Friday is buck day, midnight silhouette

Wednesday wildlife, our small herd

The small herd of does keep coming back and congregate near the cabin. This camera was set up south of where we've been working this fall and hasn't failed to give us at least one good picture per week.

Friday is buck day, November buck

A couple of years and this guy will bulk up nicely. For now, he's content with carousing at night on the acreage.

Wednesday wildlife, doe in the snow

 

Followed by a buck:

 

Our hunter missed out again

Cabin fever, the finishing touches

With colder temperatures, a winter storm and dealing with the aftermath of it, we took a weekend off to deal with a small "crisis". This past Saturday was cold but I intended to get the eaves finished which will give us a chance to seal it up next week with temps approaching 50. Number One and Two Sons helped.

My metalwork is not the best but it should do the job.

A few more hours and we should have it sealed up for the winter which is definitely on its way:

(Cabin is in the distance to the left of center)

Next up would be the interior, but give us a few weeks before we get started, I got some business to take care of.

Don't mind the mess, but enjoy the view

Our view to the west.

A good stand of alfalfa/clover hay.

And to the east:

A white pine that was only 5-6 foot tall three years ago.

Number One Son and I took time to sit and enjoy the views from all four directions on Sunday afternoon. We finished what we could for the day since there wasn't enough time for a round trip to one of the Iowa City box stores for supplies. A little quiet time to reflect on what we have accomplished so far, and some planning for the next couple of years.

To my regular readers, when you get a chance to stop by and visit, we set aside a chair for you:

Hopefully, we'll have the place cleaned up a bit, but if not, please don't mind the mess, we are a work in progress.

Wednesday wildlife, same doe, different week

If you notice the discoloration on her lip, it would seem this is the same doe as last week but from a different angle.

If our bow hunter was there, she would have been walking towards him.

Cabin fever, home stretch

After a major storm system came through the area last Wednesday, we lost several boxelder limbs along the fence. Unfortunately, the one tree I'd like to fall is still standing. More importantly, the cabin still stands despite high winds that blew in from the south.

We had a good day on Saturday and a couple of hours on Sunday and we were able to get a lot of work done. Daytime temps in the 50's and fighting the wind to get the last metal sheets up. All four walls are up. our door installed and corner and gable trim attached.

 

 

The eaves need to be finished before calling it sealed up for the winter but no mice should be able to get in unless they chew through metal. We put some insulation fabric up around the eaves to keep the birds out as a temporary measure.

We should be able to complete our last tasks this coming weekend if the snow doesn't keep us away. The forecast looks to be in the 40's so we look forward to a chilly but productive day.

Wednesday wildlife, evening doe

This doe graced our small orchard in the SE corner of the acreage, but if she visits very often during the day, she's in danger of a hunter's arrow. Our friend missed his chance this week.

Cabin fever, windows and walls

Some cold days because of the winds and interruption due to rain, we did get a windows and walls up on the north and west sides.

Our progress:

We leveled a 2x4 and nailed flashing own. This is to be a shelf that helps us to keep things straight (for at least as much as I can make it) and the steel sheathing can be placed upon it and help keep the mice out.

You can see how that worked out on the north wall:

The west wall with an audience as I attach the corner:

As the sun shines down upon our small efforts...

We have more work to complete the east and south walls and then flashing and complete the eaves.

And of course, more bracing!

Wednesday wildlife, Friday is buck day

I know it isn't Wednesday but I don't have a cabin update because I didn't take pictures last weekend. Rain and a run to Marshalltown cut into our work time but we did make a little progress.

A close up of a buck that is all legs:

He walked about 4 feet in front of the camera at 3:30am.

Rain is in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday looks to be a solo work day. I'm hoping to get more bracing put up. You can't have too much bracing.

Wednesday wildlife, another buck

A little late this week.

This buck was chasing several does on this late night as the camera captured them prancing in the moonlight.

Cabin fever, our window to the world

At least one of them, facing the west and our hay field:

The boys and I were able to frame in the east and west windows but ran out of juice in the batteries before getting the door frame up. Last Saturday was the perfect day for work with temps in the mid 60's and not much of a breeze. A perfect day for putting up the tin which I wasn't ready for. Sunday was used for catching up on some maintenance at the homestead.

This coming weekend looks like it might rain which gives us the opportunity to burn brush, haul the remaining lumber and tin to the jobsite and get some other inside work done for other projects. If it doesn't rain, then we will frame in two more windows, if not a third, and the door frame.

It needs more bracing as well.

Wednesday wildlife, our pheasant sanctuary

We hear the roosters all day long while working and one time I flushed more than a dozen at one time. Others have said that the numbers are down this year, but not at our place. Here are some examples:

Final berry harvest

From one of our primocane blackberry plantings of this year:

Oh, if they were all this big. The frosts of last Saturday and Sunday will complete the harvest for this year.

