The Dirt Work Continues

Since last Friday I flew two trips, a 3-day followed by a 2-day.  Brenda also went flying to Mississippi for a visit with our family there.  While we were gone a little work was accomplished, but because of plenty of rain, the progress was slow.  Still the crews were able to transport 11 loads of dirt last week, 8 more on Monday, and about 20 more during the last two days.

They've dumped a couple of loads into the ditch to make crossing the low, wet area easier and hopefully less messy as they drive off.  Yesterday and today have been ideal with crystal clear skies and temperatures rising into the 70's.  Each afternoon the slight breeze subsides and the lake turns into a sea of glass.  If it weren't for my allergies, I would love to stay outside all the time.  (I do anyway, but I suffer for it despite the medication.)

Here the trucks roll in and dump another load of the reddish brown sandy dirt.












After hauling in eight to ten loads the tractor operator begins to spread and level the dirt.  He also used the tractor tires to compact the soil preparing it for the final phase in constructing the pad.





He uses the back of the front-end bucket to drag the dirt across the pad to the low spots.  He also scoops up bucket loads when he wants to transport it longer distances.  He will occasionally lay the bucket flat to make his final pass and produce a very flat finish.



I changed the fence material I have placed around several trees which I hope to protect.  The previous fence would catch the wind and billow, causing strain on the weak wooden posts.  It would also shred the material and detach it from the stakes.  The new orange plastic fence allows the wind to freely pass. I replaced the stakes with small steel rods used for electric fences.




And finally, we've discovered the sand comes from an area near the river where Native American Indians must have lived.  There are arrowheads throughout the dirt.  This one was found by the tractor operator and given to me.  He said he has a bag filled with many remnants of arrowheads.  We will be burying a bit of history under our foundation.