Last week, Doc came by and installed the new steps and landing which was a welcome addition. We need the landing in order to pass occupancy inspection, and given our past experiences with the county codes and permit office, I would just as soon let somebody else deal with those morons. In fact, the very same morons have stalled the water and electric permits in a never ending battle of incompetence vs wit. It is for this reason that we have decided to sub-contract anything having to do with inspections and permits to the local good-ole-boys that hunt, fish and go to church with the county inspectors. Hopefully, it will prove to be a smart move.

So this weekend the weather turned cooler and made it possible to get some tough work done. On the agenda was putting up the gazebo frame, weed eating around the barn and cutting down two large hickory trees on the hill which were in danger of falling on the cabin. The gazebo went up quickly and Linda did most of the work while I put on my climbing harness, checked the rope and prepared the saw. Once on the ledge, I tied off and cleared the underbrush. Then I sat there for a while, mapping out a strategy and gathering my nerve. These trees were big. Really big. My main concern was placement, as they had to fall in a specific place in order not to hit the cabin or the retaining wall. Indeed, the pressure to perform was on, but in the end, I dropped them almost perfectly.

We spend the rest of the day cutting, splitting and stacking the bounty. My neighbor Chris felt sorry for me and my little Homelite chainsaw so he lent me his 20" Stihl. OMG... this thing was a beast. When it started up, it sounded like a Ferrari on crack. When you are outside on fall days and hear a chainsaw miles in the distance, this is what they are using. It was mean and heavy and it sliced through logs like a razor blade through warm butter. Relatively speaking, if not for a short pee break I might have finished sawing before I even started. On my return Chris pointed out that the tree was covered in poison ivy and indeed, in my rush of excitement, I hadn't noticed. In retrospect, this is the kind of thing that one should realize before going to pee rather than after.

The sun set on another work weekend and I sat for a moment with it, feeling good about what we had accomplished. This week saw the wine bottled, the fields mowed, the hay bailed, the gazebo put up, the landing installed, the trees removed and the firewood stack increased. The corn was happy, swaying in the cool breeze and life was good.

Summer

It's hard to believe that it has been six months since my last blog entry. I think this is due in part to being so busy, and admittedly a little undisciplined when it comes to maintaining a blog. Regardless, it is time to provide a progress update on our adventures.

Over the summer we had the cabin delivered and set up. Charlie installed the septic and plumbing so we were able to put away the porta-potty. Without the well, flushing meant several trips per day down to the stream to fetch a five gallon bucket of water. It didn't take long before we contracted Bub to dig a well, which is in place awaiting decision of whether or not to go solar with the pump.

Cost-wise, it's just about a wash. I plan on being off the grid, and we have been for six months by using two deep cycle DC batteries and solar panels, but providing enough power for the well pump means having to purchase more panels. I don't think we're ready for that just yet, so for now we are having the power company drop a residential line to the cabin. This decision was made easier when we spent the week of July 4th there working in what is undoubtedly the hottest time of the summer. I don't think I could get much work done without some really big fans or air conditioning- or both.

Linda has done a wonderful job outfitting and decorating the cabin interior. Garage sales, flea markets and discount stores all have contributed to the cozy furnishings. We also installed a block retaining wall after discovering that the entire mountain seemed to be washing away behind the cabin every time it rained. Yet another unexpected expense.

Over the next two weeks we should complete the electrical grid hookup and have running water. These have been the last obstacles to being ably to live "comfortably" in our little cabin. By winter, we should have the screened porch close to completion. I'm really looking forward to being able to sleep on the porch, like we used to do at my aunt's place. It will double the size of the cabin, and provide some much needed shade and shelter from the summer heat. Winter will also mean it's time to install the wood stove. I'll start cutting firewood as soon as the weather cools down to add to last years stack that has been drying in the barn. The first tree to go will be the one high on the hill behind the cabin. With it's exposed roots it could fall in a strong wind, and if it didn't hit the cabin it would surely crash into the new retaining wall.

The garden went fairly well this year. With the exception of a late stand of corn and some butter bean plants that just came up as a result from plowing under this years expended plants, I have harvested everything already. We managed to put away several quarts of dried peas and beans, corn, potatoes, onions, okra and peppers. I'll be making picked peppers and hot chow chow tonight and that should wrap up my harvesting chores until the late corn comes in. I doubt if there is enough time left in the season to get a second harvest of beans from the new plants.

So, there it is- the long awaited update. More to come soon, including pictures and the latest news on the 2011 wine.