July 2011
The big machines are back, this time to break up and remove the existing entrance driveway and clear some space along the south side of the site. I'm guessing they cement trucks will need plenty of room when it comes time to pour the slab.
Well, this just proves that speculation is just about always wrong! We thought the big machines were just clearing and cleaning up, but it runs a little deeper than that.
... and now the dirt goes back into the hole!
... and now it's just a one-man show. These guys are good! Moving dirt around with amazing precision.
... and now another hole, some fueling, and deforming.
A fresh pour this morning (right on top of number three) may prove to be the final test of how to color the bungalow's concrete floors. This time, a hand sprinkled color hardener did the trick.

The first of at least four pours was made this morning. The house has been divided into sections to make finishing and coloring the wet concrete more manageable, so we'll get a few more chances to see it happen. This feature is one of the most significant signatures of Wright's Usonian plans.
Fresh cement needs special finishing tools and techniques to make it smooth.
Work continues on the Usonian's signature red floor. This is Tuesday's pour, the largest so far, and the next to last. Wednesday's pour finished the job, and after some curing it will finally be time to go vertical. If the weather is too hot, you'll see a lawn sprinkler keeping everything nice and cool and wet.