Okay, this thread was getting long: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/546421/
As requested, here is the next step in moving and putting in the gardens. I dug the hole yesterday for the pond and will embarass myself with one photo as requested. :)
Look at that beautiful sky!!
Here is the finished hole. My pond liner and underlayment arrived yesterday. I plan to run back up tomorrow and put the liner in and start filling. We put a temporary chicken wire fence around it but I will stop at TSC and get some kind of cattle fencing to keep everything and everyone from falling in. :)
CC, a neighbor had a sign up advertising rabbits for sale. We stopped to say hi. They are super nice people! They laughed at me for locking my car doors. I take that as a good sign. She must have had 30 or more bunnies and all kinds of bird critters! I told her about your birds and their big feather heads and she took me to show me another bird. It was a polish like yours. LOL She also has peacocks and turkeys and a duck and all kind of stuff. I told her someone here said we needed a peacock to get rid of snakes so she showed me another kind of bird. I think it was a pea hen but I will swear to nothing! It was a chicken sized dark grey bird with a little tiny bald head. She said they will bring you the snakes! Oh she also told me I could get a hot box at TSC for hatching birdies. She said they are not expensive and that we would have to roll the eggs.
She and her husband told us several things about our property, the guy that use to use it for straw and keep it bush hogged, etc. They also told us which of our neighbors have equipment and do different jobs. I'll have to search them out. :)
Okay, here is the new hole for the pond. It only took about 2 hours to dig it with the bobcat and touching it up with a shovel. This one is 10x15 and 3 feet deep. I will end up adding other ponds to it later. I already have the garden around it planned in my head.
What a beautiful day! I wish I could come and play with your bobcat. We have plans to terrace out our backyard in 3 years and I'm hoping I get to play them, lol. There MIGHT be a pond in my future.....but much smaller than yours.
Tropical Treats
Blooming View (with apolgies to Blooms)
The Whole Bloomin' Farm
Michele's Bloomin' Farm/Acres/Nursery
Bloom Baby Bloom Nursery
The Blooming Buckeye
Center Line Farm
Down the Middle Farm
mg
Edited to add: We cross posted, lol. Are you going to update your journal so you have the befores and afters? Can I have a bottle of your ambition? I seriously need some of yours cuz mine is about dried up. I can't believe how much you accomplish in such a short time. You are amazing!
This message was edited Oct 1, 2005 10:30 AM
This isn't where I had originally planned to put the pond. I wanted it off to the left. The original plan was to fill the front yard with shade plants, put the pond off to the left then left of that would be huge beds of hems and perennials. As it turned out, I thought wiser of putting the pond next to a maple tree with all it's fun roots and falling leaves! LOL The other location also would have put it mighty close to the electric and water lines-the only two things in life I fear! :)
This location works out wonderfully as I have a dead on clear view of it from the living room and also a good view from the kitchen. I plan to put some big honking ornamental grasses around it and canna and ears and bananas in the summer.
Well, I wanna grow up to be like you is about all I can say. I've been trying to get excavaters over here for darn near a year for a small bog and my job is too small so they always seem to be too busy to come back. I'm thinking I'll go rent me one of those backhoes and see if I just can't do this myself. Chele, you are an inspiration! I just called and they will deliver these for $300 a day. How hard are these things to run. I'm thinking that operting one of these things is no easy task. Do they tip over easily and if they do how does one get them back upright?
So about the size of the one I fished out for you?
Man that looks like a puddle in scale!
You need the Corp of Engineers out there! lol
When are we fishing?
I got the nets ready.
Ric
Good Morning mg! Oh, those tools are SO much fun! Of course I started small-mower, weed whacker, chain saw, circular and compound mitre saws, reciprocating saws then reached the grand finale last year with a walk behind! I got another walk behind this spring. It was only logical to move up to an escavator! LOL I may need a loader or tractor with a plow to finish the rest of my jobs.
These are a few of my favorite things. ;)
My first one I dug by hand with a bit of help from the kids and Nina. LOL It was 11x14x4 with a shallow end for the plants. That is the one you used when you went fishing. LOL My present one is 10' round and about 3' feet deep.
