Finally, getting started on getting the landscaping done and some of the obstacles that have been encounted so far will be reflected in the photos that follow. The picture to the left is before we get started. I know it looks pretty rough right now, but we will be getting dirt to level the ground, trees will be trimmed, new trees and shrubs will be installed as well as sod!!
There are lots of rocks to be bulldozed as well as removed in wheel barrels!! We are glad we didn't try to do any of this after we saw the things the workers encountered along the way. 
The above picture is after they put in dirt and leveled behind the patio. Also, they cleaned up the area around the tree in the patio and limbed up all the cedars which look 100% better!! So far I think we have received 10 truck loads of dirt.
Lots of the rocks have to be picked up by hand and hauled to the rock pile!! Had to be done before the dirt went down.As you can see below the rock pile is getting pretty big. The larger rocks will be used as a retaining wall along the septic field. We will have the septic field hydromulched with wildflowers as well as a portion of the back yard.
We have been told that the wildflowers in Austin are something to behold. People will be seen stopped along the road taking pictures in the spring so I guess if you are planning a visit, come in April to May!!
The pile of dirt is just one of the 10 loads so far. Not sure exactly how many we will be getting but need a lot to cover all this ugly stuff. We will be getting a different top soil for the beds which will have some nutrients hopefully for the plants!
The bobcat driver just seems to be having lots of fun moving the dirt and leveling it out. Terry was very excited about trying this piece of equipment out.
He thinks we should have rented one and done this ourselves, but there is a lot to it besides driving the thing. You have to be really careful next to the house, so you don't ram into it!! That would have surely happened if he had driven it, right??
The back before anything has been done will give you some idea how bad we needed to get started. Our windows need washing because of all the dirt that flys around when the wind blows and believe me it blows here in Texas!
We have been told that the wildflowers in Austin are something to behold. People will be seen stopped along the road taking pictures in the spring so I guess if you are planning a visit, come in April to May!!
The pile of dirt is just one of the 10 loads so far. Not sure exactly how many we will be getting but need a lot to cover all this ugly stuff. We will be getting a different top soil for the beds which will have some nutrients hopefully for the plants!
The bobcat driver just seems to be having lots of fun moving the dirt and leveling it out. Terry was very excited about trying this piece of equipment out.
He thinks we should have rented one and done this ourselves, but there is a lot to it besides driving the thing. You have to be really careful next to the house, so you don't ram into it!! That would have surely happened if he had driven it, right??
The back before anything has been done will give you some idea how bad we needed to get started. Our windows need washing because of all the dirt that flys around when the wind blows and believe me it blows here in Texas!
After the leveling and spreading of the dirt and cleaning out from under the trees, it really looks different already, don't you think?
I would say it is a marked improvement without any plants or sod.
Well, Terry convinced Javier (foreman) that he could drive that bobcat and remove a big ugly stick bush with green growing from it. Anyway that's what they called it so Javier is giving Terry instructions on the levers and what each one does before he can start the engine!
I would say it is a marked improvement without any plants or sod. 
Well, Terry convinced Javier (foreman) that he could drive that bobcat and remove a big ugly stick bush with green growing from it. Anyway that's what they called it so Javier is giving Terry instructions on the levers and what each one does before he can start the engine!
The workers that were trimming the trees had to stop and watch this effort from a novice.
They were standing back so they wouldn't get run over, too.
They were standing back so they wouldn't get run over, too.
Well, the engine got started and off he goes toward that big ugly bush. He was easing his way toward it with anticipation!
Javier is standing to the side observing and giving encouragement.
Well, he finally encounters that bush and starts the pushing and digging. I think he liked getting the front wheels off the ground!
He pushed, dug and shoved to get that bush out of the ground and finally it came loose.
Mission accomplished and no one was hurt. 
After all that excitement, the workers had to get back to trimming the trees.
As you can see, they improvise when they need a ladder to reach those high branches.
They had a trimmer with a chainsaw attachment. Pretty cool.
Then the hole digging started today for the trees. Well, I told everyone we lived on rock and you can see as evidenced by this hole and the pile of rocks next to it. He had to hammer thru the rocks to get the hole big enough. According to Javier the tree roots will adapt and find cracks for the roots.
The base of this hole is solid rock. They encountered this rock all over the lot where the trees were being placed. Two tree holes will have to be moved because the rock was too thick and couldn't get the hole deep enough. That's a good reason we didn't try doing this ourselves!!
Well, that's it for now. They are still working and should be here several weeks. Will get more pics as the landscaping progresses.
Javier is standing to the side observing and giving encouragement.
Well, he finally encounters that bush and starts the pushing and digging. I think he liked getting the front wheels off the ground!
He pushed, dug and shoved to get that bush out of the ground and finally it came loose.
I think he got it!! and he had lots of fun.
After all that excitement, the workers had to get back to trimming the trees. 
As you can see, they improvise when they need a ladder to reach those high branches.
They had a trimmer with a chainsaw attachment. Pretty cool.
Then the hole digging started today for the trees. Well, I told everyone we lived on rock and you can see as evidenced by this hole and the pile of rocks next to it. He had to hammer thru the rocks to get the hole big enough. According to Javier the tree roots will adapt and find cracks for the roots.
The base of this hole is solid rock. They encountered this rock all over the lot where the trees were being placed. Two tree holes will have to be moved because the rock was too thick and couldn't get the hole deep enough. That's a good reason we didn't try doing this ourselves!!
Well, that's it for now. They are still working and should be here several weeks. Will get more pics as the landscaping progresses.
Have a great day.
Sandy
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