May 7, 2012

Well, I couldn't avoid it anymore. The stump has to come out if I want to finish this level. Already, I can see that it will challenge me.

The strategy so far, dig out a trench deeper than the root ball, use a water hose to wash out the dirt in the root tangle into the trench, repeat. It slowly exposes the root tangle for sudden separation by ax. It has proven to be easier than trying to dig through the root ball with a shovel, easier being a relative term.

What are shovel chunks? That's where the shovel hit the roots as I tried to dig, in the process jarring my wrists and elbows and making me wish for the days of ag-store dynamite. What has to be done? Probe with the shovel tip until a spot is found in which the shovel penetrates full-blade depth. From there, the trench is begun. And, if you're wondering, YES, it's very frustrating and tedious. But, apparently, I subconsciously thrive on it. Again, go figure.