Power and Water!

The light bulbs are on!

With power we're pumping water!
Yes, it started out brown. No, Rikki didn't really drink it :)

Two hours of pumping later it was clear and tasted GREAT!

We cut down a couple of trees while waiting for the water to clear up

Today was a great day! I left work a little early and went to the courthouse. I got the land deed recorded at the auditor. I went home to find the power had been hooked up! It was fun to flip the switch and see the light come on for the first time. We turned on the well pump in anticipation. In seconds water came flowing from the hose! It started out black, then turned brownish, and cleared up perfectly after a couple hours of pumping. It tasted awesome. I'll turn in water samples to the lab tomorrow. While we were pumping I cut down a couple trees that would have been a little too close to the house for comfort. The big 70 footer in the picture fell backwards into the forest. I did what I could to fall it in the clearing, but it did what it wanted. It's a lot more work to haul the logs out of the brush, but at least we were all safe!

First Bonfire

Dad working the last of the pile

An old Christmas Tree made for a good show

We had to burn of the pile of vegetation where the foundation hole will be dug in a few weeks. The pile was pretty huge, full of scotch broom we chained up and pulled out with the truck and a ton of laurel and lilacs from Diane's house. I started around 7am and by 2pm when we left for Bret's wedding only a small, hot stump was left. The next morning it was all gone!

Father's Day Weekend Hike

We look happy for only being half way done

Every dad should get to feel like Hercules on Father's Day :)

Tree lover

The girls' taking a break before heading back

Lena Lake

We took a break from getting the property ready for building this weekend. Seven of us went for a hike in the Olympics to Lena Lake. We were proud of ourselves for making it a whole 6.5 miles. We had a really fun time and want to go back when it's a little warmer to camp and go fishing.

Utility Trench

137' down, 3' to go

Mom put the pull rope in

All that work to fill it back in...

Today we finished digging the utility trench. When we met from both ends of the driveway, I think we got a taste of what it was like to drive the Golden Spike in Utah. We put conduit in the ground for power and cable. Mom wouldn't let me help with the pull rope even though her arms were tired because she wanted to do it all by herself :) It seemed so counterproductive to dig all that dirt out just to put it all back. I'm ready to see some visible progress! Hopefully the power company will make it out this week and we'll be able to turn a light on.

Power & Water

There were roots everywhere!

No glamor here

Any volunteers?

Dad and I got the well hooked up today. Soon we'll see if we get good water. Mom and Rikki finished the ditch at the end by the well house. All we have left is to dig across the driveway. We started late in the evening, but it's hard as a rock so we decided to save it for another day. Rikki keeps getting bitten by mosquitoes, even with the dryer sheets hanging out of her pocket :)

New Home Site

6533 Mariposa Lane

This is where the new house goes. By God's grace things are falling into place and in six to nine months this place should look a lot different. Stay tuned...