Working on the Chain Gang...

Surprise!

Not picking rock-
but shoveling and spreading rock. This rock pile was awaiting me upon my return from my Mother's Day Arkansas visit. 16 yards of rock to redo paths around the house from the parking area to the house to be exact.

Natureman was home Thursday when the large dump truck arrived ... and the stone was dumped. 

2-3" screened rock

The  only problem was what was dumped was this on the left.

desired 1" screened rock

And what was ordered was the rock on the right.

 Can you see the size difference?

Natureman made a telephone call re:the mistake and lo and behold, the next day the guys returned to remove the first load with a front loader and returned later in the day to replace it with what had been ordered.

The new pile 

Whew, was I happy for my one day of reprieve to recoup from my travels before starting on the 'chain gang.'

When we originally laid rock for paths when the house was finished, our friend George's Kubota tractor was a god send as it moved huge shovel fulls and dumped them around the perimeter of the house. Then we just raked it all into place. No such luck this time as the Kubota is sick. :(

Each wheelbarrow full must weigh 100's of pounds.  Although I helped with filling many of the loads and raking them out, it is Natureman who moves each and every barrowful around the house.  He'll either be very fit by the time this project is done/ not able to move.  

Phase I, the front path, was completed Friday and it looks so much better. My strategy was to not be short of rock if we started in the back. 

front path

side path

Phase II finished from the parking area to the westside of the house on Sunday.

Heck at this rate the final phase will be completed by sunset tomorrow and that pile will be all gone and then it'll be time for major weeding here in the End of the Rainbow Valley flower beds. Oh, I just can't wait, that is if I can still move.

the dwindling pile

If you were in the Valley you would have heard the shovels clinking making the sound  like on:Working on the Chain Gang. Natureman promised me music but I didn't realize this is what he had in mind. Ooh, ah...