First mowing of the year!

[AndyM]

It finally dried up enough that I could cut some of my grass.
I hooked up the finish mower to my New Holland TC18 yesterday.
It might seem to be a little strange, but cutting the grass is one of my favorite things to do. I guess it's my relaxation.

I think it is looking pretty good considering everything that poor yard has been through in the past year!

I hope to have a couple loads of dirt added over by the one tree over near my neighbor's driveway, next to the dirt he was nice enough to dump over there the other day. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[AndyM]

Here it is from another angle.
It's starting to dry up a lot on this side of the yard, even the level of my low spot ("pond") is going down! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

It's still too wet to mow over on the south side of my driveway and most areas behind the house (creates too many ruts driving over it!), and of course I can't go too close to the "pond" (I learned that lesson last year).

 

[AndyM]

Here's what it looked like on July 3 last summer!

Believe it or not, the wetest areas are over on the other side of the driveway, between the two hickory trees and the road. I have yet to get the tractor and RFM over in that area, either this year or last year! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[AndyM]

Two last pictures, from June 18, 2003.

It's hard to believe we've lived here exactly one year now!
We moved in on April 24, and those first two months were filled with problems, starting with the septic system failing inspection!

 

[AndyM]

Last one...

It certainly looks much better this year!

 

[Boondox]

Wow is that green! My meadow is still mostly brown and there are patches of snow under the trees! Pete

 

[srs]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Last one... )</font>

Andy, grass looks good. Just curious though, what is the pipe in pipe seen in the photo exiting the 'manhole'?

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> Andy, grass looks good. Just curious though, what is the pipe in pipe seen in the photo exiting the 'manhole'? </font>

The curtain drain for my septic system empties into the sump crock. Since the ground runs uphill from there to the road ditch, it gets pumped through the small pipe. I don't know why they put it through the larger pipe, but they did it on the other end too, where it empties out in the ditch along the road.

The curtain drain is perforated pipe in the ground in a bed of gravel, slightly above the leech field lines, that runs the perimeter of my leech field. In theory /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif, it is supposed to collect all of the rainwater ground runoff to prevent the septic field from becoming saturated.

Because of all of the rain we received last summer and fall, my front yard became flooded, and in turn, saturated my leech field. Having a saturated septic system after nine months after it was installed wasn't fun, but I'm told I can salvage it if I can keep the front yard dry. It's getting there, slowly but surely. Here's a picture taken December 24, for those who weren't following my problems last year. Remember, that sump crock in the ground represents the end of my septic field. All of the water in the front was pushing its way back into my septic field.



One other thing, for anyone building a new house, TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING, AT EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS, AT EVERY ANGLE, ESPECIALLY THINGS THAT WILL BE COVERED LATER ON! I've said it before, but I can't repeat it too many times. I took over 1000 pictures last year, and there's things I wish I had pictures of that I missed. Also, document every mistake, as soon as it happens and keep good written records of your oral conversations with your builder. Having a house built is the single largest amount of money you will ever spend at one time, so make sure you protect your investment from the beginning! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[frank_f15]

Got a chance to cut MOST of my lawn last week isnce then nothing but rain, grass needs cutting but to wet mabey by friday if it don't rain no more /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif btw do your self a favor , and stunt that willow growing in your yard or else u will end up with this, dirtiest darn tree in the world

 

[GerardC]

Looks like it's coming along real nice. I hope to someday have that nice green lawn that you have. Keep up the good work.