Cutting Down Palm Trees

The property had a couple of old, diseased and awful-looking palm trees that were threatening to topple over and damage our glass awning - so I took my billhook and cut them down!  It was very satisfying!

Unblocking A Drain Located Under An Outdoor Patio

A neighbor's front patio wasn't draining properly, forcing Mrs. Maker to walk through a puddle of dirty water.  That simply won't do in this era of hyper health awareness.  So, taking matters into my own hands (literally) I took the patio apart and made sure that there was a clear path for water to drain off. 

The neighbor was initially a little put off at the sight of his patio being dismantled, but ended up thanking me for a job well done, putting proof positive to the phrase "It's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission", especially in light of the fact that he had promised to resolve the issue a week earlier.  He (and his patio) haven't been a problem ever since...

Virus Infested Drain - What To Do About It?

One of the drains in our neighborhood has become plugged.  It is totally infested with e.coli and (probably) also the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Several neighborhood septic systems are (illegaly) draining into it.

The smell and danger is indescribable.  Something has to be done!

MMTM goes after this problem as best he can...but is it enough?

If that wasn't enough danger, there's Rat Poison there too!

Bamboo House - Lumberjacking! (Part 1)

Pruning & Cutting Down Trees at Bamboo House

(this is the first post in a series of videos about bringing the outdoor space of Bamboo House in order.)

Bamboo House came to us after being poorly maintained for about a decade...and it showed!  Aside from the many, many functional problems that Bamboo House has in terms of its mechanical and electrical fitments, the greenery is totally overgrown - I mean to the point where their roots are literally breaking up the place and creating a health hazard.

This video documents what you have to do when people don't prune and cut back their ornamental plants.  The plants overgrow, often to the point where they start to compromise their containers (at first) and/or the foundations of the building (in the end).  If things reach that point, the plants in question need to be completely removed, and then replaced.

Recycling the older plants is really tough, or even impossible.  This is because when you cut back (or cut down) down badly overgrown plants, they look really unnatural, with strange and misshapen  branches, unnatural clusters of leaves or overly thick bases relative to their overall size and foliage level.

Disease is often an accomplice of long-term neglect.  This was certainly the case with a palm tree that I had to cut down completely.  It had become infested with ants, who had cleverly bored a hole into the trunk about 1 foot from the ground that exited some twenty feet higher, near the top of the tree!  The underlying message is this:  Regular greenery maintenance is really necessary if you choose to have plants (especially woody plants) on your property.

See what I am having to do with the trees at Bamboo House, after they have been neglected for over a decade.

Help a Maker Out?

Did you see anything in this video you want for yourself?  If the answer is yes, consider using one of the link(s) below to buy it directly from amazon.com.  When you do, I get a small commission that keeps me going!

Bill of Materials

WilFiks Razor Sharp 12” Compass Saw, Pro Hand Saw, Keyhole Saw, Perfect For Sawing, Trimming, Gardening, Pruning & Cutting Wood, Drywall, Plastic Pipes & More, Comfortable Ergonomic Non-Slip Handle
https://amzn.to/33iVumE

G & F 5015L-5 Regular Cowhide Leather Palm Work Gloves for driving and construction with rubberized safety cuff, Large, 5-Pair pack
https://amzn.to/2Q9A3yP

YUCK!! Cleaning out a TYPHOON Sized Storm Drain!

Storm Drains in Hong Kong are BIG

The storm drain outside our home has been covered with dense foliage for years - apparently many, many years.  So when the Government of Hong Kong sent a man to cut down all of the foliage, it came as a complete surprise to me to find out that our storm drain was completely blocked!  It looks like they haven't been cleaned out for maybe a decade.

There was debris one foot thick in the drain

This totally preventing any water from moving, and the resulting stagnant mess was very smelly and very foul-looking, so I (of course!) got to work with a shovel and a spade.

(The shovel didn't make it, but the spade did.)

Cleaning the drain took about an hour.  In the end it was very satisfying to look at the result of my labours, and watch the water slide along the newly cleaned channel, and out of sight.

I hope you like it too!