Special Touches In The Home Stretch

September 17th to September 25th, 2009

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." ~ Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Almost done now... or at least it is almost time for my part of the production. There is still the problem of the swamp garden plot... er... the rose garden. It will not drain. Of course, it didn't help that the guy who graded the yard and took up all the old grass put the sod in the bottom of the rose bed... I dug out three wheelbarrows full of the muck and dumped it out in the preserve. Then I called the patio people as they do drainage, but they never answered any of my calls or the contractor calls either. They just didn't want to fool with it and instead of saying so, they ignored me. So I wouldn't really give them a five star recommendation after all. Had I known that the sprinkler system people did this job as well, I would have gotten them to do it in the first place. They knew what they were doing and drilled a large dry well all the way through the clay layer into the underlying sand. They put down drainage pipes and now... after a big rain... it drains completely within a day. I have put in over 35 bags of top soil, 35 bags of mixed top soil and compost and a bit of sand to make it ready for the roses.... so far, I have eight planted... a mixture of hybrid teas and floribunda... white, yellow, chocolate, red, gold.... the warm shades... no pink though. Anyway... the sprinkler people are magnificent.... they get 10 stars!

The room is beautiful... inside and out. The hot tub is delectable, especially in the cold temps of fall and winter. But there was still a special touch that needed to be added. We designed a pattern to be made by a local artist in stained glass... a simple geometric in brilliant color. The royal purple was surrounded by ruby red, golden yellow, kelly green and a sky blue. Finally, the glass was ready. These artisans measure the transoms and windows themselves and then install as well. I wish that our cousin David could have met this artist... they are so much alike... very laid back and calm... they even have a slight physical resemblance. The job went beautifully, no broken panes and a perfect fit for everyone. Now, when the sun shines, colored light reflects off the walls and ceiling; and while you really cannot see the stained glass from outside during the day... the night is a different story. The uplight in the fan brings out that soft glow of color... amazing!

We've added the furniture that our cousins made... all walnut from a farm in Illinois. A few rugs and a few plants along with Mom's new orchids and the space is finished. It is an amazingly relaxing spot to read and watch the birds. So all is finished.... well, except for my part.... the flowerbeds.

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