The Great Rock Wall

In the days of old, our front yard was plagued by a planting area engulfed in vines. The vines were out on control, covering the ground with their greenness, which was fine, until the greenness captured the leaves that fell from our oh-so-plentiful trees, and then the vine made the front yard look yucky and unkempt, and overgrown.

So, there was a time when we pulled that vine.

Then, in those times the planting area was mulched and the yard looked glorious in her brownness. Except when the rains or winds came. Make that sprinkles or breezes. And then the brownness spread to the sidewalks, and the leaves spread to the sidewalk, and the sidewalk was engulfed in brownness and leaves. And the brownness and leaves made their way into the house, and the whole situation was deplorable.

So, there was a time when we decided to plant bushes to catch the mulch and protect the sidewalk. BUT, one fine day, before the shovel hit the dirt, Granddad said, "what you need to do is build a retaining wall right here to hold all this dirt and mulch up off the sidewalk." And so, it was.

Daddy set to work and hoo-rah-ray the wall was built. The results? Marvelous. Stupendous. Fabulous. Extraordinary! See for yourself. (oh, and see Libby and Aunt Sarah playing "red light, green light" the evening the last brick was placed.)

Try to look past the fabulous little girl and see the ground that was covered with vines.

Day 1 of wall building, it was hard, hot, back breaking work. But it was worth it (I can say that).

When the winds and rains came and the trees came tumbling down, the rock wall stood firm.

Here's the new view from the street. Naturally we have another rock wall project ahead of us, replacing the limestone planter, but for now we're enjoying the right side of our front door. :)

GREEN LIGHT!