Gravel Pads and Permits

The big job this past weekend was to get the gravel pad that makes up the foundation of the yurt laid.  The first step we did was to lay down landscaping fabric.

 

The fabric does 2 things.  I keeps weeds from popping up under the yurt and it keeps gravel from sinking down into the ground and disappearing forever.  The plywood you see in the photo was used to make a path for the skid steer to drive on without tearing the fabric.
Our gravel arrived and made a great play place for awhile.

 

 Leo helped move the gravel around.

 And here is the pad.

 We had enough gravel left over to re gravel the driveway and make a path from the house to the yurt

All the permits are now in order so we can start building as soon as time allows.  Let's hope we get it done before the snow flies.

A New Yurt begins

 We've been working hard all summer long and are finally making steps towards putting up the yurt.  The permitting process took a lot of time and work, but we are just about done.  While figuring out the paper work we were able to tackle some construction tasks.  The land has been mowed, stumps removed, yurt staked out, and trenches dug for electricity and gas (we have decided not to plumb it.)  Here is what it looks like now.  Not much to look at, I know.

The railroad ties are at about 16 feet off of the center stake of the yurt and held in place with re bar going through them and into the ground.  We will be filling the space inside of the ring with landscape fabric (to keep weed growth down) and about 6 inches of gravel as a pad for the pier blocks the yurt will be sitting on.
Here is the trencher I rented to help me dig our utility lines

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It had a mechanical failure about 10 minutes into the dig and I hand dug the rest of the 60 feet worth of 18 inch deep trenches.  I'm really glad I did, (after the fact) because I unearthed a few treasures.  Both the pickle jar the old soda can were found about 6 inches down.  The pickle jar still had pickles in it.  The can screams 1970's.

 

While the last place the yurt was set up was beautiful, it was also pretty exposed.  The exterior wood of the door frame had quite a number done to it by the wind, sun, rain, and ice.  We've lucked out with some really nice weather here lately, so I took advantage and refinished the doors.

 

 Next projects: laying the gravel pad and building the deck.

In some non-yurt related news, the first blue berry harvest is in:

 Leo has decided to fly away.

 And, despite a 3 day stint in the hospital after poking a hole in herself, Kaya is up and running with new butterfly clothes.