Sorry it’s been so long since a post; we’re sortof in limbo waiting on a few house items that are beyond our control. I do still go out to the house regularly, though, and work on subprojects that aren’t on the critical path. Things like installing the stormwater drainage from the gutter downspouts, or fabricating the steel support brackets for the rail of the loft. That’s what you’re seeing here… these steel brackets will bolt to the edge of the loft, and there will be stainless wire strung through them to keep folks from falling from the bedroom down to the living room if they are incautious. To save money, I bought angle iron from the local welding shop, and am cutting and drilling it myself. I don’t have a welding setup right now, so I’ve decided to bolt the clip angles onto the vertical supports. Once it’s all painted and installed, I’m sure it will look quite nice… and bolted connections are sexy, as they show off the way things work. I’ll post pictures of the final installation.
In other news, the work crew from TEP showed up today and started clearing brush and invasives as part of the riparian improvement project we’re doing with them. It’s an exciting day! They have chainsaws and giant two-handed weedwhackers with triangular steel blades, and know exactly how to use them. We walked the property with Tom, the project coordinator, and looked at the work that will be done. It’s an impressive undertaking, and they are going at it with gusto. We’re so grateful. They are even going to clear some of the densest, gnarliest windfall areas that we have been too intimidated to even explore, on the southwest bank area.
Besides today’s tour, I walked around the creek some yesterday, just to take a break and enjoy the quietude on a sunny midwinter afternoon. This time of year the underbrush has died back, and its possible to walk and see things not normally available, like the white-trunked alder forest and the grassy hillocks at the brook’s confluence. I heard a deep, hollow gurgling from the wetland below, and upon following it was surprised to find an underground stream emerging from the hillside! It isn’t a big one. I wonder if any goblins or toad kings live in there?
