Something Old, Something New and Get Well Wishes

The patient here is Jan our wonderful manager of the yard and nursery she went through a traumatic operation last week but she is strong and healthy.  She had an ugly tumor removed which she texted to me as a photo, I would put that up here but it is way too gross, speedy recovery Jan, I miss you smile.

 This project will help Travis get his credentials as a certified paver installer and wall builder, training is all part of the program that sets us apart from other installers.  We are fortunate that most of the employees really like what they are doing and are happy to attend training classes.

They actually finished up this project today, the plant material really sets off the hardscape nicely.  We transplanted the shrubs from the original beds and put them in beds we created around the yard trees, looks really sharp, I will have to get some additional photos of the finished product.

 We were are pleased with how this newly remodeled house turned out on Clear Lake, the landscaping gives it a cottage style flair.  I planted several flats of blue salvia around the cylinder yews should be really stellar in a couple more weeks.

The job on Lone Tree Point where we had the engineer is progressing as well.  A new concrete retaining wall is being poured over the old wall and still anchor posts are inserted into the old wall as dead men.  A difficult task but a necessary start for a solid foundation.  We will be slinging boulders on this hill before you know it.  Likely we will install nearly a hundred ton of material on this hill, should be interesting.

Finally this is a new house on my drawing board now, over on Lake James, should be a fun project a bit easier than normal on flat ground and already graded, yippee. 

Lake James Again & Dog Walking

Bruce designed and sold this job, Ryan installed the stone walls, Doug and Bruce P were on the snap cut steps.  I came in at the end for the landscape design having never seen the house.  The homeowners Judy and Dale are lovely,  Judy has spoiled the men with daily sweets cookies, brownies and popcicles.  After site assessment and conversation we came up with a design saving some of the original plants and installing new, I also added a third stone terrace out of stones which were all the same size to extend the planting bed.

Judy did not think there was time for landscaping so she is especially happy that we have progressed.  We installed a pretty little dwarf weeping beech which unfortunately has a nasty grub at the top of the leader so it snapped off after being bumped.  Now we have to find a replacement for the beech or wait until spring and try to secure another.  I stumbled upon some decent tulip bulbs so I decided to drop 100 in a bed where we intend to plant annuals, much to my delight turns out tulips are Dale's favorite flower.

Walking the two wanna be labs this morning was especially beautiful, clear, crisp, not another soul around for the entire hour.  We walked in a newly harvested soybean field in addition to our normal stroll down the road.  A deer jumped out and darted back into the brush, jets left their early morning vapor trails in the sky, neighbors cats bathed in the first rays of sunshine, combines loomed behind the next row of beans and clouds of dense smoke hung in the river it was a typical walk with the pack. 

When I travel I think I miss the pack the most, the unconditional love, tail beatings, the three of us howling full out while Baxter the cat shrinks into the furniture and sneaking up on the pack finding two cats and two dogs curled up next to each other on the couch.  I had intended on getting travel size dogs but the rescue of these behemoths was our destiny so I will miss them again soon as I head off to Florida next weekend.