Foellinger Freimann Botanical Conservatory

The Foellinger Freimann Botanical Conservatory located in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana is the brainchild of two friends who were well traveled in the gardens of the world and thought Fort Wayne would be well served by a Conservatory. The doors opened in 1983 and by 1996 one million visitors had already passed through them.

Four changing season showcases are featured each year. Last Sunday I went with my friend Betty and cousin Cindy to see the Christmas showcase. Of course poinsettias were the prime season plant but the flocked, spruces stole the show.

Modest lights of blue and white added just the right sparkle. The focus was on family and it appeared many parents were taking advantage of the several different locations set up as photo ops, perhaps taking this years
Christmas card.

Biodiversity is well represented with the tropical gardens and water feature where the air is heavy with humidity to the arid climate of the southwest garden. Over 72 types of cactus are on display in this area alone while a total of over 500 species of fauna are on display both indoors and outdoors. It is an especially lovely stroll on a cold winters day.

Sunsational

This is the first wall that Mike has built and he is quite proud of himself. It was another one of those tough to get at sites, I missed the fun when they were hauling the boulders up the hill, they were not a good fit with the new stacked glacial wall. The thing about rocks is getting the right sizes and it seems the ones the customers have are the ones they don't want and the ones they want we have to haul in. Up the hill, down the hill.

The ivy covered wall nestles this beautiful iron sun sculpture, think I might send this photo to CBS Sunday morning they feature peoples sun photos as their logo. That is my Sunday morning ritual and one of the few television shows I claim as one of my programs, a very comforting beginning to the day although I wish it started earlier.

At our end of year company breakfast this morning we began a discussion of the years favorite jobs and Bill mentioned a job on Coldwater Lake which Bruce designed and sold and one I had not even seen. I went there today and shot these pictures of the stone walls and snap cut staircases, it is a pretty job and very functional, crushed stone provides the walking surface between the stair treads.

Elegant Choice

Ryan and Gary are doing a great job installing this Belgard paver patio on Crooked Lake. I was worried that we would not finish before the weather started getting bad but we are on schedule. It looks like we will even have time to build the grill surround, they set the 8 x 8" x 14' cedar posts that will be the foundation for the pergola over the grill surround. Next week they will start the block work, Bruce and I picked up the grill and grill doors (Bull) from Felger's on Friday so they will be able to start assembly.

Northern Indiana Lakes Magazine

For the second time Trish and Doug's house on Clear Lake is in a magazine and this time I was not the one who sought out the publication. Northern Indiana Lakes features a lake home in each issue, generally one that has been recently constructed.



Lakes enjoys pretty decent circulation in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan its regional flair promotes local dining, theater, wineries, shopping and travel. We are pleased to be a part of this publication and always happy when are work is show cased.

Little River Band

One of my favorite old bands is Little River Band from Australia. Last Saturday we saw them at the Wagon Wheel in Warsaw, IN, it was the first time we were at that venue and it is nice. An intimate small circular theater with comfy seats and excellent viewing of the artists. One of the drawbacks to the venue was no live recordings or pictures were to be taken until the last song so I just shot this video. Enjoy this rousing rendition of Lonesome Loser.

Super Giant Pudding Stone

We got lucky with the weather this past week and pushed hard on our two paver jobs to hasten completion before the ground freezes. Ryan and Gary are flying with the pavers over on Crooked Lake and we will begin the grill surround this week hoping we have weather enough to put the whole thing together and not wait until spring. In order to complete the job we will be delayed since we have to go for a variance to install any wall (fire pit) higher than 8". The next variance meeting is not until December.

Patty's job on Clear lake is looking sweet the bench is installed, the rock walls are built, the 5' snap cut steps are in and we are left to finish the pavers and a bit of rock work that frames the snap cuts. Bill was skeptical over my choice for the bench, the 700 pound slab of sandstone seemed the perfect size when I measured it in a down pour at Felger's a couple of weeks ago and indeed the basic shape was there, when Bruce Pardue finished with the cut off saw I knew it was meant to be.

We do have a bit of controversy because the last two snap cut were very pink compared to the other six so we are replacing them with two from Felger's. I have a bit of trepidation do to the fact that it is frequently difficult to match cut stones from different quarries and or mined at different times from the same quarry. I'll be holding my breath Monday when I go down to get the replacement stair treads.

The catch basin that M & C Trenching installed is a bit lower than we hoped so a three inch concrete riser needs to be installed. The riser is out of round and the basin grate does not fit so we have to trim it out with the concrete saw. Of course cutting concrete round is not an easy task.
Seeing the two huge stones set that mark the entrance to the staircase is especially rewarding. The stone on the left is a huge pudding stone (a geologic conglomeration of rock caused by the glaciers that ripped through our area of the country) that I have been saving for just the right location. They are both beautiful stones and make a huge statement .

Bill and Robert completed paving over the landing and steps that Lester Smucker poured a couple of weeks ago. These steps were relocated from the front side of the parking area and where there were once eleven steps there are now four. Patty will be installing a railings soon.