Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Just Dirt

There is usually tedious, unglamorous and back breaking work that comes before the pretty in landscape design. I have been busy moving dirt under the cozy little cabin to make way for the construction of the second dry stacked stone wall for the basement patio.














I cut back six feet from the columns into the slope then went back and cut at an angle at seven feet to allow for the gravel and the batter for the wall.

The patio floor level is full and a couple of inches high at the high end of the slope so the dirt has to go further afield now in buckets. Once this layer of soil is moved then I can dig the trench for the actual footing for the wall below the level of the patio floor. This extra soil is being moved above the cabin for a future very low berm for planting and to help direct rain water around the cabin.














The old utility line is now officially dead and the new one is live. They are making a mess of the top of my drive so I see there will be more dirt moving and smoothing in my future. Until they remove the old poles I ain't touching it though.














I have other big things to move for now. This big heavy boulder is sitting smack dab where my footing needs to go. I have contemplated leaving it and just stacking right on top, but it would leave a gap in my footing that I would worry about.














The art part is on my mind. I want to try and incorporate this hunk of metal into the wall. Just where and how I am not sure yet.
















It was "found" in Fort Collins Colorado in 1981 and has been waiting for me in Florida for the last twenty years. This object and two others that were being held for me have now made their way to the low spot on a North Carolina mountain top.

5 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

OOOooooo what a treasure. I can't wait to see the "artsy" part of your wall. Your wrist (?) must be better if you are working outside again. Do you have a big metal fulcrum to move those bolders or do you use cable and winch?

Unknown said...

Oooh... how fun! Are the other two items going into the garden, too? (And, like Lisa, I was going to ask how you were going to move those boulders.)

Anonymous said...

I was going to ask you if it was from a wood stove, but then I asked google, and it told me.

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I'm very much enjoying your dry walls.

Christopher C. NC said...

So far I have been able to roll the bigger stones by hand once I free them from the ground. A cable and winch you say? Hmmm.

Thanks Max. Yep that Windsor Furnace is certainly what I have. I also have the top section of the fire pot that the door assembly attaches too. I was thinking of using it as a fire pit out on the open portion of the patio by sinking it into the floor and turning it upside down. I'll just need to weld a grate to fit it.

But then I am not so sure I want a fire so close to the cabin because of the smoke getting inside.

Frances, said...

you are certainly a hard workin' guy! It is going to look soooo good, well worth all that hard labor.