The ball cedar is too close to the maple tree.

May 11, 2023
 

 
 
Firesmart says the cedar should go.

March 20, 2024
 

 
 
 

March 20

 
 
 

March 20

 
 
We were sad to kill the grand old bush, but...

March 20

 
 
It makes way for a new car port (stakes).

May 21

 
 
Some black locusts are also in the way.

June 10

 
 
Site cleared.

June 11

 
 
Digging out the cedar stump.

May 21

 
 
Gonna have to grind it out.  Thanks, Vincent Treeworks of Glade, BC.

May 22

 
I dig a test trench to make sure future wiring avoids the old rock pit that used to serve as our kitchen septic field. Success!

May 8

 
 
Removing those black locust trees.

June 10

 
 
Broke my shovel. :-(

June 10

 
 
So many locust roots. They send out long, thick runners.

June 11

 
 
I start removing sod.

July 1

 
 
More stubborn roots. They're everywhere!

July 1

 
 
Sod for the compost pile.

July 16

 
 
I left the maple's roots in place.

July 20

 
 
Levelled and tamped and rolled. I used our EV like a steamroller.

July 22

 
 
Landscape cloth in place.

July 24

 
 
12.4 metric tonnes of gravel & sand (road crush).

July 24

 
 
I used topsoil from the car port area to level the lawn (hand tamper at left).

July 24

 
 
Levelled and tamped. Water helps compact the road crush further.

July 24

 
 
Buttons approves.

July 25

 
 
Working on the main driveway.

August 5

 
 
 

August 5

 
 
I added lots of gravel to the end of the drive to flatten its slope a bit.

August 5

 
 
 

August 5

 
 
 

August 5

 
 
Buttons jumps over a pile of topsoil.

August 5

 
 
A pipe I buried beneath the gravel locates the future charger conduit.

August 7

 
 
Some temporary conduit will locate the corner of the car port.

August 7

 
 
We purchased a 10 ft x 10 ft cart port from MS Steel Design in Thrums, BC.

August 8

 
 
 

August 8

 
 
Martin Scheulin, master craftsman, assembles his work with a helper.

August 8

 
 
 

August 8

 
 
 

August 8

 
 
 

August 8

 
 
Martin welds on site.

August 8

 
 
These plates (left) will mount a future EV charger.

August 8

 
 
Sharon goes to work.

August 9

 
 
 

August 9

 
 
 

August 9

 
 
Beans helps level the final section of driveway.

August 19

 
 
Done.

August 19

 
 
The overgrown driveway before this outdoor renovation.

May 22

 
 
 

August 21

 
 
 

August 21

 
 
 

August 21

 
 
Time to wire the L2 charger.

September 20

 
The trench passes under many roots.

September 16

 
 
I dig deep.

October 3

 
 
This end of the conduit has to be fished into place.

September 20

 
 
From here it runs up to the charger, protected by metal conduit.

September 20

More flex conduit feeds a lighting circuit above the charger.

September 25

 
This circuit pops out the back of the charger.

September 25

 
 
Lights are needed in the carport because of its distance from the house.

September 29

 
At the other end of the trench, the conduit enters our house.

September 20

I suck a string from the carport into the house with our vacuum cleaner.

September 26

 
The string is used to pull five wires through the conduit.

September 27

 
 
Those wires are then fished through more conduit in our utility room...

October 9

 
 
...up to our electrical panel.

October 9

 
 
Time to test the charger.

October 10

 
 
It works!

October 10

 
I back fill the trench and bury the required safety tape.

October 12

 
 
Sparkles approves.

October 15

 
 
So does Beans.

October 15

 
 
 

October 15

 
 
 

November 3

 
The carport lights illuminate the car and the path to the house. The project was complete except for one thing...

May 20, 2025

 
 
Christmas lights!

December 24, 2024

 
 
 

December 24

 
 
 

January 4, 2025