wndrlst

We were lucky to spot one of these:

Scarlet Tanager


Gorgeous bird!!


Glad we'll be leaving our little forest intact to preserve their breeding ground.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

wow, I so wish I could build a shack in the woods

Scottman111

Looking good! Now all you need is some fence and cows


Pictures like these always remind me of my construction working days. Let me know when they start on the electric so I can critique the fuck out of it, and maybe give you some advice

wndrlst

Dude. Just come install it, so we don't have to hear all your bellyaching.


I kid - will definitely post pics. No moo-cows, though. You'll have to settle for deer.

Scottman111

I'd definitely do a better job, but you couldn't afford this

It's funny though, I get asked all the time to wire new houses, but I don't have the time, tools, or materials to make it cost/time effective. The discounts that builders get on materials are insane, although they're rarely passed on to the customer. I make more money on side jobs anyways


Pigs are still an option?!? And you know my history with deer I've also waged a war against a fox that is stalking our chickens...stupid nature

Scottman111

That's it! You need some chickens! The ultimate pet. Free eggs every day (10x better than the store bought ones), they eat nothing but table scraps, bugs, and ants, and they basically take care of themselves! Win-win for you and the earth!

wndrlst

I know just what you mean.


Ew. Definitely no swine. Too smelly.

I wasn't taking into consideration your history with deer, but I think they're here to stay. We have several fox dens on the property, too. Not sure how active they are...guess we'll find out! We'll definitely be building a fence to keep our dog from scrapping with them. She's kind of a wuss. I had considered buying a few guineas to eat the ticks and stink bugs, but between the fox, hawks, and owls, they probably wouldn't last very long...

wndrlst

I've thought of that, too! HLL is vegetarian, but recently (as in this past weekend) ate an egg white omelet, so maybe it will be worth it if he keeps that up.

They'd definitely have to live in an enclosure 99.9% of the time for the same reason the guineas wouldn't last long otherwise...

Scottman111

I miss our pigs, but you're right, the smell is just terrible. And it never goes away.


Chickens have their pros and cons like everything, but the reward is well worth the little effort. Free eggs, great with kids and other animals, quiet (some roosters are bad, others aren't), won't run off, don't eat much, etc.

Ours stay in a 30 x 30 pen that includes their house, and we let them out a few times a week to roam and eat, so they have room to run either way. They always stay close, and always go to bed by themselves. A rooster will fight to the death to protect the hens, and most critters or birds won't bother. Your doggie being around would keep most critters away.

The fox we're dealing with now is just extremely brave, which is rare. I'd say two hens would be a perfect egg/human ratio for you. I won't yap anymore though...if you ever consider it in the future you know where to find me.

wndrlst

I genuinely appreciate it, and may pick your brain a bit more eventually. I have some friends with a chicken enclosure - the wife eventually killed the rooster because he kept attacking her.

I do love fresh eggs - they're creamier somehow. I'll have a little veggie garden, too.

Acura_Dude

I'll pack my bags. Movin in FTW!

Scottman111

Yeah, forgot to mention, roosters hate women and children with a passion You could easily do without one, though, especially if they're gonna be near the house.


Eggs are creamier and not hopped up on hormones/steroids/whateva

wndrlst

Well, she hated him right back with a big ol' axe!

Scottman111

That's hardcore! I think I'm in

wndrlst

You'd be even more in love if you met her. She's an adorable little Austrian spitfire. Great accent.

Scottman111

Well I am a sucker for accents!! Give me 5 minutes and I'll be single





Serious question time: What is your water source?

wndrlst

Sorry Scottie..she's hitched.


Serious answer time: We're on a well.

Cruz_msl

Knock Knock...... Knock. That will be my knock when the zombie Apocalypse happens. I'll bring the beer and Granola bars.

wndrlst

It will be a good place to hide out and forage.



The weather has held up progress, though we do have a poured basement floor now. They'll start framing the first floor this week, weather permitting. Go away TS Alberto!

jupitersolo

Alberto isn't going to be the problem, he's down near Florida. The mess we have this morning will be here until Thursday or Friday.

wndrlst

I know it's far away, but CWG says we can thank him for the crappy weather through most of the week. (Nevermind..just read the full blurb instead of just the little blip on the facebook update. Fine...go away "additional low off the coast!"

