Look back

A quick look at the fountain area now. i really enjoy peoples projects and love watching them evolve into what is happening inside the builders head. i get so involved in some of the projects that i even get a sense of self satisfaction when someone else finishes a project and show the completed picture. 

however every so often i come across deeply gripping projects, you know like that TV series that you almost cannot wait for the next episode. except these projects come very close to completion and then the builder and the updates just disappear. in vain you visit the blog, YouTube channel or forum thread, hoping you missed the update and could catch the next exciting bit but only to be disappointed. some of these projects never, ever reappear. 

being busy with a grocery money project myself i understand that some projects take long. you work in spurts that are powered by every little bit of cash you can squeeze out of your budget. these projects do take long and updates are few, but they get completed. so i thought i must show off what the fountain area looks like now. i'm very happy with the way it turned out.

i added some edging around the beds and raised the level of the soil to make the beds a little more level. planted some greenery (this is going to take a little while to grow and fill the area). most of the flowering plants have started flowering - that was with a little coercion using some refined chicken manure. it is in powered form and waters into the ground really quickly. less stench and a nice little kick start for the newly planted plants. 

.the grass however seems to be taking its time. hope that it will show face again in summer! 

Cornered

It seems that i'm not very diligent...

since my last post i have had a new addition to the family, a little boy full of life, and life has changed dramatically. for the better, but right now we are MUCH busier. apart from that there has been a couple of things that have happened, everyone has been ill and things are returning to a greater sense of normality. i'm feeling a little more human and it feels like my creative me is rearing his head again and it is feeling fantastic!

for the Honda, i have slowly been gathering more spares to do a complete rebuild on the engine. it is the right thing to do i suppose, these old bikes are great and the are reliable if kept in a proper state. so i thought it good to start with a clean page and take 3 engines that i now have and make one good one. new seals and gaskets EVERYWHERE, etc and so on. and what i don't use might be useful to someone else and could help me get some of my money back...

with all of that happening in the background. i have had this ugly little corner in my garden that has been a thorn in my side for some time. we have attempted to get various different plants to grow there, and it has not been very successful... too little sun and being stingy with municipal water is not a helpful combination. what this area needed was a water feature...

i have a relatively old house and a modern looking thing would be completely out of place. i don't really care for "rock art" so that was out too... decided that i'll design my own.

being in shade most of the time minimizes water loss due to evaporation, and is a great spot for the lilies that we have been trying to propagate. when this was published the new leaves had just made their appearance. this has really made a great difference to my little back yard and the has brought a nice calming feel.