Month: May 2024

As I mentioned earlier, We are filling our pool using rainwater this year.

I have also tied in the back of the house since this picture.

The good?

• Natural (ample over time) water source.
• Doesn’t tax the well and pump.
• Water is naturally softened and balanced in PH/alkali content.

The bad?

• Until the pool is nearly full and the pump/filtration can be activated, the untreated collected water is stagnating in the sun. In the interim, I set up a simple sump pump to run through the filter system to keep the water moving during this filling stage.
• Collected water is (or quickly turns) greenish brown. Much appears to be sediment that can be brushed/swept away. Once the level reaches the filter basket and the main pump is active, a thorough vacuuming of all pool surfaces should greatly clear up the murkiness and the chemicals should do the rest.

Last year, we just set the pool up in the middle of the yard, trying to catch sunlight and avoid being under the pecan trees (for obvious reasons). It wasn’t ideal so we decided to relocate it closer to the house.

We did the first one (#2 above) a few weeks ago. It was pointing straight to where this pic was taken from – slightly overhanging the fence in the foreground. Hoping to avoid the fence, I cut the “hinge” so it could fall to the left. I had to take down the line of lights that ran from the house to the garage as well as our network cable suspended above.

I was paranoid about it kicking out the ladder I was perched high up on so I positioned the ladder opposite the limb as much as possible but made the cutting action very awkward. It safely fell but it DID also wipe out that section of fence. Oh well, it was separating from the post anyway and needed attention. Luckily, I only had to replace that 1 section next to the gate.

For the other tree (#1), this wasn’t as high so was easier to get at. From the ground, I estimated that the very tip of the falling limb might brush the lights/network cable that were reinstalled after the first limb was removed. Turns out 8″ or so DID brush the line but were very small branches and the line wasn’t damaged at all. I cut the larger sections into 4′ lengths – hoping to mill it down to be usable for building projects and the smaller sections were cut up for firewood to be used next year. I was surprised at how much wood we got out of those 2 limbs but both were 12+” diameter at the base.

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Yesterday, with a rare nice day in an endless string of monsoons and storms, we got the pool set up and used the well to put in the first 8 or 9 inches of water while we smoothed out the bottom.

However, rather than taxing our well/pump, we’ll be using the storms to fill it the rest of the way, rather than turning the yard into muck.

One of our goals is to eventually capture as much rainwater as possible – from all 4 buildings so this is the first stage of that. Rather than dropping into a bucket (or pooling up in the yard), I rerouted the front side gutter to turn the corner to continue down the side of the house. In the middle (between the bedroom windows), I put in a downspout that typically fills a rain bucket. With a simple (temporary) modification, it will now fill the pool. In a couple hours time, I could (and will eventually) tie in the back side gutters the same way. Now, I am curious to see how quickly it fills.

Once filled, we’ll strain out the larger debris (and bugs) and the pool pump, filters and Roomba type pool vacuum will take care of the rest. Once clear, I can treat the water to the right PH/chlorine balance just as we did previously.

One concern is that until it is filled, the pool is vulnerable to wind damage from storms so will be watching the forecast closely and will remove the legs (and lower the profile) by dropping the top ring down onto the rest of the pool.

We’ll experience this season as it is to be certain we like the location but the plans are (if we like it) to recess the pool halfway into the ground and then build a simple deck around part or all of it.

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Finally, I had been noticing my zero turn wasn’t cutting very well so I winched it up in the shop and saw this.

Now, I need to refrain from using the zero-turn for the rough stuff and save that work for my “NASCAR” tractor. That’s my old Craftsman with a broken front axel that only turns left. I bought a welder to fix it but first I need to learn how to weld.

I’ve been asked about how we keep everything watered. It’s not as easy as it sounds with everything spread out and only a single water source available but I’ve been working/adjusting/tweaking this for over a year now and is getting just about ideal for us now.

As Sherry knows, I am pretty anal when it comes to this and am not a fan of constantly hooking/unhooking/untangling hoses and dragging them around. Added to that is the absolutely terrible quality of most products sold for this purpose. I’ve rarely ever had a nozzle, sprinkler, hose or any other component of these last more than 2 years so my goal was to eliminate their incompetence by doing as much on my own as possible.

Everything (in pots/tubs) on the porch is watered by hand using rainwater collected in tubs below the downspouts so no big deal but for everything else, we needed closer sources to get the water.

When you step back and see that entire line, you can easily see the slope that drains everything in that zone to the SE corner, where it can be drained away safely to prevent freeze damage. These sections each have their own section shut off/bypass valve so during the colder months, only the sections that are actually used need to be drained.