Progress on the Robert Gardner Home

It has been a while since I have posted and I would like to share the progress we are making on the Robert Gardner home located on Murphy's Lane in Salt Lake City

                                                                               

                                                                          

Our first project was to remove the Pyracantha bushes which were 90 feet long, 16 feet high and 16 feet wide.  What a difference it made!!!!  We can finally see the home from the street.

These are some of the roots.  This gives a picture of how old these bushes were.

This is  a 30 foot dumpster and it was able to hold only half of the shrubs that wee removed.

Our next project was to get our chimney cleaned.  This chimney had not been cleaned in years so I will let you guess the amount of soot that was removed.  Maybe it was 100 years of soot.

The Chimney Sweeper was a very friendly man and he seemed to enjoy his work.  In fact he said, "that he was the best in the valley."

These men are awesome.  Philip Roberts, on the left is my Daughter in Law's younger brother.  He is majoring in Architectural Landscaping at BYU.  He is such a hard worker and so willing to help me in the many decisions that have to be made.  Reed Gardner is on the right.  He has helped to get our antique watering system to function so we could start watering.  Each time I return to water he has added a lever or handle so it is much easier to turn the water on and off.

Philip is planting a Lilac bush and 4 Barberry bushes.  We started planting Friday at noon on the 15th and finished Sat. evening at 9:00 P.M  Of course that included a couple of trips to the nursery and other errands. We also planted a white Hydrangea, a Mock Orange Bush, more Lilac bushes and other plants that I have forgotten the names right now.  We transplanted Peonies, 5 small Spruce and 2 Heavenly Bamboo that were already on the property.  It was a big day.

Removing the Ivy from off the front porch and also clearing our the Pyracantha  in the front opens up the property,  We also planted two rose bushes in front of the rock porch and a Topiary Lilac bush where the jungle of Ivy used to be.

Our next project is removing trees and also trimming trees.  The guys started Thurs. morning and are removing a tree called The Tree of Heaven which is located on the West side of the home.  It is really a trash tree so we are looking forward to seeing this tree gone.   They have a big job of trimming 2 Sycamore Trees on the South and a Sycamore tree on the East adjacent to the house.  Also they will be trimming a Catalpa Tree, Mulberry and a Crab Apple tree..  They are removing a Box Elder, Russian Olive, and an Elm Tree.

I am on my way to the Robert Gardner home to water.  We have had over 100 degree temperatures the last few days and some wind so the new plants need water everyday.  Its quite a mess in some areas because there are lots of tree branches scattered around.  The tree removal guys equipment broke down on Fri. so they had to leave early.  They will be back in the morning.  I also have to protect the plants from the branches that fall.

Visitors at the Robert Gardner Home

Last Friday, May 25 Colleen's family,  Beverly and Darwin met me at the Gardner home where they toured the home and the grounds.

Beverly, Darwin, Lisa, Colleen, Tammy, Gene, Colleen and Jay

Tammy had broken her arm only a month ago but she was doing much better.

They enjoyed their visit and after Colleen Scow treated us all to a Mexican Dinner.

This building is made out of Adobe brick and there is moss growing on the roof.  I assume the conditions are just right with the humidity from Mill Creek and lots of shade from all the trees close by and maybe the shingles are contributing to it.  The moss is brown but when you put water on it the moss turns green.  I am not sure what this building was used for originally. When Al purchased the home it was filled with STUFF and an old red truck.

A Visit from my Colorado Family

Mark, Sherilyn and Laura visited me a couple of weeks ago and we all went to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant called Morelia.  It was good but I can't seem to find a restaurant that serves real Mexican food like they do in Arizona.  I AM NOT GIVING UP.   I know there has to be one somewhere.

It's sure fun to be around Laura and her Dad.  They love to be together and they enjoy every moment.

We all attended church together and after the Mortensens drove back to their home in Paonia Colorado. They dropped of their daughter Laura at BYU before returning home.  It is so different to have them only 5 hours away rather than 2000 miles away.

Jim and Kay Ivins Mission Call

Jim and Kay Ivins are leaving Tuesday morning for their mission to the Adriatic No. Mission which includes Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia.  They spent the last week in the MTC in Provo Utah.  They are leaving behind a beautiful family to go serve their Heavenly Father.

I attended their Farewell yesterday and the water had to be blessed twice because of the number of friends and family combined with their ward members that were in attendance.

Everyone was invited to their home for a nice luncheon after Sacrament Meeting where they served about 250 people .  They had a variety of salads, beef, pork, rolls, chips, dips and wonderful desserts.

I just visited with Darwin, Jim's brother in law and he said, "friends were still dropping by their home at 9:00 last evening."

Jim Ivins is my first cousin and we all grew up together in Lund Nevada.  His mom and my mom were twins.

Visitors to the Gardner Home

Colleen Scow and her daughter Lisa visited the Robert Gardner Home

I have waited all Spring for the poppies to bloom and what a surprise it was for me when I saw them yesterday.  They will only bloom for a few days so I must enjoy while I can. 

Another interesting bit of information is that Colleen's children's Great Grandfather, Lonnie Gardner was born in this Home on June 14 1862.  His Mother was Cynthia Lovina Berry, the second wife of Robert Gardner

Robert Gardner Home on Mill Creek



The Charming Robert Gardner home and yards that is in need of some TLC.

I hope everyone will come by when they are in Salt Lake and enjoy the beauties this home has to offer.  It will get better and better as the weeds and overgrowth are cleared away.  Its something like life.  We have to continually stay focused on keeping Heavenly Father's commandments, attend our meetings and the Temple and serve one another so we can keep the weeds out of our lives.  Maybe down the road you could come by and pull a few weeds and help keep this yard looking beautiful.

Just one more picture of my Grandpa Gardner and my Father, Wayne Gardner

I love this picture.  My dad learned well from his father and I am sure my Grandfather learned from his dad, Robert Gardner.  They are plowing their garden plot.  I don't know whether the horse is Snip or Dick.  They knew how to work and they taught their children how to work.

July 24, 1916 in Lund, Nevada

Since the 24th of July will soon be here I wanted to share a picture of my Grandfather's float at the Lund Celebration in 1916

George C. Gardner is my Grandpa and he always furnished the wagon and team for the Sunday School Float in the Parade.  He was the teamster.  Also in the winter time when it would snow he, with his horse and scraper would make paths so the children could walk to school.   His horses names were Snip and Dick



This is another picture of Grandpa George Gardner with my mom and his Grandchildren.  They had just got out of quarantine  The parents were very ill with Scarlet Fever and my mom left her children at  home in Ely while she went to take care of Orvil and Tirza's family in McGill.  Grandpa died Dec. 12, 1942.  I was 5 years old.

Just a side note -  His father was Robert Gardner and he built the home over on Mill Creek in Salt Lake City in 1848