These weather forecasters cannot seem to get it straight. They said a light frost for New Year's Eve. Light. Not layers thick. It is a good thing the plants were brought inside the Rainstream. If they had been placed in the storage box like last winter they would have froze. Again. Yesterday a Rainstream, today a Foreststream. Who knew the versatility of an Airstream.
For four days the weather was too cold outside for these citrus plants so they remained inside. It was very tight quarters for those four days. The dog was beside herself as there was only one place for her to lay down. And seeing how she has to be under foot when you are sitting, she was not having this arrangement. Just look at her beaming eyeball stares at the Planner.
Yes, the box was outlined last year. But this was the name of the first blog of 2017 and I thought it would be great to start 2018 the same too. With no time to spare because the work force is arriving, the forms and tubes were arranged and readied to go. While everything up to this point has been the same as the Shop Box, the next few steps will be very different.
Last time this step took weeks to complete as they were done after I got home from work. This time, oh this time, a concrete truck. But first, water had to be removed. Buckets of water were removed from the holes before the truck arrived, as the truck arrived, and even as the truck poured.
Once the concrete arrived with the correct mixture, the procedure went quickly. Not smoothly, but quickly. The concrete was the wrong set and it made for more work in the end. The water had to be tamped out. Dry concrete made from hand had to be poured in and tamping began again. Fortunately the work force has a great sense of humor and we laughed at the whole mess.
Ten days later the forms were removed, the tops were leveled, and the dirt was piled up around the footings. This was not done last time and it created a spot where water sat. No reason to offer more places for mosquitoes to brood.
As before, frames were built in the Big City #1 and brought home and installed. The frames were held in place with the tractor,
tacked,
checked for square,
and then welded into place.
Welding produces some of the most spectacular lighting. These are fantastic considering I am not looking when the pictures are taken. These are a point and shoot result. Hey, I happen to like my eyesight thank you very much.
Now they just need sand blasted and painted.
Welding is a one-man band. While the planner did his thing, the dog and I did our thing. Look how beautiful the setting sun looks on her gray face.
In her old age, she has started to develop new tics. Such as eating dirt. She searches it out. Looks for just the right texture or smell or something because she is definitely selective in her eating.
She may be getting up there in age but she is just as wily as she ever was. Oh this dog, she has been a mess since day one.