Garden Therapy: A Reading Retreat

     Summer is fast slipping away and signs of fall are becoming more apparent everyday. So before we are in full blown fall mode I'd like to share a project we did in our yard this summer. When we first moved into our house my husband built a place for a hammock.

The top two pictures show the beginnings in '94, the bottom photo is the following summer.

     We had this for several years until one day my husband's brother went to lie down in the hammock and it broke. Fortunately brother was fine but the hammock was done.  So we decided to change things up a bit. And this is the result.

1997

      It even served as a back drop for one of four weddings we've had in our backyard. 

2004

This was taken spring of 2010

     This year I was feeling in the mood for a change. My husband cringes when I say "I've been thinking". He knows it means work for him. 

As you can see we went back to a hammock

     My husband basically lowered the platform from a bed to a floor. After I got the hammock and started putting things together I decided I needed a rug. But I didn't really want to deal with a real rug, so I painted one.

I measured the size I wanted then added stripes with the painters tape.

I protected the surrounding area with newspaper and spray painted the blue. I let that dry overnight then re-taped for the green.

I'm pleased with the results. Although it might have been easier to paint the whole rectangle blue and only tape once for the green. But it really wasn't that difficult or time consuming.

It makes for a relaxing area to read or just snooze.

(The paper lanterns have a light, lovely at night. A dollar store score.)

Here's the grandson enjoying some video game time.

Cheers! A toast and farewell to summer. 

A Thought to Ponder:" The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking."                                                              Christopher Morley

Participating in: Grand Social, Blue Monday, Amaze Me Monday, Tuesday Garden Party, Share Your Cup

Garden Therapy: A Bridge to Nowhere

     Here's another garden project that we did several years after we moved into our house. My husband designed and built a bridge. It doesn't really go  anywhere  or serve a functional purpose. We just did it for fun.

These two pictures show the start of the construction (March 1997)

This is the finished product before painting. (June 1997)

These were taken at different times in 2009

     I should take back the comment about the bridge not having a functional purpose. Because it has served in other capacities besides just walking over.

As a place to sled when our grandson was 3 years old (2010).

Also a place for a wedding (June 2010). Even with the rain it was

lovely. Besides rain on your wedding day means good luck.

 This year the bridge needed painting. After we did that we added some solar lights to the posts. It makes a lovely addition to our night time garden.

      I think my next project for the bridge will be to add a sign post. I can put how many miles to different destinations. Even if the bridge doesn't really go anywhere, you will be able to pretend that it does.

A thought to ponder: In the moment of crisis the wise build bridges and the foolish build dams.

Participating in: Grand Social, Tuesday Garden Party, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Blog Hop