Saturday, April 21, 2012

Birdhouses, triceratops and fairy gardens

I love me a good work party.  There is nothing greater than a bunch of folks getting together and making something happen.  Recently our President emeritus, Jack held a work party to install 3 chickadee and 3 wren bird houses. We had just the right amount of folks turn out too.

 
 Jack the intrepid Scottsman waits for volunteers


 The Patterson film has nothing on this shot!


 I can hear Jack in the background, "Steady as she goes boys!"
 

 Checking for true.


  Finished project! Great job everyone!

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Recently I've been watching the series "Around the World in 80 Gardens" starring Monte Don. Its a fantastic thumbnail sketch of 80 of the most celebrated gardens around the world.  The show was run on BBC2 in the UK around 2008 but you can still find it online on youtube.  One of the things that fascinated me was the section that he did on China, specifically the "Stroll Gardens".  A key feature of these gardens is the use of limestone rock, which had eroded into all sorts of fantastical shapes.  The idea behind introducing these odd shapes into the garden is to let you imagine shapes and forms that would be reflected in the natural world.  I've started to do this and I have to tell you I was amazed that in our very garden we have some interesting things to ponder. 

 Here along the south access road I saw a triceratops skull.  
 


Just past the triceratops skull I spotted of what looks like a fairy garden atop an old cedar fencepost.  I'm pretty sure this gardener hasn't registered with us yet, but the question is, do we collect cash or fairy dust?  What do you think?