In the Garden...Another Visitor

FYI: You can click on any picture to enlarge. :)
Previously in the article titled "Morning Visitor," I mentioned the "Monument Garden" and said I would talk about it later. I was planning on later being today but something has gotten in the way, so today you are going to get a slightly different story. The Monument Garden is an extention of a garden I am planting in memory of my mother. When the idea originally came to me, it wasn't quite this big but when I'm outside (walking; working; assessing/reassessing; contemplating; just sitting; sipping coffee; etc.) ideas are being formulated. The total garden area is larger than what I can till all at one time so it has several phases ;).
Phase I - Clearing the area of brush and weeds. To accomplish this I cut down and burned everything in that area. A chainsaw makes this fairly easy work but is very hard on the back. We had several huge, huge bonfires. So huge that we singed two of the trees that are considered part of the garden to be (oops). Thank goodness we had the garden hose handy.
Phase II - Tilling the bonfire area and planting.
Phase III - Adding on to the southern end of the garden which would eventually be connected to Phase II. This was where the Monument Garden came into being. There is a small story but once again will be given at another time.
Phase IV - Connecting Phase II and III, and this is where I start my story for today. I set out with all the tools necessary to complete the job at hand: tiller, rake, shovel, buckets (for stones and weeds/roots), garden gloves, kneeling pad (Pic #1 & 6). I have so much tilled, it is time to stop and remove some of the stones. I grab a bucket, turn and. . . What is this? (Pic #2)? If you look closely at this picture, you can see near the middle right side border, a little white speck. Where did this little guy come from on top of my freshly tilled soil. I get a closer look and can't believe it. How cute is he (Pic #3) ? And what am I going to do with this little baby? I'm not one for having mice around and we have Tiberious to take care of such matters? He doesn't appear to be making much headway so of course I'm going to get a few pictures. Here you have it. A few pic's of this little guy. As I am taking pictures I hear noise coming from under some black plastic, (only a foot or two from where I am), which I put down last year in preparation for tilling this year. I contemplate lifting the plastic but think first of what I will find. I don't want any mamma mouse coming at me :). . . Okay, I get into position, ever so slowly I lift the plastic, taking a chance and hoping I don't have to scream and run away like a little chicken :-))). I find another little baby mouse (Pic #4). The little adventurer is going to get lost, or eaten so I put him back under the plastic with his sibling, (Pic #5) cover them back up and place a rock near that spot so I won't step on it, which I had been doing during the tilling process. And now it is back to work. Yes, I have granted a pardon of sorts. How could I do harm to these little babies? As the guys always tell me when I see Tiberious playing the cat and mouse game with chipmunks, life is the survival of the fittest. So in the end, Tiberious will probably take care of them but for now, they are safe and this tragedy is not on my conscience :). This garden as it stands is a little over crowded. I will be moving some things into the new spaces I have created.
Phase V - Will be building an arbor located where the green chairs are. (Pic #6) I will be spraying the area and tilling to create additional gardens around the arbor. It will have a bench inside for relaxing in the shade. This will be my project for next year, spring/summer of 2007. I have a picture of an arbor that I really like and will try to build it using the picture as a reference. I don't know if I am capable of such a project and am a little hesitant but always up for a challenge.
Phase VI - Will be gathering additional flat rocks to create a stone sidewalk/patio under the singed trees where there will be a park bench. You can see the collection I have started in pic #6. This I fear will be the most challenging. I may have to modify my plan :). We'll see.
Phase VII - Will be tilling around the gardens now connected to shape and create a finished edge. Hopefully this will be the end of my garden creating. My goal is low maintenance. I am getting to old for all this intensive labor and am looking forward to just walking through these gardens and keeping up with regular maintenance. You may be thinking that low maintenance would be skipping the gardens and having only lawn to mow. This is true but how much enjoyment, therapy, character, peace, etc., does a lawn provide? I'd much rather have the garden which provides all these pleasures and exercise too.