Regardless, this stuff is likely to force a delay in closing on the sale of the house we're in now.

wndrlst

Went out in the rain yesterday. The storms chased off the workers early, unfortunately, but they managed to finish the first floor.

Oh, and all that fill dirt? It turns out it was just what we had on site from excavating and grading. They're planning to bring in a lot more, still. Which is good - I don't mind a couple of stairs into the house, but with my dad being confined to a wheelchair, I didn't want a lot of them.

Anyway..pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259116832/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259116832/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr
(Sorry it's blurry..when the rain stops, I'll start using a real camera..)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259115906/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259115906/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259115322/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259115322/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259116536/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7259116536/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr
I love these boulders right beneath our house. I wish I had someone standing in the photo for perspective, but they're quite a lot taller than a person. Maybe 10 feet high if you're standing at the base of the large ones?

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

^ Awesome. Hope we can clear this low out of there! Framing will go quickly once they get going!

Majofo

chill_dog

They've gotten a lot done since the last pics. Your backyard > *.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Aman

It's amazing how fast your house is getting built!

Acura_Dude

^This. Wndr I u, this is goin great. I want the basement! You and your SO can have the rest.

wndrlst

Seriously - me, too! Of course it's going to clear out in time for the holiday weekend.

I totally agree. Thank you.

There will be a little nook/cubby thing under the basement stairs?





And man...you guys aren't kidding about the speed of things. We have WALLS today! With window openings and doors and everything. Even some Tyvek. Crazy fast.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264670688/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264670688/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr



I love all the windows in the great room. I couldn't fit them all in the frame.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264671596/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264671596/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr


Maybe someday I'll have some more pics with actual sunlight. I feel like we're building in the rainforest.

I can't get over how tall the trees are. I need a new hammock...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264672522/http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/7264672522/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/moxiephotos/, on Flickr

Acura_Dude

WOAH! This is going up fast. I'll take the nook/cubby spot. But then again... me and nature plus her creatures don't get along. Reminds me of when I was at my brothers recently (3 of them live in their dads house, he passed away a few mos ago) and they had hogs and chickens and a nice garden, and I was walkin around an I guess I got a little to close to the chicken coop and this freakin rooster started chasing me! He was a nice size one too. I was like wtf go away! I just knew that mean bastard was goin to spur me, but I got away.

Then I plotted on breaking his neck afterwards and pluckin his feathers and make fried chicken. Asshole rooster. At first he was just walking around me, next thing I know he slowly started following me, then chased me. Turns out he's just mean as hell.

Also my 2 yr old niece got decides to stick her hand in the chicken coop and got her finger pecked and decides she wants to do it again after she stopped crying. That was about 2 weekends ago. BTW farmed raised animals taste great. I really enjoyed the pulled pork from the hogs. Now I'm still stuck on my white eggs from the store, though. Not ready to jump into eatin the fresh chick eggs, yet. Though they make great cakes.

wndrlst

Dude. You are

MWalsh9152

oh and conrats on the walls! I hope all the floor joists are LVL's?

Acura_Dude

Can't wait for more pics on the home, wndr. They're really kickin it in gear.

wndrlst

They are wood I-joists

MWalsh9152

will I Joists take the additional PSI load of you moving around the house?

Jcaron9gt4

Looks good! Don't expect the speed to continue at this pace though...walls and framing go up VERY quickly, it's all the little things that take the longest lol. They'll be times when you show up and it looks like nothing has been done.

jupitersolo

I have wood I joists in my townhouse, I do not like them. House is 25 yrs old.

wndrlst

Thanks, yes, I know. We're looking at a completion date sometime around late October.

Gee thanks, Jeff, that's helpful. What do you not like about them? They're definitely better than what I have in my current home.

jupitersolo

Sorry, I just have some squeaks that I don't want to have. If they don't get it just right, you have them after years of use. The I beam surface is small, so if they don't use enough liquid nail and nail it just right.

When Dustin and John was doing my bathroom, they had to cut out part of my sub floor, in two places and use about 10 screws to get rid of a squeak, because those who built it, didn't get the wall that separates the bathroom and hallway just right to the subfloor. With the screws they were able to raise it about two inches and firm up the floor.

I just think the I-joints are too narrow and leave room for fault, if the workers try and rush the job.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Why do you think they're using them