CLEANING & DREAMING in my Future Woodland Forest & an update on MUDDING!
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2024
- It is a beautiful day and I am cleaning and dreaming in my future woodland forest! I am clearing brush in the forest and talking about incredibly exciting plans! I also wanted to share an update on Mudding in the house... we are almost finished!!!
Hey there! My name is Abby and I recently bought a MAJOR fixer upper house. I am SO excited to work on fixing it up this old house and turning it into my dream home. I can't wait to take you on this journey with me! I am planning to DIY as much as I can and learn so much about home renovations along the way. I am starting out totally clueless so I am sure it will be a grand adventure! Follow along on my channel if you want to see DIY projects, renovating a house on a budget, and I am sure a lot of craziness along the way! I'm just a girl with a drill and a dream.
Check out my Dad's channel (Working Horses With Jim) → / workinghorseswithjim
Contact Me
Email → adrillandadream@gmail.com
Mailing Address → P.O. Box 299, Moira NY 12957
Paypal → paypal.me/abbyGGG
Patreon → / adrillandadream
BUSINESS INQUIRIES → adrillandadream@thestation.io
#fixerupper #homerenovation #diyhome
You need a wood chipper. You’ll have lots of mulch for all of your garden beds . Set your wood chipper out back and then bag up your mulch for future planting. You’re doing an amazing job.
Great idea to get a wood chipper in there. You probably could rent one.
With all the trees, buy a chipper. If you like mushrooms, they grow great in the shade.
Best advice ever - have seen so much about farmers relying on this in places where burning off is banned at certain times of year. It's all about recycling and re-using our excess!
Love this idea. I said something similar.
Also look into no till farming in rocky soil.
I think you could use that in many of the areas for planting many of your plants in the woodland area. So you might only need to grade the path area plus some areas on the sides of the path for beds but do a lot of no till planting techniques to plant everywhere else!
Or also grading and prepping for the sauna area or any other little garden “rooms” you might do, but still do no till everywhere else. I think that’s what I’d do, if this were my land to landscape.
Many comments say “finish the house before you work on the garden” Obviously, you have plans to finish the house. However, it’s important to take a quick break, get some fresh air, dream of the future AND be productive at the same time! Love the wooded garden ideas!
I'm 75yo my husband & I built our house 44 years ago. We have 6 acres and you definitely need a garden tractor & a wagon. Buy a small battery operated chainsaw, it will be much easier for you to
Handle. Divide your gardens into sections and complete one section at a time so you can see yourself make progress. You are an amazing young woman. You are doing an amazing job, keep up the good work.
Your forest is lovely.... When you eventually get to designing the garden try making pathways with all the rocks and then plant some wild flowers.. ..I think that would be so lovely ❤
I agree. It would be more natural than putting all of the stones in a pile. There will be mostly shade so she will need plants that like shade.
I was going to say exactly the same thing except for to use native woodland plants for that area
I’m thinking the same. Let the woods be natural. The soil needs all that detritus. At most tread a path and have natural woodland bushes in the natural rock clusters I see about the area.
If azaleas will grow there they would be lovely in that area. I have rootings available I could send you. Just let me know.. .
Over time it will be beautiful I can't wait to see the wooded garden especially with the rock walls!!❤
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Trilliums--red ones and white ones
Trillioms are the Provincial flower of Ontario, Canada and legally cannot be picked but they can be dug up and rehomed
Jonny Jump-ups
Ferns--an OUTSTANDING option
Violets ❤️
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
BEAUTIFUL CHOICES FOR A FOREST GARDEN!!!
I am a gardener. 🥰🎶❤️🎶🏡🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Don't get overwhelmed - good planning and work in stages. The forest area, for example, starts with one meandering rock lined path and a picnic table area - simple and easy to keep clean. I use aerial satellite photos and line draw the layouts referencing landmarks. As you expand, your rocky areas allow for beautiful hosteas mixed in to the natural landscape. Convert over time. Lighting with solar staked lights and later a small hydro wheel to provide some free power for low lights and sauna. Dream on Abby...
Sounds like a good plan. I love the idea of solar pathway lights.
Now, here is some good advice, Abby !! Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day !!
PLANT FERNS NOW--they will get a good headstart for upcoming years. 🥰❤️🎶❤️🏡🙏🙏🙏🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Suggestion (like you don't get enough). Take a walk from the back if your house with a leaf blower and kinda create a path...temperary to give you a visual and easy to change as you stand back and look. Have fun!
