This long weekend, we celebrated our independence by toiling hard, sweating lots, puzzling, planning and plenty of flopping (on the ground, the nearest chair, the hammock). But, after moving (by hand) over three tons of flagstone and about a ton-and-a-half of sand we went from this:
to this:
(Virginia is pushing between the stones a mixture of sphagnum moss + water + dirt + moss from our yard. With the shade, a good amount of moisture, time and some luck we should have some nice moss growing between them.)
Our new patio has been in the works for two years. We had plans to do it last summer, but around this time I was just undergoing my third consolidation treatment followed by several weeks in the hospital. Needless to say, I was in no condition to lift anything, let alone play in the dirt.
Not anymore. However, I think we’re ready to not lift anything for awhile; to sit back and enjoy some summer evenings with a small fire and a glass of wine. (I guess I still need to get some furniture built — my uncle gave me plans for his quite comfortable adirondack chair — but we’ll improvise until then).