Preserving a moment in time and saying goodbye

It's no secret that countless things have been constructed by my hands over the past several years. Anything from decks, raised beds, trellises, sheds, planters, flowerbeds, and even the house in which I currently live.
Each was built for various reasons that would make life easier to some degree, and also to beautify the landscape in some cases. But never have I built something simply to preserve a memory - until now, that is.
A never-ending love and fond memories gone by has compelled me to build something for what once was - for it's quite plain to see that no other time during my last days on earth will there ever be anything similar to the love that we shared.
Doing this provides the closure that I need to carry on with my life as the lone soul that is destined to remain as one. So, I have built a cairn in honor of what used to exist between my former spouse and myself - so that the best time of my life can be encapsulated until remaining days have passed.
A cairn is an arrangement of stones carefully placed in a certain order, so that an important event can be remembered for years to come. It can be for the death of a loved one, or even a cherished memory - and this one symbolizes both for me.
I honestly feel as though a part of me has died, but at the same time am reminded of great times that always bring a smile to my face. Stones simply wouldn't do justice for what we experienced, and my work is most commonly performed with various types of wood.
So, through a river of tears and sweat I have constructed the very last thing to ever be created with the skills given to me as a blessing from God - so that all that gaze upon it's splendor will understand that for a short while a couple shared a love so great that no author could properly put it into words.
This is my cairn to us, and a stainless steel plate with the following engraved words is firmly fastened to it so that people will know that indeed - something special took place here :

For my love,
Lest we forget the brief moment in life when both dream and day were as one..




It was nice to make friends with other gardeners from around this great world, and I hope that my contributions will be useful for years to come. Perhaps the strength to write about life's experiences will return in a dream, but for now my words have simply faded away. I ask God several times each day to make the pain go away, but am doomed to carry it with me for what seems to be an eternity. The love of my life is no longer by my side, and I miss her more than you could possibly imagine. With a very heavy heart I must now say goodbye, and wish each and every one of you the best in life. I will truly miss you all.

Jeff

First frost

Since the first late-season frost will likely arrive with tonight's 33 degrees, everything was harvested from the garden this evening. Around 5 lbs. of beans, peppers, and zucchini were added to the year's harvest total - ending the warm-season garden for the year. Oh well, at least it was pretty productive, I guess.

In other news, the loneliness of the inevitable winter season has certainly arrived - making each night as dreaded as you could possibly imagine. But, I'll make it somehow - with hopes of better days ahead. For now, the planter is what keeps me going, and should be finished in a couple of weeks - if not sooner. When it is done, my tools will be retired. With all that is being put into this construction emotionally, I just don't think anything will be left in me for building anything else. :(

EG

A reunion of brothers

As a new chapter in my life begins, I've taken the liberty of looking at just who I've become over the years. What I saw was not a good person, and the ocpd that affects my everyday life has certainly been allowed to cause destruction in all personal relationships over the past several years.
So, a new direction in life has given me new vision - and my journey to becoming a better person begins with mending any fences broken with those affected by my bitter carelessness.
Yesterday, I made the phone call that had been absent for more than 6 years to my identical twin brother who I had quickly discarded due to a family quarrel. With guidance from above and a new determination in life, I can gladly say that we are as one again. I love you Greg, and will never leave your side again.

Btw, I'm the cute one. :)

Hmm......

The wheels on the bus go round and round.....lol. Yes, the planter will have wheels - but how many?

You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to make this wheel without the proper equipment. It was made entirely on my little thrown-together table in the backyard, and with pretty simple tools, too. I'll do a very detailed post on it when finished, and guess it will become one of my readers' favorite construction posts. :)

In other news, most things growing right now will likely perish from the upcoming frigid nightly temperatures later this week. I'll probably try to save a couple of tomato plants, but that's about it.


EG

Beans in fall

Man, the beans are really liking the cooler weather of fall. The only thing is - giving the harvested beans away to someone who'll take them....

You'd think it would be easy to do, but nope.

Today, one of my sisters came over to see what I was building, and of course it was being worked on out back when she arrived. Whew....thankfully the hardest part is now finished - and I bet at least 20 hours has been spent on the planter already. I know my fybromyalgia is certainly being affected by the hard work....ouch.

EG

At last, the waterline is finished

The water line has been ran all the way out to the farthest corner of the largest raised bed, and a 50 ft. garden hose will be all that's needed to water it, the 4x9 raised bed by the blackberry patch, all of the swc's, and the entire orchard. Hopefully the totes will get filled a couple of times over the winter months, because I'd like to flush everything out really well.

In other news, my 20 year-old son that I haven't seen in 6 months came to visit, and we ate some good food and watched my Auburn Tigers beat Florida in a really good game. War Eagle!

EG

Late maturing grapes

My muscadine grapes always do this - quite a few mature later than the main harvest in early September, but it's still quite a surprise...

They get eaten straight off the vine of course, because the numbers aren't high enough for anything else to take place..

In other news, only 25 more feet of water line has to be buried and it'll be complete, and trenching is getting easier as I've gotten in the vicinity of the largest raised bed. Less rocks, etc. out there, and the native soil is much softer there too...Anyway, it should be finished this weekend.

Also, a very special visitor will be coming over to spend some time with, and we'll cook and just have a good ol' time. :)