowdy as he does the studly walk of an alpha pup.

We are happy to have this done.

Enjoy the photos!

*will be planting another pampas grass on the right*

*that's their cement mixer in the background which has since been removed*

Thanks for looking and have a perfect Saturday!

Stone Man and Dirt Man

 So many plans...

So many contractors that don't respond...

*sigh*

 We have not heard back from our dirt man who lives right around the corner from us.

It was some weeks ago that we told him we want to add dirt to the back yard to decrease the steepness of it,

but.... we wait and we wait....

We are also awaiting our stone man who will be building more stone walls at each side of the upper driveway, as well as a stone column, one on each side of the entrance to our home.

I don't know if you can see the stakes with the yellow flags, but that is where they will be constructed, and my husband will run electrical conduit out to them so that they can each have a light on top.

We have the house number sign, but it will go on later.

Once Mr. dirtman and Mr. stoneman are done, then the upper and lower driveways will be paved.

See all the grass and weeds growing on it now?  Yep, we gave up when we realized that the weeds outnumbered us a bazillion to one.

 This, where Izzy is sitting is the main drive that comes up to the three homes here on our hill,

it will remain rock.

 Lots of berry bushes grow along this drive.

I don't think our contractors know what they're missing by working here.

 There is a 'no trespassing' sign at the bottom of the drive, so don't EVEN try to come up here and steal our berries.

We are very unforgiving about berry thieves.  LOL

 A little red and blue in the bowl for you on this holiday week-end.

 Hope you find a little red, and blue as well as white tomorrow too!

A Heavy Sigh

 Life got you down?

I can happily say that that is a rarity in my life.

Life is not perfect, but most days it really is as though I am living with a rainbow over my head.

Lucky you say?

Not really, although choosing the right husband the second time around accounts for much of my good fortune, and I don't feel guilty about being happy considering that I was single for nearly twenty years between husbands.

Those single years were lean years, times of struggle without many rainbows.

You will think this sounds vain of me, but I see myself as smart... wily smart, not so much straight A achievement kind of smart, but a good choice maker in life kind of smart.  My husband says he thinks that I struggle with decision making, but that's only because I mostly allow him to lead the way, and it's not a man-woman kind of thing... me woman, you man, so YOU make the decision, it's really a case of my knowing that he makes VERY good decisions, and most of the time I agree with him, so I just sit back and let him go for it.

 So, last year he had all of this stonework done around the yard.... this wall was added around a planted bed area,

We talked about this together and were in agreement as to what work we wanted to have done.

 and he had the stone layer re-do our flagstone walkway so that it was now all level and no longer a tripping hazard, 

 and a nice wide, deep step was built up to the front porch so we no longer had to jump from the porch down onto the sidewalk.

 and at the back of the house a small patio was laid in flagstone to alight onto when coming down from the steps of the deck.
*this part of the plan was TOTALLY MY IDEA*

Now, back to the decision making; my husband is having the stone layer come in a couple of weeks to fix a few bricks that the basement walkout door sits atop, and also add more stone walls along the driveway as well as two stone columns at the entrance to our drive.  I'm not overly in favor of this idea, but the decision has been made by him.

There are instances when he just wants what he wants, and my opinion won't sway him,

It's not that I have bad decision making skills... it's simply that sometimes it's not worth an argument.

I mean is it really worth yanking on that rainbow?

*heavy sigh*