How Does My Garden Grow? Not Great - It's Too Damn Cold

Well, after a very disturbing wet and cold spell I awoke to sunshine streaming through the window this morning.  Didn't waste any time getting out to enjoy it either.  Spent most of the day in the garden.

Today's project involved building a very short french drain to direct water from my newly installed drain spout away from the house.  Also put in some paving stones, edging stones and some rubber mulch - never used the stuff before so I'm curious to see how it holds up.  Even bought my first plants for what I hope, over time, will be a fairly spectacular rock garden.

So...a few garden pics showing progress thus far:

Note my new gutters and down spouts

 The apex of my carpentry skills - three rectangular boxes

Walkway above the rock garden...before

...and after

In other news, I received the picture below from Mr. D. Rickey documenting a Juneau reunion of sorts held on the Big Island the other evening.  The crew seems rather subdued...too much sun...or perhaps they are all reflecting on the absence of a dear friend - ME!  Present from left to right D. Rickey, A. Elgee, J. Kibby, T. Harrigan, J. Ellis, L. Smith and T. Cutler. 

Current and former Juneauites rendezvous in Hawaii.  Damn I wish I had been there!

Well, just checked the updated weather forecast.  Decent tomorrow and then rain, rain, rain for a week.  Snow level 1300 feet tomorrow.  Ugh!  Still, after 56 years in this burg I reckon I won't melt in the rain..

Later gang!