Some Of My Projects

[OttawaPonder]

THREAD IS NOW OPEN THANK YOU

Some of My Projects: Old, New, On Going and some I plan to do in the near future.

I thought I make a thread showing some of the projects I have done, might still be working on and even some plans I have for future projects. Hey I might even post some of my work; old cars I have restored and harleys I have built.

KEEP CHECKING BACK AS I WILL BE POSTING MORE AS I HAVE IT :D

THANK YOU and I hope you ENJOY...

This Thread starts off with our old place in the city and a few things I had done just before we moved.

1) Front view of old house
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Front%20view%20of%20old%20house.jpg

2) See how close we were to our old neighbors - NOT any more :D (The big window, close to the neighbor, was our living room window)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Living%20room%20window%20at%20old%20house%2 0and%20see%20how%20close%20the%20neighbor%20is.jpg

3) Road side view of dry stone wall, I did, on back side of rock garden
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Road%20side%20view%20of%20dry%20stone%20wal l%20on%20back%20side%20of%20rock%20garden.jpg

4) Rock garden, I did, at old house (during construction and under planted at this time) We ended up renting this place before I could add in the little stream where all the dirt is near the dry stone wall. Insurance said it is best not to put it in if it was not for us. Something to do with liability if a renter or their kids got hurt. So I never got to finish that idea sad to say. :sad:
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Rock%20garden%20at%20old%20house.jpg

5) Close up of rock garden during construction
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Close%20up%20of%20rock%20garden%20at%20old% 20house%20while%20still%20building%20it%20.jpg

6) Rock garden and tiny dry stone retaining wall around flower bed and I did both of them. Plus one half of the "small" back yard at our old house.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Rock%20garden%20and%20tiny%20dry%20stone%20 retaining%20wall%20around%20flower%20bed.jpg

7) My raised garden beds at old house that I put in and only got to use for two years before we moved where we are now. This was the other side of "small" back yard from rock garden at the old place. (thats it - pic #5 and #6 - was our entire back yard at the old place) The lot size was: 65' by 100' thats all = TINY
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Raised%20garden%20beds%20at%20old%20house%2 0and%20other%20side%20of%20back%20yard.jpg

We are cooking with gas now - that I am able ot post pics. LOL

[OttawaPonder]

Part of the front view of our new house – no curb appeal at this time (However this lot size is nicer then our old place :D 333' by 1452' almost 12 acres) :sad: although two acres of grass to mow :sad: lol


1) First Winter in new home and it did not have much curb appeal, with straight boring side walk, so I added the small dry stone wall and low voltage lights to help some
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Not%20much%20curb%20appeal%20so%20I%20added%20a%20 small%20dry%20stone%20wall%20and%20low%20voltage%2 0lights%20to%20help%20some%203-1.jpg

2) First Christmas in new house
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/First%20Christmas%20in%20new%20home%203-2.jpg

3) Another view of the Chirstmas lights and our new home
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Another%20view%20of%20the%20Chirstmas%20lights%20a nd%20our%20new%20home%203-3.jpg

[OttawaPonder]

1) Sun rise
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Sun%20rise%204-1.jpg

2) Another sun rise out our family room
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Sun%20rise%20out%20our%20family%20room%204-2.jpg

3) Yes thats a deer just out side our family room window at our new house
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Yes%20thats%20a%20deer%20just%20out%20side%20our%2 0family%20room%20window%20at%20our%20new%20house%2 04-3.jpg

4) ME again - the Deer says while lookin back
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/ME%20again%20-%20the%20Deer%20says%20while%20lookin%20back%204-4.jpg

5) OH come on let me in the pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/OH%20come%20on%20let%20me%20in%20the%20pond%204-5.jpg

6) Me too let me go in the pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Me%20too%20let%20me%20go%20in%20the%20pond%204-6.jpg

