Tony Reed Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Next time, stick that LaScala in the "outside corner" of your house. It might make an improvement. Tony Hey Tony, here's an idea- Take it all out in the driveway, pile it up, and TAKE A PHOTO! It's really good back excersize (not) Michael Michael, You've got to be kidding! It would take me days and cause undo strain. Actually, I'd love to do that, just not enough energy. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Meagain asked for some more pictures, so here are some more. This is sort of an outline of the farm. I'm sure I don't have it exactly but you can see how we're bordered by water and TVA. TVA again, owns all the land "touching" the water and we butt right up to TVA. Our three houses are the only three houses "way" out here but there are 3 other houses on our road at the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Some back patio shots. I might (proudly) say that this was all dirt about 9 weeks before our wedding that we held on the back patio. It was a herculean task taking it from dirt to what you see...but we did it. The day of our wedding, I was literally planting some flowers an hour before the first guests were to arrive and was getting out of the shower AS they arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Last summer I built the awning you see on the far side. Had 6x6 post set in ground inside of concrete. Next day wife says "if I ask you a question will you get mad at me" I said "you want me to move that post that's set in concrete already, don't you" Yes... she says sheepishily... "how far" I ask with narrowing eyes... 'about 3 inches" Of course, I did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 She wanted a pond & waterfall. I said where do you want it? She said "somewhere over hear" I said, "you don't get it... POINT YOUR FINGER to where you want it" She pointed and about 4 scoops later with my backhoe... EVERY SINGLE rock you see (other than flagstone on patio floor) was picked up by us around the farm including what I call "the water rock" that the waterfall cascades over. It cleaved off a much larger rock had a flat bottom and I was mad. Until I realized it might just be the perfect rock for where it is. We have NEVER done a task like this before, this was our first attempt and I must say, we put it all together with wedding looming, put liner in, pump in, rocks in and turned it on. It worked perfectly the first time we tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Couple inside shots (we've done everything in the house ourselves after shell was built and drywall installed) She wanted to rip up carpet in bedroom and install some posts, among some other things. This is a before shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 and after (bought pneumatic stapler for flooring and sold it on ebay for more than I paid for it)!! The columns themselves each probably took several hours to install. I had to shave the bottom fraction by fraction until I could get a nice snug fit. A defensive back could probably body slam into those and he'll break his shoulder before they give out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 She wanted corner fireplace. I kept BRAGGING how this fireplace "was so tucked away" and made sure she again and again, realized how corners were 'dead space'. I was setting her up for when I bought some Khorns !! (literally) [6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 I got it build and she made it pretty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 All of these rocks came off the farm too. I needed a big shovel to move a couple of them[A] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 As a fellow ponder, I know how important and how hard it is to find the perfect spillway rock. I would have given my eye-teeth to have found yours. Bravo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 we added an irrigation system (yet another thing I'd never done and was pleased to find it work ok) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Although I can't find a finished pic of "the great wall of Greenback", here's best I've found. I might want to point out that the nearest big rock you see was evidently the heaviest of any I moved. When I was putting it into place the rear wheels of my backhoe were literally "floating" on the top of the ground. I was at times, teeter-tottering on my front wheels so I had to extend my hoe back a bit to gain some leverage and plant rear wheels as firmly as I could on terra firma. Enough for now. See what happens when you ask for stuff Meagain? you might get more than you bargained for [D] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Coytee; What a great job you did on your home! The shot of you and the Mrs. adds the scale needed to see just how big of a job it was! Funny I pictured you much younger (not that you are all that old![] ) It must by your avitar of a puppy[] The overview of your land really helps to see where things are and how they are related. I will again say that you have a treasure (you know that!) and do everything you can to keep it in the family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Thanks. Ya know Cal, there were some "funny moments" when building that wall. I was up on top with backhoe and she was down on driveway part. It was from up there that I installed most of the rocks as she gave me direction from below. On more than one occasion she (being a perfectionist) would point at a rock and suggest I slide it over 1/2 of an inch. Of course my backhoe (Brutus as I call it) isn't made for finesse, it's made for digging. I'd put pressure on said rock and WHAM, it would slide over 4 inches instead of 1/2". She'd get all bit**y at me about destroying everything and I'd get all bitc*y back at her for not understanding how difficuilt it is to move a one ton rock 1/2" to the side with something not meant for that job. Some of those rocks were quarried out of "the quarry" that's on the farm. REad that to be, a 30x30 hole where they dug rock out 150 years ago. Some of the rocks in the picture (long rectangular ones on the lower left) still have the holes in them where they drilled them by hand and put the feahters in them so they could be split. I was tickled when I saw those. The retaining wall beside the pond was built almost 100% by the wife (I did the heavier pond rocks) One day when we were working on the big rock wall, my mother was on the porch having a smoke. Marion & myself started to get cranky at each other (which we did a lot) and mom just happened to have to go inside. (ie, she wanted to get away while we were fighting & screaming at each other) All the sudden, Marion's uncle shows up with a scotch/soda in his hand. We said hello to him and he said "don't mind me, I heard you two yelling at each other and I came over to watch the fireworks" [:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Coytee, wow! The house, landscaping, and sound are beautiful! I think you found out that in outdoor applications, mono(or point source) sound is not all that bad. You need lots of watts, a decent pitch, and speakers that throw well. I'd really give thought to just stacking the Scalas and let their quality do all the work. It's easier on the back than lugging them around. Just make some sun tea, some snacks, and park your dad out in the field under some shade, and don''t forget the football program. Life doesn't get much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 9, 2006 Moderators Share Posted May 9, 2006 I always thought to ask if anybody here has ponds,never did. But after reading here i see some do, ponds is how we got started landscaping. We don't do many ponds anymore but we still grow some bog plants and tropical water lillies to sell to " ponders ". We have about three acres with 10 ponds on it, one pond for each color lillie. each pond is about 20' x 40'. Will post a pic soon of a pond full of lillies with all the flowers. But the land in this thread is what we always wanted, a little more nerve and alot more money and we would give it all up and start over in Tennesee for land like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Coytee, I swear on a stack of bibles I will never complain about my wifes "Honey Do" list she hands me every Friday again! What creative minds and hard work can produce even with a *** or tat disagreement sometimes[] You should be quite proud of yourselves and do take the time to enjoy and take it all in when possible[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Excellent work Coytee! Love the fact that you installed planting pockets in "the wall" instead of just rock. And you didn't hit the "easy button" and used those preformed wall stone types that everyone uses. You're lucky to have that backhoe! How old are you guys if you don't mind me asking? I know projects like this can suck the life out of you at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 How old are you guys if you don't mind me asking? I know projects like this can suck the life out of you at some point. Here is an artist's rendition of me after working with all these rocks (though about 3 years old) I'm currently 46 as of April 11 I might add there is yet another rock garden that we made, no pics. There is a rock there that must weigh 400 pounds. Wife pointed to it and said "turn it this way" (by hand) "nooooooooo... turn it THAT way" (by hand) "noooooooooo... go back to this way" (by hand) "Can't you turn it about 2 inches?" (by hand) "NO, NOT THAT WAY, THE OTHER WAYYYYYYYYYYY" (arghhhhhh, again, by hand) This rock is about 24" by 18" or something... I REALLY think she was simply trying to break my back to collect on my insurance... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.