work
 
some pruning, and an amazing new job
Sunday, August 26, 2007
a fascinating old house, fallen into disrepair, next door to our new job
 
Backtracking through the work week, we have done some interesting satisfactory pruning at an old and new job. As so often happens, at Raymond Federal Bank some mugho pines...not planted by us!...had encroached well over the sidewalk boundaries, along with shrubs in the drive-through and another shrubby pine which was blocking the sight lines from the front door...always important to keep open sight lines at a bank! Yesterday, we began the pruning job but were thoroughly rained out after only two hours, so we continued today. Oops, there went our day off this week! sightline improvement, before and after...accomplished with pruning and with much digging and pick-axing by Allan. sidewalk reclamation...left: before, center: after...and front view of how severely we had to prune to avoid ugly stubs. The final perfection was acheived by Allan and his little chainsaw...no stubs. Meanwhile, we have taken on a tremendously exciting new regular job at a complex of Japanese style houses on the bay...house, guest house and garage joined by a heartbreakingly beautiful covered breezeway, all tiled with blue Japanese ceramic tile....a paradise built by Bill Clearman in 1987. The garden is, fittingly, Asian in style, so weeding and especially pruning are required to return it to its former perfection. After touring the gardens with Bill and the owners last Saturday while Allan was off on a motorcycle camping trip, I was burning to begin realizing our plans. On day one, I spent hours pruning a low cloud planting of small azaleas...detwigging and rounding the tops to a curvacious form, while Allan brought back into view a garden of variegated Euonymous. Above: my project: the green cloud of azaleas. Before and after...there is a difference! Above: Allan’s project: the Shady euonymous garden. He did a wonderful job, and it shows much more clearly than my more subtle project! (above) the details of the architecture at our new job are breathtaking....from large: the breezeway, to small: a little cover for the propane tank or well. We must make the restoration of the garden, including the eventual pruning of over 250 hydrangeas, worthy of this beauty. To add to the enjoyment of such an interesting day was the presence of the absolutely adorable dog, Cappy, whose tag (now worn off) used to read: “My name is cappy. I belong to ____________. Whose dog are you?” So clever! I’m so looking forward to returning this week and weeding some more, and pruning some blueberries and lilacs, while Allan prunes a holly back into a domed shape. (Why is he not looking forward to his project as much? Ouch! But I did get him some good rose gauntlets last Christmas.) Also, we have a nice pile of good soil with which to fluff up the garden beds.