7) Spot when we first got him - just waiting to get in to the pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Spot%20when%20we%20first%20got%20him%20-%20just%20waiting%20to%20get%20in%20to%20the%20pon d%20%204-7.jpg

8) Flash when we first got him and yes he too wants in the pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Flash%20when%20we%20first%20got%20him%20and%20yes% 20he%20too%20wants%20in%20the%20pond%204-8.jpg

9) A couple of comet fishies in the indoor pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/A%20couple%20of%20comet%20fishies%20in%20the%20ind oor%20pond%204-9.jpg

10) First winter for pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/First%20winter%20for%20pond%204-10.jpg

Lots more coming - hopefully soon

[OttawaPonder]

1) Front View of Pond shortly after I built and filled it
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Front%20View%20of%20Pond%20shortly%20after%20I%20b uilt%20and%20filled%20it%205-1.jpg

2) Side walk going to our front door makes you walk around and view pond (Hey our new house is starting to have some curb appeal ;-) )
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Side%20walk%20going%20to%20our%20front%20door%20ma kes%20you%20walk%20around%20and%20view%20pond%205-2.jpg

3) New side walk looks so cool with lil snow between the stones
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/New%20side%20walk%20looks%20so%20cool%20with%20lil %20snow%20between%20the%20stones%205-3.jpg

4) Could not wait for winter to be over as I dug for the new pipe lines in about two feet of frozen earth
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Could%20not%20wait%20for%20winter%20to%20be%20over %20as%20I%20dug%20for%20the%20new%20pipe%20lines%2 05-4.jpg

5) New pipes at basement wall for new external pump which is in garage with a 192 pool filter filled with lava rocks
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/New%20pipes%20at%20basement%20walk%20for%20new%20e xternal%20pump%205-5.jpg

6) Yep thats a hole for the settling-holding tank (ground was frozen about two feet as well when I started digging this)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Yep%20thats%20a%20hole%20for%20the%20settling-holding%20tank%205-6.jpg

7) What the settling-holding tank will look like in the ground
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/What%20the%20settling-holding%20tank%20will%20look%20like%20in%20the%20g round%205-7.jpg

8) Bottom and first row of 4by4 for settling-holding tank
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Bottom%20and%20first%20row%20of%204by4%20for%20set tling-holding%20tank%205-8.jpg

9) One more board left to finsh settling-holding tank
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/One%20more%20board%20left%20to%20finsh%20settling-holding%20tank%205-9.jpg

10) Second season of Pond now full and testing BD's
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Second%20season%20of%20Pond%20now%20full%20and%20t esting%20BD_s%205-10.jpg

The reason for the change in season two of adding BD's and Settling/Holding Tank was I got tired of filling/topping off my pond in the summer. Oh and I no longer had to remove and replace the submergable pump any more. Plus even though I did not have any fish in the pond it helped make the pond easier to maintain, so I had more time to enjoy it... :D

[OttawaPonder]

1) Looking straight on to Waterfall second season
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Looking%20straight%20on%20to%20Waterfall%206-1.jpg

2) Looking down from behind waterfall standing on the Cover of the Settling/Holding Tank
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Looking%20down%20from%20behind%20waterfall%206-2.jpg

3) Good view of turtle spitting in to his lil pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Good%20view%20of%20turtle%20spitting%20in%20to%20h is%20lil%20pond%206-3.jpg

4) Lil closer view of turtle spitting in to his lil pond (with the rushing water of waterfall behind him the turtle is showing everyone - SEE I can do that do lol)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Lil%20closer%20view%20of%20turtle%20spitting%20in% 20to%20his%20lil%20pond%206-4.jpg

5) Close up from behind turtle spitting in to his lil pond
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Close%20up%20from%20behind%20turtle%20spitting%20i n%20to%20his%20lil%20pond%206-5.jpg

6) Pond season two (isn't it nice when the plants and flowers are in full bloom)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Pond%20season%20two%206-6.jpg

7) Pond another view of season two to enjoy
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Pond%20another%20view%20of%20season%20two%206-7.jpg

