June 1969: Spring Cleaning

Keeping his gravel floor clean was important to Dick. But he also wanted to have all the gravel be

the same size so here is his first screening of the gravel. Later Dick used a gravel screen he made by punching 70 uniformed sized holes in the side of a 5-gallon gas can. Dick sometimes referred to the washing of the gravel on his floor as his “Spring cleaning.”

June 5, 1969:
Overcast, a light breeze down and 42°. New snow on the peaks again this morning. A period of overcast weather is welcome as it will protect the blueberry crop.

The old cow stowing away a good supply of willow leaves and tips and the lamb band with a wide scatter up in the rough of Falls mt.

A project in mind for today. Do something about my floor. Too much course gravel to suit. I have raked and leveled and picked up the largest but still it could be improved. Dirt working up into it too. I would take it out and wash it – screen it and put it back. I dumped a few tubs full in the lake which did a good job but I lost too much and picked up too. much coarse gravel. An idea – take my mortar mixing tub – set it at the waters edge and with the slope of the beach – bail it full of water and screen the gravel into it. The saw dust and chips went over the edge with the water. More water dumped in and the gravel shoveled about to get the dirt out. Tip the tub to get the water out. I had good clean gravel, uniform in size.

Counter clock wise around and every nook and corner scraped down to the dirt. Many tubs full back and forth. I put it back not so thick which makes a good solid floor.