Here are a couple of pictures that represent an update of things as of July 2011. Progress on the pool excavation basically halted for over 6 weeks for a couple of reasons. First, I broke a tooth off the backhoe bucket and needed to replace it. Then, the machine sprang a leak. Finally, we decided to focus on getting ready for our third annual July 4th party (which was great, actually got the pig to cook properly (though it did burn a bit), but I don't think we thought to get many pictures). Once the party was over I was able to figure what was leaking (well, didn't really understand why it was leaking, but managed to make it stop) and got back to excavation. Continuing with the trend of screwing things up, I bent the bucket tooth adapter (or perhaps saddle) trying to pry up a rock that wasn't as loose as I thought it was. Fortunately Wade, the guy who sold me the backhoe, also sold me two other buckets, so I was able to get back to work (after a really greasy hour swapping the buckets). I have been a bit smarter since then and don't try to pry loose stones so much. The first two pictures show me getting back to 'chemical rock removal' in the pit (the foreground in the second pic shows the substantial amount I have yet to tackle), the rest show some landscaping and our garden as well as some of the fruits of our garden.
Carrots coming along well...
Zuchinie (sp?)
Not terribly clear, but the center of the picture is a bunch of tomato plants that have lots of fruit, but nothing ripe yet
In the very back against the fence are sun flowers, then three rows of corn (most of which failed to germinate, I think we planted too soon and the seed rotted before it could germinate), in the foreground in the left side are several sweet pepper plants just starting to flower and to the right are peas we bought grown to replace the ones that failed to germinate, but haven't done anything useful.
Hard to see, but we have some cabages, lettuce and okra.
Just a couple of summer squash plants, but they have produced over 20 fruit.
Cantelope; I had no idea the young ones were so furry!
Water mellon...
Eliz with just a taste of our success with the summer squash (and a couple of zuchini).
