about that project

Brad and I worked together on a very special project this past year. Each season, another layer of progress was accomplished.

Similar to healing, heart projects do not happen all at once.

The project I am referring to is my mom's memorial area which began with her tree planting and bench unveiling on the first Mother's Day without her here with us on earth (2022).

It has become such a special serene place for us. 

This area is the first thing you see when you get to the bend of our long driveway.

The memorial area is not about the bench perse. It is about connection. Spiritual and otherwise. Feelings of remembrance, joy, sorrow, natures awe and inspiration. To name just a few.

It brings out all the feels.

Giant Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail close-up

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch and Bubble bee
sharing late season zinnias

Late Summer, a Berry White Hydrangea was planted (pink blooms above). My mother had a prolific white one growing in her backyard. It is my first time growing Hydrangeas. Fingers crossed. 

Zinnias grown from collected seeds

The flower pots also had overwintered Calla Lilies.
They bloom before zinnias.

I thought Spring crocus named Remembrance would be a perfect way to add early season color. My plan is to naturalize low profile early blooming bulbs in the general area. Brad reminded me, he will have to work the area up in order to plant grass. 

I came up with Plan B for the bulbs I had already purchased. Several packs of crocus and species tulips were planted inside a triangle shaped area, within 3 existing pines. There is a stump in the middle, so it won't be worked up. I can't wait to see what blooms!! I can always relocate the bulbs, or better yet ~ plant more! 

Late Fall, Brad poured a colored concrete base for the bench. Notice the two circle indentations he added. Great idea! The two pots that flank the bench are in full sun & wind exposure. The pots dry out quickly and frequently tip over. Even with a rock base. Setting the pots down inside the circles will prevent tipping and they will still drain to the ground. He added drainage rocks as a base inside the circles. 

Over the Summer, the bench stayed on a pallet so it could be moved with the bobcat.

11.4.22

While walking our woods, another idea crossed my mind. 

I asked Brad if we could stamp the concrete base with actual leaves.

Poor Brad. I always ask for the unusual. Which translates as complicated. I never do things the easy way. Not intentional, it is just how I am wired. After all these years together, my requests no longer surprise him. Brad is more practical and we balance each other out. Stamping concrete is nothing new to him, but stamping with leaves is. He said yes, we could try :))

My mom loved trees. I think in part because she grew up with very few of them. She was born and raised in a big city (Madrid, Spain) where few trees grow in selective areas. In addition, the Fall month of September is both her month of birth and death.

I went on a mission collecting whatever leaves I could find that still had pliable life. It was slim pickings this late in the season. I noticed some semi-vibrant Maple leaves in our woods, high above on branches. Maple leaves have a distinct shape. I thought they would work great. 

I remembered the three Maples we planted a few years ago along our driveway and was happy to find they still had a few leaves. I climbed a ladder and plucked the few remaining leaves. No doubt my neighbors (rightfully so) thought I was nuts. The wind was whipping and there I was on a ladder collecting leaves.

For weeks, I kept all the collected leaves in plastic bags with moist paper towels. Waiting for the "concrete stars" to align. And they did.

Brad finishing the concrete base
11.11.22

A few of the Maple & Oak leaves were gently pressed into the concrete, after it formed up for a while. We left them in overnight and Brad carefully removed the leaves in the morning. The imprints turned out just as I had imagined!

See random leaf imprints (front area)

 Brad will probably add some concrete sealer and might stain the leaves to help them stand out. 

My mom would have loved the many detailed reminders of her…in disbelief she would have said "all this for me?". To which I would have replied, “Yes mom. All this, and SO much more love ~ all for you”.

Brad backfilled the base with black dirt

Mom's memorial area will be considered completed, when Brad plants grass in the Spring. Making it feel more connected to us, instead of a separate island area. 

