Driveway and fire storage take final shape

We spent all of August, September and October outside as much as possible. We did take a couple of days off each week to rest our bodies and do some other things.  We're learning!  Anyway we know the winter rains are coming soon so there'll be lots of time for indoor projects then.  While the weather is nice we've been continuing with improvements to the driveway, drainage and creating beautiful banks and paths on the street side of the house.
NOTE: Due to technical difficulties...the font below is a bit smaller than usual.  Sorry!

in August Jim started shaping the slope between the driveway and the road.
Moving dirt from one place to another is as common for us as moving rocks or lumber.
There are always things to be moved!

Jim shovelled soil into the truck then took the truck to the road level and distributed it where needed.

He dragged wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow across the driveway to beautiful this slope.

Part of the driveway project was incorporating a better system of adequate drainage for our property.  Jim gave this much thought for weeks then designed, built and installed a 4' deep sump box. This means that rainwater runs down the driveway along small ditches that direct it towards the sump. Once the sump fills to a certain level it overflows into two 4 inch drainage pipes that exit out at the side of the property where the runoff provides moisture to all the plants on our lot perimeter. 

The plywood sump box, getting wrapped with thick landscape
cloth before being 'planted' into the ground at the base of the driveway.

The basic sump buried in place before runoff pipes are added.

Jim dug a huge trench to bury the runoff pipes leading away from the sump down hill.

You can see the two pipes getting buried under the driveway and away from the house.

Those pipes are connected to the sump about a foot below the level of the driveway.
This is just after lining it with some rocks. Sure looks pretty and new!

Countless hours were spent clambering up and down our slopes, digging more ditches, shoveling, racking, moving rocks, gathering more rocks, etc.  Jim did the brunt of the heavy work while my left arm continued to heal after breaking a bone in June.  His efforts were incredible because he wanted to get the system up and running before heavy rains began.  

Digging at night when it was cooler.
I had to practically drag him in for dinner and then he would go back out and work again til 9:00 or so. 

Back at it again in the morning. Filling in where the pipes were buried.  He did this all the way to the perimeter!

Filling in the ditch took a LOT of rocks then gravel!  There are always places for rocks of varying sizes and shapes.

First major rains after the sump was installed.  Worked great!

Finished sump with cover.  We can open it up and clean it out any time we need to.
It's safe and protected and doing its job!

Wood!  We're surrounded by it.  We'll be incorporating lots of wood in the house, showcasing Jim's talents as a craftsman.  The cedar tree, which will be our closet, is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The four pieces of cedar marked for cutting with the chainsaw.  A work in progress...

However, Jim's talents extent outside the house to the yard too.  Since we'll have a wood stove in our living room, a place to store firewood had to be built.  Jim envisioned and built a beautiful firewood structure that also acts as a retaining wall for the slope between the driveway and the road.  We already have the corrugated tin roof materials for completing this great structure.  Lots of neighbours and walkers have stopped to talk about it and admire it.

Yes - I can use a socket set!

We found this pile of discarded marble near the highway and loaded the truck with anything we could carry.

Marble slabs create the 'floor' of the wood storage structure.  How many storage sheds have a marble floor???

The reinforced structure also acts as a retaining wall for the bank leading up to the road level. 

We categorized the stones: potatoes, turnips, mandarins, walnuts, and eggs.  Helped for finding the right sizes.

The roof shape echoes the house roof.  Already we have a bit of firewood stacked!

Roof next!  Of course it will mean moving more piles of stuff but that's part of the building game!

Jim marked the driveway so we knew where to add a couple of loads of gravel.  We had two loads of gravel delivered and will need a bit more to complete the driveway project then we should be set for whatever the winter brings weather-wise.

Finding the right level for a load of gravel.  We wanted to build it up a bit near the house and slope the
ground towards the sump that we installed.

Delwin and Jim getting the first load emptied.

OMG! That's a lot of gravel to sift, move, rack and compact.

One day later Jim was using our truck to compact the new level of the driveway.  One more load to go!

So worth the work during the summer.  By next year the grasses will have taken over again.
The deer love the new path that makes it easier for them to walk through our yard.

Rocks, trees, sunsets and water.  What more do you need?

Until next time!

Tricia and Jim