In June 2002, we finally got our act together to work on the patch of mud that remained when we removed the old deck the previous summer. This had the problem of the septic tank cover - a 3 foot diameter concrete lid.

We laid stone slabs as the patio, and surrounded the area with pebbles - about 5 tons in this area. At the same time, we had dug a trench from the house to provide a hose pipe connection in the box over the septic tank, and to provide power to the small fountain.

This is the picture when the old deck was in place:

Here we are part way through, with the trench dug and the area generally leveled:

Here is a view with the slabs in place and weed preventing fabric laid down:

The start of moving the pebbles:

Finally, the finished product!