More Spots of Color

Dear Diary,

Our weather continues to be quite wonderful and no signs yet of the horrible black flies that plague us from early May to early June.  So it is time to get cracking on clean-up and preparation for this season.  I had a person come in to do power raking in front where the sand trucks make a mess each winter while I built a small brick sitting area in the meditation garden...heavy work but very satisfying.  Today, I'll get some compost and soil to fill the two planting beds on either side of it.  Way to early for planting but at least it will be ready.

The man who will carve my ancestor's stone, Captain Benjamin Howell, sent his preliminary design which I received yesterday, appropriately I thought on the Captain's great great granddaughter's birthday!   It looks wonderful but now I will have to meet with the superintendent of cemeteries in Portland to see if he would approve it.  I will mount the life size drawing to a piece of cardboard so when we go to the cemetery we can "try it on".  It will be up to him at that point.  If he approves it will be up to me to find the $5,000 it will cost.  I will find the money somehow because this is very important to me.  I just have to have faith that I will be able to find the funds needed.  I am hoping for a fall 2017 installation if all goes well.