This has been a year of repairs. I guess that's just part of life is fixing things. Thankfully my guys and gals are strong and not a few. After digging the hole they found the problem was encased in this concrete. Thus a sledge hammer and time was expended to break it out.
The hole and assorted pipes. I'm amazed at their ability. Mark broke up the concrete and got the pipes ready to go back together.
The initial find. This is a pressure block the years of repeated slamming of water into the plastic pipe encased in concrete caused it to crack and thus water seeped out. As they worked they had to pump this out after 20 minutes of so even with everything off and closed down. This was a 6 inch line.
A cool miracle story is when they initially found this they thought it was a riser. We needed the water off but it was late Saturday and our headgates are locked we could not stop the 2-3 acre feet of water continually flowing in those lines. Amazingly the water stopped flowing for about an hour. Greg was able to make the intital repair with no closing of lines by any human hands. He counts that a miracle, the water flowed again when he was done with the repair again no changes by us or anyone else.
Our potato patch. The girls have to pull 5 ice cream buckets of weeds every time we work in the garden. Hilling up is not for the faint of heart. I got about 2/3 of the patch done then it has rained and rained.
Merle is happiest right here on the four wheeler. Mark is not as happy but a very skilled strong worker.
Trying to separated the broken T in the 12" main line. They agreed to go ask for ideas from a neighbor who happened to be a retired pipe layer. HE can and loaned them two bigger crow bars and explained how to position a chain to get the pipes apart. I'm thankful for the voice of experience.
Because the guys were working so hard and it was national donut day we tried making donuts. Livy cut them out.
Happy helper. He loves to be with the guys and cries and cries if I bring him home when they are working.
They weren't suppose to be in the barley but apparently they are going hunting or exploring.
My helpers. And frosting the finished products. Yum! They turned out well.
This picture was taken at 12:30 a.m. when they guys came in. Bruce was up with them helping. He held the flashlight while they worked. This is important as without this person the workers can't see. Tasks like these build confidence and self-worth. You are important and needed. Having reason behind those statements makes all the difference in the world. Since COVID there have been lots of you matter, you are important signs. I question to whom do you matter, why are you important. I think it's important to finish the sentence and know your place. Greg is really good at answering those questions in our family. You matter to us, the cows, God. You are important to our success with this task, you are important to God and your siblings, etc. Small things but big lessons for these boys becoming men.
The next day going back together re tramping the dirt. That is a lot of work just packing and packing dirt.
Uncle Eric helped supervise along with his boys as more feet to stomp loose dirt. The dirt pile that came out of the hole was about 3/4 the size of the pickup in the picture.
We snuck away early Saturday morning to compete in a fun run to support Addie's XC teammates. We enjoyed a nice walk around the kids school. We earned ice cream cones.
The weather is beautiful. Mark was teaching me to run the pivots and instructed me to try to capture the wonderful night sky. Cameras cannot capture the bigness and divine color patterns of evening in the summer.
Our potatoes are blooming this week. I'm so excited new potatoes will set soon.
Cover cropping in those weeds is rye and clover. We are trying to encourage worms to work in our soil and other beneficial insects. While gardening Monday I found earthworms and lady bugs all very welcome. We also have planted some flowers trying to encourage more bees to come pollinate all our crops.
I mentioned the great germination of the carrots this year we have a few rows of carrots which is good because I buy a lot of carrots to cook with and munch on.
A back look at our thriving carbon capturing garden. We are working to let plants build our soil, but are also using a lot more mulch in the form of straw and grass clippings. The plants with mulch are happier- meaning green, strong, growing, than those without.
So our garden experiment is nearing a month of working on it. We are happy with all the growth and promise that is coming. I'm finding I really enjoy gardening I don't know where to put everything but I am diligent in working several days a week out there with my kids. The house is a mess and other things are not happening but I'm enjoying some success in the garden. We are blessed.
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