The Big Reveal!

Our story today begins with a bucket.  A dirty, blue bucket, to be exact.  Please note the hastening, tiny footsteps advancing toward said bucket, which will shortly be revealed as one of the heroes of today's (far less than epic) tale.

 

On this particular day, there was much "grown up" work to be done in Robinson County, which left young Eli with the options of either boredom or creative genius. Lucky for us, young Eli is not the type to succumb to boredom.

What better to do with a dirty, blue bucket (when your seat is roughly the size of 2 hamburger buns) than to sit in it!  Granted, young Eli's shorts were filthy when he finished, but he had a great time, entertained himself, and didn't wander far in the process!

Meanwhile, young Eli's father put some of the final touches on his BIG project.  A backyard pergola! (Photo: Before Trim)

In just a couple of weekends, Jason pretty well single-handedly built the pergola, from start to finish.  It was his idea, his design, his dream...and I LOVE it.  I can only imagine the years of use it will get, from backyard BBQs, to youth group devos, to family picnics...my mind is running wild with possibility.

 (After Trim)

I feel immensely blessed to have such a handy (and thoughtful) husband!

We also planted some "Carolina Jessamine (Jess-uh-MY-n)" vines that will soon provide a beautiful (and cool) canopy of shade.   We chose these specific plants because 1) they are supposed to be very fast-growing, 2), we love their foliage, 3)they are hardy, 4) they were highly recommended for our area in this book, which has become one my favorite gardening references,  and 5) they bloom!!

Close-up of the Carolina Jessamine.  In early spring, the vines should have abundant, yellow trumpet-shaped blooms.  (I'm looking really forward to seeing them for the first time next year!)

Close-up view from the side door of the house.  I can't wait to see how different it looks once it's all grown up with vines!

Our next project will be to add lighting so we can enjoy it in the cool evenings, as well!  Jason's also considering adding some bench seats in a couple of places to help maximize our seating options. 

So, there you have it...the big (at least in size) top-secret project!