Just curious, what cave is it that you were digging on. I haven't heard the
story.
Nancy Weaver <nan...@io.com> wrote: Yesterday I went digging. A friend
came and picked me up and off we went to one of those ubiquitous oversized
subdivisions where the city pushes hungrily against former ranch and
pasturelands. We walked through the upscale 'backyard' zone, with barking dog
and chiminea to the liveoak that marked the border of thicket and brush and
whose roots twined down into the same crevice that we were interested in. An
easy sloping depression funnels into a massively bedded slot 8 feet long, 3
feet wide and after many dig hours on another day, 4 feet deep. Glorious rich
black clayey soil tantalized at the bottom of a crack which clearly gathers a
substantial watershed, replenishing the aquifer.
We were there to remove the last soil and see what lay beneath. It was a
cold hard clear blue day, we were bundled in several layers. Alternately, we
squeezed into the narrow slot, crouched on a ledge and digging prying scooping
out soil from foot level, then passing a small bucket up to the person on top
who went off and emptied it. As the dirt receded, our optimism waxed and
waned. We worked companionably for a couple of hours, talking of books and
movies, of ideas, of the uselessness of the pot metal gardening tool which
immediately curled up, of how nice a pair of loppers would be for the thick
tree roots that ultimately penetrated further than we did. Our efforts warmed
us up to shirt sleeves and used combinations of muscles rarely called on.
Finally we agreed that we had reached the limits of our exploration.
Thoroughly satisfied, we trudged our muddy tools back to the truck, drove off
to get some food, discuss other possible digs.
It was just such a day as this, of pleasant easygoing companionship in the
woods many years ago, when we discovered what is now the one of the largest
caves in travis county. but that is another story.
If you believe there is nothing left of value to find, that is the experience
you will have.
Nancy
---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
