Friday, May 04, 2007

Spring preparations continue...

Yesterday, I finished waterproofing the remaining areas of the deck before sitting down to re-string a bamboo windchime at the patio table and adding a few decorative touches to the space. I pulled out a 5x8 woven patio mat we purchased last year and utilized it as a rug in front of a set of two chairs and a round table between them. Next, I planted four 4" pots of French Lavender that I'd purchased when picking up the block into a large garden urn and placed in front of the grouping. It is fine there for now but I'll have to probably move it as it grows, determining where I want it in the yard before summer ends.

Remember the peonies I'd started in March? That pot now rests in a container on top of the side bar. It can stay there for now... but will have to be moved when the carpenter ants begin discovering it. Another plant to determine where to plant later... I haven't transferred the Astible out to the deck yet... it seems a little too delicate yet.

In the afternoon/early evening, Don returned to Menard's and purchased the remaining block we need to finish up around the watergarden. Setting the block, back filling around the inside of the blocks and adding bags of top soil to the remaining blocks that have been laid on one side will be worked soon. I did work a little on the area that I could yesterday, filling in with stone against the block and added three 40 lb. bags of top soil so that I could replant my woodland ferns and hostas before they go into shock from the transplanting. This is only the beginning as the pond itself needs re-emptied after the recent rains, grass that has gotten in needs to be removed, and then we'll begin refilling. A long lenght of electric conduit will allow us to dig and bury the electrical wires for the pump and fountain. I don't know when we will get back to working on it as my shoulders are sunburnt once again from the work I did yesterday. {I am getting a nice tan in other areas...such as my arms and legs} Now, I have got to start remembering to actually wear the garden hat and to put on additional layers of sunscreen while I'm working out there.

I gave some thought to what I can do to the patio deck to help soften it and decided to look around our home before I purchase anything. I found two khaki colored placemats and napkins with a shell napkin ring. I had used them a few years ago on our small table which I now use for sewing --- so I took those outside to see how they look and feel. They were perfect! Thinking I'd like to have a tablecloth of some sort, I ventured around some more when I saw the fabric bolt remanants from making my studio curtains. The colors are just right for what I'm envisioning so I took that out, unfolded it on the table and cut it to lenght. Sometime soon, I'll get the perimeter seams sewn and a small hole for the patio table umbrella to fit through. I think I'll cut a seam on one side, bind all the raw edges, and sew on some hook and eyes so I can just put it on and off when we desire to actually use it. Well, there you have it, that's what I've been up to... being busy, busy, busy.... {smiles}

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