8) Pond at the end of season two (oh to have to drain such an enjoyable thing) The season is way to short up here - why did I move north again?!?!?
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Pond%20at%20the%20end%20of%20season%20two%206-8.jpg

9) Pond at the end of season two also
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Pond%20at%20the%20end%20of%20season%20two%20also%2 06-9.jpg

10) Pipe for BD and Skimmer near water fall (As one can see these were added after the pond was built and in the second year of enjoying this pond. That why the piping is in the pond and not around or under it)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Pipe%20for%20BD%20and%20Skimmer%20near%20water%20f all%206-10.jpg

[OttawaPonder]

1) OH - now I recall what kept me so busy in our 2nd season here (That wood pile is over 23' long, each log is 8' long and you can see how tall it is as it towers over my mini-van :eek: ) I cut, split, moved, and stack all that firewood by myself - oh my achin back. I put it in our new wood shed I built last fall Srry no pics of it at this time - its 12' deep 16' wide and you can stack wood 6' and there is a storage area above, across the front half.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/OH%20-%20now%20I%20recall%20what%20kept%20me%20so%20busy %20in%20our%202nd%20season%20here.7-1.jpg

2) Winnie the Pooh under the Canna Lillie leave (Isn't he so cute, kind of whimsical, under there leaning on his hoe - taking a break out of the sun)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Winnie%20the%20Pooh%20under%20the%20Canna%20Lillie %20leaf%207-2.jpg

3) Beautiful Mona Lisa Day Lillies and can you see Pooh's belly between the lillies (The first year I planted those 3 lillies we had one flower on each - this year I counted over 13-15 for altogether for all three of them) They are so far away from the driveway - however the if the wind blows just right you get the lovely fragrance coming to and leaving the vehicle..
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Beautiful%20Mona%20Lisa%20Day%20Lillies%20and%20ca n%20you%20see%20Pooh_s%20belly%207-3.jpg

4) New upper rose garden near side walk looking towards pond (As the MRS and I both love roses - WE just had to have a rose garden - HOWEVER these are VERY VERY low maintianance and can be around salt.. NO COVERING DURING WINTER EITHER :D less work for me)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/New%20upper%20rose%20garden%20near%20side%20walk%2 0looking%20towards%20pond%207-4.jpg

5) New upper rose garden next to driveway near side walk and pond (Our new front yard, and only the part directly in front of the house, is bigger then the full lots size of our old house. The old lot also had the house in the middle of it and this space is all open - grass) I do LOVE the country :D
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/New%20upper%20rose%20garden%20next%20to%20driveway %20near%20side%20walk%20and%20pond%207-5.jpg

6) Lovely Rose - but the wind kept moving it
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Lovely%20Rose%20-%20but%20the%20wind%20kept%20moving%20it%207-6.jpg

7) Wild Flower Bed 4' wide and 50' long (This bed seperates the front yard from the back) This flower bed, has Sun flowers on the back yard side and many types of wild flowers on the front yard side. It heads up towards a VERY LARGE tree from the new farm road enterance and circling around the tree as part of the flower bed with four different kinds of hostas each type is in a single ring around the tree. Four rings in total out from the tree 6' going 3/4 the way around the tree. HOPE TO FIND PIC SOON of hostas
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Wild%20Flower%20Bed%204_%20wide%20and%2050_%20long %207-7.jpg

8) Starting a rock garden at the new house (This is at our new farm enterance I built in fall of last year 2003) To help dress it up and hopefully show case some of what I do
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Starting%20a%20rock%20garden%20at%20the%20new%20ho use%207-8.jpg

ROOM for somemore pics once I find them LOL
9)
10)

[OttawaPonder]

1) Trench for 100 amp service to future garden shed and greenhouse will be under patio once I finish it.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Trench%20for%20100%20amp%20service%20out%20to%20fu ture%20garden%20shed%20and%20greenhouse%20will%20b e%20under%20patio%208-1.jpg

