Progress

Day 10

6:45am and the crew arrives, coming down the driveway shrouded in smoke. An other world orange sun in the east. There is ash everywhere and the smoke makes it difficult to breathe. But here they are ready for another day of carefully placing rocks on the columns. The crew offered me a tamale. Nice people.

Last night as we were loading the cars with personal effects in preparation to evacuate we looked at the rock columns and thought that they might be the only thing standing when we returned to the house.

The fire has consumed over 700 acres above our house and is only 5% contained. We are told to be packed and ready to leave with only 10 minutes notice.

By night

Progress

Day 9

6:33am...2 Horizon crew members have arrived. A fire broke out in the mountains behind us late yesterday afternoon. It is about 3 miles from our house and is now about 20% contained. Smoke is everywhere casting an eerie orange hue to the morning sky.

Jack-hammering is underway and the columns continue to rise toward the orange sky. It is going to be HOT today. Lynne is thinking of bringing in ice cream for the crew later today.

Escott Norton dropped by to check out the construction. I think he liked what he saw, especially the use of real rock...big real rock. Thanks Escott for the design. Thanks Horizon for the artistic work.

Progress

Day 8

6:40am and Horizon is here. I cleared away the garbage cans and recycling bin dragging them over the piles of rocks, sand and concrete block. It's another day of "jigsaw puzzle" building of rock columns.

Tom came and discussed where the 5' fence would be anchored behind the rock columns. He is going to core drill some drainage holes on the backside of the new garden wall and put in drainpipes that will elbow into gravel at the base of each planter. That will help prevent water from being trapped between the new wall and the house.

The crew was very busy working to get rocks on the 4 smaller columns and the 2 large columns. They also "saw cut" part of the landing, stairs and existing planter to enlarge the planting bed.


















Lynne and I decided to plant Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Marjorie Channon' in each of the new planters in front of the iron fence when the time comes. The plants will provide an airy screen revealing the fence and house behind.

Rocks arrive!

Day 7

Last night as Lynne and I walked the construction site in the front of our house we decided to modify the plans yet again. We are going to cancel the 5th column that flanked the existing garden bed. The crew just arrived, 6:43am. I'll go out and let them know.



Rocks have arrived. Big and small. Antonio and his crew carefully planned how the columns would be built and selected out specific rocks for the base of each. They then started building the first column. That was pretty exciting for us. Tomorrow...more rocks, more columns!

Progress

Day 6

Like clockwork at 6:45am this morning the first Horizon Landscaping crew member, Eladio, showed up on site and began mixing cement. The side columns are getting higher. Tom Poplin and Antonio Garcia planned out the 5th column and concrete curbing on the top landing. They'll be adding some real estate to the existing planting bed. Some "future use" conduit and irrigation pipes will be laid in under where concrete will later be poured.

Tom and Antonio went off to hand select some stones for the large columns. Things are moving along.

Construction photos

The Address Sign Post

Here is our concept for a lighted address sign to be "planted" in the front garden bed. We are talking to SPJ Lighting to get it made.

Day 5

Saturday morning came and so did the Horizon Landscaping crew. By 7am, as I fed the dogs, cement was being mixed out front. I had capped the new garden wall sprinkler extensions so that the plants in front could be watered before the crew arrived.

Day 4

Well, here it is Day 4 already. The crew arrived on cue at 6:45am. They are busy putting in rebar for the columns, hauling away broken concrete and bricks, and starting to put in the new garden wall toward the house.

Beginning of Day 4