Moving along

Today there is not any really "new" developments, but progress everywhere. Here are lots of pictures. The first is from our wetlands area. The large leaves in the foreground are not hosta - they are skunk cabbage. The next three are different views - from the pond, the stream, and just the barn. The drains to the storm water system were being installed - all this for rain off the roof of a barn! The walls are going higher. And finally, the lower level is taking shape. Next week the pool digging starts, depending on the weather. Yeah!

Windows, walls, and a "room with a view"

Today, the workers put in the windows for the front of the barn. In addition, the framing for the insulation on the first floor was installed. Pictures follow: Climbing to the top floor, you can see the view out the front window - the pool will be where the "cherry picker" lifts are now, and further is the pond and woods. Clear and dry forecast for next week - more progress coming.

Work in the garden

While the barn workers are raising the barn, Pop Pop has been spending lots of time in the garden. Here are pictures of newly planted beds (and some rows of lettuce that were "hooped" over the winter for early spring harvest). Look at the greems and purples of the lettuce! Other than the lettuce beds (all grown from seed) most of our plants are grown by our local CSA, which delivered on their plant sale this week-end. It has taken Pop Pop the last five days to get all the plants in the ground. Good for future salads, not so hot for the back.

Doors and roofing

Today the rear (inner) doors were put up, and finishing work on the roof was done, at least on one side of the cupola. Here are pictures: In addition to the more conventional doors, there will also be two sliding "barn doors" facing the road. On the front view, you can see the finished tin work on the left, no "ridge" cover yet on the right.

Cupola, board and batten, and courtyard wall

Today was beautiful - warm and sunny. And the barn workers, as they say, "make hay while the sun shines." The cupola went up - here are pictures of the workers firming up the base, the top sitting on the platform above the roof, and the final look. In addition, progress was made on the board and batten on the front wall of the barn. And finally, the stone masons are working on the wall to the courtyard.

Moving forward

Today was a bit chillier than yesterday (but still very nice) and progress occurred on the roof and the start of the siding. Here are two pictures of the stonework and then one of the cinder block at the barn's back (facing the road). The big trench there will need to be back-filled up to the door and just above the cinder block (which will be the base for the stone facing the road). In the morning, De De and Pop Pop went to Rolling Rock Building Stone - a quarry about an hour north of here. There we picked out the stone for the pool patio and the coping - a blend of Terra and Sapphire quartzite. We think this will blend well with the PA field stone on the barn walls. Pictures of the finished roof and the start of the siding (the board of a "board and batten" siding) round out today's activity. The builders pre-paint the siding by dripping it in a vat of paint so that any separation after installation will not reveal unpainted wood. A final coat of paint will go on after the install is complete. We're moving!