Pounding the ground

In the last weeks we have spread hundreds of yards of gravel on the driveway, making sure everything is smooth and that the grades will run the water to where it needs to go. I used our small tractor with a bucket to spread the gravel, a little at a time. Between each lift we use our plate packer and a good soaking of water to tamp it solidly into place. This driveway won't settle in years to come. The gravel is a minimum of two feet thick and as deep as seven feet in places. All underlying organic soils have been moved.

Tomorrow we will take delivery of the last load to be spread. As I spread the second to last load tonight Phoebe wanted to help. I fired up the plate packer and showed her how to steer it, figuring she would have fun for a while but quickly lose interest. Walking behind a packer isn't very exciting. Amazingly she enjoyed it and carefully packed a large section of driveway, running the packer for more than forty-five minutes before she had enough. GREAT JOB!

Tomorrow we'll do it one last time.

-grampa dan

The planting begins!

Out back of the house things are quickly getting finished up nicely. Peter and the crew mudded and carved the last of the deck beams and posts today. After a couple of days of curing the painting will allow the removal of the scaffolding for the last time. Then we can begin the forming work on the decks to finish off this area.

Out front of the house, yesterday's concrete work was acid washed and sealed and the last of the grades were finalized for the driveway. Becke has also been busy adding color to the planters. It makes a huge difference to the look of the house!

Tomorrow we'll be moving the mini mountain that will house the garbage bin, clearing the way for the final relocation of the driveway. It's all coming together very quickly. Stay tuned for pictures of the final scene.

-grampa dan

Smoother walks to work

After more than a decade of walking to work on a gravel path, today was the day we put in the new sidewalks. Now the hard surface extends from the road, past the house and all the way back to the shop. The sidewalk from the road up to the house was colored and exposed.

Between the rails of the train track and the sidewalk along the lawn was poured in normal grey concrete, like the parking lot in front of the shop. 

Later this week the balance of the driveway will be paved with hot rolled tarmac. Then at last the dust and gravel will no longer be tracked into the house and shop. Unloading supplies and loading completed features will be a whole lot easier too!

-grampa dan