Building a Path to Walk On

Here is a picture of a large bare spot in our backyard, with a big pine tree in the middle.


We have been trying to figure out what to do with this area, as grass does not seem to be able to grow here.

After working through a few different ideas, I stumbled upon labyrinth designs. A labyrinth is a path that you walk on, eventually taking you to the center, then back out again. It is different from a maze, in that there are no wrong paths--just the one. They are often used for meditative and spiritual purposes.

One of the most famous labyrinths is the one at Chartres Cathedral in France, built around 1200:

So I decided to create a labyrinth, with the pine tree in the center. Obviously, because I have much less room to work with, the one in the backyard will be much smaller. I found a design, based on the one at Chartres, that will fit in the space I have to work with:

I'm going to cover the inside area with pebbles, then use bigger rocks to create the lines of the labyrinth. We found pebbles and rocks that would be appropriate at a local mulch/stone retailer. Also, I'm burying red bricks into the ground around the outside circle, leaving a little over an inch sticking up to hold the pebbles in place. So far I have almost one half of the circle of bricks done. After I finish with the bricks, we'll get the pebbles and distribute them around the circle.

I'm excited about this project. It will keep me busy and hopefully get me in better shape. And in the end, we'll be able to walk our very own backyard labyrinth.

Furled Ferns

I've been trying to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having lately--sunny, with temperatures in the mid-seventies. It reminds me of San Diego, where the weather stays like this all year long.

I took a walk around the pond that is a short drive from my house, and found some young ferns pushing up through the soil. These ferns fascinate me--the way they start as a white clump, and slowly unfurl their green leaves. If you look closely at the first photo, you can see the green hiding underneath the white knob at the top of the stem.




I hope everyone else is enjoying some nice spring weather.

The Hand That Feeds...

We have a small statue in our backyard that we put sunflower seeds in for the birds and squirrels. This morning as I sat outside I saw a chipmunk stuffing its cheeks full of seed:



In past years my mother has actually trained some of the chipmunks to eat out of her hand. She patiently waits with a peanut in the palm of her hand, and these cute little creatures will run up to her and grab the nut, stuff it in their cheeks, and scurry away.