2017-10-23 Hurricane Irma Aftermath

Here's what the place looks like AFTER all the repairs were made following Hurricane Irma. 

The back fence has been repaired.  The front fence rails have been replaced.  We're still hoping to come up with an idea of how to repair the flattened fence in front without having to replace it.




The 65 ft. tall Chinaberry tree that flattened the fence is gone thanks to our friend Carl from church.  Carl made short work of the tree in 3 or 4 days almost entirely by himself except for one day when his daughter helped him.  He moved pieces I could not have lifted even when I was as young as he is.




Mike Thigpen of Thigpen Construction did all the property repairs including plumbing, electrical, carpentry, roofing, and concrete work. 

Mike also handled tree removal and backhoe work.

They replaced damaged siding (see below).




They replaced the roofing that had blown off during the storm.  We replaced the entire roof a few years later.




Where there were trees close to buildings, we had them all removed.  The storm blew most of them down anyway.

There was a large Cottonwood in front of the toolshed.  Gone!




Here's a photo in October showing only one tree left in the back yard.  There were 3 trees here a few years ago.  This one tree remaining in the photo is now gone.




We had Mike's construction crew add a second lean-to between two of our storage buildings so we could have a safer place to store our mower.

It's open so we can drive through from either direction and provides good air flow for gas storage.  Unfortunately, a thief stole our gas cans so we had to replace them and run a cable through them to prevent them from being stolen in the future.




Here's a closer look at the new lean-to below.  My pressure washer is on the left.




The photo below shows what our first lean-to looks like now.  It's the one that was flattend by a 70-foot-tall Chinaberry tree.  

The same tree knocked down my well tank.  My tank is now INSIDE the lean-to rather where it's safer from the weather.
 



The first lean-to has always provided space for garden handtools. 




Mike poured a concrete slab on which to set the well tank.  He then re-plumbed and re-wired everything putting the wires in conduit for the first time.




All that remains outside is the well head and associated plumbing and electrical.  We've since covered thsi with a fake rock.




While Mike's construction crew was here, I got them to cover our yard swing with metal.




The metal sides keep the low evening sun out of our eyes.  The shelves provide storage space.





We had a large Cottonwood removed from our driveway and another removed from this side of our house.




Here's where the other tree once was.




Here's a view of my back yard showing all the trees are now gone.




Yet another view of the back yard.  There were once 4 Cottonwood trees along this fence and one in front of Linda's She Shed (on the right). 




I removed a large climbing rose, cut it into 4 pieces, and planted a piece at each corner of the fence.  They are all now doing well.




After the storm, Linda planted Barberry bushes where her roses once were near this fence.  They did not survive.




Linda decided to plant a large area in the back yard.  We've mulched a small part of it already but it took several hours tilling it up with our little Mantis tiller.  We ended up purchasing a larger tiller.




These first plants are Camelias.  They did not survive either.




These two are large Hydrangias that were growing by the back steps.  Glad to see them gone.  They get WAY too big to be growing next to the house so this open space will be perfect for them.




In this space, Linda wanted to reestablish her Day Lillies.  They are now thriving in this location.




She decided to plant one little flower spot on either side of her She Shed.  Here there's space for a Butterfly Plant (Lantana) on the left and a very small Crape Myrtle on the right.  Within 3 years the Butterfly Plant completely covered this area.  The Crape Myrtle did not survive.




So what happened to all the trees?  Need I say more?  When I finally set fire to this pile it burned for weeks.




We had a lot to do after these photos were taken.  I later removed the wire from these 4 grape vines.




The pool is now gone and these Sega Palms are huge.




Here (to the left) are what well-established Lantana Butterfly Plants look like in the winter time.  In Summer they almost take over and are complete covered in tiny flowers.  I cut them to the ground with a riding mower every year and they still grow several feet a year.