48 4x4's cut
4 raised beds
An entire box of deck screws
3 drill batteries - 2 that wouldn't hold a charge + 1 that ran out
2 borrowed drills
5 or 6 new blisters / calluses
3 ticks (pulled off)
2 splinters (pulled out)
+ / - 40 wheelbarrows FULL of composted manure
1 aching back
After losing most of Wednesday afternoon due to equipment malfunction, the garden boxes are finally finished - building, filling and planting.
Some thoughts...
How full can you fill a wheelbarrow and not tip over pushing it up a hill? Is it advantageous to shovel ambidextrously? (Yes - more even soreness.) Don't get a lady drill (12 volts) - it's just can't hold up to real work. A lady hammer is another story however. Projects always take
I'm well past the age when birthdays are a big deal, but yesterday was the best one I can remember. (Of course my memory is not what it used to be...) After a thoroughly pleasant day at work, I headed up to the farmette to finish preparing the beds for planting. Since I got done well ahead of schedule, there was even time for a quick ride before my dinner plans. Dinner was spectacular, and best of all, the chef, a friend of mine, gave me a tour of their new kitchen garden. We made plans for him to come help himself to more of the manure I have stockpiled, and I may have a future customer for produce from the farmette.
Our ride started on a grand note, with me pulling off my first graceful bareback mount - one smooth motion. I spent the ride focusing on the timing of my leg aids. When I gave the aid just as Val was about to pick up his hind feet, we got a really nice reaching big walk. Made some headway with contact, and we had good energy. It had been a week since our last ride. I think we both were glad to get back to work. Well, I've been working my fingers to the bone... Val has been "working" on his subliminal messages about grazing, grass, things to eat that are green...
Your planter boxes look great. And please tell me that you did your bareback mount in one smooth motion from a mounting block. If you did that from the ground, I will be horribly impressed and jealous.
ReplyDeleteThe planter boxes look great. Happy Belated Birthday! One smooth fluid motion onto Val's back, I'm impressed. You and Val look great together, so glad you had such a good ride and a good day.
ReplyDeleteNice nice beds! What a sense of accomplishment! And tomatoes (?) planted too? Mine are still living in the dining room although my grow lights are running out of "up". Still a week until our last average frost.
ReplyDeleteSmooth bareback mounting even from the block requires a degree of faith and "can do". Grey always touches my left foot after as if to say... "Did you make it old girl?"
Love the beds and the smooth motion mounting! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! So impressed you can do a smooth bareback mount!
ReplyDeleteAnnette-
ReplyDeleteSince I'm 5'3" and Val is 16.2 ( 5'6" at the shoulder), yes I mounted from the block. A gymnast I am not, although if my life depended on it, I think I could scramble on.
I'm just pleased that I've eliminated the step where I'm stuck on my belly and have to heave myself the rest of the way.
Walrus-like. Upper arm strength is the key ;)
Love the raised beds :)
ReplyDeleteI love your beds and am so impressed that you know how to build them.
ReplyDeleteHere's where I am - it hadn't even occurred to me that there was a possibility of mounting bareback smoothly :) And I love riding bareback. Also, Doug and I keep a step ladder beside the riding ring for bareback mounting! :) Don't laugh - it works really well.
You and Val look great.
Those beds are truly awesome. I have not seen anything like them, and I have plenty of friends who have fabulous gardens. I will plant a wee herb garden again this year, and some flowers but I'll need to wait until June. Last year I started too early and each night I had to cover up my little plantlettes with sheets. Boy was that a pain! This year I'll just start later. And hey, I am jealous of you having a chef friend! That sounds GREAT. I am a big believer that birthdays should be nothing but 100% dazzling. I am glad you had a good one!
ReplyDeleteLOOK at your greens coming up!! Too cool that is!
ReplyDeleteHa! Love that "smooth motion" mounting!
I laugh cause, I have overshot in the past..thinking I have no strength to get on again(this is out on the trail)And pop- all the way over I go!Yea, I'd have won the 10,000 prise if anyone would have video'd that!
So glad that you Bithday was so spectacular!! Your happiness is seeping through- over here to Oregon!
happy birthday! what a great way to spend your day- getting your hands dirty! your beds look great... I;m sure the horses would love to get into them :)
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday! The beds look fantastic. I love them. Glad you had a great day and a great ride. :)
ReplyDelete