Step One: The Foundation

After we picked a location that was out of direct rain and wind, close to the kitchen and aesthetically pleasing, we cleared the ivy away and started to dig.


We did a quick and dirty soil test to ensure that there was enough clay in the soil. There was plenty.


Because of the clay content, the soil is clumpy and hard. It's difficult to dig, so we added water.


We gathered rocks from all over the area and stacked them up. We filled the void with gravel and topped it off with about five inches of sand.

Building the foundation was like putting together a puzzle and definitely Nathan's favorite part. I liked rock-hunting. And it was fun to sit on the ground and make something out of rocks. Maybe I'm part Hobbit, afterall.