In July of last year, we completed the last major cleanup event at Purgatory. We got in another two dumpsters and piled yet more debris left behind by the previous owners into it. At that time, we were also getting ready to start the studio remodel, so here is the list of all the affected areas the crew and I covered:
-Remove everything from Studio
-Ties out at water main
-Last of debris behind stables to dumpster
-Clean up west fenceline
-Chunks of asphalt along driveway to pile
-Fallen branches by kennel, gate, and near well to wood pile
-Put pile outside SportsCourt in dumpster
-Asphalt rocks to bottom culvert
-Finish weeds along road
We managed to get everything done except for filling the drainage chasm along the edge of the south pasture.
Here are pics of some of the work:
1-3. Debris behind the barn, including rotted fencing rails.
4. There were a couple of old metal drums that we picked up and crushed with Bambi. Lots of icky water oozed out of them before we chucked them into the dumpster.
1. While working, we disturbed many salamanders like these.
2. And while shifting these boards, we made a startling discovery–namely our first up-close encounter with a rattlesnake.
3. Sadly, when the snake appeared he startled the guys lifting the boards, and when they dropped the boards and sprang back, one of the boards had a nail in it and the poor snake got said nail right through its head.
4. We left the body out by the stables, and in a few days’ time wasps had just about stripped it clean.
1-3. We also cleaned up all the debris up at the well tank–mainly the boards that the old steel tank once sat upon. We chainsawed them down from ten- and twelve-foot lengths into more manageable sections, then loaded them into Barbie–thanks to the handy gate we now have there, it was a fairly easy endeavor.
4. Then there was some debris down by the other new gate in the south pasture.
5. With a bit of mashing to get things pushed down, we had a very full dumpster.
6. And here’s a pic of the crew. On the left is our general helper, Ben. He came to us via the Great Wall project and likes to do side work with us a few times a year. He’ll bring along two other warm and ready bodies to lift and carry. Between the four of us, we accomplish lots.
Finally, a shot behind the stables once we were done, and two aerial shots showing the area before and after.
