2011 Day 1: Clearing and Laying in the Units

Well, the 2011 season has begun!  We are still in search of the elusive building foundations, but we believe that we will locate them this year.  Of course, since we've excavated everything else, the odds are with us.  Just like every other year, a few of us came out on Sunday to do any needed clearing and to plot in the new units.  This year, it took a little longer than usual since our datum (a standard position or level that measurements are taken from) was MIA for most of the morning.  Many of us spent most of the morning on our hands and knees poking around in the thick grass looking for something the size of a nail head.

Thankfully it turned up, just when we were ready to give up.  Using this datum and notes from previous years we determined where we will be digging this season.

Once we determined the unit locations we raked and trimmed back the brush.

Tomorrow the forecast looks pretty bleak.  They are calling for 100% chance of rain with an expectation of 1 to 2 inches.  More than likely, we won't be digging, but at least the site is ready to go for Tuesday.  Of course, we had to take a look at the John Howland homestead across the street near the large monument.  Our last season at that site was in 2004, and as you can see it didn't take long for nature to take over again.  One would never know there was a site there.

Everyone its itching to see what this season will uncover at the Joseph Howland site.  Hopefully, one of those things will be a distinct foundation so we can finally make a link from our excavation to the 1959 and 1969 excavations.

Keep your fingers crossed!