April 11, 2017 - Day two on the Pavers

Knowing I would not have exactly the correct amount of pavers I needed to complete the job, I started with the straight line along the raised garden bed and headed to the triangle corner where the garden path came down to meet it. I purposely skipped the two portions from the lawn to the patio as the first spraying of the wire grass just didn't do the job.

Besides, I will need to have some sort of "transition" from the lawn and I am still in the thinking stage of that design method.

I worked methodically, just me in the sunshine with the birds chirping and the bees pollinating the large blueberry bush at the back of the house. My dear husband checked on me to make certain I was okay. What is nice about him, he doesn't interfere or make unasked for suggestions.  If I need help, he waits for me to ask - and do I ask? Seldom.  He likes that I am self sufficient.

"You do good work," he said multiple times.  He is the best cheerleader a wife could have.

Several wheel barrow loads of bricks, then several wheel barrow loads of sand across the driveway, down the walk and down a 12 inch wide by 8 foot wide plank to the patio and finally down the cobblestone walk to the paving area.   A lot smoother ride for the bricks and more "down hill" than around and about over the tree roots and lawn.

I didn't want to make ridge marks over the lawn that is just now coming up so fresh and green. 

I leveled the sand, I grabbed two pavers at once in one hand and then turned and dropped them into the location and repeated. When I finished a row, I took the rubber mallet and tapped them in and moved on to the next row.  It all went pleasingly quicker than I thought it would.  Actually soothing work as the patio suddenly came into fruition right before my eyes.

Then, I would retrieve several more loads of pavers and more loads of sand and continue the process in a slow, methodical way.

I was having a rare type of FUN. Besides, it isn't everyday I get to "tightrope" walk along a plank carefully balancing a wheel barrow filled with weight. That was sort of fun in its own way . . . could I do it without losing balance and dumping the precious cargo out by mistake?  Well, the answer is "YES, so far".

I get way too much fun out of this type of construction in the garden.  The biggest reason is I get the exact effect I WANT. I don't have to instruct someone else what I want and then have them tell me it can't be done.  [Oh, you want to bet? "I'll do it myself in order to get what I want" is built into my ego.]  If I want a "meandering" edge - I'll get a meandering edge.  And, I did get two meandering edges that will highlight the gardens.

From the master bath window and two back bedrooms it really looks beautiful.

I anticipate I can finish the pavers tomorrow.  Day two, not really that stiff or sore, but I am tried. A pleasing tired, a fulfilling tired, a satisfactory tired if you know what I mean.

A few weeks ago I purchased a silly garden ornament. An inexpensive tin green frog a little larger than a dinner plate. I couldn't resist. It had raised eyes which are marbles held in by bent wires and its toes are a sort of gold green.  At the end of day two I set it out on the bricks for this year's garden whimsy and to celebrate my accomplishment so far.