A Well-Earned Feast

!!!!!!!! NEWSFLASH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The broody hen's patience has been rewarded and she is the proud mother of two, possibly three tiny bantam chicks. She was very defensive, not liking the looks of the lady with the camera aimed at her babies, and she hustled them under her feathery skirts right away but I'll try again for better pictures.











The rock work planned for Friday had to be canceled due to rain but Saturday was a perfect day. Over half of the walkway remained to be re-done and the fellas got started early: pulling up the modest-sized stepping stones I'd set long ago (and that had since tilted and sunk, becoming pretty much useless as a path), digging a footing, spreading it with gravel, and laying some BIG stones purchased from the rock yard.

It helps a lot to have a tractor with a front-end loader to deal with some of these giant rocks

and the guys are quite good at nudging these monsters into just the right place in their gravel beds.

By five, the last rock had been laid, the gravel had been tamped down and covered with dirt, and the walkway had been swept and hosed down.

After showers, it was time for the traditional 'gloat drink' as workers and watchers alike sit and enjoy the beautiful new path.

And then the feast -- putting to use most of that wonderful box of veggies that arrived Wednesday from Carol.

While John grilled the yellow crookneck and zucchini squash, along with some of our own asparagus and skewers of shrimp and some andouille sausage, I made cheese grits and fried green tomatoes, as well as a green salad with the last of those sweet sweet cucumbers

There was goat cheese (for those who like it) to stir into
the grits -- and for afters, there was Ba's pound cake, sliced fresh peaches, and fresh sweet cherries.

A well-earned reward for a good day's work! Hearty thanks to those rock-layin' guys -- and to Carol for much of the feast!

Rock On!

Give me some men who like to lift heavy rocks!

Yesterday Justin and Bob (Justin's mentor and compatriot in rock work) began the task of re-laying the rock walk that leads to our front porch. The old walk (much of which I laid myself about 25 years ago) had grown increasingly uneven and sunken, not to mention hazardous.

They began by prying up the old stepping stones and digging out a deeper and flatter bed into which they put gravel for a base.


In order to make a really high class pathway, some giant flat rocks were purchased at a nearby stone yard. Fortunately two of Justin's friends were at the farm for the weekend -- Cory from Asheville and Timba, who had driven with his wife and baby all the way from Indianapolis only to find himself put to work.




It took all four guys and a hand truck to get this baby to its appointed place at the foot of the steps.



















The pictures speak for themselves -- lots of gravel hauling, rock lifting, digging, eye-balling and figuring ...































. . . but at least half of the path is done -- and it is magnificent!



The really nice thing is that these friends work for food and drink -- that's my contribution to the rock party -- steak and Italian sausage sub sandwiches for lunch -- beer can chicken, potato salad, green beans sauteed with cherry tomatoes, green salad, and fresh-baked pound cake for supper.

And the rain that had been predicted held off, for the most part, till the work day was over and the party half of the rock party had begun.

It was a very fine day!