bricks rising up from under

Vallejo, CA

In the process of cleaning the backyard we discovered a brick patio.

Bean Tepee

Oakley, CA

I went over to a customer's tonight to diagnose a valve problem (he has a blown solenoid). While I was there he showed me all that he has been able to do since I showed him how to install a drip system. One of the things doing well was the snap green beans climbing up his bamboo Tepee.

A Saint Bernard Rock Star

Antioch, CA

Yesterday, in between the morning session of conference and the afternoon session, the family went out and collected rocks so that tilling the soil would be easier. One rock gathered was this one that was first initially thought to look like a pig - but we have since decided it looks like a dog. I think it looks most like a Saint Bernard - but I'm open to discussion.

--
(BTC - I merged three images together to form one. Not a bad looking rainbow)

digging in again

Antioch, CA

I started clawing up the soil again. Soon we will dump a trailer load of horse poo on it and till in some other nutrients and then plant. All in all it should take a month or so.

not even a rusty nail

Antioch, CA

Tonight started the argument of how much of this goes toward a garden and how much goes to lawn and and other things. This is where it was when I came into their lives. (Those are weeds not grass in the photo.) On Wednesday a man with an industrial rototiller will come and till the soil. After that we will embark on a 5 month process of getting the soil ready to plant. By the time we are done, the soil will not have any rock in it, or weed, or even a rusty nail. And then we will plant. I am really (REALLY) excited. The list of things the children want to grow is getting longer by the day.

Hydrania and Hoeing

Top picture from Oakland CA.
Bottom picture from Antioch CA.

(BTC)

look at the size of my melons

Antioch, CA

The Cantaloupe are ready to be eaten out of the garden. They are kind of small, but they taste great. (They are just slightly larger than an Ostrich egg.)

Green Beans

Antioch, CA

Fresh from the garden and very yummy.

New Manifold

Oakley, CA

Using existing pipes, I built a new manifold tonight for a customer to replace the existing leaky manifold. I also added a new valve to make up for a poorly designed sprinkler system. Tomorrow I'm hoping to be done with the job and then can get my fat butt back into the gym.

Twofer Tuesday - Gardening for Melinda

Sun lit lettuce

Tomato - In comparison to how it was before

Antioch, CA

Melinda will be away from the Internet for the next 18 months, so these pictures are mainly for her.

(BTC)

Redneck

Antioch, CA

So evidently it was a little brighter out today than I thought it was. I got my first sunburn of the season. (in case you are curious about the white line, I wear a necklace that evidently blocks out the sun.) However, I did get to learn how to use (and repair) my first ditch wench today. Those are definitely awesome toys. I'm never going to trench for pipe by hand again.

Phase 2

Antioch, CA

I started Phase Two on the backyard today (Just in case you're curious, there are 7 phases). I'm knocking down the weeds, leveling the soil and preparing the square for a concrete pad that will see a shed built on it.

Phase One is producing some fun. My green beans are starting to pop out of the soil as is the lettuce that got planted by the house owners. They planted zucchini starter plants. I planted seeds (two packets worth) and I haven't seen anything yet. John's tomato plant had a flower on it today. It's really fun to watch it all pop up.

Planted

Antioch, CA

I finished planting the Tomato plants tonight along with the green beans. As soon as I find a store selling zucchini seeds or plants, I'll plant those and be done planting for a time.

(A broader view)

irrigation

Antioch, CA

Saturday we plant.

Chicken Shit

Antioch, CA

Tonight John and I layed out compost and chicken manure. I'm three steps away from planting:

1. Steer Manure
2. Tilling
3. Setting up a water source to attach the Drip to

Once that is all done the plants will go in and we'll pray something comes up.

(See John rolling around in Chicken Manure)

Forward progress

Antioch, CA

This week I finished Clawing the ground and getting the weeks raked to the side. I built the dirt shaker (center) while on my lunch break at work today and will start using it on Monday to sift out the rock and the weeds before moving onto the next steps (i.e. chicken manure, horse manure and wood ingrained compost tilled into the soil). But either way...it's moving along.

(If you are at all confused, read about the above picture here.)

On a personal note, I have known all week long that I was going to be building the dirt shaker. Knowing that a dirt shaker was originally used for mining gold, I've had this song (please ignore the video) stuck in my head all week, which usually meant I also had this song in my head as well.

(BTC - for my Dad)