Of Birthdays and Dump Trucks

Well, Ami, it is a fine day in Oklahoma for a birthday!

It's going to be hot and humid, but not so much as two weeks ago. And it is great to have green things green again.

You might have to check "Google Earth" to know you were in the right place coming into the neighborhood now. The project is not finished but boy is it going to be a huge change! I wish all of you could have been watching the transformation. Should have had a camera mounted to document all the work going on. And all that earth moving equipment!!!! It is so interesting to watch. We could have taken our sandwiches and water bottles and picnic blanket down to the yard next to the project and watched from the shade for hours!

Where there used to be a normal street coming past empty space except for a few trees and the grass--and the flood water during heavy rains--for now dozens of dump trucks come and go taking out hundreds of loads of dirt dug up by graders into piles then scooped up by giant shovels into each truck. A temporary road is in place while the small culvert is being replaced by a much larger concrete one which will allow for better runoff from the large pond created on the east side of the street to the creek on the west. That creek which used to flow part time through a narrow ditch has been seriously upgraded to a wide and deeply dug out space for holding flood waters until they can gradually run off under 71st street. This is intended to keep water away from the homes at the front of our neighborhood and keep the street open even during heavy storms. The east side is dug much deeper than the culvert so that it will hold water all the time and only let it out when a storm overfills it. Our neighbor says there are plans to keep it stocked with fish. The whole area has been completely re-contoured to clear out all the trees between both sections of Covington Estates and the main streets. It looks really nice and will likely attract more business development to that corner. Too bad about that part. I hope to have pictures of the finished landscape.

Have a good day all and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMI!