my arthur dent moment

where to begin is always puzzling. my way is to go to the beginning -- begin every story with the Big Bang.  or before the Big Bang.

 

when the glaciers slowed they first dropped boulders, then rocks, then stones, then gravel, then sand, then silt.  you can see this along river valleys especially where the gravel and sand are being excavated commercially.

when Irene riled up our rivers, they tore out their banks (and a few houses, many trees, roads and bridges) and carried them off.  as they slowed, they let go of it all.  first boulders, then rocks, then stones, then gravel, then sand, then silt.  you can see this in my back yard.

 

spring came and the snow melted and what to do... have a rubble strewn sandy weed lot impossible to mow or rake, or git 'er fixed.  i'm not fond of close living with snakes rats ticks, plus we may want to sell this house someday.

and so...after making a short story long -- my Arthur Dent moment.

 The word bulldozer wandered through his  mind  for  a  moment  in

search of something to connect with.

The bulldozer outside the kitchen window was quite a big one.

they arrived first thing in the morning before i was even up.  by noon 10 dumptruckloads of sand had been removed and they kept at it for the next few days, piling rocks at the side where the stone wall was. now days later, we have a level 1/4 acre waiting for grass seed to grow through the straw.