Karra & Dennis

Seeing Karra and Dennis again, after several years, was wonderful. Unfortunately, their son (now 6) didn't come along because they were having a business meeting with Brad and didn't want the distraction. However, we haven't seen him since he was an infant, so we were disappointed. We're looking forward to the next visit -- with all three of them!

Stream from tip to toe...

Our stream is largely finished from the headwaters to the outflow. A few days ago Brad and Austin moved the last three large boulders into place. Since then, smaller rocks, gravel and plants have been tucked in here and there. We're also in the process of placing lights which is a tricky, tricky business. We view this area from the top, bottom and bridge so placing the lights so they don't zing you is quite challenging. We're anxiously awaiting spring and the new growth to pop forth on the plantings. The cushioning is very much needed to move from the man made look to a more natural mountain stream look.

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.

Views From the Bridge

Snow on Whidbey

We're having about a 10 day cold spell, complete with snow. It is beautiful. The timing isn't perfect for our project but it's difficult to complain surrounded with this much beauty.

Pond Planting

This weekend we added stones, a nurse log, licorice fern and sedges (have edges) to the edges of the pond and to the fen.

More on the Bridge

Photos by Tim Leonard

The bridge is beautiful!!!

And we celebrate!

The Bridge

All I can say is Wow! Lots of really hard, hot, and outstanding work from the crew this past few days and the results are stunning.

Two Railing Sections

The first two sections were done at the time of this picture. By the end of the day four sections were done -- that's one side of the bridge (the long side). Tomorrow the panels for the west side of the bridge will be made, and all of them installed.

Bridge handrail prototype

Using the old, rusty, but beautiful iron Brad found at Skagit Steel, here is the prototype for the bridge railing. Today five workers (Tim, Brad, Josh, Dan & Travis) are pouring on the effort to begin and finish the project. Looks to me, in these early stages, that Brad has once again brought us a creative work of art.

Control

Keeping Fran and Kramer out of trouble has finally been figured out. The beautiful old welded wire, to be used for our bridge railing, has a temporary job of site control. It's no longer "go to your room" but "go to your cage." An out of jail pass was earned with ice cream treats.

Josh's Family Visits

Josh's family are some of our first visitors to walk across the bridge between the guesthouse and main living. Although the planks are not permanently in place, only resting on the bottom of the I-Beam, walking the bridge now feels secure and safe. Annie, however, has a different idea. She still thinks it's a very dangerous few feet.

Linking the living wing with the guest wing

The bridge from the main living to the guesthouse, and back, is now well defined and even walkable, in a tenuous kind of way

Living Wing Foundation

Bridge to guesthouse, new steel posts for supporting the living wing roof, and steel supports tied into the I-beam for holding the floor that's not over the heat sink portion of the main living.

Bridge, posts and steel floor supports.

North side from covered porch to bridge.

Bridge

The guesthouse is to the left, the main living is to the right, and straight ahead the bridge connects the two. The large boulders in the foreground are for the stream that will go under the bridge. All of our roof water (from all three buildings) will dump into the stream, which will flow into a pond. The pond has an overflow rain garden to handle any storm water excess.

The first wall on the guesthouse

Ed gets home from work each day after dark
and too late to see what's happened during the day.
This is his first viewing of the guesthouse since last
weekend.

Phase Two Moving Forward...

The back fill is coming up on the outside of the heat sink.
Inside the heat sink, now fully insulated, a thin covering of
sand is being added over the bottom insulation before the
tubing is put in place.
















Here, on the main living and guesthouse, the steel posts are
in place; the I-beams are in place; and the beam across the
steel posts is in place. Also, after one very wet day yesterday,
the tarp is in place.
















I-beams for the bridge between the guesthouse and main living space




















A closeup of the steel posts and beam which support the east side of the guesthouse.