| Today's life is hectic. We all seem to be running | | | | Often the little out of the way corner of your |
| around trying to get too many things done in too | | | | yard, the side yard that no one ever uses or the |
| little time. If you have a job (a question in today's | | | | hillside behind the garage will be the perfect place |
| economic woes) you are probably doing the work | | | | to build a little retaining wall to give the space |
| or two or three people. If you have a partner | | | | definition. Add some plants or a tree, and you |
| that you live with, especially if you raise kids | | | | have given yourself a little hiding corner to |
| together, you probably find that what little time | | | | meditate, read a book or just be. |
| you have together is spent resolving home | | | | I have a little tree in my place that I planted five |
| problems, hassling with rising costs or trying to | | | | years ago when I built my little corner behind the |
| create some "quality time" with the family. Even if | | | | potting shed. Sometimes I go there to meditate, |
| you live on your own, somehow we all find | | | | which I told myself was the reason I built it. The |
| ourselves in the midst of too many obligations to | | | | reality is I often just go out there with a book in |
| fulfill; the gym, the yoga studio or the cafe | | | | hand to hang out. I love the fact I have watched |
| meeting and quick dinner with friends. Where, in | | | | this tree grow, that I have surrounded it with |
| the midst of all of this, do you have any time just | | | | plants to grow alongside it, and carpeted the area |
| for you? And even if you did - how would you | | | | with moss (so wonderful to sit on!) that gives the |
| find the ability for the peace and quiet we all miss | | | | place a velvet cushion. My retaining wall is a simple |
| so much but never seem to find the time to | | | | affair, built with old stone from a nearby factory |
| create? | | | | that was torn down. It was seeing that stone |
| I have always found my little projects around the | | | | that motivated me to build the little half-curve |
| home often give me that quiet satisfaction. Of | | | | retaining wall that makes a perfect little hideaway |
| course, if that little home project involves creating | | | | for me. |
| a little meditation corner for me, the sense of | | | | With all the how-to videos on YouTube, it is easier |
| accomplishment is all the more rewarding when | | | | than ever to learn the right way to go about this, |
| thinking of all the lovely quiet time I am making | | | | the tools you need and if you need permits for |
| for myself when I complete this project. | | | | the wall. Of course, there are also plenty of sites, |
| As simple a thing as making a short retaining wall, | | | | such as my own site about interlocking retaining |
| perhaps out of old railroad ties or bricks from a | | | | walls, that will give you some insights into the |
| neighborhood refurbishing project (check online, | | | | possibilities for retaining walls. But go check it out |
| people often post this in the freebie online sites as | | | | for yourself. The information is there, and it isn't |
| giveaways once they have torn down an old wall | | | | as hard as it sounds. And won't it be worth it |
| etc) can give you a place to get away from it all. | | | | when you have that little hideaway for yourself? |