The board-form-finish phase is drawing to a close... thank god! I've just about had enough of these little sticks... just need to power through one more day then I'm done. 

This is one of those little areas that took more time than it should have... measuring and cutting each piece so it lines up just right. I'll be happy, later, that I put in this much effort, now.

This part is just ridiculous... I don't have ice or a refrigerator, but I do have a burbling creek! Negra-Modelo has never looked so good.

 My construction site has become more musical... this is a runner-up for the best-twelve-dollars-I've-ever-spent award. (Just behind the rebar-tying-tool, for those who are just tuning in...) And, yes... I had a choice between black and purple, and I chose purple. I'm entirely comfortable with that.

Here's the progress on the big retaining wall. I'm loving the way this looks. I hope I love it this much when it's cast in concrete!

The fun part of working with geologists (the guys who helped me with the slab pour) is that they point out cool stuff like fault traces in the steep earth slope you're going to retain with a concrete wall... it's the diagonal line running through the middle of the photo. Fun stuff!!!

Another fault trace. The jog in the middle of the frame is the fault line. An iron-oxide layer that got offset by about 4 inches. 

I took a walk after I ran out of boards for the retaining wall forms. Strolling down a pleasant country road and waving to passing cars, and came across this brick. I had seen it before, but it was long after we started calling Diablo, Diablo. I might have to hijack this brick and use it in our house somewhere... keystone for an arch over the fireplace mantle? ...still working on that one.

Another shot from my walk. This is the covered bridge on the road to our house. All kinds of ridiculous charm here!

The insects are settling in on the form work. I've seen a bunch of spiders, and this mosquito-hawk. Strangely, I'm thinking I'll have to incorporate some stained glass work into my project. Sort of on a roll here... and loving it!!!