2) I was going to mount the 100amp junction panel on the brick wall but changed my mind as it would of made that wall jam packed with to much stuff.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/I%20was%20going%20to%20mount%20the%20100amp%20junc tion%20panel%20on%20the%20brick%20wall%20but%20cha nged%20my%20mind%208-2.jpg

3) Power lines for - Garden Shed - Hot Tub - Speakers. Three condoit lines coming out of the basement wall which are facing you.. (a) Top left is for the hot tub (b) top right is for speakers in the future (c) bottom in the middle of the other two = 100amp line going out to future garden shed and greenhouse.. Then two more lines coming down the left wall out of the cut off box for the hot tub. One line goes 37' to the right for the hot tub it self and the other line is much smaller and it goes over near the hot tub for our future gazebo; lighting and celling fan. Not sure if you are able to see it or not - but I also put an electrical box just below the cut off (breaker box for the HT) This will give me two more 110v plug in outlets.. One for my 600w 12v power pack and one extra for whatever the need may be..
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Power%20lines%20for%20-%20Garden%20Shed%20-%20Hot%20Tub%20-%20Speakers%208-3.jpg

4) Other view of cut off panel for hot tub (Nice and neat, just the way I like it - I guess that is why I did the work ;-) ) This way you should be able to see both boxes
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Other%20view%20of%20cut%20off%20panel%20for%20hot% 20tub%208-4.jpg

5) YES forward progress is being made on the patio (I had to stop cuz of bad weather and bad back/knees. :sad: The patio is 21" above the ground making the stairs the same at both ends) There will be three steps for each set of stairs at both end of the patio. A 7" rise for all steps; so coming out of the house down to the patio level is one set of three and then going from patio down to ground level is another set of three steps. Doing it this way makes it easier for people to get use to and NOT to trip.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/YES%20forward%20progress%20is%20being%20made%20on% 20the%20patio%208-5.jpg

6) I never do anything half way. I guess that is why I used 6"by6" over 4"by4" and I used 3/4" rebar over using 1/2". Also see wood shed I built too and I still like to make doors for it. That year I not only cut split and stacked all that wood I also made the wood shed OH and I drove to VA packed up the rest of my things and drove all the way back and unloaded the truck. But in my mind, what lil one I have so the MRS keeps reminding me LOL, I had wonder where the season had gotten to and why I did not do much around the house that year. I was beating myself up.. Now I recall that was a lot of work by my self and two weeks in VA packing and moving the rest of my stuff up here. WOW and my mom came back with me for her first visit to Canada and first time meeting the MRS. :D We showed her all aorund and that took up almost another 2 weeks of that summer. Yes I even built the wood shed on my own in fall that year. You should of been there with a camera - you might of gotten rich from FHV lol. The only out side help I had was the roofing company putting on the metal roof. The Mrs and I wanted to test that style and kind of roof out, on some thing smaller then our house, before we made the big step in having the same roof installed on our house. This way we can keep looking at the color and style of the roof on the wood shed and when our home needs a roof - we will know for sure if we want, like, that style and color. Or so that was our thinking LOL
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/I%20never%20do%20anything%20half%20way%20%20See%20 wood%20shed%20I%20built%20to%20and%20I%20still%20l ike%20to%20make%20doors%20for%20it%208-6.jpg

7) Well cap on left will be under stairs, I have desinged, Old style LOG look, and I hope to be offering soon along with bridges and handrials. To the right of stairs on the patio will be a fire pit to either sit around or cook over.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Well%20cap%20on%20left%20will%20be%20under%20stair s%20and%20to%20right%20of%20stairs%20on%20the%20pa tio%20will%20be%20a%20fire%20pit%208-7.jpg

8) Rolling out landscape fabric where Hot Tub will soon be sitting.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Rolling%20out%20landscape%20fabric%20where%20Hot%2 0Tub%20will%20soon%20be%20sitting%208-8.jpg