Guess the most important thing to remember is that it does flood there and you don’t want to invest a lot and lose it all due to flooding. And moving to many rocks just promotes erosion. Native plants!
I loved walking through my grandfather’s woods. He always walked them everyday with an axe and cut limbs to 2-3’ pieces and made stacks between 2 trees throughout his woods. He had THE cleanest woods I’ve ever seen. It was clean and beautiful for all seasons. My great grandfather and my grandfather used their rocks for useful and decorative walls throughout the property. Sure miss that place
Abby, the reason you don't see gardens in forests, is due to lack of light. You will need to find shade loving plants, and wildflowers. The best tools for tackling this huge project your dad already owns. The excavator and the skid steer. You have large quantities of heavy rock and debris to move. But did a great job in a short time cleaning up some of the fallen limbs etc. Looks like a eager beaver has been there! As I always love your enthusiasm.
Abby, that's an important thing to keep in mind when you start your next adventure - Outdoors !!
I'm a huge, huge,huge fan of the rock walls. ❤❤❤
Less is more in your woods. You want to augment the natural beauty not tame it. Strategic plantings, wandering paths and thoughtful pruning will work wonders. Leaning the dead fall will be an ongoing task. Don't get ahead of yourself.
Dream girl! Gardens evolve and change along us. Its a journey that lasts a lifetime. At 70 I'm nowhere done with mine.. so dream, plan and know you are being cheered on! Love all that you are creating
What a BREATHTAKING property!!! 🥰❤️❤️❤️🎶🎶🎶❤️❤️❤️🏡🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I was telling my husband the other day on how blessed you are with your family, friends, church, house , beautiful rocks ( we have no rocks in Florida)and means to fix it, and that natural water feature in your back yard! I said I hope that she can sit out back someday and watch ( and hear) that water run.so much potential! - watching from Lake Wales, Florida
Guys, let a girl dream! This is the dream part of a drill and a dream!
Abby asked about snakes…I was just answering from personal experience.
@@conniemcclure2962 my comment was not about snakes, but in response to all the comments admonishing Abby for not cleaning up her front yard today… I’m sorry if it was confusing!
Yes indeed, dreaming is equally important & enjoyable 😊
@@julianne089 she mentioned snakes.. hense my comment.. shes doing a great job.. and i admire her..
Dream about getting a Skid steer loader !! You'll get those rocks and fallen trees picked up in a hurry. Then your Dad could share it with you on his farm down the street !!
THE DREAMS ARE PART OF THE ENTIRE THING.
PG here. Next time take a hand held saw, a shovel, hvy duty big tarp, a metal rake and a pair of long handled clippers. Rake leaves onto tarp first. Pile them outside the forest they make great compost, mulch even. We have cleared a lot of woods by hand. We dig out roots and all on the smaller skinny trees. Plus vines. Break everything down to 3 to 4 feet. Use a heavy duty tarp to put the leaves, trees and sticks on. Then we drag the tarp out. We have had a lot of fire pits. A chain saw can be purchased at 12 " long. So easy to use to cut up some of the bigger dead stuff. We put ithe gardening equipment all into a wheel barrel. It goes through the forest really easily. Get it now before the vines and poison ivy comes out. Start with small equipment. Do not get anything big. Your Dad can move the big stuff around with his escavator, once you design your garden out, in one day. I see a deep water hole. You will probably want to fill in. I'm thinking put your money into a beautiful bridge over the creek/river. Walk ways, benches, etc. like a Nature Center. You can save some dry wood to make raised bed. Fill in with leaves. In a year it all turns into mud.
Take a garden rake with you the next time. You can use it to move things that you might be afraid has a snake under it and also help you pull on things that are hard to get out like branches, rocks etc. Not to mention if you come upon a snake you can keep it away from you.
Ideally, a small 4WD (4 wheel drive) Compact Tractor with a front-end loader (moving rocks) would work the best for your entire property. These tractors come with a PTO and 3-point hitch, which allows for multiple attachments: mower deck, brush cutter, and rear scraper blade (snow removal), etc. Your property is lovely. Yes, you’ve been very blessed!
If I were Abby I would be thinking same as her she is so excited about her home and property it’s refreshing to see so don’t kill enthusiasm
It’s gorgeous and cleaning an area where you can just take a relaxing lunch break , listening to the water and birds when it’s warm and beautiful. What more can a girl ask for!!!
