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Hi All -
Peter
- Took new umbrella cover home to return for correct size (vendor sent wrong size). Umbrella is currently sitting in garage. Will return to install the correct size during next trip.
- Redwood lattice project for arbor above round table is 100% complete. See attached photos. There were two panels of lattice leftover and my dad may use them on a future project (nothing for sure yet). The extra panels are stored in the new shed. The Wisteria is really taking off on its own already; getting into the lattice, etc.. Ingrid, maybe when you go up next weekend, you could trim some of the Wisteria tendrils off the ground and any reaching to the house. I think the Wisteria will take over the lattice easy enough but we do want to make sure it does not grow where it is not wanted. Note: The lattice is NOT strong enough to walk, crawl or rest on.
- Watered all around the house as well as trees along the driveway and some going up the hill. Those trees way up the hill are pretty thirsty! Vince also watered out by the corral, including Ingrid's little plant (which was pretty stressed) and the dwarf Oleanders.
- Looks like deer and possibly bear took all the plums and some apples already. One of the plum trees (above the wood shed) has damage.
- We took about half of the pears from the little tree behind the house. It is loaded and we are fearful of bear destruction. We took all the ones on top so that IF a bear comes in they may not destroy the tree. Ingrid, the rest are for you and your crew. Crossing fingers!
- My dad brought up his very, very long pruner and trimmed the apricot and grape vine away from the house and all the dead wood in the Hachiya persimmon. He had to wait until summer to prune the persimmon so he could see the dead wood clearly. Vince propped up a couple of the really heavy branches.
- Kurt has removed all the large boulders from the corral and placed them at the turn in the road where the stone wall starts as a repair to that section. Some big truck (or something) drove too close to the curve and crushed it so Kurt built that back up.
- My dad raked all the rocks and wood from the corral and used them as fill for the runoff ditches in front of the main gate. I've done this a couple times over the years to fill the ditches that are caused by the "streams" of rain water during the winter.
- Vince and I put together all three (3) storage racks in the new shed. They are pretty good racks. They each have a small cable that is attached to the shed structure (in case of earthquake) that can be easily unscrewed, if needed. We assembled each rack with slightly different shelf spacing for a variety of different sized tools, materials, etc. All of the shelves can be moved, as needed.
- We moved all the fuels that Ingrid put in the shed to the other end as it is the "cooler" end. The end with the pedestrian door is the one that gets hit by the sun.
- Each shelving unit came in a large cardboard box. My dad brought all three up last weekend. This trip, my dad's truck was full with many other things and could fit only one of the empty boxes in his truck but perhaps others could take some home? Ingrid, could you please bring up a box cutter for Shang? We could use it for a number of things, including breaking down the large boxes so that they can be taken home for recycle.
- We did not mow (too busy) at the house or the lake - both need it.
- We pumped 3 hours on one day and 2 hours the next day (lots of watering). The tank was left with about 4-5K gallons. There is a full tank of gas at the pump (waiting to be switched).
- My dad repaired the electrical outlets in grandma's bedroom. He replaced one that was broken and added one. They are both modern with GFI and USB charging ports.
- At my request, my dad made two small wood blocks to elevate the headboard of the bed in the "front" room about 1.5". The head was sloping down and it Drove-Me-Nuts. Anyway, it is correct now 🙂
- Both the Green and Yellow Jeeps need repairs. Ingrid, can you ask Allan to inspect and make repairs? Yellow jeep needs a new battery and Green Jeep has carburetor issues (I think that is what my dad said) and runs very rough. In general, work is needed on both and it is time for the board to refresh our memory on what they both need (big and small).
- Crank on large window on third floor needs maintenance and repair. Can Allan do this? It is very loose and getting worse.
- My dad brought up his power washer and cleaned the entire patio area, stairs, etc. Very clean looking now.
- The week prior, my dad took home that little table at the front of the patio (it is actually an old school desk - fun fact). The one that sits over the two recycle boxes. He took it apart and it needed A LOT of TLC. The sun did a number on it, of course. Repaired with wood, glue, small nails, and a lot of stain to protect it. He brought it back up this weekend and it has a new lease on life.
- We hauled a bunch of clipping from the hillside and around the house to the big excavation hole next to the wood shed. Now that we no longer burn clippings, this is a good place for clippings that will break down. It is an alternate for things that do not get set-aside for the chipper program.
- My dad vacuumed the work bench area in the garage again.
- Found a baby rattlesnake in the lower bathroom. It got in because we left the door open. They cannot get in there unless the door is open as all the holes have been sealed up. As is our practice, my dad got the bow rake out and carefully removed the snake down below the road behind the house. All snakes are a vital part of the ecosystem and rattlesnakes are threatened. I'm not suggesting that others move snakes if they are not comfortable doing so but just be mindful that rattlesnakes are a native species and eat mice.
- I pulled some of the blackberry spires in the loquat/grape/azalea cluster but more need to be pulled. My dad was saying that you can "paint" (very carefully) a little Roundup on the branches, spires of plants and it will kill just that plant. Never done that but those blackberry vines keep coming back no matter how many are pulled. Frustrating.
Peter