bigger columns (or, six boards closer to a back wall)

The weather was lovely in Julian yesterday--sunny, but not miserably hot. And, the house looked lovely. Now that the front wall is all up, it looks pretty darn impressive...Out biggest accomplishment (or, at least the thing that most needed a second pair of hands) was getting boards attached to the columns in the back wall. Even though they're not as tall as the back will will eventually be, those columns are darn call. Getting boards measured and set on the bolts that come out of the columns took a bit of coordination. We made Matt climb the ladder.

It was fun to see all the work Dad's done, stacked up on the house's floor--we're getting closer to ready for the big day when we can hire a crane to life all those tall walls into place.

Don't you think that wood sets off the red of the columns nicely? (And the front wall looks lovely in the distance...)
The excitement of the afternoon was when a swarm of bees came through the house. Matt decided that he didn't really want to be on a 28' ladder when they were swarming all around him. Eventually, they settled on the tree just south and west of the house. We would have preferred they'd settled further away, but were thankful they didn't choose the house itself. It was pretty incredible to watch a huge swarm turn into a little ball of bees on the oak tree branch.

[And, of course, the presence of bees in this year when they seem to be dying elsewhere, was heartening, and invited us to turn to discussion of the possibility of planting a few fruit trees on the property. We're thinking apple and nectarine. Any thoughts?]

Here's Dad and Matt as they investigate the bee ball in the oak tree. Like father, like son, eh?
And, finally, here's Matt up on his ladder again, cutting off the ends of the column's bolts. See how happy he is, working on the house? (He also seemed happy when a herd of 13 turkeys walked through the property, very near where he set up his target for archery practice. He's looking forward to turkey hunting season...especially if they voluntarily come within arrow range.)
Can't wait to host a big turkey dinner for everyone who's helped us, complete with Nona's apple pie from fruit from the tree we have yet to plant...