I've done some landscaping in my time, and I so understand your enthusiasm around creating a woodland garden. So far there is one question you have posed that I might have an answer for. That is what do I do first, and how do I know what is already growing in my woods that I will cherish for years to come. Keep doing your clean up and create a rock pile. But also use this first year to observe what is coming up.Spring is springing. Every day will show you something new! The trillium is beautiful. There may be Lady Slippers and other gems yet to be discovered. I'm so excited for you. Just remember, "leaves of three, let it be." Poison ivy will be coming up too!
If it was me I’d do a controlled burn through that wooded area. It would clean up all the leaves sticks twig and just reset the area. It also helps promote native species growth. We burn our woods every year really helps keep it clean.
It also scars the trees. Ask a. Lot of questions as you are here. Go to public gardens to get ideas. I love. What you have done with your house and how you lit it evolve as you worked the finished floor plan is much different than what you started out to build. It’s made it kind of a fantasy that you made real. The garden can grow like that. I have a small 3 acre property I was surprised how much the woods change through time by itself. I have lived here 30 plus years and been amazed at
the changes. I don’t have rocks
43:23 beside my creek and it drys out in the hot part of summer. Go through a full year just picking up and observing what grows and when. A diary with dates and what happens would be very helpful and some thing to reread to see how things are coming along. You’ve done an amazing job so far and I’m going to really enjoy watching your home and life evolve
It's so nice to be outside wirh you! Juat a little change! I love your dreams! It'll be a ton of work, but the house looked daunting at one time & look at it now!! You have a beautiful property. Wow! There are alot of HUGE rocks!! The sounds where you are are God's frequencies! A very healing place to be! This was a pleasure, Abby!! 💕
Buy some flower bulbs in the fall and plant them back there near the base of the trees, or the base of the wall. Plant some on the little island. It would only take a few minutes and you would have a burst of color in the spring next year.
Abby nature and history have already done all the work for you. Create a path with destinations maybe a pretty bridge a treehouse lookout a rock patio inside the ruins with string lights and potted plants
Definitely agree.
Get a wood chipper, chainsaw, and 4 wheeler or small tractor with a wagon on back. Do around the house first than expand out in areas...make paths thru there with all the rocks and put down like a gravel like mixture on path. Dream on Abby...It is going to be fabulous! And I'll be here watching and wishing I could come help.
Consider drawing the property on a board/paper and divide the land into a grid on the paper. Then literally work grid by grid, no diversion. It'll become less overwhelming to focus on one area at a time, to perfection 💞. A landscape artist might be a help initially, with ideas of how to incorporate what your property already has available for use. It's going to be epic!!
Don't listen to the naysayers continue to explore the creek area. I know you are kinda burnt out in the house. You need break an doing this gives it to you!! I so enjoy your enthusiasm. Your beautiful vision is wonderful!!!
They aren’t naysayers ( keep it nice) they are followers that are just trying to help with different ideas.
@@rebeccafrakes9305 It is called "wisdom" from experience and being organized.
Yes clean up. LEAF BLOWING up on the short wall for easy pickup. Then you will see the ground and stick mess . Next rake the primary paths.
That creek is so amazing, the sound is calming. Love it.
Dreams are awesome!!! People call me a dreamer but it's so great when they come true.... Thanks for sharing them with us Abby.
I had this idea maybe perhaps renting a skid steer and you can get different kind of implements to put on it like you can get a more that goes on the front that will mow heavy brush like a bush hog. You can also get a bucket that can go on it you can also get a grapple, which would help you to pick up the logs and things like that and move them and this is just one idea and another thing that you might do is talk to your church and see if they have a youth group that maybe a group of them could come out and work at your property on a weekend on a Saturday or Sundayand maybe you could feed them Coney and hotdogs on the on a campfire and make a whole fun event and have them to help clean up the woods picking up the small stuff and you can use the machine for all the big stuff. It’s an idea.
Abby. Enjoy your process. Great woods ideas for 5 years from now. Please refocus and finish the house !! Your woods will continue to be nature's beauty while you "finish the house"
Seems she needed a day outdoors. She's Blessed to have what she has.
Let her dream. Sometimes i need a break from a big project and a walk in the woods is the best break ever. It is good to take a step back and refresh yourself. The house will get finished.
I’m 70 years old and I love my garden tractor from Home Depot. I have a wagon for the back of it and I use it for everything. Hauling leaves, wood and all kind of debris. I also have a battery operated chain saw that works very well for the little trees, who got this and will love having them. Love your videos.!
Nice to get outside and get away from the house for a nice break. Beautiful location and awesome ideas for the property. If I were you I would be spending most of my time outside, 😊 especially with the warmer weather.
