BagsPond Update 2

[bagsmom]

Well. I may have lied. I will probably do some more digging tomorrow. But not excavating the hole -- so maybe that doesn't count. I was looking at the earth surrounding the pond edge. I over dug a bit already. The lower side is easy because there is so much loose dirt from the hole piled up around -- it's nice and easy to move. On the high side, it's concrete. I was trying to dig in with my pickaxe "claw" and it's just solid. I did a little more scraping there and discovered quite of few of the boulder-like clay deposits. And tree roots. Ugh. I removed two basketball sized blobs, but I have a couple more to get.

 

[sissy]

My fair share also like my retaining wall is off level in one spot but rocks on top of it hid that .I had a lot of shale and had to use a pick axe and even used my saws all .Now I miss that god old NJ soil I had .Fertile and soft and so easy to dig and everything grew in it .Here lots of lime just to sweeten the soil because it was all pine trees before it was cleared

 

[Mmathis]

Pulling out my best Scarlett O'Hara impersonation here:

As God is my witness, I will not re-sculpt my pond excavation again! (After today.)

I decided to compromise on what to do about the depth of the first shelf. I'm compromising and taking it just a little lower, then berming up to make up the difference. This weekend, hubby will help me with gluing in the flexible PVC pipe to the skimmer. And hopefully liner!!!!!!

I've been busy with scouts this past week and haven't stayed caught up on your build, @bagsmom. But I do want to point out something very important: in ponding, NEVER SAY NEVER [even if it's "will not", LOL!]. There's ALWAYS going to be something that comes up -- maybe not now, but down the road -- and you'll eat those words! Spoken from experience! Due to our crappy soil situation, I ended up having to completely re-do our pond after its 2nd season (twice, actually). Well, I could have left it alone, but I had a drive that told me to make the improvements I didn't know about the first time around.

 

[bagsmom]

I've been busy with scouts this past week and haven't stayed caught up on your build, @bagsmom. But I do want to point out something very important: in ponding, NEVER SAY NEVER [even if it's "will not", LOL!]. There's ALWAYS going to be something that comes up -- maybe not now, but down the road -- and you'll eat those words! Spoken from experience! Due to our crappy soil situation, I ended up having to completely re-do our pond after its 2nd season (twice, actually). Well, I could have left it alone, but I had a drive that told me to make the improvements I didn't know about the first time around.

I'm sure I will have to tweak and such down the road. No doubt!
I was mostly talking about this eternal sculpting of the hole. I'm ready to move onto the next step and I keep finding spots that aren't perfect yet. I just need to stop already! LOL

 

[sissy]

you have OCD and in life I found nothing is perfect and gave up and just try to get it looking nice

 

[bagsmom]

I totally do!

 

[bagsmom]

OK folks! I spent another 4 hours today out in the hole, leveling the top shelf and working more on overdigging the edge so it will be easy to set the big stones. I think I'm done!
Sunday, hubby will help me connect the pipe to the skimmer and we can set and pack the skimmer into the hole.
Then underlayment and liner! Yay!!!!!!
Maybe next week I'll get to play with the rocks!

 

[sissy]

HMMMM think I have heard that several times before

 

[addy1]

I totally do!

Totally no OCD here. Things are never perfect.

 

[sissy]

I am just a mess all over the place at one time so no perfection here .No time for it Thinking my retirement house is my nightmare house now that I am getting older .

 

[herzausstahl]

I've found wet clay, although heavier, is 10 times easier to dig than dry clay which is like concrete. Looks good so far! I like fish tunnel

 

[bagsmom]

I got the liner in yesterday! Need to fuss with it today and get it pleated and pulled just right!

 

[bagsmom]

On the way to school, I told my kids I was excited because I'd get to sort out my rocks today. My youngest said: "That sounds like something people made their kids do for fun before electricity was invented."

 

[Mmathis]

I've found wet clay, although heavier, is 10 times easier to dig than dry clay which is like concrete. Looks good so far! I like fish tunnel

With the clay we have [and not all clays are created equal], there is a fine WOO [window of opportunity] between too wet and too dry. With my last re-do, instead of breaking my back, digging, I lowered my tiller down and used it to break up the worst stuff. And boy, there is definitely a WOO there for using a tiller -- that clay has to be the PERFECT amount of dryness, LOL!

 

[bagsmom]

Our WOO (I love saying this) is longer, since our clay never gets goopy. It's either thick like partially dried artist's clay or like concrete! But ideal for pond sculpting in many ways. It is very strong. I know Louisiana is wetter in general. This drought we are in is horrible! But it is making it easier for me to work on the pond! Yay!
I'm outside playing with rocks right now. Just came in for some food. I will post pix later!