9) See condoit sticking up, look close - very small, just to the right of the left post its for electricity to our planned Gazebo.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/See%20condoit%20sticking%20up%20just%20to%20the%20 right%20of%20the%20left%20post%20its%20for%20elect ricity%20to%20the%20Gazebo%208-9.jpg

10) Leveling final grade just before laying pavers
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Leveling%20final%20grade%20just%20before%20laying% 20pavers%208-10.jpg

[OttawaPonder]

1) View we will have from Hot Tub of Future Stream and Raised Garden Bed design and my OLD STYLE LOG BRIDGE display that will be right next to the water shut-off.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/View%20from%20Hot%20Tub%20of%20Future%20Stream%20a nd%20Raised%20Garden%20Bed%20View%209-1.jpg

2) Double ok Triple checking and making sure I will end up where I want at final grade for hot tub electrical hook up.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Double%20ok%20Triple%20checking%20making%20sure%20 I%20will%20end%20up%20where%20I%20want%20at%20fina l%20grade%209-2.jpg

3) OH so close I can taste it. Almost ready to start laying pavers. Need to have Hot Tub in before winter. LOL no other place to keep it over winter and HEY might as well use it if we can ;-) NOTE: In #9 I spoke about the condoit for the electrical - well to see it better I put a pipe in it about 3 foot tall. BTW we are not rich - far from it - BLESSED yes - I was LUCKY - will fill you in later.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/OH%20so%20close%20%20Almost%20ready%20to%20start%2 0laying%20pavers%20%20Need%20to%20have%20Hot%20Tub %20in%20before%20winter%209-3.jpg

4) Final Grade Ready for a lose layer of stone dust to start setting pavers
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Final%20Grade%20Ready%20for%20a%20lose%20layer%20o f%20stone%20dust%20to%20set%20pavers%20on%209-4.jpg

5) Cold weather is here! I am in a hurry to get the pavers down at least under the hot tub area so I may be able to move hot tub finally, from driveway, where it had been sitting for months to where I want. LOL
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Cold%20weather%20is%20here%20%20I%20am%20in%20a%20 hurry%20to%20get%20the%20pavers%20down%20at%20leas t%20under%20the%20hot%20tub%209-5.jpg

6) Yeppppieeee Hot Tub in place ready for winter use. Remember in #3 BTW - I said we are not rich - I was lucky - time to fill you in = I won this HOT TUB (be no way we could afford one)
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/Yeppppieeee%20Hot%20Tub%20in%20place%20ready%20for %20winter%209-6.jpg

7) View looking out family room door and just enough pavers in place before winter to safely be able to get back and forth to the hot tub and enjoy it.
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10006/View%20looking%20out%20family%20room%20door%20just %20enough%20pavers%20placed%20before%20winter%20to %20use%20hot%20tub%209-7.jpg

[OttawaPonder]

Will need this space for finishing up 2004 projects and starting new projects in 2005. Thanks

Things to Finish: (updates and pictures to come 2005 season)
1) Patio
2) Fire Pit
3) More landscape work (front and back)
4) Clean Up yard.
5) fingers crossed - hopefully plant my veggie garden this season 2005

[OttawaPonder]

Need this space for 2005 season project(s) updates and pics.

ONLY if I get the rest of 2004 projects finished will I be able to start:
1) Log Stairs
2) Log Bridge
3) Low voltage lighting on patio


THREAD NOW OPEN
Thank You

[Jackie Ramo]

Wow, you sure are one busy guy. I have a few outstanding projects here when you are done those.

I have a question though, at one point you show fish in bags and at another you state there is no fish in the pond... where are the fish?

[GregBickal]

AWSOME !!!

Glad to see someone other than me posting pictures :wink:

[OttawaPonder]

Wow, you sure are one busy guy. I have a few outstanding projects here when you are done those.

I have a question though, at one point you show fish in bags and at another you state there is no fish in the pond... where are the fish?


