HomeAboutEtsyHomemakingGarden
AnimalsHandiworkFoodGreenDIY

Monday, August 31, 2015

A New Path

It is seldom that I show much of our home
in the way of big pictures.
In this case, it's a little difficult to avoid,
but I wanted to share something with you 
in hopes that it might inspire you to 'keep faith.'
For about 7-8 years now we have had a "temporary" back step.
I won't go into all the details as to why,
but here's what it was looking like.
I know, nothing says class like the barbecuer that doesn't work
and the air-conditioner that's going back out to the shop.
My photo op. timing is impeccable.
But back to the point.
The large pallet was beginning to decompose back into the earth.
We want to add a porch on back here, but when we do,
we want it to be a good one - no cutting corners,
which is partly why we still have what we have.
We had been pondering whether we could pour a concrete slab
so that we could later add a porch, or build just the deck portion,
or . . . you get the idea.
Patience and not settling do pay off.
Mr. LB's work acquired a town lot complete with whatever was left
sitting there for the past 10-15 years since the old fella left it.
His boss asked if we had any use for a bunch of bricks
so he didn't have to haul them to the dump.
Sure!
Last weekend after canning corn, I unloaded 4-5 pallets of bricks.
I am the brick mover, and Mr. LB is the brick layer-downer:)
The bricks/blocks we used for the patio portion are 3 sided.
It worked out great for paving the way between the house and the shop.
Then there were the short cinder block type bricks.
When Mr. LB first laid them down, it looked like train tracks.
I told him I wouldn't be able to handle it.
It needed a curve, and I also went and grabbed a few red bricks 
that we already had and started playing.
This is what we came up with.

I am standing at the wood shed to take the picture.
This way, we won't have to track through a muddy path to get wood this winter.
Never mind the piles of rubbish we are working on removing
 and the brown grass and lack of grass.
(Actually, some of that is now picked up.)
We are going to get a few more of the 3 sided bricks to finish out
the rectangle shape over by the BBQ & make a more normal step.
That will be a very do-able sum to afford for what we've gained.
Nothing seems to happen quickly, and from what I hear,
it's not just around our place that it works that way.
I can't tell you how thrilled I am not to be dreading the mud on the floor.
It looks nice - or will once we finish cleaning up-
and it's functional and practical.
If/when we decide to add a porch, we can simply pull the bricks
and use them elsewhere and that's okay.
We haven't thrown money towards something that is not 
in our long term plan.
We still have another pallet and a half of backer stone.
We're not ready to tackle that project yet.
It's still canning season, so this alone is a huge accomplishment.
Wherever you are on your journey, keep faith.
It'll happen, sooner than you think, later than you want.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches 






7 comments:

  1. that looks so much better!!! and it will not rot etc like the pallets if you take a while to do the porch. Love the path too the curve makes it look so welcoming rather than a straight path, plenty of hard work has gone into transforming this area.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It will definitely keep your floors cleaner! You may decided to keep a brick porch and walkway. We have a courtyard in front because we were on rock and could not grow a lawn so between the house and front retaining wall we have a large courtyard with seating. No mess in the front door from tracking in dirt from the yard.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It can be so hard to find time for home projects. We have a long to do list!
    You did a great job, your walkway looks very nice!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm not in need of a patio but I have been trying to come up with a creative permeable solution to a large driveway. You have inspired me to combine cinder blocks and some of the many bricks found on my property. Thank You!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. When you wait so long for a project to happen and then you get a win fall like you did with the bricks it makes the project so worth the wait! Looks great...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your path and porch look wonderful. Good job. It does take forever to get somethings done. This is my 8th summer (now fall) without a garden shed. But, I haven't given up hope. Other things--more pressing things--come first.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I recognize these situations oh too well! Thank you for sharing your wonderful find with us! What a difference this will make for you! :) It came out nicely and let me say... I can see my hubby just adding a porch on top of those bricks, that is just the way he roles :)

    ReplyDelete