You must have spring fever!! Finish working around your house before you get side tracked in the forest. Love your energy!!
I think violets would be great in your woodland garden. They spread on their own. Having lived in upstate NY for 50 years I understand in the spring the need to be outside!
A leaf blower will make a quick work of getting the leaves and debris off the ground. Put it in mounds like your wood pile is, and burn them if you allowed to burn wood and leaves. Make a pathway. I see some kind of a very large patio, with a fire pit in the center and chairs all around it while you sit and listen to the fire cracking and water running! Do it little by little, like taking a lunch hour from the house construction to work in the woods. Doing the front yard would be a good place to start with planting and planning what kind of flowers and shrubs you want to have around the house.
Mini chain saw!! I have one & LOVE IT!!! I also have a 4X4 with a dump bed on the back so I can pick up all the limbs & branches & take them where I want them. The only thing I don't like about my mini chain saw the batteries only last about a half hr. I got mine with 2 batteries so I can do about an hr's worth of work at a time!! But all that lil stuff I just take down as I see them. Battery operated loppers!! Light weight & easy to use!! So, a mini chain saw & battery operated loppers will make your clearing up out there so much easier!! without carrying heavy tools. Premier & painting...OH YEAH!!! God Bless Drill & A Dream
It’s going to be absolutely beautiful!❤
Cleaning the front and around the house will be a good start. Establish your flower beds and lawn. A wood chipper will be a great investment. You can use the chips all around the property and it makes great mulch.
I love the idea you have of the wooded area. Host as do very well in that kind of envirement. And a winding walkway down to the brook could be done by using some of the boulders. Bury them with flat side up to walk on. I'm sure you'll have it looking gorgeous. I can see why you are excited. The landscaping in front can wait. You will still be bringing in materials and having appliances delivered and moving in so waiting for that is smart.
Drill and a stream. Finish the house so you can live there. Then you will truly be inspired to tackle the outside 😉
I see a really cool arched wooden bridge in your future.❤
I’m sure that was a nice break to be out there and dream about it all. You deserved that. 🌸🌷🌱
Talk to Dad! Horses move rock! 😊❤
So does dad's excavator!
First thing you need to do is invest into some garden tools, ie., rakes, loppers, pruning shears, etc. And I would always rake everything before it starts warming up and the snakes come out. Then I would put rocks around those piles of sticks and burn them to clear them out of the way. That too is better to do in the rainy season. The loppers will help you cut down all of the new little trees/bushes coming up to help clear everything. Anyway, those are my suggestions. Hope they help.
You got me motivated to do some yard work too.
Nature is already showing you the garden that it has planted there. 🙂
WOOOOO big dreams, will be awesome, in the meantime............all i can imagine is an old farm place with thousands of bulb flowers along the creek and in the woods, also some of those old time LARGE azalea bushes........definitely clean up the debris, ongoing project for sure........bridge across the creek maybe? Sauna YES and/OR HOT tub down there!! Beautiful place, love the walls
In the downstairs bathroom I would suggest a small wood slab on the top of the little wall which separates the lavatory and the toilet. You will end up putting things there, and sheetrock doesn't make a good shelf. The stream is worth as much as the entire place, to some folks. Beautiful.
Abby,
I suggest you rent a wood chipper for a weekend and just drag it down by the stone wall. Then you can handle the wood once rather than multiple times. Your Dad can help with the chain saw cutting.
Make sure it is a real heavy duty one. Might cost a bit more but much better in the long run. Save the chips to line your paths.
The woods are a never ending cleanup, but beautiful. I live in them. Start you machinery collection early.
It will take some time to get that cleaned up but as other have said, this can wait. House first, front yard, side yard, back yard, then woods. Clearing those woods will take several seasons. I had a two acre stand of tall, but very thin white pine which took about three years to thin and then clean out (hauled to the county brush pile).
Hi Abby! You're doing great! I can see why you can't wait to get started on this woodland garden! Ever since you first showed it to us, I was smitten! Wooded areas with plants are my favorite! It's fun to research what plants will grow and thrive there. At our property we have a mulch trail through our woods, which we used our large fallen tree branches to act as our path edging. Your babbling brook is so beautiful and I know you are going to sit there and soak up that serenity there! The house has been a lot of work and it is coming along well. I understand that you are excited to work on the outside now that it's getting nice out. That's ok! It's your place! Enjoy each thing you do and accomplish! We love you and pray big blessings for you!
what a awesome property, and you need a vegetable garden, chicken coop, and yes a garden tractor that has a grass cutter, roto tiller, and snow blower, and a trailer, couple grand good used.
