Farmer Tans and Hard Work

Late to bed and early to rise seems to have been the motto these last couple of days. It's still been sunny and warm (hot!) and we haven't had any rain which is terrific for building. But, it's already dry at the construction site (dirt blowing every place the land has been cleared), and my flower gardens here at home are in desperate need of a drink (not to mention some major weeding).

The pond has been expanded, and we've started removing fill from it for the top layer on the spur driveway. We have a construction burn permit which allows us to burn all day and night for three days, so yesterday we lit up three huge piles of scrap and stumps. I wasn't there to see it, but Tom just about took off his eyebrows lighting one of them. He said he'd never seen Maisy high-tail it so quickly down the driveway before! Tip: gasoline is just a tad more flammable than kerosene. But, we got the majority of things burned up yesterday and last night (Tom stayed overnight in the trapper cabin to watch the fires). Today we'll light up the last one. But, tending them and putting out small fires started by embers is a full-time job.

This morning the crew will finish the gravel layer on the spur driveway and Guinea Hill (the official new name for the new trapper cabin site), and then we'll move the trapper cabin. That should be interesting! Our main concern is the porch Tom built onto the front of it after it was moved up to the property. Will it hold? I'll let you know tonight!

Aside from the trapper cabin, every last bit of anything got removed from the house site yesterday including the two last cedars and a small white pine we'd saved from the chainsaw when we did the initial clearing back in 1999. We knew those trees would have to go when it came time to build the house, but we left them for these 6 years inbetween - they were just so pretty. But, now everything's open and ready for work on the retaining wall today which the crew will create with large boulders and well-planned excavation. The southwest end of the house sits quite close to the drop-off into the valley - hence the need for the support of the retaining wall.

Clearing for the septic tank and drain field have been done, and we're going to meet the guy who will do all the cement work out at the property on Friday. Plan A guy (who I graduated with, so I'm hoping that will count for something) finally came through for us. And, the carpenter for the garage is lined up, too, so some of those nerve-wracking pieces are falling into place. Once the trapper cabin is out of the way I'll call the man who's going to drill the well to see when he can get started. Having water up there will be SUCH a treat!

Time to pack up some food and head on up!