Jackie, I have an outdoor pond - only a watergarden - for many reasons.
And I have in indoor pond. You of all people should know how pond plants fair in your cold winters. So I built the indoor pond to house my outdoor pond plants over winter. Months later, Mrs asked if I like and wanted some fish. So she got some. :D

OH great news too - I am a new dad as of a few days ago. I was topping off the indoor pond and something fast moving caught my eye. I found two new lil ones. Not sure yet what kind of babies they are, as I have; Koi - Comet and Plecos.


Oh well time will tell.

[Jackie Ramo]

So how come there is no indoor build project shown here.... get with the program, no slacking off now :smile:

Actually, as many folks are interested in indoor ponds maybe its own thread....

[Busy B]

Holy Cow!!!wow! Do you ever sleep?!!!

How was it for doing the dry stack rock walls? I want to try that...where did you get the rock? How wide did you make them?

Have you ever tried ornamental cabbage in your rock gardens? You have the perfect weather for them..

[OttawaPonder]

So how come there is no indoor build project shown here.... get with the program, no slacking off now :smile:

Actually, as many folks are interested in indoor ponds maybe its own thread....

NOPE: LOL Srry not going to post indoor pond stuff - Not until I am ready to market my indoor ponds with the rest of my stuff. Like my design of Old Style Log bridges, Stairs and handrials porducts/items. Oh and my one of a kind whisical garden figures too. He he he Funny figures and not for everyone. LOL

[OttawaPonder]

Holy Cow!!!wow! Do you ever sleep?!!!

How was it for doing the dry stack rock walls? I want to try that...where did you get the rock? How wide did you make them?

Have you ever tried ornamental cabbage in your rock gardens? You have the perfect weather for them..

Busy B I do small landsacpe stuff. I stick with Ponds, Rock Gardens and small dry stack walls. As to the size, it all depends on what its used for. Is it holding back earth or merely dressing up lets say a flower bed.

We had pruple and one other color cabbage plants around our pond. Also had many Broc... plants in my garden. After what those nasty worms that attack cabbage family of plants did - I think not again. LOL

[Busy B]

diamatious? earth...spread it around the plants and the slugs won't get them and a collar (plastic cup of some sort, with the bottom cut out) around the stem when you first plant them so they can't eat the stem.

Dang old root maggots are the worse..

[Jackie Ramo]

Rock walls, holding back dirt. how wide would they have to be? :?:

[OttawaPonder]

Rock walls, holding back dirt. how wide would they have to be? :?:

Jackie, Not to be vague. Many things come in to play and to many unknowns.
Pm me if you want to go over it in more detail.

Be glad to try and help if I can.

[Jackie Ramo]

Its ok, I don't have plans just yet, but I love the look and have space where they would replace current wooden structures. Not in the plans for this year. Pond and stream first.

Just wondering if it would be hard or not <LOL> It will take a year to talk hubby into lifting rocks so I hoped I'd be able to do it myself. Mind getting them down the hill and up the other side is .... no wonder he doesn't want to do it !wow!

[Busy B]

I found a book last year on stone masonary...the look anyway...dry or concrete...either way scares me...concrete cracks in earthquakes and dry stacked I'm afraid would tumble...but I still want to do it.

[OttawaPonder]

It was Nov. 9, 2005 when I wrote this. However I forgot to post it here.

As I sit here - I see I have not posted any new changes - updates in this thread.

I hope to have some pictures - of some of the work around here.

As for the patio I started in late 2004 and posted earier on here - I was not able to get back to it, this year, for many reasons.

It all started with me having a neighbor call on me, this spring, to remove a pond, just off their back patio of a home they purchased two days before Christmas of 2004. They gave me the fish, 8 gold fish in all, and all the food and equipment they had.

