Friday, July 7, 2017

Sweetie Strikes Again!

Remember earlier in the week I told you there was another project going on at my house?

Well, it's nearly complete....as in, phase 1 is complete. 


Yeah, I know, you've seen this image before. This is the view of the garden from my deck, right by the kitchen door. 

Pretty, right?

The Evening Primrose is in full bloom right now, as are the Clematis vines on either side of the arbor. 

I just love looking out at all the pretty colors!

But when I looked out the other day, I saw this.....and my heart skipped a beat. 


My sweetie snuck over while I was in the shower and started working on a project we had talked about many times....adding a path from the patio to the veggie garden.

What an amazing surprise!! 

Oh my gosh, I was seriously so excited! It's something I wanted so badly, but never had the time to tackle this project myself.

Not to mention, Sweetie would do a much better job than me. He's particular like that. 


He started by digging out the turf with a flat spade and tossing it into the woods. 

Then he laid out a piece of weed barrier, to hopefully keep the weeds off the path for as long as possible.

Next, he went to the driveway, and shoveled some buckets of the fine gravel off the driveway to create a base for the path. 

He wanted to order bluestone to cover the path, but that was going to cost a ton. 

I wanted to use the leftover pavers we found at the edge of the woods when I moved in. 


The pavers were being used to cover up the chicken wire and cinderblocks at the base of my garden cottage. 

They had to be removed anyway, since I will be adding lattice to the bottom. 

When I have time. 

Possibly in November. 

Anyway, my job was to take all those pavers, put them in the wheelbarrow, and bring them over next to the path. 

Which went well until something stung the heck out of me. Seriously, I got attacked, and I don't even know by what. But my legs are a hot mess. 

And then there was a snake. I nearly had a heart attack. 

But I got the job done. 

Don't we always? 


There's my sweetie in his cute little work clothes, figuring out how best to make this work. 


I'm always amazed when I watch him do a project, his brain just works differently than mine, no doubt. 

Sweetie was worried we wouldn't have enough pavers to complete the path. He was right, it wouldn't have worked. 

So he came up with a solution that I absolutely love. 


He used the pavers to line the path, and filled in the center with loose stone. 

Brilliant!

Oh and also handsome. 

I'm a very lucky woman. 


So by the end of day 2, my view went from this.....


...to this!!  Isn't it gorgeous!!

I just love the contrast between the edging and the loose stone. 

So pretty!


The flower bed by the step now has a proper edging, and all the grass was removed. Yay!!  I'm not sure what I'll plant at this edge, I am almost thinking perhaps boxwood or similar to really clean it up. 

Stay tuned on that one!


My sweetie did such a great job, I am so thrilled with the way this turned out. 

The edging stones that were leftover I used to replace the rocks that were originally stacked around the flower beds surrounding the veggie garden. 


I didn't have enough to go around the corner and continue, but I'll bring one with me the next time I head off the mountain and see if Lowes or Home Depot has them. 

Fingers crossed. 


I feel like my crooked little country garden has gone all fancy on me!

It's still crooked, and most definitely a country garden, but it's nice to also have a little definition. 


How lovely will this look when the roses join in, blooming like mad? 


The roses on the left have started, but that shrub is much smaller as it replaced one last year. 

The one on the right is huge, clamoring over the arbor. I can't wait to see this year's bloom!


The bluestone that was originally the first step into the grass is now inside the veggie garden. Sweetie put down a piece of weed barrier first, as the old gravel is completely overrun with weeds at this point. 

The other stones will be laid in there as well, also over weed barrier. 


And I'll fill in the 'blanks' with the same red colored loose stone. 

That's phase 2 of this project. 

Boy, then she'll really be all fancy, won't she? 


Meanwhile, for now, it pleases me to no end to look down from my deck and see the amazing transformation. 


And, of course, all the gorgeous flowers!


My sweetie is a keeper, no doubt. 

I'm one lucky lady. 

Meanwhile, of course I'm already planning the next project that needs to be tackled. 


Cutting and installing the vinyl lattice around the base of the garden cottage. 

I lie awake at nights trying to figure out the best way to tackle it. 

It's not something I've ever done before, and I don't want to screw it up.

Sweetie would probably have it figured out in five minutes. 

Meanwhile, where was my little helper when all this was going on?


When we're out, she's out. She absolutely loves running around, terrorizing all the little chipmunks. 


And when she's all worn out, she finds herself a little sun puddle to rest in, on top of her little blue monkey. 

She's such a punk. 

But I love her to bits. 

50 comments:

  1. Oh how perfect is that. I love it and your Sweetie did an amazing job.

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  2. Your sweetie IS a keeper! Your garden path and the whole area is beautiful!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Linda!! Every year it gets better and better as we make various improvements!

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  3. now that is amazing / he's a keeper :) But you are too...you cook amazing meals from your garden bounty as well as utilizing his so you make a great team:)

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  4. Oh yes, girl, that man is a keeper. Your new path looks wonderful. No more wet shoes. :):) I hope you fixed him a great supper and a nice drink. Blessings to all, xoxo, Susie

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    1. You better believe it, Susie! He got a fabulous supper!!

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  5. Your place just looks better and better all the time. Great work because it's really shaping up to be beautiful!
    Brenda

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    1. Thanks, Brenda! I am still so pleased every time I look that direction!

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  6. He did a great job, Deborah. I love it.

