MAX'S BIRD BATH

IN REMEMBRANCE OF

 MAX,

 THE BARN CAT

Our friend Steve recently informed us that

Max, his beloved barn cat, passed away. 

Though I never got to met Max, Tom told

 me that I looked a little like Max.

Max did not have a tail though. 

Tom told me Max was a 'Manx'.

I guess he wasn't supposed to have a tail.

MAX

Steve asked Tom to make a bird bath

in honor of Max. 

Steve removed a dead oak tree from his garden 

this year but saved the stump to serve as a pedestal.

Tom included two little deck
 chairs and a diving board for the birdies.

That evening after it was installed, Steve saw

 4 bluebirds, 3 goldfinches and four other birds

drink and splash in the water.

I think Max would have liked that.

Yours Truly,

Junior Boy

WEDDING TRELLIS

ROSE and KEVIN'S WEDDING TRELLIS

Today, Monday August 6th, 2018 at 11 o'clock,

Rose and Kevin

were married

at Blake Garden
 on the campus of the 

University of California, Berkeley.

blakegarden.ced.berkeley.edu

Two months ago, Rose came to visit her 
Auntie Linda and Uncle Greg. 

She met with Tom to discuss ideas for the design
of a trellis under which her marriage might take place.

Rose, Sparky and Tom

Following an afternoon consultation with Tom, 

Rose began to draw concept sketches

 incorporating unique components

meaningful to her and Kevin.

Tom suggested incorporating
decorative forged steel ornamentation. 

Rose also desired colorful handmade fused glass 
so Linda contacted local glass artist 

Andy Nichols who created seven beautiful pieces for Rose.

nicholsartglass@gorge.net

Rose's concept drawing

Building the 5-piece steel frame

Tom ordered the steel and got to work.

Tom realized that the trellis design required 

several special considerations:

First, the completed trellis needs to transported

 to San Francisco

 in Uncle Greg's camper, a space only 3 feet wide, 

6.5 feet long and 4 feet tall. 

Second, the trellis needs to be assembled 

(and then disassembled) quickly in a public space

 by 3 people who might have enjoyed 

a refreshing alcoholic beverage beforehand. Finally, 

it would be best if no tools were required at all.

So, Tom designed and built the frame in 5 pieces 

which telescope together without the use of any screws or bolts.

When finished, it required less than 5 minutes

 to assemble or disassemble.

Welding forged steel flowers
onto the frame

Forged flowers, reconfigured by Tom, were

added to the uprights and the top of the trellis.

Tom testing out the correct position for the 
'Sacred Heart' 

A special cricket high up inside the trellis just for Rose

 Tom, Auntie Linda and Uncle Greg 

creating their own hearts

Custom built, 5-piece trellis ready for shipping

Beautiful grotto, a perfect backdrop
for the wedding of these two special people

SPARKY, the 'ring bearer'

Congratulations Rose and Kevin!

YOURS TRULY,

JUNIOR BOY

NEW VEGETABLE GARDEN FENCE

NOT-YOUR-AVERAGE

DEER-PROOF 
GARDEN FENCE 

Over the years, deer have occasionally wandered 

into my kingdom. 

In recent years, however, more of these
massive creatures 

have searched for garden delicacies.

Last year, after two dying oak trees were
 removed from the east side of the property,

sunshine filled this space for the first time in 100 years. 

Not surprisingly, the family gardener saw an opportunity...

The garden site in late March

This past winter, Margaret removed
underbrush and tenacious ground covers,
growing under the oaks for decades,
leveled the ground and added
yards of finished compost.

Then, the perimeter of the fence was set.
Twenty-four two-foot deep holes were dug
 for the 2x2-inch steel uprights.

Batterboards for establishing level

Tom, Greg, Emma and Linda 
preparing to 'Mix' cement.
Our young Hawaiian friend Emma cheerfully accepted
Tom's offer to learn a new skill. Friends Greg and Linda
added their energy and sense of humor.

Emma learns the fine art of mixing, 
compacting and smoothing cement

Custom footings for the gate. Emma
embellished the cement footings with scenes from Hawaii.

Together, Tom and Margaret designed a structure

 to enclose the garden utilizing repurposed
 trellises and sculptures
Tom had created over the years.

John and Tom installing the garden gate
Tom built a rolling gate for easy access into the garden.
Our friend John graciously helped install it.



The gate incorporates a curved piece of steel taken from
Tom's 'Asian Trellis'.
 The glass at the top is from another of Tom's sculptures.
It looks like an eggplant!

Welding the uprights

Waiting for my belly rub

I like to distract Tom from his work.

Linda and Greg helped move the 'Angel Trellis'

The 'Angel Trellis' was cut with the welding torch,

 relocated and re-welded in place
to create the north 'wall' of the fence.

'Angel Trellis' reconstructed

Multiple trellises now provide structure for vertical gardening 

of cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, beans, peas

 and a delicate, white, heirloom climbing rose

 gifted from a friend and fellow gardener.

Aluminum water tanks serve as
elevated mini-gardens for herbs and for starting seeds

Glass panels from the 'Asian Trellis'

Margaret installed a new irrigation system

 and added additional planting space around the structure.

Reconfigured 'Z Trellis' for the south wall

Zucchini plants grow in antique milk cans 

Many thanks to good friends John, Linda, Greg and Emma

 for helping us during the 3-month fence construction!

Swallowtail on zinnia

I now enjoy my daytime catnaps among the squash plants

 while beautiful Swallowtail butterflies and
swift green and bronze hummingbirds fly overhead.

Junior Boy and Tom
My favorite spot...in my buddy's lap.

Come visit me in my new garden!

Yours truly,

JUNIOR BOY