The one I just did, I got done in just a couple of hours as opposed to a couple of weeks and it sure does look small on all that yard!
Landscaper will travel. Here is what my life has become! LOL
LOL, no kidlets in that pic, are you trying to tell us something? Freudian slip perhaps?
I have the saws and a pretty nice workshop set up. I redid all the molding here so far and I'm working on some other stuff. I don't do chain saws or weed wackers, I'm a fraidycat about those.
Dh was a combat engineer in the Army and he drove a vehicle called a SEE Truck. Small Equiptment Escavator (sp). It has a front bucket and a backhoe on the back and the backhoe can be taken off and replaced with a whole bunch of different attachments. A drill rig, hydrolic chain saw, stuff like that.
Anyway, this sounds like a toy you need, lol. here is a cruddy pic, but you get the idea.
mg
I'm glad to see you have the beer cooler in with your tools!
I like your pond.
I should go work on something, but it's hot here today & I started kind of early, as usual on Sat. mornings.
Bernie
I think I'd like to have that truck mg! That is a pretty cool contraption!
That IS a tool Bernie! LOL I have been slacking today too. I'm a little pooped. I did put in a microwave today, cleaned off some cabinets, then finished taking down my greenhouse. I'm hoping to catch my neighbor later and get his trailer. I want to run to the other house tomorrow. I'd like to get the liner in the pond and start filling it, clean up the tile my husband busted out (bad spot in the laundry floor) and get another load of plants up to the house. No sign of the neighbor so it is not looking so good. I still need to run up and get a hitch. This is all getting to be a lot like work. :)
Wow lady you been busy. I think the pond will be great there. Hey I know where it is now would be good time to borrow some plants. lol (you know darn well I ain't built up the nerve for the trip yet so you're safe). lol
How about Hems and Stems?
'Chele
the bald headed creature is a Guinea Hen
they are in the pea fowl family
but kinda homely
They have become popular lately cause the eat bugs.....including ticks,people are hoping to get the lyme disease ticks out of their yards
Never seen one go after a snake though......
I'm impressed with you on the bobcat
My DH won't let me on his back hoe.....yet........
now I'm gunna push!!!!!
Oh Equi, sorry! I totally missed you up there. The man that brought it gave me a quick tutorial. They are not bad at all. They are jerky if you try to go to fast. It is really fun once you do it! You really only have to keep track of a few different bars/handles. One makes it go backward or forward. One makes the whole thing turn left or right. One makes just the top part go left and right. One makes the bucket curl and dump and also extends and contracts the arm. All you have left is one more. That one sets a big metal bar on the ground to keep you from tipping. :) I paid $383 for mine and will get almost $100 back. That was the deposit and they take the gas out of that unless you can go refuel it. That will cost me less than $10. As I said, I had it done in about 2 hours.
Once I pulled it down off the drive, I was fine. I did get hurt once but I stomped a shovel, it gave and the handle smacked me in the nose! ROTFLOL I held the shovel tighter after that. I didn't expect grass and topsoil to give so easy. :) The bobcat was fun!!!
CC, take the picture to your hubby and say "Look! She is afraid to drive on the highway! She is a mom of six little kids and SHE gets to play with one!". LOL That should work. :)
Those Guinea Hens are not attractive at all! They are rather peculiar. She had all sorts of other neat ones though. She had some beautiful ones that are all black with red heds too! The funniest thing is that they have a field full of black cows but one has a white face. The kids and I love that one! Hmmm...
Looking good Chele! Your energy blows me away. I showed Hank the pic of you on bobcat and he wants to know if you want to trade - just kidding. And yes, I am "allowed" to drive the bobcat. I don't do the dig jobs though, that's Hank job. They do make for a bumpy ride though. But here is a story about how important bobcats are. When we moved here from OH, a neighbor across the road in OH called and wanted to know if Hank wanted to sell his bobcat. And Hanks reply....Are you serious? I would sell my wife before I sold my bobcat! ok, well not really but "close". Our bobcat is 25 years old now...runs like a charm. Broke a hydraulic line a week or so ago but other than that,it's doing good.
