Having a Vision

Kevin sees my avid rock-removing as a bit of a sideline in the world of renovation- he says that's not true, but it is. He tends to lean towards indoor working, and I tend to prefer the outdoor tasks. Yes, I know you can see quite clearly that it was sunny and lovely today, and you suspect that that may have been a compelling factor, but I'm out there in the rain as well. 

Today, I was ready to gently outline my vision for the gardens. I thought it would be useful to mark out where the terrace is going, and to mow a patch where the immediate 'private gardens' would be. This exercise enticed Kevin outside for a while! 

The vision? Balustrade-ed steps will come down from the centre of the terrace (where the gravestone currently rests- this is still a disputed position) and a wide pale gravel path will lead up between two beds, one for vegetables and one for flowers, with another pale gravel path along the long join between balustrade-ed terrace edge and garden.

At the far end of the path between the beds, we'll position a monument of some sort, maybe a sundial, or a fountain, or a bird bath, or a wee-ing boy. I admit to having National Trust influences here. And very Grand Designs!

Mowing the patch where last summer's camp was has reduced its 'eyesore' quality dramatically, don't you agree? I have lots of movement of soil and turf to undertake in order to create a level garden. The rocks I'm in the middle of removing from the fosse drainage field are already providing a good amount of hard core for the terrace. One end needs quite a bit of bolstering up. 

That unsightly polythene bag in the foreground is a lucky find, which Kevin presented to me with a smile. We knew we had a bag of vegetable seeds somewhere amongst our boxes, but couldn't locate it. Kevin discovered it while looking for something else. Saint Sue has provided me with four early tomato plants to start me off, and in the next few days I will be propagating some of my seeds utilising the old windows we've just removed. I can then get a yummy vegetable patch going and take a little step towards the self-sufficient Good Life.

I couldn't get him back in! He seems to have found a taste for sunlight... He let me loose with that precious chain saw today, after a little training session. Kevin is worried about my safety awareness, after he witnessed me lift up the petrol mower as I was going along today to kick away a rock. He said I was lucky not to have sliced my foot off! He's right. What a numb-skull! And there was me thinking that the blister on my blister hurt!