Happy Hardcore

I started this post ages ago, uploaded all the photos but never added any words.  I’ve a feeling there was a reason but I can’t remember what that was.  Anyway, despite it now being February, I’m going to leave it with it’s original date.

This is the Teram Root protection which was one of the conditions of the planning permission – the idea is that it distributes the weight of the vehicles so they don’t crush the roots.  Of course we had to excavate an extra 6in of roots to install it but that irony seems to have got lost

Drivelaying 1 - Root protection

Hardcore going in and getting compacted down.

Drive laying 2 - Hardcore

Hardcore almost

First use 🙂

Drive and Car

The hardcore is a little deep at present so the drive can be used – once the extension is finished a bit will be scraped off to make space for the finishing material.

The Mason’s Mark

The drive pillars are finished 🙂

Last week I made a rudimentary sign to stop people parking in front of the wall (there’s been a few mystery cars parked there for a long time).

Please keep clear. Stonemason begins work Monday 1st September

On Monday the stonemason arrived at 8am with his mate and his JCB to knock down the wall.  This what it looked like at the end of Day One, the wall is down – the bad stone (there was a lot of crumbled slate) has been removed and the concrete bases for the pillars are drying.

End of Day 1

End of Day Two – the pillars are starting to rise.
End of Day 2End of Day Three.  That oblong space on the wall in the left is for a name plate, I need to get it made up and the stonemason is going to come back and mount it for me.
End of Day 3End of Day Four – pier caps are starting to take shape.
End of Day 4Day Five – Pier caps and capping on the wall is done.
Finished

N.B. I believe the mortar will end up a lot lighter than this when it is fully dry, so should be a little less “contrasty”.  The temptation to write my name in it has been strong but I’ve resisted…. so far.

Brambles to Blackberries

I saw in the paper the other day that a mild winter and warm spring were responsible for “an early and abundant harvest” but I was still surprised to see ripe blackberries growing on (through?) the shed in August.blackberries

The hedge was fairly well laden too so I stuffed my face. They were so good, I slightly regretted removing all the brambles from the front wall before the blackberries were ripe but this evening the stonemason called and said he’ll be starting on Monday morning 🙂