Dog Days

This entire week has been H, H & H ! Progress on the house has been terrific. Early

in the week the plywood went up on the roof and then the tar paper sheathing was added.

Ceremonial Pine Bough

At the end on a pretty long day! Everything fit!!! Dave and Neil are disconnecting the slings from the crane cables.

Last of all Neil attaches the traditional pine bough to the frame. It's official!

Raise the Roof !!

On Tuesday morning Dave Dentz showed up with his crane and the timber framers arrived to finish raising the frame. The 'second story' was assembled on the ground with the help of the crane. It took a while to get the top rectangle together and then to get the straps in the proper place so that when it was lifted it would be level.
Next the started adding the posts and braces.... eight posts in all.

Finally ready to lift the structure up to the second floor.

Phew!!! We are about to find out if eveything fits!

It's a Frame Up

Finally back following the move from Northwest Hill Rd.   It was indeed the move from Hell.  In truth it was such a horror I'd just as soon not relive it by 'telling the tale'. 'Himself' left for Boston on the 29th of June for hip replacement surgery. I finished up removing from the house all the odds and ends that the movers left behind.  The kids helped by loading up the bed of the truck and parked it in the indoor arena where it remains, still loaded.  I immediately came down with a mean case of bronchitis that knocked me to my knees. Fortunately I was beyond the worst of it by the time FSS arrived home on Thursday.  Something called a Z Pac of antibiotics made all the difference.Meanwhile Dale McLenithan had dug the foundation hole for the house and the foundation  had been poured, forms removed, drainage placed around the perifery of the foundation and finally backfilled in preparation for the timber frame.  Jeremy Broadwell's crew got everything ready in the basement for the plumbers to lay the tubing for radient heat and Grady and Jennings came on Tuesday to pour the floor.  By Wednesday afternoon the decking over the basement was complete and ready for Dave Bowman and Neil Godden, our timber framers to arrive, unload the timbers and assemble some bits and pieces in preparation for the 'raising' on Friday. 

Neil and Dave arrived around 8:30 and the crane showed up shortly after.  The first two bents went up pretty quickly....much faster with a crane than with 'man power' but certainly not as pretty to watch.

I had to leave for a couple of hours and snapped this last shot of them putting the fourth bent in place.   By the time I got back the weather had deteriorated and all progress had halted in anticipation of thunderstorms.
The crane left to go back to CT and the crew left for Cummington and Goshen.  The plan is that they will be back on Monday or Tuesday, which ever day looks to be lightning free, to finish up the frame.

THE SHIP HAS LANDED

I spent most of the day up at the patch mucking about in the garden. The tomatoes are in the ground, including the 'hard to find' Caspian Pink variety. My fingers are crossed in hopes that "Late Blight' will be a non issue this year. The Simpson ( bolt resistant) lettuce transplanted well as did the eggplant.

The 'Fancy Fema' arrived mid afternoon. It is very very small! One of the bedrooms is smaller that my closet and the other two aren't much larger.

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More Like a Farm

The barn is really starting to take shape and that is a very good thing. Cement was poured and brushed in the central aisle. The floor drain is in place and will make cleaning the barn so much easier.

The garden is looking a tad better as I continue to hand weed and add new plants as I am able. The highbush blueberries from Project Native are looking very healthy. Today I hope to plant two Cornus Florida and two Clethra.

The picture of the 'dozer' shows Dale removing the top soil from the house site late yesterday afternoon. Looks like things are really starting to take shape housewise. We have chosen a contractor, FINALLY ! This has been a very long and somewhat difficult process and we are both mightly relieved to have made the decision.

POCKET LADY MINI SUMMIT

Kris and I are off to S Acworth today to hand out with Ann and Lyndsey. Ann has fallen to the siren song of 'a horse' !!! Our job is to train it in four hours !!! Pictures to follow!!!

It is always fun to visit Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue and the photo ops never disappoint. Several years ago I got one of Isabella