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  7. It's all so very pretty. Your flowers, the arbor, your garden cottage and the new path. No wonder you're so happy. Your Sweetie is like my Dennis. That photo of him on his knee, scoping out the job with all his tools at hand could be my hubby. The last photo of your pup is precious. Love the lighting. xo

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    1. That's my sweetie whenever he's working on a project. His brain thinks like an engineer....completely unlike mine!

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  8. I love paths! (I don't have any paths) and I love your fenced in garden. Your flowers will keep filling in your spaces, too. -Jenn

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    1. Definitely, Jenn - that Evening Primrose is trying to take over the world!!

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  9. YOu are one blessed lady for sure! I love what your Sweetie did for you.

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  10. This turned out wonderful. Your sweetie did a fantastic job. You are indeed blessed. I miss my 'blessing'.

    Have a GREAT weekend enjoying your lovely place, inside and out.

    FlowerLady

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    1. I have no doubt you miss your 'blessing', Lorraine - I'm so sorry, sweet friend.

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  11. Replies
    1. He inspires me to do more and more around my house, no doubt!

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  12. It's perfect! I love having pathways to follow around the property. We had a nice one that is now completely over-grown, and I would love one from the back covered porch down to our garden.... but it's a super long way down the hill to the garden so it would probably cost A LOT to pull that one off. Your sweetie did a great job... and so did you!

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    Replies
    1. Do you need to borrow my sweetie? :) Ha ha he works for food!!

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  13. You are rightfully proud of this job and tour sweetie. It looks amazing.

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    1. Every time I look that direction I have a smile on my face, Rita! The pups hate the stones though, they walk on the flat border stones!

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  14. Your sweetie is a keeper for sure. Don't you love a man with tools and ideas and knows how to put it all in motion. Everything looks so pretty. Your little monkey is so adorable. Happy weekend.
    Kris

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    1. I sure do, Kris! I'd love to be able to do more myself, but I'm hesitant to use certain power tools so it holds me back.

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  15. That really looks nice. You yard is so beautiful and what a sweet picture of puppy resting on her toy! Nancy

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    1. She's such a little goofball, Nancy! She gets so attached to her toys!

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  16. I love your new path! It isn't just pretty, it's practical, and I think your sweetie is very talented. Too bad you got stung by an air critter, but when you saw the snake... well, lets say I would have been done! Good job, both of you!

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    1. I think I frightened the horses, I screamed so loudly, Vickie!

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  17. It really looks amazing, Debbie! It's one of the prettiest country gardens I've seen. Truly.

    Monkey cracks me up! :)

    xoxo,
    rue

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    1. You are so sweet, Rue, thank you so much!! Monkey cracks me up, too, she's so silly!

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  18. Debbie!
    What a sweetheart for sure! I love your gardens, I can just imagine the joy you must receive from them daily:)
    I bet you are having an amazing Sunday!
    xo
    Jemma

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    1. Where do you think I spent my Sunday, Jemma? In the garden, tackling the darned bindweed - one of the banes of my gardening existence!!

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  19. You are a lucky girl! I think it looks awesome! I like the crooked garden. Its looks like its right out of a story book.
    Lisa

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    1. You're so cute, Lisa! Would that be a fairy tale or some sort of fable about an ogre and his crooked garden?

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  20. What a sweetie you have. Mine just helped me redo the inside of our 5th wheel rv. Not an easy job but when he got started..... I LOVE YOUR SHED!! I would so make it a she shed for me so I can do crafts all day. love, love love little punky monkey!!

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    Replies
    1. Wow, what fun! I am a big fan of RV's, they are the original tiny house, don't you think? I love my shed, too, but it's an actual working potting shed that gets quite messy inside during gardening season, Cindy!

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  21. I love the doggie butt running away haha and i am SO jealous of that dang door you have <3
    XO Ellen from Ask Away
    www.askawayblog.com

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    1. I knew you would love that little monkey butt, Ellen!! Her little bumpus, I'm always grabbing it and squeezing it....she doesn't like that much but how can I help it?

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  22. Hi Mountain Sister!! Can you send Sweetie over? I have some jobs for him...lol! This looks great!

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    1. Sure, Debbie, after all he does work for food....what better place than your house with all that amazing food?

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  23. Absolutely fabulous and wow, what a sweetie indeed!! Lucky lady. :)

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    1. He's a good one, Kim! As if he doesn't have enough to do at his own house!!

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  24. What a wonderful transformation to your little garden area, I know only too well how something like that just makes your heart so thrilled to look out and see the beautiful little space you have transformed even more! I love the contrast too, it makes the path really pop... and of course that sweet Monkey, monkeying around, our animals and their antics always are just a joy to us too :)

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    1. Oh my little rascally monkey, she's such a cutie pie, no doubt! I just planted some spring bulbs along that pathway, and some annuals for color, Marilyn. I don't know how much the annuals will take off this late in the season, but that's ok. The bulbs I had from 2 mixed spring planters I bought at Lowes, and I had no idea where they were going to go so that worked out perfectly! I'll be so glad to see their little heads pop up in the spring!

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  25. That sure was sweet of your sweetie to do that. Today MY hubby stained a tete a tete we have that goes by the pond. He had powerwashed it last week and not it looks SOOOO much better! I wish we had a mountain place, I could escape the blistering heat of Juky:)

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    1. We're very fortunate up here, Pinky - we rarely get days that require me to turn on the a/c at all! As a matter of fact, this is the first season I bought one at all, and really just to keep my dad comfortable when he visits. He's on oxygen and I don't want him to have trouble breathing if the house is too hot! I think I put the a/c on twice so far this summer - once because I wanted to use the oven! :)

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