And so it begins...

Misty morning on the mountain, and Matthew and crew have shown up for Day One of the major landscaping renovations.  They are taking out the crap shrubbery, then (I think) they will start on the stone wall along the road.  We are salvaging some of the smaller pine shrubs and transplanting them to the back, though Matthew said he would have to check out the root balls once they're out of the ground to see if they would survive the move.  It would save us some money if that works since we were going to have to buy some pines for the back anyway.  We'll have to wait and see how that plan works out.

Matthew--on the bright orange tractor/digger--and Rusty, the sidekick, starting the very first rending of shrubbery. 

I'm really glad this process has begun, though I fear it will be a very long two months.  The amount of work seems overwhelming to me, but Matthew said he's been looking forward to this project for months.  Go figure.

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Here are the answers to yesterday's quiz:

First set of three photos...

Photo #1:  Glendevon, Perthshire, Scotland

Photo #2:  Idaho, on the road from Twin Falls to Oregon

Photo #3:  Mountain pass on the Eisenhower Highway, heading to Ogden, Utah
 

Amazing really, how similar the landscapes are.

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The second set of photos...

Photo #1:  The Columbia River, along the Gorge, taken on the Oregon side

Photo #2:  Loch Ness, taken from the Dores side of the loch, Scotland
 

Photo #3:  The Columbia River, on the Washington side

How did everyone do on the quiz..??  I still can't get over how thousands of miles can separate the geology of these areas, and yet they have an uncanny resemblance to each other.  Very cool.

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And so, with the buzz of chainsaws in the air as the shrubs are taken out, I will get on with the day.  I can't wait to see the last of those wretched juniper bushes and will happily take some photos later of where they used to be.  Stay tuned...