The Farm Story
The Early Years
These posts are from our first few years at the farm, the story of how we started, the many bumps along the way, the learning and labor that went into remaking the farmhouse into the wonderful home it is today.
Garage Takes Shape
January, 2010 Lot’s of time away from this effort, my apologies to anyone who cares about the lapse. Fits and starts for weeks—the cold, the bank, and illness (not my own) slowing things down. But progress nonetheless. I’ll try to prime the pump, so to speak, with...
Bad News
December, 2009 A week ago, it was a first-snow day, cars off the road, schools delayed, the house so cold I could see my breath. Clark had not returned my calls over the past day and neither Sam nor Eric appear to have been on site. Only dog footprints marked the...
Office Studio Framing
December, 2009 It’s hard to say what’s my favorite part. There’s the loft that will be a cozy retreat, the kitchen with ample space for serious cooking, and a wonderful bathroom filled with light and air. But it’s the studio that will be my working sanctuary and...
Garage Begins
December, 2009 Garage construction began right before Thanksgiving and continues this week. Our goal is to get everything dried in as soon as we can and put in for another draw in time for holiday paychecks. The garage is framed in sturdy 2x6 hemlock and will have...
New Stairs
December, 2009 A new main staircase is an addition to the original plan that will make the entry hall, and our daily lives, much more gracious. The old stairs were solid, but descended to an awkward point right in front of what will now be the main guest entrance. I...
Weekend Warriors
November, 2009 I’m grateful to the weekday crew who have kept the project alive even when progress slows to a crawl. But there’s also a weekend crew, less regular but no less skilled at what they do. Usally led by Clark, weekends are when the bulk of the site work...
Farewell to a Good Man
November, 2009 Yesterday, on a fine November morning, we buried our dear Uncle Bill at a hillside cemetery next to his mother and father. Bill died just one day shy of his 93rd birthday, at home where he wanted to be. I last saw him the evening before he passed,...
Beautiful Roof
November, 2009 My father was an observant man and among the things he assessed with a keen eye were shoes, character, and roofs. He was in the building supply business for most of his working life, and could spot peeling shingles from a mile away. While he forgave me...
Logs to Lumber
November, 2009 I got there early, not knowing how the heck I was going to make this work. The logs looked even more immovable after a summer’s worth of settling in. In less than an hour, the no-nonsense sawyer would arrive and want to get going. But the borrowed dozer...
