Monday, February 16, 2009

Back to Work

This time, it's not in the yard. I've got a meeting this morning at 10:30am with a new client for the project I bid on a few weeks ago. I'm ready to work. It's been a long break. At least I got lots done in the yard. I could have used another week, but not having worked since Thanksgiving, funds are running low. The money will be nice. I'll still find a way to get outside an hour or two each day between now and the end of March when this one will be due.

In case you're curious, I build architectural models. I have a degree from UNCCharlotte in Architecture. I graduated in 2000 after 6 long years of no sleep, too many cups of coffee, and a lot of learning. In May 1997, I went to work for a model maker part time. I really enjoyed the work so by the time I graduated, I had no plans to become an architect. Instead, I found that working with my mind and my hands was a better path. In October 2004, I left that company and started my own. Here are some examples of work I have done in the past.

Yesterday was a very good day for playing in the dirt. In the basement, I had started seeds for Yvonne's Salvia, Zinnias 'Purity', hot pink trailing petunias (collected from my own plants), and an assortment of tomatoes. Last fall, I started a few varieties of echinacea and rudbeckia. They have been in the hoophouse all winter and really haven't put out much growth. I still transplanted all of them to individual containers and put them back in their sheltered homes until spring. The indoor seedlings were also transplanted into single containers. They're under lights right now since a sudden hard freeze or frost would send them into the netherworld. I'll need to make a new inventory list of all my plants during the coming week.

I did not transplant the tomatoes. I want to wait until they have at least 2 true leaves on the seedlings. I need to add a little more soil to the container they're in. This will allow them to put out more roots along the buried stems. Not sure where all of those plants will go. I haven't even begun to germinate the cherry varieties yet. I might wintersow those and hope for the best.

In the yard, I found several new crocus bulbs blooming. These are in the perennial bed. Last spring, I was already cutting grass at this point so I probably mowed them down before they had a chance to bloom. There's foliage all throughout the bed. I can't wait to see what else pops up over there this year. On the side slope, a single periwinkle bloom caught my eye. I'll have to get a picture later this afternoon when it's open again. For now, here's the crocus.

Photobucket

Last night, the forecast was for early morning snow. It did rain a little during the night, but now the sky is clear and the sun is peeking through the trees. It's 34 degrees.

8 comments:

Kris said...

Those models are amazing!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I'm glad to hear you have a job lined up. That's a cute little bloom you have there. I should have a few in the next few weeks.

Heather said...

Amazing models. I cannot even begin to imagine how complex those are in person. Congrats on the job, now you can buy more plants. See how my mind works.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Those models are really nice. Seems like it would be a fun job to use your creativity to bring a drawing to life.

Anonymous said...

Very nice work. I enjoyed looking at all of your projects.

Anonymous said...

Way Cool!

Jim
Frogview Cottage

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Thanks everybody. I wish I could follow this project along, but the details and the building are confidential until it's announced publicly. I can only speak of it in generic terms.

It's a lot of work, and most days I'd rather be gardening. Ok, that's wrong. Every day I would rather be gardening. LOL

Dirt Princess said...

Your models are amazing...being in the industry I can appreciate them...havinhg used models in the past....pretty impressive