Chele,
I am a woman who loves tools also. I love to work with wood and all sorts of things. DH bought me my own compound miter saw for Xmas 2 yrs. ago and a Dremil for my birthday. lol Who wants femine things....hehe
Here is a picture of a black cow with a white face that I saw in Hawaii last week. We went for a horseback ride and we walked right up to these guys. While I was taking the picture, my horse decided he wanted to turn to the right....hence the crooked picture.
Glad you had fun with your bobcat today. :-))
Donna
Chele, your 'instant pond' is great for its placement. You will love seeing and hearing it from the house.
When we dug our dirt bottom pond we rented a backhoe and the cost of it was $190 for 24 hours. We sure moved a lot of dirt that day and a whole bunch of trailers full of garbage that the former owners had left. Need to rent it againo to haul off more garbage and make another dirt pond which this time might hopefully be deeper.
I love Guinea hens for their bug getting ablilities but my DH hates all the noise they make. They are really really noisy when something is going on in their yard that isn't normal to their minds ( they have little minds too). My friend had one that had been hand raised and it fell in love with my shoes one spring. Ever time I went over there it would dance and try to get my shoes to go to the marriage chapel with it. lol It was in love with only one pair of my shoes which was so funny.
When you get all settled I have some hems I would share with you if you want them.
Hugs,
Lani
Okay, you "Farmers" I will explain black cows with white heads.
There are two popular purebred breeds of beef cows. (The ones used for steaks). They are Angus & Hereford. When these two are crossed, Angus mother, Hereford father, or the other way around, you will get a black animal with a white head.
Crossing the animals gets the best of both & makes for a better beef animal.
By the way Angus are entirely black, Herefords are red with a white head. The cross becomes black with white head because black is dominent, & white head is dominent.
Are you confused now ?
Have a great day,
Bernie
Vic, you have no idea how much I wish you still lived up here! I have only met 2 of my neighbors so far and they are older. They are quite friendly though. It is so nice that everyone slows down and waves just like they do in my little neighborhood. I am sure anyone paying attention is getting concerned. We moved in a truck load of household items then a truck load of plants then had two deliveries-a riding mower and a bobcat! What must they think to see me out on a bobcat while my hubby is inside with the kids?! LOL Oh, I am glad Hank kept you and the bobkitty. :)
LOL at you Donna! I am the same way. Hubby still tries to buy me girlie stuff or electronics but when I get an opinion, I get a tool! For my birthday, I got one of those small tillers (for doing between stuff and small jobs), a bale of peat, bagged soil, and mulch for my arbor. Oh yeah!!! Funny that you photo'd the same cow!
Lani, using the bobcat sure was quick! I normally don't mind to dig by hand but I am in too much of a hurry this time. I remembered this morning that I had intended ti put in a bottom drain. Whoops. Originally I wanted to put the pond there then changed my mind. Funny that itended up there anyway.
Thanks for telling us about the cows Bernie. I usually tell the kids those are the ones that make the chocolate milk. :) I think I will tell them something more enlightening next time. LOL Hey, I actually have heard of those 2 types as well!
I'm just amazed about you, Chele! You're just like Kristi (lagata) who loves working with tools. You go girl!
:) Donna
Hey Bernie, good explanation, except you left out the red Angus! And then there's Hereford/Holstein crosses - milky beefers and ornery til the rest of the cows come home.
Now Kathleen, stop that! Can I get a red and black cow with a white face? I need to plan the paint scheme for the outside of my house and barn. LOL
Why does barn paint only come in red or white, yet fence paint comes in black or white??
Uh, to mess with the cows heads?
Should I share my 'special chicken' for people in case they are bored waiting for more updates? LOL
Or maybe this cutie? The are scotish highland cattle and looks like they survived since the stonage. likes cars to, Chele you can use this one as your new carwash. :0)
That's cute, Janett... LOL, they DO look like stoneage cattle!
