Around the first of February it was time to begin thinking and planning on a spring house. I am very blessed to have a wonderful spring (actually more than one) on my land. It sources out of Caney Cave (also on my land) and produces 65,000 gallons of water a day, gravity flow. Now only a true "water man" could educate a girl like me on how wonderful gravity flow water is...not to mention what 65,000 gallons of water a day really MEANS. Thankfully, I had such a man. Yes, we could say that I really didn't "get it" :) So, my water education began. First, repair work had to be done on the existing water line coming out of the spring. During a camping trip in the cave around New Year's Eve, I (yes me) had actually discovered some damage to the line. In addition, we had to decide where the line needed to cross the creek before coming up and leading over to the workshop. In lining that out, we had to bear in mind "The Cabin". For those of you who don't know, the workshop is really only the beginning. I have had plans for a log cabin in my back pocket for about 17+ years. My first day on the land, I knew where I wanted the workshop and where I wanted the cabin....making both of those happen has been the rest of the story :). So since the cabin will need to also be fed from this spring and subsequent spring house, where future structures, lines, etc. could be located had to be not only thought out, but drawn out (if only in our minds).
In walks the best "water man" and a great GC. Between the two of them, they had a "plan". I had pointed out where I wanted the cabin, some trees I wanted to save, and a future picnic spot...the rest I left to them. So when I came in that third weekend of February (2010), I was told I had a surprise. As you can see from the pictures above, Wesley had not only fixed the water lines, but he had taken the dozer and built a road from past the workshop to the cabin, and then down to Caney Creek right in front of the cave, waterfall, and water line. Seriously?! It was a first edition :)
I want to brag on Wesley some because frankly the pictures may oversimplify it. First, the water line goes all the way up the waterfall/mountain you see behind the jeep (the dark line you see on the right from top to 3/4 up the picture) and back into the cave (the large dark spot you see to the left of the waterfall). He had to troubleshoot that from the source all the way down to the creek, and then do any repairs. The hike up there (not to mention with tools and supplies) is something to be proud of, to be sure. Then he had to chainsaw his way to make a clearing from the creek up to the cabin site (which has been cleared ~ to some degree already). Remember I had sustained substantial ice storm damage, but with help from others I had worked to clear out this spot (but we were no way done). Then, he took the dozer and pushed over trees, etc. clearing a road all the way down. This is the first time a vehicle has ever been to the creek (at least this section). I was (and continue to be) impressed and thrilled (as the pictures above clearly show).
So Wesley takes me down in the Jeep to unveil my surprise, and after the squealing and picture taking is over...decisions have to be made. At first it seemed easy, put the spring house down near the creek (which will be below the future cabin) as we had originally discussed. Problem! Wesley had done such a wonderful job clearing out for the road, I now saw a bigger future picnic area. What to do?! We walked up and down that new road looking up and down that hollow from every angle trying to determine where there could be an alternate spot that worked functionally and aesthetically ;) After a lot of head scratching, we agreed on a spot, but bless his heart it meant more work for him :( The other side of this is that Wesley on that dozer is like placing a child in a candy store with a credit card...he really loves it (and he is very good with it). So I was grateful, and felt only a teeny weeny bit guilty over the extra work.
The spring house will produce 20 gallons of water a minute ~ enough to supply the workshop and a future cabin. Wow!!
So after a lot of work (95% Wesley) and a lot of head scratching (95% us), the spring house was well on its way. One step closer...
No comments:
Post a Comment