Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Truck Tour

Mr. Dawson called this morning with an invitation to tour the construction area.  Yes!
Continuation of the road around the golf course continues.  The tractors are creating a 3 foot berm along the road with plans to plant white oleander bushes along the top of that berm.  That will block the view of the dirt piles and storage area farther north on the property.  White oleanders will be planted as they are the most aggressive growers.

 
 
Between the street and the north wall will be diagonal overflow parking.  The berm and oleander bushes will enhance the view.

Some restructuring of the course will be required in this area to accommodate the new housing sites.

 
 
 
 
The under ground contractors are now on premise to put in the water, electric, sewer, phone, and cables to the new sites.  
 
They're digging up the pipes that were laid previously to make the connections.  
 
 
 
Here's the trench for where the 8-inch water line will be installed.
 
The first truckload of pipes arrived this morning.
 
Because the bicycle riders coming from the pickleball courts frequently do NOT stop for the stop sign, we're putting some additional safety precautions in place at this corner.  Ernesto is lowering the corner of the wall for better visibility.
 
Another stop sign will have to be installed at this corner so cars will have to make another stop.  Bike riders should be obeying all stop signs!!!
 
Ernesto is also capping the top of the perimeter wall all the way around the pickleball courts.
 
The dog agility area is going to have a nice fence around it.  The bottom will be brick and the top will have wrought iron....similar to the north dog run.
 
There is lots of activity over on the street of dreams by the sales office.  They're pulling out the model home to be installed on a site within the park.  In its place will be another modular home.....purpose to be determined.  Don't know yet if it will be a meeting room, craft room....or offices.  
 
 
 
Meanwhile...back out on the fairway...the creek is being cleared of all the long stringy algae that grew this last season eventually causing the plugged culvert.


Clearing the creek and trimming between the rocks is quite a chore calling for the skills and endurance of none other than Faustino.
 
You might notice that our pretty green golf course is getting a little brown.  It is because it has recently been sprayed with a weed killer that will rid us of the annual splurge of blue grass that invades our lovely bermuda grass.  The spray is working as it attacks the blue grass.  See the brown spots?

Here is a close up of the troublesome pest that is the bane of all golf courses in southern Arizona.  Blue grass has stiff stems and tufts of seed at the top as it rapidly spreads.  If this grass gets into the greens, a golf ball no longer follows a true path.  (Aha....another excuse you can use for missing a putt!)


That concludes our informative tour with Jim Dawson this morning.  There's always new stuff to learn.
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Now for the latest birding news.  This picture from a previous post is now confirmed as a juvenile black crowned night heron.  Thank you to Kent Evans and John Erickson for confirming his identity.  

Today we discovered a nest of curve-billed thrashers in a tall cactus plant on Emerald Lane.  The nest is really tucked in the trunks of the cactus so is well protected.
 The birds have a very intricate and melodious song so you're privileged to have them in the neighborhood.

And I leave you with another nest of mourning doves we spotted in a cactus on Coyote Trail this morning.  They certainly look happy.






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