The Bridge is Built

Hooray! Look what Thomas did this weekend!! The bridge is built, as are the newly-reworked pond and waterfall below it. Just what I've always wanted: a foot-bridge...and a pond...and waterfall...just like this. Oh, I can't stop looking at it...taking pictures of it...walking out on it, coffee cup in hand, leaning over the railing, pausing to look at the fish. Well, that last part is only practice, 'cause we haven't actually added the fish to the pond just yet. That comes next, along with some stain and paint to seal the wood, and some mulch and smaller stones on the ground to help hide the pond liner, etc. But don't you just love it? As you can probably tell from the photo, Thomas transplanted some of the daylilies, irises, and roses, so it looks like the bridge has been there for a couple of seasons already. In this picture, Elmo is "peeping" around the right side, coming back from his early morning patrol for squirrels and rabbits along the fence line. He hasn't attempted to cross the bridge yet...nor, has Duchess.

But, Mr. Gus certainly has! He ventured across the bridge...and took a little rest mid-bridge, even before it had been completed!! He's so brave...as shown in this photo.

As you can probably tell about the bridge, Thomas incorporated copper pipes as balusters, just like he did on the deck. And, he capped the end-posts with the copper end-caps, which give it a finished look, don't you think? He took the original "plan" and gave it the little rise in the center, so that you get the sensation of an arch when crossing, but "fixed" the railings to be flat, to give it a more pleasing appearance. My contribution has been to attach the decking boards with deck screws, just like I did on the deck three years ago...and, I'll get out the paint/stain and get to work soon.

Speaking of painting...I want to paint our new front door this week. We had a Jeld-Wen 3/4 Lite "Mission Prairie Glass Design" door and side light, along with a new black storm door installed recently, and we need to paint both the inside (white, to match the interior moulding) and outside (a high gloss black, like ones we saw in England) of the door and frame in order to finish that project. We've got company coming next weekend for a visit (Mom's first cousin, Jim Stewart and wife, Jo, from Ooltewah, TN). Looks like I'd better get my painting duds on!

Meanwhile, here's another picture of the bridge, pond, and waterfall (above, from the back of the yard, looking toward the rose bed)...along with a picture of how the garden is growing (below...squash to the forefront, tomatoes to the rear, with the puny peppers in the middle). Enjoy!