!! some pics from paul

this pic is from andrew https://permies.com/wiki/379382/experience-wheaton-labs

the crew as of yesterday!

Volcano road has served us well, although 2-wheel-drive vehicles struggle at some points.  So we are trying to make the road a bit better.  There were about six spots that were a bit steeper than other spots - so we are trying to make it all kinda the same.  

fukuoka flat is getting a lot of upgrades.  Some rather tall hugelkulturs (using sand from arrakis).

The excavator is gone.  I was working on building some new road in the solid rock above the library and this rock got away from me.  Samantha stopped by for the first time in several months, and while she was here for a very short time, she did a strong push for pics and and vids.

the hugelkultur at fukuoka flat in progress.  The excavator is able to reach waaaaaaay over the well and the pumphouse.

About 10 years ago we noticed that a tiny apple tree whip showed up next to the library.   A really terrible location in a way - a septic tank truck will need to get past the tree and someday we might need to take the tree out to get the septic tank pumped.   Clearly started from seed.

But we watched over it anyway.  The cats use it as a scratching post.   Three years ago, stephen and i cleared some tent caterpillars off of it



It has never bloomed until this year.  And now we have apples.  And they are glorious!

here is a fresh pic of this apple tree

We've eaten a lot of the apples in the last couple of weeks.  And there are still plenty!

Lookit volcano road!  It used to be kinda up and down ... like a roller coaster.  Making some spots steep enough that 2WD rigs would struggle.  I think this looks sooooo good now!