The Back Yard

Finally I have begun a little work on reclaiming part of the back yard. Katrina downed most all the trees and placed a lot of branches over the entire yard. I had some help early on from my kids getting the front somewhat cleared but the back sat as I did other major rebuilding jobs. Using chain saw and the 'carbonization chamber' I have been able to clear a small area. I have decided after working 3 weeks on this project to make an imaginary line through the back yard and clear only up to that spot. The rest can sit and rot. The process is cut tree trunks and branches to a small size, pick them up and burn them. After the land is exposed ride the lawn tractor over cutting the briars and weeds that have grown up. Hard work but as you see from the pictures the process works and I now have a small proton of the back yard reclaimed after one year of repairs and rebuilding. Now I need to plan on painting the exterior of the addition.


This is a photo of the same area right after Katrina. Anything that was there is covered in tree parts. All of the yard was in the same condition. I took the pictures from atop a tin roof over my back porch. Below is a picture of part of the backyard from ground level of the same trees and part of the back porch after I made a path around the cabin in September 2005.

The Barn

Finally after a year of work and rebuilding the damages caused by Katrina I made it to the Barn to see what damage has been done. About 90% of the tin has been blown off the roof. Water gets inside and now weeds are growing up. A neighbor had the smaller out buildings pushed over with a small dozer as they were all leaning away from the wind. Safer to push them over then have them fall on anyone.
No insurance on those buildings. I owned the Barn for 28 years and maintained it in fair shape using it now and then for storage and on occasions a few animals. I always thought I would convert it into something, a house, a large studio, some useful building. It appears to be a total loss so I will ignore it for now, too busy cutting trees out of the back yard, removing branches, and finishing off the Addition to the Cabin. The Barn can wait, maybe it will go away? Funny NBC news had a broadcast about the loss of old barns in America and how some people are trying to save them on the same day I surveyed the damage to my Barn.