I managed to get the remainder of the polypipe in the ground for the drip and sprinkler systems, and although the basic distribution boxes are not built out yet, I could finally fill in the trenches that I dug last winter with a Ditch Witch. Most of the lines are under gravel pathways, which will make it easier to repair leaks if or when they occur.
Tim Hamm (Castle Rock Landscaping) returned for another bout of rock-wall building and helped with the pathways. We built a gravel apron off the driveway that provides a convenient place to turn cars around and allows access to the buried 500-gal propane tank in the back yard. We've been getting propane about every 3 months, typically 350 gallons at a time. As we settle into a regular heating pattern and our seasonal usage stabilizes, the fill ups become more regular: probably Sept., Dec, and April. Then I can join the 500-gal club, which is a group of Kala Point homeowners that collectively order propane based on their large volume. This typically saves about 20 cents a gallon, or $100 on a full load. But I digress, as usual. Back to the green thing.
Of the 25 trees we planted last fall/winter only one didn't make it. It was a large, clumped river birch from Secret Gardens. Sheila (the owner) was good about replacing it, but didn't have any of the same trees, so we have a store credit there. Conversely, Four Corners Nursery has a nice selection of more reasonably priced trees, so we may plug a hawthorne in the river birch's place, and pick up a couple more flowering dogwoods, which Nancy and the deer like a lot (to eat).
This week I've been hauling and spreading mulch to cover the yards and yards of unvegetated space on our lot. I can get a cubic yard of mulch—in this case composted fir bark—into my little trailer, which works out great. I can unload and spread a load, which covers about 12 sq. yards at 3" thickness, in a few hours. Pulling the weeds takes a bit longer, but hopefully the mulch will keep the weeds down. Once all the weeds are pulled and mulch laid, we'll tackle the lawn and mounded plantings that cover the septic field. This will probably take a couple more weeks (the rest of June), then I'll call Tim back to lay the flagstone patio off the sunroom. Meanwhile, we keep pecking away are our inside punch list: hanging light fixtures, trim rings on the sloped ceiling lights, ceiling and wall speakers, and unpacking in general. That should keep is off the street for most of the summer.P.S. It looks like the visitor meter will top 10,000 by the time I post this blog. We started counting last November and hit 5,000 on March 20th (Day 500). Maybe I ought to post some ads on this thing and see if I can make a buck or too off all your eye balls.
