Just when I think no more men in hardhats with big machines could show up
to work in our neighborhood, they crowd in pulling their fascinating loads.
What's Up Now?
Here Come More Men in Hardhats with Big Machines
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
began decorating the neighborhood, first yellow, then red, then orange, then others.
An Intriguing Rainbow
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 28, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Obviously things under the ground,
but what things, and why were they all so carefully delineated?
I began to poke around on a couple of my morning walks, reading the colored flags:
yellow~natural gas lines, red~electric lines, blue~water mains, green~ sewage lines, ...
Orange, white, pink ...
Red Electric and Yellow Gas, Side by Side and Snuggled Up to Orange Comcast
No Clue What the White's For - At This Location
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
As the extent of this municipal mycelium was revealed,
I began to feel a distinct sense of vulnerability.
How much of a disaster would it take to knock out our modern infrastructure,
and how many of the thousands and thousands of people
crammed into this densely-populated suburban space would survive?
Likely not me. To quote Cobain, "... I don't have a gun."
Combat that bleak thought with a positive and hopeful one,
the summer blooming of my Grandmother MacDonald's aromatic climbing roses
which have been a source of joy for generations of my family.
My sister Bertie sent me photos last week,
and I swear I could smell the blooms past and present.
Grammie's Climbing Roses
Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia
July 20, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
It didn't take me long to figure out what was going on in the neighborhood
when I remembered the tag dangling from our garage door handle last week.
"AT&T fiber: Hyper-fast internet is coming your way."
Sure enough, a fiber optic cable-laying crew arrived a few days ago
to begin installing the internet cable in the "public right-of-ways" in our neighborhood.
As far as I can tell our neighborhood consists almost entirely
of "public right-of-ways," even in our own yards.
Laying the Fiber Optic Conduit That Will Contain the Fiber Optic Cable
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Even though they spoke little English, the crew kindly showed me their work.
They drill a horizontal hole under the ground with a horizontal directional drill.
Then using the same horizontal drilling machine,
they pull a thick, flexible plastic pipe called a conduit through the borehole.
Finally, the fragile fiber optic cable is blown through ~
I didn't see this part of the operation ~ Drats!
Right now they're laying the main cables, and later they will install the secondary cables.
Feeding the Fiber Optic Conduit into the Ground
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
A Horizontal Directional Drill Drilling the Hole for the Fiber Optic Conduit
It drills a precise underground path to install pipes, conduits, or cables without digging a full trench.
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Good to Know That the Gas Line is 44 Inches Down!
The Cable Line (circled in pink) is Safely Above the Gas Line
Pink is for All the AT&T Fiber Optic Cable Locations and Notes
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
A Block's With of Cable Laying Equipment
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I can see one of their workmen spraying lines across the golf course right now.
A Worker's Dedication
Locating Municipal Mycelium, Even in the Rain
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 30, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
If you're open to people and show interest in what they are doing,
you can learn all kinds of fascinating things.
(And oh, white is most often for the irrigation pipes for our golf club water renovation.)
"Cheese!" He Says!
Feeding Conduit
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 27, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I keep thinking of the quote from Anthony Doerr's book All the Light We Cannot See,
"Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever."
Are you opening your eyes?
Life, like fiber optic cable, is fragile.
I'm linking to Gillena's Lunch Break, Nicole's Friday Face Off, Tom's Aloha Friday, and Debra's She Who Seeks.
How many of you saw this amazing shot captured by my Blogging Bud, Roentare?
It's one photo from his Whittlesea Rodeo Series, shared on Tuesday July 21st.
This talented photographer and lyrical writer certainly has his eyes open.
Photo by Roentare
May you have a great weekend filled with open eyes, relaxation and laughs!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2026 – All rights reserved.
My next post will be IWSG Day
Wednesday, August 5th, 2026 🤞
On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
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