More garden goodness

Brockton Horticultural bean.
These, and three other bean varieties, will be allowed to dry in their pod
while still attached to the vine.  They will then be used to make chili and soup during the winter months.
I've already decided that twice as many beans will be planted in Wright Gardens next year.

Tomatillo flower

The papery husk of a tiny tomatillo.
This little "latern" is slightly smaller than a walnut.

A hornet enjoying dill pollen.

'Cherry Glow' heirloom poppy

Chet playing with his catnip-scented ball until...

...his belly suddenly needed cleaning.
What a position!

One of the day lilies that line our front fence.

Another one of the day lilies that line our front fence.

And yet another variety of day lily that lines our front fence.

Our newly laid patio complete with handmade table.
Beautiful functionality.

Patio install - Day Three

Our patio is nearly finished and it looks magnificent!  We're grateful to Umberto, Carlos, and Armando for their hard work and skill.

As I create this post, I'm listening to Umberto use the wet saw to shave thin slices off of pavers one-by-one so they fit like a jigsaw puzzle around a gentle curve of the path that leads to the back door and driveway.  The patio is that close to being done.  Have a look at the progress thus far...

Day Three - 6:45 a.m. start time.
Progress as of 8:00 a.m.

The path snakes toward the back door and driveway.

Standing on the retaining wall while capturing this image.  Lovely, isn't it?
You can see how the western edge of the path will gracefully meander to meet the driveway.

Umberto working his magic at the wet saw.

Like a jigsaw puzzle these pieces fit.

Return to the blog later this evening as I'll be adding additional photographs to this post once the contractors' work day is done.  Umberto feels confident that they will complete the job today, even though his boss believes they'll need to return for an hour or so tomorrow.  Our money is on Umberto and his crew.

Stay tuned!

OUR PATIO IS FINISHED!  It is a wonderful feeling to flesh out an idea and become a design, and for that design to be translated onto paper, which then becomes a reality.  Our patio now exists and it is beautiful.

The final steps were to brush polymeric sand into the spaces between the pavers and then spray a light mist of water over the pavers.  The water is meant to interact with the sand, which helps it bond together and form a grout-like substance.  This way, it won't simply blow away (or wash away) over time like ordinary sand would do.

My beloved and I watched as the last cut pavers were fit into place.  I also gleefully watched as the polymeric sand was brushed around the final area of the path and then as the patio was misted with water.  Ta-Daaaa!

Polymeric sand is being added to the back half of the patio.

The push broom and plate compactor doing double duty
to get the polymeric sand where it needs to be.

Nearly complete!

Just a few pavers left to add before the patio is completely in place.

We watched as the remaining three pavers (bottom-center of photo)
were cut and dropped into place.

Polymeric sand being added to the patio path.

Minutes away from being completely done!  JOY!

Blowing off excess sand that sits on the surface of the patio.

Misty.

VIOLA!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Garlic harvest!

While the patio contractors were busy laying the patio, I was preoccupied with harvesting the garlic, pulling weeds, and observing how things are growing in general.  The wonder of life never ceases to amaze me.  Take a walk through the garden with me...

'Ebb Tide' rose in the early morning sun.

Damsel fly having breakfast.

Homemade trellis for the cucumbers.

'Black Icicle' tomatoes

A tiny watermelon.

This tiny, slender, coiled, pink worm made me smile.

She's a beauty!

72 bulbs harvested of the 77 cloves that were planted.

Delicious and beautiful.

Three additional photos of the patio progress at the end of Day Two have been added to the bottom of the "Patio install - Day One and Day Two" post.  Check 'em out!