Progress Report #4

August 12, 2008...Met with Amish cabinet makers. Got a very good quote - will probably get our kitchen cabinets from them. Need to make final decision on stain and countertop colors. No granite for us...Formica will do nicely, thank you!

Ran around looking for the elusive culvert pipe. The owner of our storage facility made a suggestion that turned out to be very helpful, so pipe was ordered.

August 13, 2008...Culvert pipe delivered! (Never thought I'd write a sentence like that with such enthusiasm). We also purchased a second culvert pipe to accommodate what looks like a possible second small stream at the bottom of property.

Received letter from Centre County Conservation District that our application for a GP-7 small stream crossing was approved...so we can finally begin work on that.

Received replacement cylinder from the Struck Company for our Magnatrac.

August 14, 2008...Hubby and J-Bird replaced cylinder on dipper arm of Magnatrac. Works fine now.

Felled several trees. Cutting and stacking wood as we go. Only got the chainsaw pinched once!

Began work on the culvert installation. Here's the stream that has caused us great inconvenience:
Water flows from upper left corner to lower right corner. Water is just a few inches deep and about 18-20" wide.

Following the stream:

August 15, 2008...Here we are hand-digging some of the shallow areas, after trying to place the pipe and realizing we hadn't gone deep enough:

J-Bird pulling large rocks out of creek bed. (Notice the shadows looking on from the bank...SOMEONE has to supervise, ya know!)

Okay...let's try this AGAIN...third time's a charm? Fourth time's a charm??? (We lost count). J-Bird is directing his Dad, who couldn't see in front of the pipe.

WE DID IT!!! Looks like water is flowing through...Hubby dams up the water along the sides to help it through the culvert. Success at last.

I-Bird and T-Bird looking on:

I-Bird and T-Bird on their never-ending search for new and exotic forest creatures:

Looking from the future driveway towards the property, you can see the top of the culvert pipe in the ditch. After several hours of hot, muddy exertion, it is truly a thing of beauty.

Stay tuned,
Kris