The Vision Becomes Reality

Mark has been talking about making this little patio for years. I think there are several reasons...we have lots of free bricks that we need to use up, it is always muddy in front of the barn and he just thinks it will added a little something something to the backyard. So yesterday early the back-breaking work began.

I got to spray paint the pattern, according to Mark's instruction.

And Mark began to shovel..and shovel..and shovel some more.  I helped a little but it is a little hard to do when you are running around playing with the three yahoos.

The after shoveling the digging began.  All the dirt...8-10 inched down of it...went to a new flower bed in the making.

I think we finally got all of this finished around 2PM.  You know, we were on a time line.

The HEAVY gravel had to be unloaded from the truck int he driveway and wheelbarrow-ed to the backyard.  I can't remember how many trips it took.

And then there was the HEAVY wet sand that had to be moved from the truck in the driveway to the backyard.  Then it had to he smoothed and leveled out.

The bricks were laid in a herringbone pattern.  After laying the brick sand had to be forced between each brick.  Sprayed with water and swept and done again.  We still have a few to cut for the edges but that had to be saved for another day...it was way passed dinner.   Thank heavens Emmy was fixing dinner.

Now all I have to do it find a table and chairs on Free Cycle and add a few annuals and we are good to go !