MAY 31, 2012 -- THURSDAY

GARDEN BEDS, HAULING TOPSOIL, KNOCK OUT ROSES, & PLANTING FLOWERS

Mason just makes everything more fun!!  I'm not sure why, but he has always liked tipping his head then I take a picture.  I wonder if it is because I tip the camera on its side to take an vertical shot??  Mason runs around our new path and leaps across the rock paths and says "we need to make a map!"

This morning David, Benjamin and Mom finished building the garden beds.  Mom started smoothing and leveling the garden area to fine tune the beds so they are level!  The concrete workers messed it up a bit, out of necessity, to pour the concrete so we have to fill in along the new concrete.  Rachel planted about 12 more of the pink Knock Out Roses -- Benjamin and Joseph had dug the holes on Tuesday!
I was getting tired and was thinking I should hire a local man to move the topsoil for us with his tractor.  When I told the kids what it would cost, Benjamin said, "If I do it, will you pay me?"  I said, "sure!"  (Sorry Vernon.:)  I know how much work it is!  We will see if they stick with the big job that they are starting!!  It will be a good test and learning experience!!!

HERE IS HOW WE BUILT OUR GARDEN BEDS:
1.  Built garden bed frames with three 2x8x8 boards -- with one cut in half for the short sides.  Also used 12" pieces of a 4x4 for the corner braces.  Our larger beds were made with six 2x6x8 boards -- with 2 boards cut in half for the short sides.  These beds are 2 boards tall.  I still used a 12" piece of a 4x4 post for the corner supports.
2.  After the garden beds are placed and leveled, chicken wire then weed barrier were used on the bottoms of the beds to keep out critters & weeds and to keep in the rich soil.

 NOTE:  I wanted a few more beds, but didn't want to purchase a big length of a 4x4 post, so I skipped the corner supports and just made the bed out of three 2x8x8.  See the picture below.





3.  Filled the bed just under 3/4 full with topsoil -- all hauled by children! (see following story)

 


4. Added (1) 40lb bag of cow manure compost, about a 1/4 of a bail of peat moss,  and 1/4 of a bag of coarse vermiculite.

5.  Mixed it in by turning with a shovel  and then smoothing out.














So ---- today Benjamin recruited and energized his team and they started to move topsoil to the garden beds.  It took them (Ben, Bethany, Rachel and David) about 40 minutes to move one load.  It was a very full wheelbarrow and the wheels were flat.  I couldn't even get it to move.
With money as the incentive -- I'm not sure what Benjamin is wanted to buy, but he is motivated to earn some money!!! --- and determination in their leader; they worked.

I bribed the 4 kids -- Ben, Bethany, Rachel and David -- that if they could carry the 3 new garden beds all the way down, including the big double bed, then I would take them to Sonic tonight for 1/2 price shakes!  They did it!!!  I wasn't sure they could handle the weight of the big garden bed -- but I should doubt the strength of my Russian kiddos the the motivation of a treat!

This afternoon,  David and Bethany both had friends come over and play.  I started to crash with a head cold and sore throat.  When the friends went home, I told the kids I had to go to bed!!!  They all gave support and said they were going to go work on topsoil.  I went to bed.

I was so impressed -- They decided to work for a solid hour and they recruited Joseph to help.  In that hour, they were more unified and worked as a team better than I had ever seen -- I mean EVER seen!  I guess this morning they had worked through their arguments and were ready to be a team.  They decided to build a little dirt ramp to get the wheel barrow up over the curb to the garden.  We had found the air pump so they pumped up the tires on the wheel barrow so it could handle the weight of the dirt.  They decided that smaller loads moving faster was more efficient.  They each took a job.  Joseph could shovel the most topsoil the fastest so his work counts double -- since he can't work in the mornings due to his CPEP/ACT class.  Rachel raked to level it out, etc.  Now a lot of this is common sense -- but remember we have a kids ages 16, 13, 12, 11, and 8 working together without any adult input and at least 3 of those kids are strong opinioned kids!  I was impressed.  Every once in a while I would peek out my window and see them still working.

I finally went down to put flowers in and they were heading up because they had finished their one hour and had filled 2 beds to finished and started the other 2 large beds.  That is about 12 full wheel barrow loads of topsoil -- so they probably hauled at least 20 smaller loads!!!  They improved quite a bit from this morning!

We planted a few Echinasia, Yarrow and Veronica. 


Bethany stayed and helped me plant flowers and Joseph, Benjamin, Rachel and David when on Joseph's daily walk that they missed this morning.

As Bethany and I worked, she talked about how they had all worked together and the strategies they created to get the job done.  She also said, "Mom, when you first told us that we would be working outside every morning I was not happy and didn't want to.  But now, I like it!!  It is fun to get the project done!  It is looking so pretty out here!  I love the fishing spots!!"  Yeah!!!! thinks the mom!