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!

Life's a Beach!

We've just returned from our recent trip to the beach...Pawleys Island, SC via Charleston...possibly our most-favorite family vacation spot. No matter where we've lived, we always seem to return to this general area when we need to play in the sand and surf and soak up some history. We started going to the Litchfield Resort when we moved from NC to Ohio back in '90 and fell in love with it. Our time in NC had taught us that most folks from the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem area headed to the Myrtle Beach, SC, area when they wanted to go to the beach. Seemed odd because NC has beautiful beaches, too. But, we found that Myrtle was just a bit more commercialized than we wanted to contend with...on vacation. So, we began to spend a week each summer about 30 miles south on Highway 17...and a complete world apart from Myrtle.

Pawleys Island is said to have been one of the first "vacation" retreats in this country, serving as an escape from the heat and humidity of the interior rice and indigo plantations for the planter famlies. And even though Hurricane Hugo devastated several of the beachfront properties on the Island, there are still many Arrogantly Shabby homes from 100-150 years ago, in the National Historic zone! As a matter of fact, that's probably one of the reasons we feel so at home here...there is so little pretense. While I can't even begin to list the changes that have happened in the few years it has been since we were there last, thankfully most of them were good ones.

We took a Shelling and Lighthouse Boat Cruise on the Carolina Rover out of Georgetown, SC, enjoying a wonderful 3-hour tour to North Island. We collected what we thought were conch shells, but learned later from the guide that we actually had whelks. This is the largest shell I've ever picked up on the beach...I've seen them in the gift shops, but I had never seen them "in their natural habitat."

One of the reasons I was so excited to have found so many beautiful shells was that I wanted to create a shell "sculpture" to submit to the World Beach Project, which is being sponsored by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. While they haven't begun accepting submissions yet, I do plan to send one or two in soon. Here (photo) is a one view of the shell project I created on Pawleys Island Beach on Thursday, May 24, 2007. Note - the flip-flops with the SC state flag symbols!

Of course, we didn't spend all of our time in the sun. We knew that there were several knitting shops in the area from Myrtle to Charleston, and we were able to visit 3 of them. Woo-hoo! Here's a shot of our favorite one, called simply "Knit," located at 87 Wentworth St. in downtown Charleston. It was a fabulous place for two yarn-a-holics such as Maredith and me! She reminded me that she had purchased more British yarn (mostly Debbie Bliss) on this trip than she did on our trips to either England or Scotland!

Of course, all good things must come to an end... Why is that? I've heard that saying all of my life, but I still have trouble with it. I'm not entirely certain that I agree with it.

For instance, we've just celebrated our 31st anniversary...and we are hoping that the end's nowhere in sight! We were back in MO by the 29th, so we celebrated at a local restaurant, JBucks. Mmmm, tasty! You know, it's been a great ride so far, and we're looking forward to heading into our sunset years together. [I took this picture (left) of the sunset on our return trip from North Island to Georgetown, SC. Thought it was appropriate to the discussion...]

So, with Memorial Day, our anniversary, and our beach trip in the rearview mirror of 2007, it's time for Summer to "officially" begin!

We're still working on the bridge, the pond, and the waterfall in the back yard, and the garden is looking pretty good. I hope to post some photos of the finished products soon. Stay tuned...!

One Sock, Two Socks...

Ta-da! As you can see, I finished my socks. Although I didn't get to attend my final class on the subject, I was able to find my way through the pattern instructions and finish the toe(s).

Can you tell anything about them? For instance, can you tell that they are HUGE?? Let it be a lesson...CHECK YOUR GAUGE. After I had made it through most of Sock #1, all the way to the toe-decreases, I finally checked my gauge. Instead of the 8 stitches = 1" that the pattern called for (with sock/finger-weight yarn and size US2 needles, which I was using), I had a roomier 7 stitches to the inch. Oh well, they're still pretty...and they'll make great slouch-y, lounging socks, won't they? And, you can bet your last dime, I'll check my gauge on the next pair I knit!