Your rushing water garden would be a great place to talk to the Lord. I love to say my morning prayers on my back porch with sun coming up.
You have some excellent material for composting. The dirt under those leaves is probably very fertile from all those leaves breaking down for years. It’s going to be beautiful.🌸💕🌸
Abby, regarding tractors. A garden tractor, which is much rarer these days, are typically designed to accept many ground working implements, like plows, tillers and others and it may or may not have a PTO. (power take off). They are heavier to take the load of these devices, including snow plows. They can also take mower decks. Lawn tractors are only for cutting grass or pulling lawn carts. You can pull a lawn cart or little dump trailer with them, or with 4 wheeler. Having owned all the above, you might do better with a 4 wheeler, as they have many attachments available, much like the garden tractor. Deer plot owners use them just working the plot to grow deer crops. Plus, you need it's 'rock crawling' abilities in these early stages of your landscaping. You would find it difficult to get back in those woods with a lawn or garden tractor. And you would certainly have to take off the mower deck to do so. This is a pita. Since you don't have much lawn, and don't mind cutting it with the push mower, a 4 wheeler may be a good investment. You can get a bush hog or mower deck to pull behind it as well. A bush hog is just a heavy duty mower, it does a great job with brush and saplings. Handy to have in your property. But no rocks please. Plus, they have good resale value if your needs change down the road. Good luck!
The area your walking around , is so rustic and beautiful just some clean up and a good blower to move the leaves around and grass up to the edge of the tree line. Any nursery can computer draw a plan for your whole property. I used to take a big paper board ,as though I was looking down from above, I would draw a roof then I would draw what i imagined in my mind what might look good there. Deb
What a beautiful stream. Must have been fun and refreshing to take a little time to look over your property and clear up around the stream. You're really making progress and it shows. Yes, the second plant was definitely trillium. 😀
On our lake lot in Northern Minnesota we had a long steep hill to the lake we ended up cleaning and clearing brush and dead trees then using the natural lay of the land to make trails and I put sitting benches at beautiful vantage points then let the natural trillium and ferns flora and fauna grow with a few sitting areas add small rock gardens with planted pops of color and a burning pit with 3 benches as a gathering area
You can get a battery run chainsaw as a 67 year old female I trust them better than the gas run.
You’ll have endless small branches and twigs to fuel a fire pit area down there! Think how great to enjoy sitting around it and enjoying your woods and stream, and it’ll help keep the woods clean by burning all the smaller stuff regularly. It’s definitely going to take a lot of time to get everything close to your vision! But it’s definitely going to be gorgeous, and will grow and evolve forever…
I'm totally jealous of your stream, the large boulders, and the stone walls. I have 10 acres with my 1906 farmhouse that I'm restoring, but I'm on top of a small hill. I have none of the super cool landscape you have. JEALOUS 😊
Use a lot of those big boulders and rocks to run along the riverbank to hold the water back so you don’t get puddles
How about a bridge from big rock to big rock. It could be a nice focal point for your wooded garden
Abby your property do what you want when you want. The stone walls would be so beautiful to take photos for your home
I really would love to have a yard with a creek in it some day... it truly is beautiful. The sound of the water is so soothing...
Dewalt makes a great battery powered mini chainsaw and clippers. Make a burn pile and as you clean burn it.
Trilliums! Ferns! Sauna! Paths, so lovely!
The stones need to be preserved. The old mill must have been impressive. Are the trees near the walls a threat the the foundations. It is beautiful
Flowers around the huge rocks ! Gorgeous! Cut down some of the smaller trees!
Couple thoughts🤔
1. Make a map of property.
2. Divide/ List areas into priorities. (Year 1, year 2 etc
3. List seasonal items for each year. Fall plant 100 daffodil bulbs 🌼each year, winter ☃️pruning and plant fruit trees, spring vegetable🥕 garden etc. etc.
And Enjoy ❤
My goodness, your property is stunning!!
Your home is becoming so beautiful!!❤
Abby, I LOVE your enthusiasm & plans for a wooded garden. You have a treasure with the brook & woods behind your house! Keep amap of the downed tree limbs for a FIRE PIT! Your property is perfect for a fire pit. Keep them in a pile together.