Oh he/she's cute! And you can braid or pony tail the hair and add another female to the compound! great advertising for the new nursery!
Exactly! HD and Lowe's can have their cute little commercials with women buying screwdrivers all they want, but until they start offering pink porch paint, I'll know who they really cater to!
Seriously though, they only have red and white fence paint at mine, no black. I actually caught dh with the red in our cart one day. I try not to curse, especially in public, but the man was planning to paint the fence RED! The paint man said he would mix any color I wanted for no extra price. Right now, it is still plain wood while the debate continues.
A purple chicken coop would be stunning, imho
Rachel
BQ,
I love purple, but would you be afraid the chickens would be upset and lay scrambled eggs?
:^)))
LOL! I like scrambled eggs haha
I wonder what their favorite laying colors are? I'm sure someone has done an earthbreaking study on it, off to google I go.
Chele,
I am really impressed with your audacity. I almost remember myself having the guts to do many things, even those that were beyond any reasonable ability I might have had.
Now, I would like to do something like dig a pond with one of those monsters, or saw some wood and build my own car shed. I seem to be a tiny bit afraid of power saws and stuff. Fraid of sawing off a hand or foot, or worse, letting my son do it and having him saw off a hand or foot. I know, I worry too much.
Gonna have to get over these fears soon since I'll have to be clearing my own land in short order.
I know, a great idea! After yall get first frost, come on down here. You'll love the weather and I have a long list of things to keep ya busy!!!!
Molly
:^))))
Chele, check over on the farm Forum under a thread call "What Farmers Do when the grass doesn't grow"
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/537394/
for the colors that you can get barn paint (stain in this case) in.
I've always thaought that the Scottish highland cattle should be plaid, but I guess butterscotch is the next best thing. We have red and white Holsteins, just to make it interesting.
I know a place near here that sells miniature cows, horses and goats.
I think you should start small............... :-)
*Grinnin' at your post, Henry! :>)
Just catching up here, Chele. Dang, woman, you've been busy! Here's my entry for the "name the farm" contest:
Estrogen Acres
Kathleen, that barn is beautiful! All my buildings are aluminum. :( I wonder how many colors Krylon comes in? LOL Now, plaid cows would sure be something to see! hahaha
So, if you get miniature animals, do they eat half as much? Do you have to milk twice as much? I'll be waiting a long time for manure if it is mini sized too. LOL
What will become of my hubby living on a farm called Estrogen Acres? ;)
I told the kids we should get the chickens that lay green eggs and get some pigs and call the farm "Green Eggs and Ham". At least that made them laugh! LOL
C'mon, Chele, Craig's already doomed. The name would just make it official. ;)
That is SO not nice. LOL
We ran up to the house again today. Hubby is still working on the laundry room floor. We knew the water heater was destined for the dump but the damage to the floor was a bit of a surprise. He has plywood and new flooring sitting there. He is still busting out tile and the old plywood subfloor.
I got the underlayment in the pond then he helped me toss in and place the liner. I was able to get the pond half full before we left. My youngest two got to have a nice swim in the pond hole while I was spreading the liner and putting in folds. I'm sure the neighbors enjoyed that. LOL If the weather holds out, we are running back up tomorrow so I can fine tune the plant shelf, put some rocks around the edge and finish filling. :)
Chele, I want a "shot" of whatever it is you take!
LOL Darius. I am just racing old man winter. :) Wanna come hang out for a month or so? :) :) :) :)
I am headed back to the house with a trunk load of shade plants and a few other things and my trusty wagon. I am going to work on the pond some more today. I am also taking my camera today!
I also have been posting in the Farm Life forum to get ideas from those that garden on a huge scale. I posted this there as well:
What about something like:
TGIF
Nursery and Farm
TGIF
Perennials and More
The TGIF could stand for Thank Goodness It's Fertile-meaning the land or Thank Goodness I'm Fertile-for all the jokesters! LOL If I used God as the G, I don't know if some would find it offensive.
As a sales ploy, I could be open all day on Friday which would be the thank goodness for customers or I could be closed all day which would be the thank goodness for me!
