That's what I'm aiming for as I enclose a small patio along side my house. Sometimes to create such a space requires other things to be masked from view. A garden is a bit of an illusion: as if the world where well tended and picturesque everywhere.
It is just a mask, just an illusion, but I enjoy "sweet lies:" even my island of sanity in a sea of madness -- my garden enclosed.
Here's the work in progress:
One eight foot section of fence waiting to be transported and mounted:
The second section, waiting to be assembled:
The tools of assembly:
The tubular supports: eight foot tubes -- six feet above ground, two under...
How I "drilled" the holes in the ground for the tubular supports -- I used to work for an oil drilling company...
The ladder and sledge hammer for pounding the supports into the drilled holes:
A place in the shade for breaks:
A replacement stool I modeled after the one from my youth which rotted out. (Yes, I'm that old.)
Other tools:
What's missing is the sweaty shirts. The blister. And the inner smile: I think this is going to work.
It's also fun using tools, most of which I've accumulated over four decades from the men I looked up to. Men who passed on their tools to a "younger" generation. They passed on a useful legacy, and I'm building on it.
Good luck with this project! I like that you made a place in the shade for breaks. I would love to have a patio, a great place to relax.
ReplyDeleteLooking good, Don. Can't wait to see the "After" pictures.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the win at PPP. I enjoyed your piece when I read it the first time. When I re-read it today, I was reminded of something I read a while ago, which is one of my favourite quotes ...
God never says No. He only has one of three answers:
1. Yes.
2. Not now.
3. I have something better for you in mind.
There's nothing better than a private outdoor space:to dream, to read, pray & meditate, or just breathe. Best wishes with your project!
ReplyDelete@SeptemberMom: Thanks. Amazingly luck does enter in to a project here and there. I "unluckily" hit a tree root while "drilling" one of the post holes. (That's where the flashlight came in: peering down the hole to see why I was stymied.) I'm a "rich" man -- I have several outdoor patios of various sizes. A few years back I invested in some sand, bricks, and patio-making.
ReplyDelete@CrazyMo: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I like PP&P. Usually the response I offer are a mixture of fact and fiction, and sometimes just whimsy. The response to Music was the mixture of fact and fiction, plus a bit of a composite character. I like a quote I read years ago about God's answers: His Delays Are Not Denials. (A combination of #2 and #3?)
@Deedee: I mostly use mine for the "just breathing." Although, if I'm sitting quietly some of that meditation usually happens, or at least reflection. (Sometimes prayer -- usually thanksgiving.) It's also nice to know I have the quiet spaces, even if I'm not using them.
Sound like a lot of fun! And whodathunk that you once worked for a oil drilling company...a Renaissance man, you are!
ReplyDeleteI thought my Princess Bride quote might pique your interest. And I had reflected on the fact that Wesley was dealing with the misbelief that Buttercup betrayed him. But, for those of us who have no Buttercup or Wesley in this cold, cruel world.......it's a pretty great quote. :D Come on. Admit it.
@Saphron: Yes, I admit it. It's an excellent quote. Very cutting. Very cynical. Wesley is Tilting at the Universe. (And he's not alone.)
ReplyDeleteI was in the Risk Management department of Santa Fe International. I learned computer programming, risk management, safety engineering, Worker's Compensation -- including offshore, and a bit of how drills operate. It's amazing what you can learn if you pay attention (and ask a few questions.) People know stuff!
We have a fence that needs painting, and no one on vacation. In case you're feeling the itch ;-).
ReplyDelete@Joanna: I'm tempted to book a flight and paint the fence. I helped your Aunt Chris clear out a clogged drain today, and I taught your cousin John how to do it in the process. Doing projects and chores together is "good family times." Wish I were close enough to help you out. You know, I'd love to. (Zen ivy trimming could become Zen fence painting.)
ReplyDelete