Got Wood - Got Rocks

Everytime we go up to the land we have so much wood to cut and Morris always brings back tons of rocks. We have so many rock decorations, and rock gardens, and rock walls at home sometimes I wonder if we are there or here. I have to admit though they do look lovely after he creates his designs. Just yesterday he made an entire new flower bed in the front and put miniture azalea bushes in. If you need firewood or rocks for decorating - come see us - take truck loads - free of charge - you cut - you haul. :)

Gazebo

The day we had the cabin built we also put together this lovely gazebo which we thought we would have many wonderful hours enjoying. Mike, Renee, and I were the main ones who screwed about 5000 nuts - bolts - and screws into this crazy thing and at the time, we did not have a ladder up there. After the first couple of trips we noticed the winds were picking up and kind of moved around a bit. I tried to secure it in place with big rocks. Big joke because the next time we came up it looked like this........

Before I forget

OK I have to admit the whole reason of doing this is so I don't lose the details but I am going back 3 years to the beginnings - so if I jump back and forth please read on. Well, the flower beds took Mo the entire day to build and he worked extremely hard because it was hot hot hot in Texas at least 99 but w/100% humidity - if you have never lived here let me tell you, it is the most horrible heat I have ever known. I think we live in Satan's Hell. The next trip we were able to make made him sad. The deer had eaten all his plants. How terribly sad for him. Even though Mike and Kathy had given us a deer feeder which we always stock with corn - they still ate all his lovely planted garden ring around the massive tree. He put out tons of Aloe which he is known for cultivating, his plants grow extremely well - he has a 3 foot wide aloe - but they ate every nibble - they also ate all the new plant I introduced him to which spreads - the wondering jew. A purple lovely plant that you can't stop from multiplying. I don't know where the name came from - I did not create it. Don't write me hate email because of the name. We learned that you have to put a fence around anything that you do not want eaten. We also came up w/the plan of having an outdoor bathroom. I truly believe we will develop this - sounds weird but we do have a plan. Texas does not have seasons, only hot, cool and a sweater. The only reason I say this is because of my husband - he is a born and bread Texan and loves it. I love to explore and that is why we have Cactus Ridge. I could live in cold climates - he could not. He complained about 45 degree temps - ah poor babe - just wait until we move to cactus ridge and you have to feel the colder winds - see that is why I love it - sometimes you actually have to put on a jacket and I have been advised by people that have lived there for years - the winds are fierce - I believe this because I have seen the damage - remind me to tell you about the gazebo.

The Color Green

I knew right away that I wanted to paint the cabin green. I wanted it to blend in as much as possible with the surroundings. Do you know how many different shades of green there are? We finally settled for a spring time new grass color and had it mixed. When we were putting it on though it came out more limey and bright than we expected. Now you have to remember we are up in the sticks. There is not a Home Depot or a corner hardware store to run to. So we both agreed we would put it on and talk ourselves into liking it. It has faded out a bit and I guess I can live with it for now. However, I think one day it may change. We decided on white trim - so creative I know but it works.

Morris made a lovely fire circle and a couple of flower beds. Tomorrow I will explain the how the plot thickens with the flower beds.

Walls appear

Well, the week-end finally came to have the cabin built. We went up the night before with several friends and stayed in the Fabulous Blanco County Inn. Next morning it is pouring down the rain. Our newly dug driveway was just washing away faster than speedy gonzalez can run. We go on up there anyway and sit and wait for the builders to arrive. We made fun anyway by running back and forth to each others cars with trashbags on our heads. They finally arrive but can not make it up the driveway because it is just to slick and wet. I was getting very worried and almost teary thinking we would not be able to have it built. It had stopped raining at this point and our friend Mike suggested we unload everything from their trailer to the bed of his four wheel drive truck. So they started doing this load by load and we all held our breath as he slipped and slid and with spinning tires each load made it to the top. Everytime he made it, I let out a huge sigh of relief. They started working around 11 that morning. It was going along pretty smooth and fast until it was time for the 2 workers to raise the walls. Oh my, we almost had a squished man when Morris and all the guys ran over to help them. Mission accomplished. We decided to have a Bar-B-Que in celebration. It started getting dark and the workers pulled out these huge flood lights as they were almost done and just had to finish the roof shingles. They finally finished around 8 or 9 that evening and we invited them for the Bar-B-Que. They ate and we all laughed and were so amazed that it only took one day. We walked into the cabin that evening and although it was unfinished on the inside, I felt like it was home. Next comes choosing paint colors. Details tomorrow.

The Land

Back in November 2004 I found a patch of land up in the Hill Country that I purchased with my husband. I had no idea that there were actual hills in Texas. I had only lived in places here that were flat flat. The land so pitiful at first, no driveway, weeds everywhere, almost every tree and plant was totally overgrown. When we went to visit we had to hike up the side of the hill carrying everything we brought. My poor arms and legs were getting so torn to bits by thorns and I got a bit tired of tree limbs smacking me in the face so we decided to have a driveway cut up the hill and Cactus Ridge was born. We next put a fence at the foot of the driveway and put up our street number and a newly created wood burned sign I made. I was so proud. Official owner of property that I had now become, I went in search of a small cabin we could have built. I found one and the next week they built it. That story I will leave for my next entry.