What a weird week I'm having. Mom's at Jack's for a visit (so, no caregiver duties for me)...and, Thomas is actually home mid-week (between Kansas City and Effingham), so I'm not really sure whether I'm coming or going! Shouldn't I be heading to St. Peters Senior Center...or the doctor's office...or somewhere? Nope. Not this week. Hmmm....

Checked the Farmer's Almanac to see when was the best time to plant beans and cucumbers...found out that would be today...New Moon. So, I soaked some seeds and set up the bean fencing in the garden...loosened the soil with the cultivator...and, got 'em in the ground before sundown. Also, removed suckers from the tomatoes...which are growing very well. Now, I need to weed a bit...then mulch with a layer of paper, then a layer of hay. Hopefully, I can make that all happen before vacation...and before my back knows exactly what I've been up to.

The irises are almost bloomed out, and I must say that I'm sad to see them go. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the colors...the variety...the abundance of blooms this year. How about one more iris photo before their season ends? This one is in the back yard, at the edge of the pond and the edge of the deck. Isn't it a gorgeous yellow? And, it looks this brilliant in "real life," too! I've marked the plants because they'll need dividing next year, and I would love to start this color in a couple of other places in our yard...as well as give some transplants to Maredith.

Never fear...now it's time for the daylilies to begin their show. Buds are forming everywhere! It'll be a few days, but the curtain should go up for the first blossoms by this weekend.

Turn the Other Heel

Check it out! The new LYS (local yarn shop, in yarnaholic-speak), Knit and Caboodle, got its new sign recently! So, now you won't be in danger of missing it when you are on Main Street in St. Charles, MO. I just love going inside this place...the variety of colors and textures are almost overwhelming. I always want two of these...four of those...no, wait...gimme a dozen of them! Connie (the owner) is just a wonderful person, and she deserves success with this new venture of hers. Support your LYS!

And, on that note, I am doing my very best to provide support to K&C, beyond the obvious method of trying to purchase some of everything she has in stock. I signed up for the first Socks Class on Monday nights and have just finished Class #2. We made and turned the heel and shaped the gusset last night, using a different stitch than called for in the pattern (replacing a plain stockinette stitch on the heel with a S1, K1 on the RS, which is supposed to provide a stronger heel for the finished sock.) Hurrah! Now, it's on to the toe!! [Here's a photo of the newly-turned heel on my sock, which is being made with a neat self-striping fingering weight yarn in (what else?) purple, teal, and green.]

Yes, I had made several stockings last Christmas, so the instructions weren't new or daunting this time around, but I wanted to learn how to adjust patterns for fit and to see if my technique was correct. With Christmas Stockings, you don't have to worry about fit, but with socks...that's pretty important. Plus, working on these tiny US2 double-pointed needles is a challenge, especially for someone with fat fingers like me.

Have I told you that the irises are beautiful this year? Oh yes, I think I've mentioned that a time or two. It bears repeating: the irises are beautiful this year! Thomas suggested that I go around with my camera to document where the different colors are located, since we haven't been diligent in marking them or tagging the transplants. This photo is of a pink one and yellow & white one growing around the bench in the front yard, taken after a brief rain shower. Today, a frilly purple one has joined the parade, just to the right of where this picture was taken. I wish I knew the names of all of them...perhaps I can find a book with pictures, and I can match ours up. Meanwhile, I think I'll just enjoy them...and I invite you to, too!

The First Iris Blooms

Remember...just a couple of weeks ago I was bemoaning the cold weather that had robbed us of our Spring? Well, apparently irises love a little cold snap because all of them are popping their blooms...and these are supposed to bloom in late May - June! We've been concerned about what the cold weather did to our daylillies, which are still showing signs of the frostbite they suffered on their leaves. And, the Japanese Maple in the front yard lost all of its new, tender leaves and turned black...it's struggling to "come back." So sad looking. Not the noble iris! This photo shows the first to bloom in the backyard, with some light violet ones open on the side yard, and a couple of yellow ones about to pop in the front yard. Hooray! It makes my heart sing to see 'em!

