Sunday, July 24, 2011

Making An Entrance

Even on my day off from work work I wake up with a list of things I want to get done. Eventually I get started. A mental list can be a hard enough thing to follow, more so when your list is longer than the speed you move at. I tend to be rather methodical. I don't like to hurry.

Today I was determined to at least finish the bottle edging along the cabin side bed. Those half finished projects have a certain nagging effect.



When I come home or when company comes, it would be nice if the entrance to the cozy cabin said welcome instead of under construction.

Well I finally got all the way around to the service entrance.



The bed of weeds along the shore of Turd Blossom Lake was sprayed a while back. I still need to add more insulation fill in this bed over the sewer line. I sneak buckets of dirt in there when I can. The weeds were growing so lush though they were beyond simple burial. And just maybe if I get this bed filled and mulched, it might could get planted with something to make the entrance to Hale Mana that much more inviting before winter sets in. Did I mention I am rather methodical?



It's starting to shape up. More definition and less clutter.



And then I felt screw the list. I am going to keep going with the bottle edging. I couldn't have just one side of the walkway to the front steps done.

I step back and have a look at things from time to time. That is part of the process and part of being methodical. One thing I noticed was that the rocks started right by the back service entrance. It felt like my plan for bottle edging on the left side of the steps would not be in balance. That side needed some rock.

Well I got rocks, real close by even, so I added some rocks to the bottle edging for an overall balance in the bigger picture. We'll see if it works after stepping back and looking a whole bunch of times.



I'm still not sure I like the whole thing. In ways it looks like I have edged my house with crappy rocks and an organized line of garbage.

All those nice houses where I work work have plenty of store bought rocks and expensive garden ornaments. I know I have rock envy. Not so much for the chotskies.

But I try to make beauty with what I got.

6 comments:

Siria said...

Hi Christopher! I think it is looking quite nice! And the reason your work looks so nice is because you're so methodical about things. I just love your blue doors! Glad to hear you took some time to do what you wanted to do on your day off.

Gardener in the Distance said...

To me, you're doing excellently, Christopher. I know only too well what it is to work with a very limited source of materials, all the time being agonisingly aware of the much better materials available to others...Your placement of bottles and rocks is inventive, interesting and individual. The cabin itself is a little beauty too.

Christopher C. NC said...

Thanks Siria. It is looking nicer, though not quite ready for Better Cabins and Gardens.

Thank you too GiD. Such kind compliments. I try because I do want this place to be one of peace and refuge.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

As I read through your description of how you are puzzling out the entrance I could see what you saw with the rocks being on one side and not on the other. Now I might add that some vertical rocks might bring the rockyness together. Maybe some small boulders will fall your way and you won't have rock envy any more. Just think of my rock envy of your treasure trove. There aren't rocks of any kind in my sandy clay landscape.

Cheryl K. said...

No such thing as Crappy Rocks - yours look perfect in the rustic setting. The bottles are not "garbage" either - the color placement in your Turd Blossom Lake photo shows an artist's eye. It is creative and beautiful. Once the dead weeds are replaced with deliberate plants, your vision will be complete, and peace will take over the gazer.

Lola said...

Looking good Christopher. There is more clarity of the entryway. I try to follow a list but it doesn't work. I just wonder from one thing to another. Not wanting to work fast, just take my time. I do tend to have a pic in my mind but that doesn't always work out. It's good to work with what one has. To me it makes it look as it has been there & is not "made" to look as such.