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| Home - Until Built |
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| Two Man Auger Digging Fun |
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| Breakfast at Previous Camp - Biolite Stove |
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| Flowering Cacti all over Property |
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| Work 'shed' Surveyed Out. |
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| Bored Holes for Solar Array |
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| Most of the Caisson Footings Bored. Previous Camp friend giving me a hand for two person Auger. |
Progress is being made. All the Foundation holes have been bored. Layouts have been arranged. All in all, eleven holes were bored with a two man auger in about 4 hours. That is, once we figured it out. The actual boring process was simple enough. A few of the holes needed additional coaching. That is, it would bored down a few inches then just spin. We had to go back and use a hammer and stake to break up the root zone of the grasses. Once that was broken up, the 12 inch auger would chew through the soil quite quickly. Turns out that I did really well in purchasing a plot that has a large depth of top soil. I am not finding much clay. Mostly decomposed granite and dark powdery earth. Surprisingly not a lot of granite pebbles in this area of the plot either.
Over the course of summer, I will take a bunch of free manure from the feed store down the way, layer it in long rows (Or the eventual garden master plan), mulch it, then cover it up in plastic to let it compost for next years usage. After playing with the dirt so much yesterday I have high hopes that once a bit of organic matter is turned in with it, it shall make one fine soil. :)
My close date is early to mid this week. Luckily the Title company is across the street from my local 'Bucks.
What is next for me? That is. Besides the Golden, buttery, dark, Arizona tan I had years ago? A car full of sonotubes, simpson strong ties (for the concrete to beam connection point), and a thousand pounds of concrete to be shoved into them. Hah.
Me thinks, I need a wheel barrow, a shovel, gallons of water, and of course rebar...
Perhaps yesterday actually was the easy day? Oy Vey.
Side note : The perfect spot for the Tent amongst the willows happens to be over-run with ants. They have red heads and black bottoms. Im not sure its a fire ant. Maybe the call them Carpenter ants? I am not one to go around decimating all the hills with Seven. Afterall, the do a fine job of aerating the soil. Nature says they are meant to be there. However, I'm less than thrilled with them swarming all over the tent with Mr.Pickles and I. I purchased some Eco Safe version to spray around. It has a ton of aromatic oils in it. This morning there were still a number of crawlies.... Sadly, I might end up having to get some granules to sprinkle over the two hills near the tent.
IT'S HAPPENING FOLKS!
Holy cow, I had no idea you were so close to closing. How cool for you (and Mr. Pickles/Kiki of course).
ReplyDeletethis is an exciting journey you are on. Can't wait to watch it.
Holy cow indeed! All praise! ;-)
DeleteWhat do you think... All wrapped up for the 4th? So I can spend it sitting in front a bbq, lawn chair, cold one in hand. (This plot has so many good size chunks of red granite rock and white quartz. I'm thinking of having my hand at creating a monolithic masonry BBQ island out of all the boulders. ;-) )
I could think of no better way to celebrate the 4th! So happy for you.
DeleteRED granite, WHITE quartz and BLUE stain pine...I think it was meant to be! ;-P
Hah. Did not think of that, but YES!
DeleteGoodness, you have been the busy bee! I know it will be a relief to close. Have you got a master plan for the entire property sketched out?
ReplyDeleteYou mean, besides, pointing at various locations and going, 'There, there, and there." ??
DeleteYIPEE! We're on our way! Well, you are, but I'm tagging along :-)
ReplyDeleteGo to the grocery store and buy some 20 Mule Team Borax in the laundry soap section. Mix it about half and half with white sugar and sprinkle it around the ant hills. They'll take it below ground and feed it to the queen, effectively eradicating the entire colony. If Kiki might taste it, it would be wise to hide it under something.
That is a good idea. The local feed/veg store directed me to a bag of diatomaceous earth. I've sprinkled it all over. I guess it is supposed to dry them all up?
DeleteShould it not be effective, I'll go borax.