I'm taking it easy today, following a rough couple of days with my back. Yesterday was my first day to try a new muscle relaxer, which...per usual with these kinds of meds...put me "under" with just the least recommended dosage. I actually fell asleep in my chair after supper...holding my knitting in my lap! I could NOT keep my eyes open, no matter how hard I tried! The good news...I didn't have a single muscle spasm in the night last night...well, at least I don't remember having one!

Speaking of my knitting...I've started knitting a long shawl with some beautiful hand-dyed yarn I got about a month ago at my favorite yarn shop in St. Charles, Knit and Caboodle. The yarn is called "Pretty Mix" Tannhauser, which is a mix of silk,mohair, wool, and nylon (25% of each), in teals, greens, and purples (my favorite colors, of course!). I've been searching for just the right pattern, and I think a simple lace pattern I found on the Michael's website will show off the colors of the yarn very well. The pattern is a 4-row repeat, worked on 55 stitches, using size US 15 needles (like knitting with broomsticks!): Knit Rows 1 and 3; Row 2 is K1, *yfrwd, K2tog, repeating from the * to the end of the row; Row 4 is *K2tog, yfrwd, repeating from the * to the last stitch, K1. Repeat these 4 rows for desired length (I'm aiming for 48 inches at the very least, plus a fringe). If I can stay awake, I'll work on it some more tonight!

Speaking of Knit and Caboodle, I went in there on Tuesday to "visit" some gorgeous teal cotton that finally talked me into taking the lot home...since I had found a pattern that I thought would do it justice (I'd ordered the pattern from Just One More Row). While in the shop, I decided to sign up for the Sock Class that starts on Monday for the next 3 weeks. Although I need another project like I need another hole in my head (!), I thought it might be fun...and a way to get to know other local knitters. Connie, the owner, is such a nice person, and I'm sure she will be able to teach me all about joining-in-the-round...something I've just made up without knowing how to do it "right." I picked out some self-striping sock yarn...colors of blue, teal, and off-while...and got the tiny size 2 double-pointed needles. (I've worked on double-points before, making Christmas stockings, so I'm OK with that...but size 2???) Should be fun!

Happy 87 to Nana/Momma/Edith!

We wished Mom a happy 87th birthday last weekend in Louisville, where we started off the night at The Irish Rover restaurant...to get us in the proper mood for The Celtic Woman concert at the Louisville Palace Theatre. Despite a bit of a problem with all the steps in the old refurbed Palace (just ask us where Row AA is!), the usher was able to work it out so that Mom could enjoy the show from a choice seat in the wheelchair section of the Orchestra level...and as her "companion," I got to share the choiceness with her! We ended the evening at Maredith's for cake and presents...the best part, right?

Thomas headed off to Chicago to work for the week, while Mom, the dogs, and I were Maredith's houseguests. It was so nice to be with her for an extended visit! Then, after Thomas returned on Thursday, we took advantage of the excellent weekend weather to get started on the backyard project du jour: building some lattice-work "screens" to create badly-needed privacy for Maredith's patio area. (Yes, Thomas has had to build some version of these lattice screens in Tennesse...twice; in Ohio; in MO; and now in KY. The joke in our family is that as soon as he builds with lattice, we'll have to move. Ha?) In the photo to the left, you can see Thomas with the power auger (a great idea to rent one from Home Depot!), being ably assisted by Maredith (with the post-hole digger...her very own, I might add!), and of course, Gus, the project supervisor. Woo-woo!

