Alright, let me tell you about this thing I called ‘mission overlook’. Wasn’t anything top secret, just something I needed to get done, you know? Needed a solid vantage point to keep an eye on the lower section of the property. Stuff kept happening down there, critters mostly, sometimes neighbours’ dogs wandering through. Needed eyes on it without having to trek down every single time.
Getting Started
First off, I had to figure out the best spot. Sounds simple, right? Just pick the highest point. Nah, wasn’t that easy. Had to think about the sun, where it would be morning and afternoon. Didn’t want glare wiping out the view half the day. Also needed a spot that wasn’t too obvious but still gave a clear line of sight. Spent a good couple of hours just walking around, climbing on little mounds, peering through trees. Felt a bit silly, honestly, like a kid playing army man.
Found a decent little rise near an old oak. Good cover, decent view. Okay, location picked. Next was the gear. Didn’t need anything fancy at first. Just needed to clear the spot and maybe set up a simple post or something to mount a camera later, if I decided to go that route. Grabbed my old trusty shovel, some clippers, and a handsaw. Threw ’em in the wheelbarrow.
The Actual Work
Getting up there wasn’t too bad, bit steep in one section. Started by clearing out the underbrush. Lots of thorny vines, typical stuff. Pulled and clipped for maybe an hour. Sweat dripping, hands getting scratched up even with gloves on. You know how it is. Then I tackled some low-hanging branches from the oak that were blocking the prime view. Sawing above your head is always awkward work.
Took a break. Sat down, drank some water. Looked out at the view I’d cleared. Pretty good. Could see clear down to the fence line. Then I thought, maybe I should make a small platform? Just something flat to stand on, or put gear on. Dragged up a couple of flat stones I saw nearby. Heaved them into place. Wasn’t perfect, but better than the uneven ground.
This whole thing reminded me of a project years ago. Tried setting up a weather station on the roof. Sounds easy. Get station, put on roof. But no. First mount didn’t fit the pole. Then the cable wasn’t long enough. Then a squirrel decided the wind sensor was a chew toy. Took me three weekends to get that stupid thing working right. Sometimes the simplest-sounding tasks just snowball, you know? You fix one thing, two other things pop up.
Finishing Up (For Now)
Anyway, back to the overlook. Got the spot cleared, got my little stone platform sorted. Didn’t put up a post yet. Figured I’d see how the view holds up over a few days, different times of day. Make sure I picked the right spot before making it more permanent. Packed up my tools, headed back down. Felt good, though. Like I’d actually accomplished something tangible.
- Scouted the area for the best vantage point.
- Cleared away brush and low branches.
- Hauled some flat stones to make a small, level spot.
- Decided to wait before making anything permanent.
So yeah, that was ‘mission overlook’. Phase one, anyway. Just getting the groundwork done. We’ll see what comes next. Maybe a trail camera, maybe just a spot to sit with binoculars. But the spot is prepped. Job done, for today at least.
