Wall Progress 2

The end is in sight. I moved some more dirt and stones this morning. I hope it doesn't rain tonight, so I can finish laying the blocks.

Wall Progress

I worked on the wall this weekend. I completed the first level and have made good progress on the second level. I had 4 pallets of block (3300 pounds each), and two loads of stone (8 tons a load) delivered. I have installed about 18 tons of material and only have 4 tons left to install.

This is a picture of the upper level. The top row of blocks still needs stone added. I will be digging a trench to continue the wall, but I still need access to the top of the wall for the tractor.


This picture show the front of the upper level.


This picture shows the lower level. A little mulch and a bush, and it will be done.

Building a wall.

I have been working on the wall a little bit every day, so I am making progress. But I miss counted how may blocks I need to place. I thought that each pallet contained 50 blocks, but the pallets are 75 blocks each. Instead of 200 block that need to be installed, I need to install 300 blocks. I have installed almost 75 blocks, so I only need to install 225 more to complete the wall.

Stone wall started.

I got the initial ditch cleaned up and about 30 blocks placed on Sunday. When these blocks are installed at least one course of blocks needs to be buried. Only 160 more blocks to install.

Stone has arrived.

I am finally getting started on the wall along the side of the garage. I took delivery, yesterday, of the cement blocks, and the crush rock for the wall.
I picked the cement block with a hole in it. These block only weight 45 pounds each. The solid blocks do not need as much crushed rock, but they weight 75 pounds each.

Cleaning up the front yard.

This weekend I got the tractor out and cleaned up the area by the dock. This section was messed up when the sewer was installed. There was a depression where the dirt has settled around the manhole. There was silt fence and hay bales installed to keep stuff from running into the lake.
In the beginning of the summer, I filled in the depressions and planted grass, but I had not removed the silt fence or the hay bales.

I move the hay bales, the silt fence and a lot of silt that the fence had collected. I got the grass planted just before the rain. I still have a lot of work to do on the front yard, but this should stabilize the land by the lake for the winter and spring.

Half Dome

In Yosemite, one of the outstanding views is of the mountain Half Dome. The shuttle driver said it should be called "7/8 Dome" because most of the mountain is still there. You can't get away without taking a few picture of Half Dome, and here is only a couple that we took.

Half Dome from our camping area in Yosemite Valley.

Half Dome at dusk from our camp site in Yosemite Valley

Half Dome from our hike to the valley off off the panoramic cliffs trail.

Half Dome from the start of our hike from Glaicer Point (elevation 8000 ft) to the valley (elevation 3000 ft).

Half Dome from the High Sierra area of Yosemite

Out West

Linda and I went to visit Yosemite National Park last week. Here is the first of the pictures from the trip. We stayed in Yosemite Valley the first couple of days. We stayed in a three sided cement building with a canvas roof. All of our food needed to be kept in the metal bear box outside of the shelter.

At 5:30 am, two mornings, we were woken by people screaming, setting off car alarms and banging pots and pans to scare the bears away. There were two cubs that were up a tree about 20 feet from our shelter. Every time the cubs started down the tree, the people would start making noise again, and up the tree the cubs would go. About 6:00 am the Park Rangers showed up to protect the bears from the campers.


The inside of the shelter had cement walls that were made to look like material. We did have a light in the shelter and one outside the shelter.



And beside the visit from the bears at 5:30 am and the 7:00 am squirrels, we had other wild life show up.