Yard work weekend.

I had an odd occurrence with my truck over the weekend.  This is the second time now that it has done this, so I think it might be time to ask Ford what gives.  The trip meters and everything just lost all their values.  

Saturday was really nice, so I went out for a walk in the morning and then ran up to Pinnacle to pay for the tractor servicing.  It was a bit more expensive than I expected, but for as long as the tractor is under warranty I would prefer to have it done.  The foliage is pretty much gone though.  This is what my yard looks like now.  The trees are either bare or turning straight to brown.  Winter is coming, but the weekend was nice.  

After I got back, I decided to pull out my lawn tractor and play around some.  I started chewing up the leaves (and blowing them into the creek).  Obviously I can't finish the leaves task since they haven't all fallen yet, but they were getting pretty thick down in the front where most have already fallen.  I had intended to mulch them, but the mulching attachment for the rider didn't stay attached pretty much at all.  First time I hit a bump it too got discharged.  

I started up where I have previously mowed the knotweed.  This was actually mowable with the riding mower, which is good.  I did have to dodge a bunch of rocks though.  More on that below.

I also did down in the front.  I blew all the mulched leaves into the creek.  You can see the back side of the dirt pile where the ones on the other side got discharged over the pile but I can't ride the mower up the other of the pile.  Oh well.  I didn't have any problems in the newly cleared area, though there were a few spots that needed work.  

I went and looked at my creek afterwards, and it is also full of leaves.  And these aren't ones that I blew in there.  

Sunday I decided to up the ante and pulled out the big tractor.  

The first thing I ended up doing was putting the grading blade back on it.  I tried to scoop a load dirt without it, and almost immediately ran out of traction, there just wasn't enough weight on the back.  So I put the blade back on.  

I started working on the pile of dirt again.  I noticed when I went to bury something though that there was a random iron bar/chisel that had been buried.  It is pretty beefy, but I already have one that Matt got me if anyone needs one.  If I get another couple nice days maybe I will clean it up, sharpen it and paint it.  

While I was out on the tractor, I also fired up the pushmower and let it run out of gas.  

It is now stowed away for the winter. 

After mowing the upper of the yard on Saturday, I decided to use the rest of the dirt up there to get that ready to go.  There were a lot of big rocks up there.  

And I do mean a lot.  

I quickly found out that I shouldn't use the tractor to smooth the dirt up there though.  Most of that ground is not firm.  I made things worse.

I ended up foot tamping the rest of the holes I filled in.

This area is good to go though.  I can mow almost all the way to the trees next year, should anything actually grow there.  That area is still under heavy shade.  I also expect it will settle a lot next year, but I will deal with that then.  

I need to do some final touches to the yard, but the pile is fully distributed now.  That final smoothing is all that is left on that task.  

Still no date set from the town.  At this point even if they reject it, I was going to be starting the building permit in another month or two anyways.  The pile of dirt just needs that last little bit of smoothing where the pile was before it is done.  I also need to reinstall one of the driveway markers I accidently leveled with the tractor.  Oops.  The leaf mulching is started, but can't be finished until the leaves have all fallen.  Things are actually looking good for winter all things considered.  I am waiting on mother nature, not fighting against time this year, which is a breath of crisp fall air.  

Before winter:

• Deal with town and get the variance.
• Finish distributing pile of dirt.
• Determine method of clearing snow. 
• Driveway winter prep.
• Clean off the slab.  
• Clean out the carport.  Decide what to do with the power center.
  
• Mulch the leaves.
• Ensure the shed will make it through the winter.  Shed pilings
• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  
• Run mowers out of gas, put diesel treatment in the tractor, change oil in snowblower, rearrange the carport, put weight in the back of the truck, prep heat pump (clean filter), disconnect hose.  Fire up generator.  Take down bug zapper. Charge the power center batteries
  
• Also note that my tractor is due for its first servicing.
  
• Install the driveway markers.

Winter projects: 

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Work with La Valley to get a concrete contractor.  Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.