In which we work on the landscaping.

While I wait around for the sprinkler system to hold 200 lbs of pressure for the next few hours...(It was a bit harrowing this morning listening to the pipes slowly fill throughout the building while we searched for non-existent leaks)...I thought I would take this opportunity to show off some of the hardscaping that has been going on down at the ole-girl, courtesy of our favorite landscape geniuses: Dan Waldron and his merry band of rock toting lads and Larry Jones and his dazzling back-hoe and rock placement skills.  

We have new pea stone pathways and some ready to plan mulched gardens around the ADA ramp.

The large courtyard of hay will be a beautiful lawn next year where we can rent space to pop up tent artisans on the weekends.  I figure we have about five to seven spots right on Cross Street that face Main Street.

The door yard has perfect visibility coming down Pendleton from the Coop.

About 85% of the large stone that we used around the building came from onsite, this this granite step into the first floor.  This was the threshold for the basement space when it was a garage.

 This enormous flat piece of granite came from underneath the building.  It makes a great step 

Though these granite steps didn't come from the building the stones at the top were some of the ones that I pick-axed out from underneath the Ocean House

Larry used boulders, uncovered when the front of the building was dug out, to make this cool retaining wall.  The short wall in front crafted on the fly by Dan Waldron is made up entirely of granite mined from under the building and I think is beautious.  Dan's hardscaping skills are evident everywhere .

The beautiful bluestone block at the door was dug up somewhere under the building as well. 

Quite the difference from what it used to look like over here!  Dan and Larry had a good time finding uses for all of these stones.

 Some leftover concrete curbing from the MBNA days was scoured to used for grading steps at the back door.  No more puddles!

And of course I wanted us to have a gently sloping lawn so we could roll down it on sunny days.

All of this granite was found onsite and cut to make an awesome staircase between Cross Street and the parking lot.  Anyone know of a good iron smith who can make railings?