Getting there. The Wandering Monk will finish the north-side wall (the one he’s sitting on) by early this afternoon. I’ve been out there working with him all week, but today I’m indoors, online, taking care of new-site business. Anyhow, face it. Though I can shovel rock and make artistic decisions, he’s about twice as efficient as I am at the heavy lifting.
We’re leaving the east-side wall just two blocks high for now so we can monitor the drainage behind it when the rains come this weekend. But that north wall, the long wall, the high wall, the wall requiring the big concrete footer, the wall at the bottom of the big hill. Done today.
Funny, though. The walls are a mix of rose-colored block (4/5) and gray block (1/5). The idea is to place the grays at carefully chosen “random” intervals, creating an asymmetrical balance of colors. The Monk, however, is extremely OCD and orderly. Randomness — even carefully planned randomness — drives him crazy. Now that I’m not out there saying, “We need a gray here” or “Three rose and then a gray,” he’s having the hardest time preventing tidy patterns from working into the design.
He’s aware of the problem, though. Laughing at his own proclivities and beginning to get the idea that balance doesn’t have to mean rigid arrangements.
And if you’re asking what that big, seven-foot gap between walls is: It’s the site of a future stairway, to be undertaken next spring. The stair will lead to a tiny Japanese (or at least somewhat vaguely reminiscent of Japanese-ish) garden there in the corner and along the fenceline.
UPDATES:
Japanese garden? OK… but I’m wondering if you realize how insanely work intense those things are to maintain! Even very tiny ones. A few shade loving bushes and ground cover might work into your life a whole lot better. A bench, small stone table, to make a place to sit and read and/or have lunch on a nice warm day…
But hey… whatever works for you. 🙂
Looking good anyway, and I know that will give you great pleasure for a very long time.
[quote]And if you’re asking what that big, seven-foot gap between walls is: It’s the site of a future stairway, to be undertaken next spring. The stair will lead to a tiny Japanese (or at least somewhat vaguely reminiscent of Japanese-ish) garden there in the corner and along the fenceline.[/quote]
Neat idea, Claire! That will be a fun place to sit, read/compute, and drink tea.
And raise some bonsai.
What are the flags(?) or colored rectangles at the top of the fence? Are they yours or the neighbor’s?
LOL, ML. And that’s why I added “(or at least somewhat vaguely reminiscent of Japanese-ish).” I am definitely not going to be out there every day raking gravel into harmonious patterns. But a small pond or fountain and a statue of Kwan Yin (yeah, I know, that’s Chinese-ish) plus that sitting bench would be lovely.
The real reason for this whole project was strictly to correct drainage and prepare for the foundation work to come. But sure, if I can get a Japanese-ish pocket garden out of it and a graveled space for parking (or a patio!), all the better.
“What are the flags(?) or colored rectangles at the top of the fence? Are they yours or the neighbor’s?”
They’re mine, Pat. And they’re Buddhist prayer flags. When they flap in the wind, prayers ascend to heaven. Um. Maybe. I put them there for a small additional element of privacy.
And yes, I do believe that tiny corner garden will be a great place to sit. Mostly only on hot days. The spot is always shady and probably too cool for sitting on any but rare nice days. But given how small the space is it won’t be hard to create something attractive there.
Down here we’d add a hummingbird feeder. Very productive way to waste time. Not sure if they work in the NWet. But there must be some kinds of birds up there. (Besides sea gulls.)
May I suggest that TWM isn’t OCD? That is just psychobabble for what I’m told is droll male linear thinking. I think it comes from “her” saying that “This cave sucks, I want a real house”. Colorful imagination comes up a little short here. Enter physics and that boring stuff like math.
Yeah for team, we’re almost out of the caves. Tomorrow, a house, ah, on Mars?
Did someone say rain coming, and Great Northwet? Linear thought:
Is the seven foot gap, mouth of the Great Canyon River that floweth, under the house?
Fun Flags.
John — LOL on the caveladies nagging the cavemen. I can hear that now.
But if you object to calling the Monk OCD, you’ll have to take that up with him. I would never have thought to call him that; he says it of himself all the time. I just think he’s a person (who like many good construction guys) understands straight lines and precise measurements better than he understands airy-fairy Art.
Hey now, not objectin’ or calling Monk nutting’ see, just a query like take, as in suggest maybe, like hmm…
OK? (paste smily here)
May I suggest TWM is just acclimating well to his local environment. And to the current over worked vernacular of the time. May I raise a beer to him, While we try avoid the mind pollution risks of “correct thinking”
(I scramble to locate that linear think tool I have here someplace).
While I’ve fought turf wars boldly and well in my youth, I do wish to believe!!
(I grew up with a half dozen siblings, me in the middle. Awesome Mom stuck with it so I could have one little brother to pick on.)
Damn, I still ended up a cisgender male of caucasian tribal root, son of the patriarchy and spawn of the antichrist. / and TL;DR – my list of evilness is so long…
My sisters have never tried to cash in or demand reparation (well, not yet)??
Hey I’m in Mountain View Kalif of the ‘verse.
City set minimum wage to $15 for very soon (16 months. HA, upstages Seattle!!), for burger flippers and restauranteurs. Now soon, rent control rate fixes!!
Own property, you silly?
We got democracy here!!
Think we can’t Out Venezuela Venezuela??
(WE got realllly smart people here, think, It will be, awesome!)
Well, so yeah, this place is resource rich… for a while.
I’ve been here because family roots of 50+ years (less me eighteen elsewhere), but they have left this place. So, time to drift is soon. I’ve got me a metal steed. Very big universe…
And airy-fairy Art just described the Universe.
Ooooo! Purty!
Claire, have considered a small water feature arrangement? It looks like the perfect set-up for an upper and lower pond with a waterfall in place of the stairway.
Indeed… well, I never pictured you raking the gravel… 🙂 I saw many Japanese gardens over the years in So. Calif, and talked to the gardeners… I certainly don’t have that kind of patience, but they are beautiful and peaceful. Indeed, I love the wild tangle of my garden so much better, all of the surprises and even some of the disasters…
A statue and a pond would be fun… can’t wait to see what you do there! 🙂
Susan — I can’t wait to see what I do there, either. My idea is so vague and evolving even I don’t know what that corner’s going to look like.
I actually do own an outdoor bonsai arrangement, though. And to my great shock, I’ve managed to keep it alive and pretty for something like four months now (a record for plant survival in my hands).
just waiting — What a cool idea. Although I’d thought of a pond or a fountain, I hadn’t even considered using that bank as a waterfall instead of a stairway. Or perhaps in addition to a stairway. Wow. I do have two pond forms I brought over from the flatlands house, but I’d planned to use them elsewhere — near where an actual, seasonal waterfall appears.
A waterfall in that corner might be more of a technical achievement than I’m up for. But you’ve definitely got me thinking now.
And Kent — Thank you. 🙂 I think it’s pretty purty, too. Couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s turning out!
That’s a beautiful wall, and I think you (and TWM) have done a great job scattering about the gray blocks. Congratulations.
I can’t wait to see the Japanese-ish garden, whenever it appears. A tiny waterfall sounds like a great idea; the susurrations should be lovely and relaxing when you’re reposing on the bench.
Compliments to you and the Monk! It looks great, and the prayer flags are a nice touch. My old ones at the forest house succumbed to the sun and I’m not sure I have a place for new ones here in town. Since we do have a giant sized Buddah on one wall, maybe they should hang inside.