Traditions Continue

We have a coin for luck resting beneath one of our timbers. This is another ceremony that we're told is still practiced by ironworkers who erect skyscrapers in New York. By pinning an evergreen bough to the top of the structure, you acknowledge the contribution Nature made to the building and demonstrate respect for its gift. Ellen, with an assist by Art Applegren of Riverbend, did the honors for this, since I did the coin. I'm actually on the same ladder with Ellen, but my sense of dignity kept me from climbing up high enough for my head to be in this shot with her. Use your imagination....okay, got it.


While all the buzz and glamour is on the topside, our plumbers were hard at work in the basement. Talk about the short end of the deal. They had a Bobcat working inside the basement to help with the trenching and grade. The fumes were downright nasty, even when standing outside! You also get a sense of the deck with this side view, shot from the garage. This is the same shot as our banner for the day. I'll update that often with new shots, so I decided to include the same photo in this post to keep it on-line. It shows a rear view of the house, after some of the detail timbers were installed today. The vertical deck posts are all temporary until the Ipe' arrives, except for two. Those two are 6x6 pressure treated posts that will be encased in the same stone we'll use for the front facade. The Ipe' will be 4 x 4 posts, but our builder said they are stronger and capable of supporting a much heavier load than 6x6 pressure treated posts. I'm not accustomed to seeing such slender deck supports, so it will be interesting to see what visual effect they will have on the overall home. I can only speculate at the moment.