Are you going to cover it?

Perhaps one of the most common questions about our bridge is: "Are you going to cover it?"

So, here's a picture of the bridge from end-to-end, with the longest end measuring 13.5 feet or 22 boards. You can see it's not very long. With overhangs on both buildings, the number of steps of actual wet comes down to only two or three. Our answer to the question is, "nope we don't mind." In fact, we add, "we look forward to our mini outdoor experience and our pleasing garden experience." The true test has been this winter-of-weather. We've, in our short time of residence, had snow, wind, ice, rain and cold for some true tests. No regrets!

In the latter two pictures, I was on my back on the bridge looking up and to the side through the bridge.

A Dusting of Snow

views from the bridge...

Getting to the Details

New Bath Mirror

Ed & Lynae

We ordered a new mirror from The Island Framery and enjoyed the company of Lynae (owner of The Island Framery) in the process. She was generous and delivered the mirror and then stayed for dinner and a wonderfully entertaining evening of conversation.

Views From the Bridge

The Art of Mulching

I have been mulching for 20 years, or so, and find it a perfect way, and an easy way, to control weeds, protect tender plants in the winter, and improve the soil.  Here you can see the process:

• Lay cardboard or newspaper and cover with bark, chips or weed-free soil
• stop and admire work
• let everything rot and then plant

It's all so easy.  This mulching I did in about 3 to 4 hours.  It goes quickly and is far easier than spending hours and hours on one's knees pulling weeds.

Spring IS coming...

We've definitely had winter in the NW this year so when we can grab a semi-warm day for gardening, we do. And, when we grab it, the vegetable garden seems like a good place to put our energy. The pathways are newly mulched and the beds with either wintered over crops or cover crops are looking pretty good.

Erin, Brad and Barry dug many vine maples from Barry and Susan's land at North Bend yesterday.  Today they were planted at Grace Lane.  Their new home is surrounding our pond and providing us privacy to the east.   One group of maples was a line of small developing trees along a fallen branch -- perfect for screening.   By the time we were finished planting it was almost dark so the first view in the morning will be of our new trees.  The anticipation is a little Christmas-like.  

 Brad and Erin moved a couple of large rocks into place near the stream too.  There are three more rocks to place and then I can go back to work on finishing up the edges of the stream and pond.

Chips

Nothing makes me feel so rich as having a new load of chips for garden mulching.  This beautiful pile arrived yesterday and will shortly be spread throughout the garden as weed control with cardboard or newspaper underneath it.

Digging Vine Maples

A couple of Erin's pictures of digging vine maples at Brad's Dad's property in North Bend.  Here Brad is giving his Dad driving directions.

Trimming Out the Windows

Not quite finished, but close, Brad trimmed out the guesthouse windows today.  They are beautiful!  This room, much smaller than the bedroom in the apartment we just vacated, is open, well ventilated, and feels quite spacious.  The apartment felt hot, stuffy and decidedly crowded and unpleasant.  Driving home the point that the quality of the windows, and of the  room itself, are so much more important that the actual square footage.

Look at that grain.

Just yesterday, Josh said, "If I had a nickel for every time Brad's said, 'look at that grain', I'd be a rich man." It's true. Brad loves wood -- the smell and grain patterns -- and is always holding up another piece for exclamation. In this picture he is sorting, examining and exclaiming over the recycled wood that will be the trim on the guesthouse windows.

Old Roofing

Brad and Josh are putting in place the metal, from the Island County Fairground's old barn roof, reworked and cleaned up for interior use.

Very Sweet!

The base cabinet and metal counter top are now installed in the guesthouse bath -- very sweet!

Please Excuse Our Mess!

We've been unpacking for days now but we're still sorting, tossing, toting to thrift stores, and finding ways to live in a transparent way but still look clean, tidy and pared down. Unfortunately, the process is slow and tedious, and along the way very, very messy.

Metal Siding Comes Inside

The metal roofing we recycled from the Island County Fairgrounds barn (and used for exterior siding on main living), is going to be installed on one of our inside walls as well. It has been flattened, sanded, and washed for indoor use. Then the edges have been folded so the pieces lock together and the ends have been folded to wrap the corners. This is a portion of the metal work Brad and Josh completed at Tim's shop yesterday.

Pantry

We installed a pantry in our kitchen which is great but, for our purposes, the shelves are a little too far apart.  So, before we're even settled in we're remodeling.  Here Josh is sanding the edges of the three new shelves we'll be adding. 

Steel countertop

Our bath counter top (with hole for the sink, the back splash and the small shelf) is almost ready for installation. Brad, the real designer, creator and force behind this project, like all our projects, is grinding the cut edge before dropping in the sink. The next pictures are of me grinding the edges. But, really it's a set up as I did very little. Making the sparks is the real fun.

Will & Brad

Brad gives Will the home tour.

Tim's Metal Shop

Brad and Josh, in the background, are using the folding tool to straighten first and then fold the edges of more siding for the main living building, both inside and out. They were also planning on making the guesthouse bath's steel countertop, plus, the third task, was to cut the metal for the inside paneling on the greenhouse. Busy day! Perhaps the list was a little too long and ambitious.

How Lovely It Is...

We're here!  Glorious!  The apartment is vacant and we're checked out.  All the boxes, bags and bins of our treasurers are  either put away, or more like it, sitting on the porch waiting for us  to decide where they go. Part of the putting-it-away dilemma is the  on-going construction swirling around us.  As I write, Brad and Josh are building bathroom cabinets and installing them.  Needless to say, our toothbrushes are not yet put away.  Perhaps tonight?