pics from the garage raising

I thought you might like to see some images from our work on Friday and Saturday--everyone worked really hard (braving some formidable heat...) and we got a lot done!

garage raised!

Thanks for your help! On Friday...


and on Saturday we worked hard, raised the fourth wall on the garage, and covered most of it in the plywood sheeting it needs!

like a barn-raising

We invite you to join us on Friday and Saturday, July 21 & 22, for a garage-raising!

Come any time--I think we'll work something like 9:30 to 6 both days. You can come either or both. You can even sleep there--there's plenty of space on that garage slab and there's a bathroom in the trailer.

Let me know you're coming (email me or post a comment) and I'll make sure you know how to get there, and that there's plenty of food and refreshment.

We would be very grateful for your help, and would love to have a house built partly with your labor & love!

a slab! really!

Last Thursday, July 6, Matt, Phil & Dad met with some fabulous concrete pumpers and finishers to *finally* pour the garage slab.














And, not meaning to insult the strength of the above-mentioned family members, we were very grateful for the presence of the finishers! Turns out, I've learned this year, concrete's really heavy, and screeding isn't really as much fun as the sound of its name might suggest...















But, doesn't the slab look glorious!?!














After their triumph, Dad quickly got to work cutting down tall weeds in the back.














Matt and Phil spent the rest of the weekend laying more blocks on the house foundation.















The walls continue to grow, as does the smoothness of their block-laying technique.















(And I even got in on a very little bit of the work, Sunday afternoon...)

growing stones and flowers

Many of the seeds we planted after Grandpa's funeral have grown into flowers--this sunflower is keeping watch over the garage. Matt says that since we took this shot, it's grown a bunch more blossoms! There are lots of poppies, plus mountain lupine and much more.












We poured the second batch of garage concrete, forming stem walls. We had a minor crisis in the back wall (that ol' hole we love to hate), but our fabulous concrete pumpers helped us keep it from become major.












Since this, Matt and Dad have reconstructed the forms we need, and we're ready for the next pour...

concrete progress II

Yesterday, we have a visit from concrete trucks, for the second time, pouring the perimeter stem wall for the garage.



It's gratifying to see actual concrete that looks like it will hold up actual walls. Unfortunately, we had flawed forms in back--they didn't hold up to the mass of so much concrete, so we're not as done as we'd like. BUT, we got some help from some friends, who not only helped with the concrete, but brought a yummy lunch. Thanks, Karen and Ryan!!

a solid foundation

It's been over a year since we got our building permit (and, then, we thought that took a long time...), and we're hopeful that the foundation is well on its way. This week, we hope to pour around the permeter of the garage. It's exciting to watch the house begin to finally bear obvious signs of being, well, a "house."

Our energy for the project comes because of the old house--and how it was home to so many treasured memories. This new house bears those, plus so many hopes for the future...


We've been working up there since November 2003, first just caring for the land and dreaming, and then beginning work. Clearing, chipping...


We got our building permit on March 4, 2005. (See, it sounds hopeful and forward-moving: "march forth!") Tonya and Ward agreed to work for us for 6 months, as builders. In that time, we faced a number of setbacks and slowdowns... but we DID get a lot of groundwork done. Literally. Grading, buried pipes, holes for footings, rebar.


In January, when Matt was home from Iraq for leave, we pour our first concrete in those holes. (A bold demonstration of craziness: five trucks of concrete for people who'd never done such a thing...) The spring rains came, and we were free from worried visions of mud-pools swimming in rebar and sweeping our dreams down the hill.

Now, Matt's home for good, and we're ready to launch into work. We (er, I...) think it'll be fun to blog about it--and maybe it'll keep us in touch with all the good people who might continue to come help us on occasion. ;)