How to Have a White Christmas

If you really want a white Christmas, start a major landscaping project in November.  Granted our November weather was super nice - in fact too balmy to cut wood, the grape harvest was finished, replacing broken grape posts was finally finished, so we started.

The Before Picture

 I've been mowing this area since 2009 and finally got a "plan" Christmas of 2015.  The patio stone was delivered in the summer and I was hoping to lessen the huge piles before the snow flies so my driveway doesn't drift.

By patio stone, I mean broken concrete pieces out of a former cattle yard.   Dirt (manure) and all!  What can I say, the price was right.  

Another factor in the whole equation was the use of a skid steer to move the heavy pieces.  We had to wait for the "man with the skid steer" to finish harvesting, and then, had to be free, or at least the equipment had to be free.  This definitely wasn't a one person job!   Three would have been nice, but two kind of worked.  

This is about all that was complete before the ground froze around early December.  The outline shape is established and the fire pit can be easily seen.  The problem was many pieces were too large and heavy to move by hand or the small bucket on the tractor. 

I did get all the crushed limestone moved down here, off the driveway.  We did make a dent in the concrete pile, but there is still plenty left.  And there is still a pile of washed river rock.  I have nearly surrounded the house in river rock and there is still plenty more.  Think before ordering a dump truck load of river rock.  :)

And this is about a week later - mid December.  

Pile of Concrete Remains