I really wanted to add something during the Winter months. Brad made more of my wishes happen. We added 3 trees that light up on each side!   

notice the light crystals

light twinkles above the bench

We are considering adding a water feature of some kind in the future. Perhaps a stand alone rock bubbler, or a ground stream that flows to another water feature. If you know me at all, then you know the aura of water is an important part of what fuels me.  Adding year round flowing water or a large wildlife pond somewhere on our property has always been on our original wish list. Perhaps someday. Or not. I am totally okay, either way. It is nice to dream.

View from behind

Somehow, the three trees on the right form a distinct heart shape.

We were so surprised!! I will have to get a better photo with my camera.

My mothers memorial area is so healing just the way it is. Love can be felt, in every season.

outside shift

Our land work has shifted from the inside to the outside, weather permitting. We are seeing dryer days, or at least occasional dryer days. Consequently our barn remains a work in progress. I am not much help with bendy, building or heavy duty type stuff but offer anyways. I think I just slow down the process :/ Most of what you'll see shared is all Brad's hard work, and work hard he does.

manure pit (politely labeled) 

freshly poured containing walls

Yard work is not a priority, but lessening constant sandy dirt tracked inside by multiple large dogs (& people) is. Over a span of several days Brad graded and graded, and graded some more, before spending our first hot weekend seeding and covering the sizable area between our house and barn. We went from an extended wet cool Spring to **bam** hot Summer! 

view from house deck of work in progress

view from driveway

view mid-way 

Ticks, coyotes and mosquitoes have taken the fun out of hiking with the dogs on our property this Spring. Sadly, our daily walks abruptly stopped. From what I can see our paths have become lush and overgrown. 

We ordered mosquito eradicators for around the house & barn, with hopes that after 15 days we should see improvement. 

mosquito eradicator

We planted three Autumn Blaze Red Maples along our driveway, where the Maples won't be an issue for our horses (they are toxic). Looking forward to seeing their Fall color! Happy Mother's Day to me!!

three new little trees, mid-left

Hay will be a challenge to put up this season in WI, due to wet weather. Our hot dry summer like weather lasted briefly. We are back to cooler days, which I like. Not ideal for growing things tho. 

Brad reseeded another field to grass hay. Two fields should provide us a healthy supply, and then some to sell. IF we ever get a good stretch of dry sunny weather. He also did most of the field work to replant two of our other fields back to alfalfa to sell. 

Autumn Maples with teeny tiny alfalfa in foreground.
The neighbors lawn is mid-strip, our new hay field behind.

A few weeks later we put in four apple trees at the bottom of our property. Cortland, McIntosh, Gala and Jonathan. Not sure how much we will spray etc, might just let them grow natural. I know I know apples get wormy, so we will be looking into a happy medium.

Brad up-cycled materials to build four protective cages.
Hopefully it gives the apple trees a fighting chance from destructive deer.

We are starting to designate a couple small garden beds. Repeat after me, ONLY A COUPLE garden beds!! We have waaay too many gardens at our old house. We put them in when we were younger and stupid ambitiously passionate about gardening. As you likely know, gardens are ever changing and never ending back breaking work. I learned the hard lesson many moons ago that planting Perennials doesn't mean forever, silly me. 

Altho I still love gardening, my body doesn't. Plans are to relocate some favorites perennials to our new home, return some beds at our old home to grass and redo the remaining. They need to be more manageable. Hopefully I can hand the care over...someday. This is one hefty goal, that I know won't get completely done. I'll be happy with whatever does get done.

For now, I am enjoying annuals and potted summer camp plants at our new home.

Brads old boots are made for planting

Barn post got finished & forged iron hanger mounted
I promptly refilled and hung repurposed baskets

New barn planters I "won" (the right to buy) at a fundraiser.
Table geranium is several years old, one of the plants I still overwinter *^*

Brad finished off westside of barn

He also built one raised veggie garden bed
to try, before possibly adding a couple more

Hope everything is going & growing well for all of you! Looking forward to catching up soon!!