The New Boxes

With the drama, the terror, the heartbreak, and the final aching loneliness of the bee episode behind us, the wedding anniversary was approaching quickly. It was time to build the planters.

We really did miss the bees, though. They were harmless and lively. They put in too many hours at work, but that made us feel a little better about our own jobs.

Someday, someday...

I bought some pressure treated 2" by 12" hemlock and a box of 3/16" lag screws from the local lumberyard. With some 4" by 4" blocks to reinforce the corners, this was an easy wood-butcher job.

Boxes Two and Three are level and ready to fill with soil. Box Four is just a ghost in the foreground, where the gravel has been raked away. Faintly, the shadow of the old path of river rocks runs through it.

The lambs ear still looms menacingly, but Box Five is complete. Time for soil.

Like many families, we don't have 100 cubic feet of extra topsoil laying around. And 70 little bags of "our finest potting soil" from the garden supply store would be too expensive.

It's every man's question, when it's time for a thoughtful anniversary gift: How can I obtain a big pile of dirt?