The Art of Feng Shui

One wet and blustery Friday morning I heard a ruckus in the front yard.

5-Star Scotty and Palomino were giving the front yard a face lift.

I found Palomino messing with the dwarf magnolia tree in the walkway.

Someone had suggested that this poor sapling should be cut down and replaced with a
pretty tile for good feng shui.

Why is it that everything is a competition for men?

If it isn't a race for victory, then it's a competition of strength. This is not fair though, the poor sapling didn't have a chance against Palomino's shovel. Now, if the tree were a talking apple tree (from The Wizard of Oz), Palomino would be out of the fight.

Well, feng shui or not, Palomino transplanted the little bugger to a new location.

Live little Magnolia, live, and bear pretty flowers, and shed your leaves for us to rake and give me an aching back on yardwork day.

It rains so hard here that the water

washes the bark from the garden beds.

So 5-Star Scotty wants to put in a retaining border of pressure treated

beams to keep the lines looking neat and trim.

String line. It's what helps you build straight lines.

It is very important to secure the beams in place so that the rain doesn't wash those away too. So Palomino drills holes for the rebars that will hold the beams.

Level. Measuring tape. Tools to make sure the beams are not cockeyed, and to make sure there are enough beams to run the entire garden bed, respectively.




What is it about 5-Star Scotty at work that makes me drool...




Break time. Palomino likes to drive the big truck.

And 5-Star Scotty likes to shoot some hoops.

What about me? Can I come out to play too?

I promise I won't terrorize the little white dog next door. (Preacher is crossing his back toes. Because that's just what he is, a terror.)

Hey, me too! I wanna come out and play.

Oh my, I better hurry up with spring cleaning schedule and wash those windows.

And the rain keeps coming down.

I don't care if it's raining, I still want to come out and play.

And the finish touch to the void that the poor magnolia sapling left...

Feng shui that, Mr. Cutdownthemagnoliatreeman!