The New Driveway is In

The barn is <-- that away

This week, our new driveway went  in. The culvert and pipe at the top of the road will follow in two weeks. They have to mark the power, telephone, and cable wires underground first. Keep in mind that the area is NOT our property, but leads to our driveway. It is constantly being eroded by rain so the drainage culvert should help with that. I did check with the owner. Just coming down the drive with a Bobcat made a huge difference! All the ivy, blackberry bramble, weeds, and low hanging limbs are now clear on either side of the road. It is so much wider than I expected and there are even turn abouts and a new ditch for water run offs. It is just cleared dirt (clay) and the first layer of bedrock in the picture.

My joy increased as each dump truck load arrived. I watched (supervised lol) from the front porch as Mel videoed the process for a future video on our YouTube channel. It was so nice not to have to do the work. It was well worth the money I spent. My minivan thanked me as I took it up for a spin when Bob (the Bobcat operator) broke for lunch. He'll be back after lunch for the final sprucing up.

When I think about the huge drop at the top of driveway, I still cringe. Or at least, I will for a couple of weeks until the drainage culvert can be installed.

Not this one but close

To make the service they provided better while Bob was taking a break in between truckloads, Mel was clearing the area beside the barn in preparation of the trencher dude for the plumber. He walked over and asked if there was anything he could do to help. There was a stump from where Mel had taken out a sugar gum maple tree in the spring and a "lovely" stand of Spanish Bayonets to be removed. Mel and I hate Spanish Bayonets! He said he could help with that. Needless to say, Mel accepted. They were history in a matter of minutes. He even scrapped the area free of the grass and weeds too. We sat back on the porch grinning and drooling from ear to ear. I want to get me one of those! We could have so much fun with it! No, not really. I couldn't afford it. It falls in that area I was talking about last week. His bobcat was even air conditioned. Talk about luxury, but it borders on a necessity for Georgia summers.

The drive around the side of the garden to the back of the house is now #4 gravel. It runs down the far side of our property (by the ridge line) to where the rabbitry and chicken areas are. All we need is the top coat of the finer stuff on top to have a bonafied  driveway. It's already compressed. Bob saw to that. About one truck load for the finer gravel should finish it. That will be at a later date. Hard to walk on but a dream to drive on compared to the brush we were driving on.

All in all, I'm ecstatic with the work that we had done. They came in under what they contracted for even with the additional side driveway and an additional truckload of #4 granite gravel. No more getting stuck up to my axle in mud. No more carrying 50 lb sacks of feed over to this side of the house where the bins are. I won't miss it at all and neither will Mel. All this work and then some because Bob said he will clear the orchard area too for a small fee. After this, this company will be the first one I'll call if the need arises.  They've got two very satisfied customers and a referrals and at-ta-boys for life.

Now if we can get the plumber and electrician in here, we'll be set.

Y'all have a blessed week.