Canadian-Traveler

September 6


Operation Gravel
Got some rain today as the weather guys had predicted. But when it stopped we were kinda hanging around, not knowing what to do, until I thought of going ahead with an idea Bea had a couple of weeks ago. She had suggested to have a gravel bed along the porch, making it easier to handle than flowers or grass. So we found a shovel and a milk crate and went of to the beach. Here, Mother Nature provides gravel already sorted after size. All you've gotto do is shoveling it onto your pickup. 

With the gravel we returned to the house and I backed the pickup close to the already prepared bed. Bea had taken out a few inches of black dirt. Now we found some old tar paper and covered the bed up. That will keep weeds from popping up for a while. On top of that we spread the gravel.  It was fun and we could see right away that it would be looking good. 

What was still disturbing the harmony was the rusty top of our well-head. And again Bea came up with an idea. "Can't you use those old driftwood boards you picked up from the beach and make a cover for the well-head?"


I jumped to action right away and cut and hammered until I had a fitting box for the well-head. Two pieces of driftwood boards were placed as a top on it and we had a stand for a flower pot! 


And while we were thinking driftwood I rolled over a big grey stump I previously had taken home from the beach and placed it in the gravel bed as well. Now it was Bea's turn again as she came with a driftwood root she had liked so much when walking the beach last year.


With these simple pieces the gravel strip is finished decorated.

While it was raining I couldn't sit still either and did more apple juicing, this time for jelly production. I love apple jelly and in my memory I have still the taste of my grandma's apple jelly.


Since I was full of energy (did that come from all the apple juice I drank yesterday?) I chanced another trip into the blackberry patch. Well wrapped up in repellent and the usual protection outfit and with Molly in tow I ventured off.  I found an entirely new blackberry patch on our property but had to fight my way through. 


It is a riddle to me how Molly manages to get through the thorny underbrush without being completely tangled up with her long fur. She doesn't seem to have any problems advancing through the most unbelievable thicket.


Anyway we made it back before dark and I am looking forward to getting some blackberry jelly done, plus having a nice dessert tomorrow.