The New Flower Bed

This past  week I spent some glorious time in the garden.

One of my flower beds was loosing soil with each rain storm and it was time to do something about it.

A brick wall was my best bet and I got to work with small brick pavers and cement mortar.. it's rather like putting icing on a cake and was not as hard as some might say.

My wall was looking a bit like the "Leaning tower of pizza"  It will hold as I pounded  in rebars on the side facing the creek.  It's going to do the trick!

Then  I ran out of bricks so I got to work carefully pulling all the plants and flowers that have been growing and set them aside to replant later.

By some stroke of luck my local Lowes had 40lb bags of soil for .88c  each.  I bought 40 bags and over turned the existing soil with the new fresh earth. 

This was the hard part really.... I used a hoe to mix the soil in along with some plant food.
 While replanting the existing flowers, I planted them in groups, then added some sections of flower seeds with a plastic chicken wire cover to keep the critters from digging them during the night.

 My well used bird bath was also moved to a new spot.

As I said, this part of the yard is on a slope and hopefully the new brick wall will keep the  soil from flowing down.  Then I got the idea to add some bricks in layers to make the slope flow down,  like steps of sorts... I'm determined to keep the soil in the garden bed.

the dirt is not going to flow down into the creek now

The day's work was coming to an end and  now that I'm out of bricks  I got out the hose and watered the new garden,  then cleaned the steps to the deck.  
Then the step broke!  My foot and leg slid between the rail and the step and for about 90 seconds I could not get loose. My foot was in a vise!  I even thought of taking out my phone and calling 911 to help me.  I really hurt my calf/leg muscle when a nail went right into it and had me stuck. Odd situation to be in when your home alone and all your neighbors are at work.  For a few moments I had to stop struggling and think...

I got my leg and foot loose then went up and put my leg into the bathtub and washed away the blood and dirt and it's very swollen and so sore.   I will survive!  Had a tetanus shot about 3 years ago and used plenty of peroxide.
That's the end of my finishing the brick wall this month. 
I was in luck when I called our handyman, he came right over and added a new piece of wood under each step until we can replace the entire stair case.  (I know, I'm handy but don't want to deal with this kind of work)

I don't want to  do this again.

The day is over. Here I sit on my bed winning about how my leg hurts but I had a great weekend.  My garden bed is done (well except for the brick wall) but it's ready for the next rain fall.  I'll leave the bricks  for a few weeks from now since my daughter Cyndi and I will  be flying to Michigan at the end of the week,  to visit with my Son and his family then off to Cape May for my Grandsons graduation from the USCG.  It will be so nice to get away and to see Cape May again.  As a kid I remember spending my summers there at my grandparents home.  Lovely little vacation town and the home to the Coast Guard Boot Camp where my grandfather was a Chief Warrant Officer.

Oh the memories!

I'll be away from my blog for about two weeks and when I come home I expect to see all the seeds sprouted and the summer flowers budding their beautiful little heads out!
Mr. N will be home and I'm leaving a "Honey Do List".  Hopefully he will water the garden for me, feed the birds and the cat.
You know, from what the kids tell me I'll be leaving our hot 90' weather and going to chilly 40' weather up in Sault St. Marie, MI.  They said, " It still might get some snow"....  Guess I need to pack some long sleeves.

 Ok, got my sneakers for all the hiking were going to do.

(that is if my booboo leg lets me)

Be back soon!

 


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