Getting There...

The back area... behind the house....
was like a Jungle....
The Fountain... was full of a 'mess'....
{Stinky.... Awful....Mucky... Mess. }
The stepping stones.... were something I threw on the ground, for necessity.... while Brandon and I worked on getting the fountain... cleaned and running...
It was a Mud Hole....
Major... Mud...Hole.
{I threw 2 down... so we could keep working beside the fountain... then... two more... as we drained the Muck... and created...
 a Swamp....
 oh my...
there has been so much rain... the ground...is saturated.... }
{This was all.... dirt... {mud}
It really...looks... nice.... now.
John... would have... Loved It.
EVERYTHING....
we do... is with John... in mind.
Everything. }
After we got the fountain going....I decided to put more stones down.... then Val and I landscaped the area....the other night....
The big trellis... was nearly on the ground... from the recent Storms....and being so heavy... with the wild... and crazy.... Massive Trumpet Vine... John had planted, years ago...
{He built the trellis...from old... old...wooden pump rod.... I had bought at an auction... for a dollar... years ago... There was a Pile of it... When John saw it... on the truck... he said..
 "I...have an idea...for that...."
: ) : ) : )
 He laid all the rods out... then bolted them all together, to form this Giant...Trellis.
Then... he Couldn't Wait...for the Vines... to Cover it!!! : )
They Have...... oh boy.... : )
Brandon and Justin...put it back up... and we carefully trimmed it up....
oh my....
This area has been time consuming, to say the least....
but... it was one of John's favorite places....
We made some Really.... Good... Memories...
under that Old Oak....
It'll be all together... by Saturday.....
or... the Best... we can get it. 

Polly and I.... sat, this evening.... after everyone went home....
and gazed... at the Fountain.....
we....sure Miss.... Someone.
yes... we sure.... do. 

Things...are clean.... and ready to be 'dressed'....
We'll cinch it all up.... Saturday Morning.....
I...want it to be....Beautiful......
for John....
He built the Gazebo.... many...many years ago....
nearly 30...I'd say.
{oh my....}
I gathered the massive... mid 1800's Corbels... a few years later....
We put them on...and added the old Farmhouse Picket Fence.... I'd found...at an Auction....
It seemed... we never had time, to enjoy it.... tho.
We used it...for The Big Sales... then...
 used it for storage...between sales....
{like everything... and everyone...  around here....
 It... Is...a Work Horse...
and has earned it's keep....
It... needs a roof... badly...
Liz and I... {mostly Liz... : ) {and...Miss. Scarlett... {she kept the Staple Gun... Full... for here Mama... : ) }
stretched 3 new, natural colored 9x12 painters drop cloths...on the ceiling.... it made a Huge... difference... in the feel... of the Old Gazebo.... }
John...always parked the mower...in here....when it wasn't packed completely full....of old cupboards....
 and other...'treasures'... : )
I so... want to have it.... for him... like he, and I both envisioned it....

The....
Cat Man.
: )
John and Frankie....
We rescued Frankie....
He was dumped...here....
He was such an Awesome Cat....
John named him Franklin.... because the first Vet Bill...to get him on his feet...
was 100.00...
{after 'Franklin'... on the 100.00 Bill....}
{THAT was a Whole Lot Of Money... for us... back then.
It Still...Is. : )
But...Frankie... was worth Every Penny..... to Both of Us. }


Thanks.... So Much... to Liz, Katie, Merry Jo... Wayne...Val... Justin and Brandon....
The Boys Buffed and Detailed Jethro.....
Wayne... worked on the electrical mess... down the rabbit hole...
oh my....
The Girls...and I... Cleaned.... and organized....
Val brought out...some Beautiful Plants... for the Gazebo....
We have a long way to go....
but...
we'll get it. : )
Peg...Jan...Mark and Kelsey are coming tomorrow... to help.....
: ) : ) : )
Along with the rest of The Crew.... : )
We all.... want to give John.... a Beautiful... Day.
Love to ya....
Barb C.