Thomas removed the railings from the deck, and that really opened up the space tremendously. I joined in the fun by treating, sanding, and staining the deck...which was in need of lots of TLC due to years of neglect. Then, I primed and painted the wood that went into making the screens. Eventually there will be two "side wings," one to join the one they finished before we had to leave on Sunday. In the photo on the right, you see the first panel going into place. One down, seven more to go!

Also, while Maredith and Thomas (and Gus) worked on setting the posts, I grabbed a shovel and set about working on the landscaping in the front yard. When Maredith bought her house, one of the first things she did was remove the hodge-podge of plantings that made the front look ragged and neglected. The house is a traditional red brick with white trim, and Maredith decided right away to change the flesh-colored (???) shutters to a Federal Blue (see the photo). The previous owners had planted one of every kind of bush you can think of...you had to look hard to see anything that matched! Plus, the bushes were planted too close to the house in the first place, and they were badly overgrown and poorly trimmed. Not anymore! As of Sunday afternoon, Maredith now has 5 dwarf Burfordii hollies (Ilex B. Nana) in front of the windows, to match the giant holly on the corner of the house, under the side bedroom window (she left that one in place); 7 gorgeous evergreen boxwoods in front of the front walkway, to give some depth and definition to the entrance; and 4 burning bushes, that were jumping out of the confines of their pots...maybe they will grow quickly and hide a (necessary, but not-so-lovely) chainlink fence on the side of the front yard. Maredith had already put out beautiful multi-colored pansies, which are coming back nicely after the cold snap, and they are now joined by blue Georgia Speedwell and phlox, along with several transplanted irises and daylillies (we'll all be surprised by their colors, as I'm not sure what came from where in our yard here in MO). To say we had a busy weekend sounds like an understatement!

Although it's still a WIP in Louisville, we'll shift our focus to our own backyard project (remember the bridge and the new waterfall?) this weekend. And, possibly get a start on the garden...surely we've seen the last of the cold weather for this area until October or November??? I'm eager to get some tomatoes growing...or, I won't be able to harvest one on July 4th!!

Bridge Over River Adsit

Did you have a nice Easter? Hope so.

Ours was a quiet one...just the three of us. Maredith stayed in Louisville, having dinner with a friend and her family. She made our favorite...strawberry cake...which was a hit!

Look what the Easter Bunny brought me! Can you tell what it is from the picture?

It's a new bridge that will grace the pond area off our back deck. Of course, for this to work, we had to:

1. Drain the pond and clean it.
2. Remove all the rocks that surrounded the pond.
3. Remove all the plants in that area, relocating some to a temporary bed for replanting later...and some in pots to go to Maredith's house in KY.
4. Find a plan for building the bridge that I liked...and that Thomas thought was buildable. Then change the plan.
5. Order the materials for delivery..."hello, Home Depot?" [A helpful hint: if you go to HD to place your order, don't do this on the weekend. The Contractor's Desk is staffed M-F only, so on the weekends, you have to get all the SKU numbers yourself...for all your order. Bummer.]
6. Cut and begin assembly in the garage...have you heard how cold it's been outside around here lately? Thomas worked hard on this step over the weekend. [A lovely byproduct of this step...our garage smells fabulous! I just love the smell of wood shavings and sawdust!]
7. Move the whole production to the site...before it got so heavy we couldn't pick it up. Thank goodness for that versatile wagon we got a couple of years ago at Sam's Club! It made a perfect "barge" to transport the bridge. [In case you haven't noticed, the decking on the bridge isn't attached in the picture...so, we could still lift the pieces & parts.]
8. Saturate the new lumber with a product that helps treated wood "receive" stain. Behr (Home Depot again) calls it "No. 63." Or, is it "No. 62?" I forget. One is for new wood...the other for "aged" wood.

That's where the project stands today. I finished spraying the wood last night, and it has to "cure" for 24 hours. Of course, it will have to be above the 40's for us to paint...and we are still looking at night-time temps in the 30's around here.

I'll update the photo to show the progress we are making on this project. I'm so excited!