A blower/vac/mulcher battery operated. Blow leaves into piles then switch it out to the vacuum mode and suck up the leaves n mulch them down to bits n pieces. Start a compost pile. Use your dads lil excavator to move rocks around to create pathways to the creek n rent a wood chipper to mulch up your sticks and put the wood chips on your walking paths
Abby, I love your ideas and that woods area? Wow! Gonna be gorgeous! The rock walls, the large boulders and such are all so amazing! Can’t wait to see this start coming together! Lots of possibilities!
Hey Abby. , Rent one of those twig mashers. Can’t remember the name ~ it turn any branch into oatmeal. 🥰 for the forest floor. lol The stone wall is great. Love it
Do you mean a chipper?
Comments are entertaining with some of these descriptions of equipment. You guys are great 😅
So lucky to have this in your back yard, may I say dad has lumber a walk way down to the stream with a sitting area and the end you don't want someone turning an ankle or worse to get down there any way just a thought good luck
Hi Abby. Think about doing a layout of the backyard using those rocks as paths around the garden. Then, you can make small gardens within the rock paths.
I hate snakes too, so get yourself a garden rake that will help you gather the wood and rocks without using your hands.
Also, have you thought about getting some lumber from Dad to make a footpath across the stream?
This will be beautiful in a few years. Sending you some gardening love from your friends in Florida..home of snakes and all other kinds of creatures that don't belong in my garden.
I'm enjoying the view of your forest garden area. Thank you.
I can imagine that space cleaned out with the wall and mossy rocks where they are.. Stunning!
Abby- love your vision - your DREAM! This area won’t need a drill, but you’re spot on with a little chain saw. I’ve seen plenty of ladies use them on CZcams - let the guys do the heavy, gas-powered work on the fallen trunks/logs. Moss, ferns, hasta, begonia- oh my. It will be dreamy. Be sure to create a place to sit still with Him, our Creator, who made and placed you there❤❤❤
Abby, your first priority has to be to finish the house and move in. Then clean and organize around the house and buildings. Once that is done then you can work on the garden area by the creek. Remember you’ll have keep up and maintain the house while your doing the other things. Don’t get the cart before the horse. I’m sure you’ll understand what I mean.
Let her dream....... it will all get done in time
You’re definitely on the right track! Start with clearing the brush .. that will really make a big difference.. next start stacking the smaller rocks you can handle,, maybe even selecting the flat ones in a pile to use for paths. It’s going to be absolutely gorgeous.. a work in progress for certain!! Love it all!!!
I've known people who would give their eye teeth to have access to those stones for landscaping. Like landscapers!😅 Those stones are fabulous. Do research on landscaping with them.
The maroon flowers are Wake Robin!
Take it in steps. First step might be to delineate a path from the house to the stream, or maybe a nice wide one from the driveway area or shed to the stream would be more useful. You're going to need shed space for whatever garden tools and equipment you have or purchase. Also create an area for piling stuff to make mulch, close enough to be handy but not an eyesore from the house.
I think you need a rock rake right now (no more grabbing baby snakes!), and I think you have a snow shovel for scooping (in the house?) You were very brave to grab those piles, lol. You might like one of those mini chain saws; I have an electric one on a pole and find it handy & useful.
Rocks are heavy; it may be smarter to make paths with nearby rocks before moving them away just to cart them back.
You will want your dad’s excavator for the heavy lifting. Jim teaching Abby to run the excavator would be a video I’d love to watch!
I LOVE MONTY DON!!!! Gardeners World is one of my absolute favorite shows! I also would 100% recommend a lawn tractor with a cart. It's one piece of equipment with multiple uses. You could also look into the plants that keep snakes away for down by the water especially mosquito repelling plants too! I prefer the tiller over the bulb auger. I can totally see the winding path vision!!
A fire pit seating area by the stone wall that would sit by the sauna.
portable sawsall for the small logs
Honestly that back is nice and all with the creek but for now I would have stuck with the front, got all the little rocks cleaned up and finished the yard before doing a space you dont really need but just want to look nice. After you are moved in and surrounding area is cleaned up then I would do something there! Picking up those sticks is nice but by the time you are ready there will be a million more! House looks great!
What a beautiful sunset.
All the sticks and branches collected can be put through a woodchipper and make yourself piles of woodchips to use in your gardens and naturalized areas for weed suppression. Also bigger logs can be cut and stacked for your firepit andvyour sauna fire.
Daffodils and other spring bulbs will look beautiful
Plant by the stream probably--skunk cabbage
Leaves gathered in a wire circle can make an amazing compost for your garden beds compost