Dirt grading finished

 I was beginning to think the dirt moving man was never coming back to finish leveling out the ground after the new garage was completed.

I called him a couple of times to remind him. The second time, I asked him about spreading more gravel on the other driveway while he's here. 

He agreed to that and told me to order a load of "dense grade aggregate"

So I called "Quality Stone" and they very patiently helped me place my order. They said the truck would hold 24 tons!

  I thought that would be a massive amount of gravel. I wondered where it could all be dumped.  Well, no worries...it's not that much.

Delivered the same day I ordered, too.

So, in a few days, the dirt moving man showed up with his dirt mover and smoothed the driveway out a bit then began spreading the new gravel.

I was surprised how much coverage he got from that amount of gravel.

He worked carefully and quickly.

He then leveled and contoured the dirt around the new garage, leaving low areas for drainage.

Nice work!

I decided not to bring gravel all the way to the garage for now...since it's mostly for storage.  I can always have it done later if needed.

I wish it was earlier in the year so I could have put down some grass seed. But it's a long way from the water hose so I wouldn't be able to water, anyway.

I'll wait for nice rainy spring to spread the seed.

In the weeks before the dirt man returned, a  wild bumper crop of Datura, or Jimsom weed, grew.  I think the seeds were unearthed and spread when he first leveled the area for building.

These photos are from July.  Pretty plants but poisonous. Some purple color on the stalks and pretty blooms open in the evening and are visited by nocturnal moths.

The dirt pile pushed aside for finish grading was covered in the plants.

This photo is from August. The big seed pods are developing.

Later they turn brown and split open...releasing many dozens of seeds.

Fast growing plants. I'm sure there will be even more springing out of the ground next summer.