Chink-a-dink

Larry has begun the process of chinking between the logs on the Hamilton Cabin.  Each gap is filled with a dense foam produce, nailed into place, and skim coated with a 3/8" layer of resilient buff-colored chinking material.  The high-tech material is designed to expand and contract with weather conditions while maintaining its adhesion to the logs.

This beam is the most beautiful one in the entire project - if you ask me, that is.  It is on the front left corner of the writer's room.  The ax marks, coloring, age and patina are remarkable.  I love the way the sealant has brought out the deep tones like burnished copper.  The wood makes my heart sing!

Devin's Room

Devin was able to visit the cabin today.  Grandad made a plywood ramp into the main doorway so she could roll into her bedroom.  She approves! 

The screened porch is framed in on the main cabin now.  The timbers and rough wood give it the most incredible feel.  Everyone is very enthusiastic about the porch and how wonderfully it contributes to the overall project.  This view is from the porch over the pond towards the Hamilton Cabin. The photo below show Myron, Frank, and John laying the rocks up the chimney above the porch roof.

All the leaves are off the trees now.  Another season is upon us.  Hopefully next fall we will be sitting on the porch watching the leaves while the fireplace gives off its warmth.

 

Dreaming of Electricity

Mr. Ed has the tracker installed, wired into the control room, inverters and batteries installed, and is dreaming that it all will work as planned.  He has tested to see that the tracker really does track the sun.  There are more connections to make, but we are really on our way towards electricity!  A generator will be installed to bolster the batteries in the event a string of cloudy days causes us to deplete their storage capacity. 

Sunshiny Days

At last, weather forecasts for sunny days all week have pumped new life into the construction efforts.  A trip up the ridge gave the first glimpse of the solar tracker installation underway.  The ridge timber has been cut in the last 15-20 years, so the new growth is small and thus won't require very much additional clearing.  The space where we have cleared will be perfect to plant some fruit trees that will not grow high enough to block the solar panels. 

The roofing crew has begun working on the main cabin.  The interesting angles look great with the cedar shingles and copper flashing in the valleys.  I realized upon my approach to the site, that each time I am excited to see what the craftsmen have accomplished since my last visit.  It is a feeling that I am enjoying their project.  And then, out of the blue, it will occur to me that this beautiful structure is our cabin! 

During the crew's lunch break, when the generator was switched off, I walked the circumference of the meadow, ending up sitting on my favorite rock ledge above the creek.  In the crisp autumn air and golden light, I closed my eyes listening to the sound of the water.  I found myself silently repeating, "I'm so grateful..." until tears rolled down my cheeks.  Creation reflects the glory of its Maker and I am drawn into His presence when I delight in it.

Picnic on the Grounds

Accompanied by my good friend, Dana, on the construction visit, we improvised a picnic area in the master bedroom with buckets, a board, and our simple spread of goodies.  As always, I love sharing our cabin with friends.  We brought a dark chocolate-chip pound cake to share with the guys after lunch.  It fueled their efforts towards the present goal of getting the main cabin "in the dry". 

All of the rafters are in place now for the main cabin roof.  I love all the varying angles and the way the chimneys tie into the roof structure.  When the cedar shingles are completed it will be spectacular.  From this view, which is the back, the far left is Devin's bedroom, followed by the gathering room, kitchen/dining area, ending at the master bedroom on the right.

The Daniels brothers from Ecru/Thaxton delivered the doors they built for the bedroom of the guest cabin.  Built of reclaimed oak, the doors are gorgeous!  There are two interior doors with glass and two exterior doors with screen instead of the glass.  They open out onto the porch above the running water of Canoe Branch.  It will be a great place for hosting the guests we hope to have at the Glen.  The sounds of nature promise to surround all who stay at the Glen, washing away the cares of the world, and connecting them to the heart of the Creator Himself!  All in good time...

Dig, Billy Joe, Dig!

Have we ever discussed the energy issue?  How many times?  Over and over the discussion has taken many rabbit trails as I've previously mentioned.  Today, October 1, 2009 was monumental.  Mike and Ed are to the right in this photo, discussing the ridge as the location for the solar tracker.  This is a great change of events as we had thought it was not going to work and the tracker (which is huge) would have to be placed behind the main cabin.  Arriving on the job today, my goal was to come to agreement on the placement of the tracker so it would be least visible, especially from the huge kitchen window over the sink.  As we looked there was no way to "hide" such a monstrosity.  It was painful to think such a gorgeous rustic cabin was destined to have a space-age contraption in plain site.  The numbers were crunched, options tossed around, ramifications identified, and what was left was a no-brainer...

    Put the tracker on the ridge! 

So we turned the backhoe loose and yelled,

"Dig, Billy Joe, Dig!",

sending him up above the cabin on the ridge.  It is about 350' up, but completely out of site through the woods.  The other huge bonus is that the increased range of sunlight up there makes a huge difference in energy-generating capacity.  All around, it seems to be the decision we've all been waiting to arrive at. 

Rain

Can you see the rain dripping off the rafter tails?  Mike says September and October are historically the driest months in middle Tennessee.  Not so this year.  Rain has fallen so far every day in September and has put work off for three weeks so far.  Waiting, trusting that the timing of the Lord is perfect.  Also asking for patience during the waiting.  Materials ordered and scheduled for arrival have arrived, but progress is not far enough along for them to be installed yet.  We are having to utilize off-site storage.  The hope for "Christmas in the Glen" has changed to "Easter in the Glen."