June 2008

This post is from from my other blog here

Hey!? Who has been lurking on my site?  Dave!  Yes, we did start to install our gate this past weekend.  It is one of the final tasks in this very long project of getting this fence replaced.  We also set a few more posts in concrete.  We are just about ready to stretch the rest of the fence.

We looked at gates and boy are they expensive. Some are in the thousands of dollars. After looking around at gates we chose the Adjust-a-gate and it's a kit where you buy and put the metal frame together and add the wood and facing yourself.  My Dad got us an automatic gate opener too so we are just about set.

The hinges are really hefty and screwed into our 6" x 6" pressure treated posts.

We got the largest gate they make and that has three rails of 2" x 4" pressure treated boards.

It took a couple of hours to put together and get level.  We really needed a line level but couldn't find it of course.  So I made one using zip ties.  I love zip ties.

Here is the finished frame.

I think we are going to use the same green lattice that we are using for our arbors for the face of the gate for now.  It will match our arbors, be affordable and then later we can take it off and do something more fancy if we want.

For  now, we need to dig a trench for the power to the gate opener, install the gate opener, attach the lattice and level and pour concrete under the gate-so not this weekend but soon, soon we should have a gate and an enclosed yard.

This post is from from my other blog here

I R the new gat.  I prety much put mysef up lst weakened.  Dave didn't hep at al.  Not really mich to sey abut it.  Not rely worth pixtures.  dah dah dha.

OK maybe you figured out this is just post bait.  In less than 15 minutes the angry she bear will come by, see that someone has messed with her den and then ... watch out.  But being a compulsive editor she will not be able to leave those mis-speiled words alone.

I gotta run while I still can.

This post is from from my other blog here

Thursday was my birthday.  My husband always manages to pull off some sort of surprise and he out did himself this year.  My day started at 7:30 am with the first of 6 numbered envelopes with addresses for the GPS inside and a clue on the outside.

My first destination was breakfast with my folks at the Maltby Cafe.  A destination here, and impossible to get in to on the weekend.  They are famous for their huge cinnamon rolls.

After breakfast, I got my second envelope with an unknown address and my Dad and husband headed for home while my Mom and I followed the voice on the GPS, or Molly as we call her. 

She directed us to the Oasis Spa where I was in for a real treat.  He got my friends to chip in and "sponsor" a treatment there.  I got a much needed hair cut and color from my friend Linda, my nails were courtesy of my Father in law and my friend Amy.

   

I had an unfortunate coppery red hair color problem when I colored my hair myself a week or so before. In my attempt to fix it, it got worse so I had to leave it before it all fell out. 

The stylist at Oasis put a lovely shade of reddish brown with subtle highlights and the cut took all the dry crispy hair off so it feels and looks great.

After

Our next destination was home where Dave had made a nice lunch for me and my Mom.

   

My next envelope took us to our outlet mall where I got to purchase a new wardrobe at my very favorite store, Coldwater Creek.  It was a whirl wind of excitement.  I just don't buy nice things for myself.  I can hardly remember when I had "new" clothes to wear so it was a real treat.  There are a few more pictues here  of our adventure.

Shopping for shoes with Dave.

I got so many new outfits and some really cool boots but the adventure was not over yet.

One the way home we stooped at the drug store so I could get new makeup and perfume.

It was nice to get some "girly" stuff this year and while I love my pressure washer and the mower and the shelving I have gotten in the past, (and I asked for and really wanted them) those were really for the house........nice to get a gift for me.

My last envelope brought us to a local Mexican Restaurant where all my friends were waiting.........I was TOTALLY surprised.  It's a birthday I will not soon forget.

   

Oh, and all those clues on the envelopes?  It took a while but I figured it out.

This post is from from my other blog here

We worked in the yard this past weekend and got some landscaping done and set some more fence posts in concrete.  I put up wire lattice on each of the three sections between the garage doors.

Planted honeysuckle here.  It's a pink and yellow variety.  Should be pretty and have a nice fragrance. 

In the middle I put a climbing rose that I bought at the farmers market.  It smells just wonderful, exactly like what you would expect a rose to smell like.

Last year I got Clematis planted on the far left and it has grown nicely.

We also started work on our entry arbor.  We set pressure treated posts in concrete and sized them so a sheet of lattice will fit, I have to do some cutting but it will arch over the top and the Golden Chain trees will be trained over the arch.

This will be the first of three arbors like that along the path to the house.  I will plant different climbing, flowering vines on each one.

Nothing happened today as it was raining cats and dogs all day so we hiked the Narbeck wetlands area and I got some great photos.

I cannot believe how many frogs are in the ponds around there.

I got a picture of these baby mallards, they were about 4 or 5 days old.

We also saw Hooded Merganser babies but they were too fast for the camera.

Green-winged Teal

On the way home I stopped traffic to let two Canada goose families cross a busy street.

They all scooted under the fence to a pond.