That led me to have to set up the pond out front, the this season, which I had decided over winter of 2004 - I was not going to do. I figured that way I would have more time in which I could work on the patio and finish up all the smaller projects in 2005. But that did not happen. :rolleyes: oh well....such as life.. things happen.. lol BTW - When I removed the goldies from the out door pond to take them in for the winter - I ended up with 12 goldies.. Yep I am a dad... LOL

We also went through more firewood this year then years past. So I had to split and stack fire wood - that too - snowballed into more work.

I changed the driveway behind the house so I would have a better place of cutting, splitting and stacking the firewood. And the delivery of the new wood every two years is now going to be right next to where I stack it. So I extended the driveway about 40 some odd feet by hand. It is now about 25 feet wide in this same area too. It was three or four dump truck loads of 7/8s mixed stone and I used a hand rack to move it about and level off each load. That took a few days per truck load. Then I rented a plate to compacked it all. I now have my firewood on pallets of which I have two rows of pallets 30 feet long and they have three rows of wood on each row of pallets; for a grand total of 20 face cords of firewood.

Then a leak, in the part of our basement where I have the indoor pond, started to accure when we had heavy rains. So I had to deal with that! Could it be because when I made our driveway longer and wider I also raised it so now it is above the natural slope leading down from the house on that side of the yard. And now the rain water had nowhere to go - but back towards the house foundation = a big no no!! :rolleyes:

So with the extention of the driveway that snowballed into more work and took up a good part of the summer. I took out the old pipe work from the one sump pump which was in that room. I replaced it, with larger pipe - going from 3" to 4", and while doing this I cleaned the outside of the basement wall where the pipe came through and I sealed it much better then they did. Whoever did it in the first place, in 1984, only used spray styrofoam in the wall around the pipe to seal it. When I redid it all, and sealed it up, I used that stuff electrians use and I also used automotive rubberized undercoating on the wall area and around the new 4" pipe coming out of the basement wall. The reason I enlarge the pipe was to handle the addition of the two corner downspouts on that side of the house. They use to dump the rain water off the roof in that part of the yard. So now the same pipe work does it all and removes the water far away from the foundation. This should ensure all the water on that corner - gets far away form the house foundation. I have it going about 46 to 50 feet away. Oh and not to forget - YES I too, like some others I have read about - do over kill on my projects. Since I had the trench work done for the pipe work - I thought hmmm why not use it to make sure even more "rain water" gets far away from that part of the house. So I built a french drainage tile system just above the pipe work already in the same trench. So I placed landscape cloth over the stone dust which just covered the pipes by about 1" leaving the pipe work below and then filled the trench above the pipes with clear 7/8s stone. Now any rain that falls on the new driveway extention or ground near the house - will drain away too.

I also purchased a new portable car port cover system. It is 11 feet wide and 32 feet long. It took me about six and half hours to put up by my self. I now will be able to cover the wood in early fall - during the start of our rainy season and keep it covered all winter. Then I can simply remove the cover - leaving the frame up - when I have to replace the firewood which was used up the winter before. I felt this set-up would be the easiest - as I am getting older and it would allow the wood to dry faster/better as well.

As for the rest of my time - I had to take out the kitchen sink and replace some parts. I had to fix a pocket/silding door twice. I did a good job the first time - so it was not due to my handy work. Me being in a hurry and my big foot getting in the way kicked the pocket door off it's track the second time - So I had to remove the tirm work again to place it back on its track.

I had other delays when I put my back out once - oh wait maybe twice this year. OLD age - not to sure if once or twice. lol

And our season is WAY to "SHORT" :-P They are calling for freezing rain today. <--- why I am inside and not outside working :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

!rofl Gosh Tony, no wonder you got sick, you needed a rest

Never seems enought time or money to do all the projects wanted around here. The second outdoor pond is 2 years over due now and spring isn't looking that good for it either....

[Busy B]

I have one of those basements too Tony..need to do the same or I was thinking of taking the easy way out..not what you had to do :eek:

Yup..no wonder you weren't feeling well...you needed to slow down!