Three guys in sweatshirts

The sons and I going over some steps on bending metal without a brake.

I have been accused of not explaining the how and why of a particular task that I perform. In this case, I paused to explain how I bend metal for flashing. Right afterward I cursed myself for not bringing the proper clamps for the 2x4s and proceeded anyway. Production would have halted otherwise and we had enough problems with the mistakes I made.

Last Saturday was breezy with a little chill in the air and a heavy dew that lasted until late morning. The cottonwood leaves were beginning to fall onto our work area and we matted them down with our steps. We have only a few days left before the weather turns cold and a lot of work is left before I will be satisfied.

At the rate I'm going, we may not get the cabin properly sealed before winter. Let's hope this weekend is a productive one.

Wednesday wildlife, party in the morning

One of several does that cavorted in front of a camera we re-positioned a week ago.

Cabin fever, frustrations galore but the roof is up

We put the insulation and metal up on the roof this weekend right over the top of a couple of purlins that were positioned incorrectly. After a few choice words in self-directed anger, I paused to figure out a solution.

Wasted time and additional money = a frustrating day.

I won't point out where I failed but I did to the clan that were there to help. And a couple other stupid mistakes for that day plus the mower acting up. The best part was cooking hot dogs on the grill at the end of the day Saturday.

But the roof is up and weeds were mowed.

You can see the roof and my idea of having it open for light through UV filtered plastic:

It's meant for light for vision rather than for heat with only a few inches that provides quite a bit of light. The picture doesn't give it justice since I almost blinded myself glancing up.

Next up are windows, the door and the trim and flashing.

Cabin fever, get that roof up

Last weekend was not as productive as I had hoped but we got the rafters and purlins up.

The roof peak:

Rafters:

 

Purlins:

 

Once we get the sheet metal on the roof, I think you will see what I'm trying to do. It's hard to visualize the final product when you only see the skeleton.

Of course, I mis-measured the south roof line the width of a 2x4. A couple of other things I didn't take into account caused me to have to add some additional blocking for the purlins. I didn't want close up shots of my mistakes but take my word for it. None of these were major mistakes that we would have to tear things apart but it took time that I wanted for more productivity.

On the docket for this weekend is to get insulation and metal on the roof, then get caught up on the mowing. I plan for the windows and the sheet metal walls next weekend with plenty of metal flashing. And more bracing. I would be very disappointed if the roof collapsed because of snow.

Wednesday wildlife. deer season is open

 

Not a great picture of a large buck. This last one pictured, I scared off last Wednesday evening. We stared at each other for a few minutes as he stood there and I stood about 100 yards to the right. He bounded up the hill when I moved a few steps closer.

Cabin fever, it's about time we got back to it

The self-imposed hiatus on  the cabin build is over. We had unexpected medical bills that interrupted us. But we're going to try to get the shell up before winter sets in and seal it up as best we can to keep the little critters out.

I kept the tin on the base since spring to keep out the rain and besides a few critters that tried to make a nest, it was ready for us.

Facing north:

We built the sides on Saturday the 19th after a trudging through mud and stored them on the deck. A late start this past Saturday and we had the three sides up and leveled in a couple of hours. (We are amateurs, by the way).

Nestled among the small cottonwoods this will be the doorway (on the south) and with the four sides up, it seems smaller somehow. With it only 12 x 12, of course it's small but it should be big enough for a bed, storage, a small stove for heat and a commode. At least according to the plans that have been scribbled down and in my head.

Our biggest obstacle, besides the financing, has been keeping a charge in the batteries for our power tools. For our first shed, the four batteries gave me power to run nearly all day but that was four years ago. I make most cuts with a hand saw but with two of us running screwdrivers and with using the power saw when needed, the batteries aren't lasting quite as long. It may be time for an upgrade.

This calls for more bracing:

All building projects have lumber that have been cut off and I never let that go to waste. With a few extra screws I shore up corners, joists, rafters, etc. A neighbor commented that I used a lot of wood when we built the small shed in our first year at the acreage. It's withstood four major storms including one last spring that took out a machine shed to the west of us. Although on skids, this one will be solid as well. Number One son remarked that a storm might roll it down to the creek but it won't break apart.

That's my intention.

We only had Saturday to work last weekend and finished with the walls and bracing. Our intention is to take all day next Saturday and then Sunday afternoon for a good push while the weather is good. Let's see if I can get the roof on and walls put up and no surprise financial obligations get in the way.

Wednesday wildlife, getting ready for winter

The past couple of weekends, the bees have been flying from bloom to bloom in their winter preparations:

The warm sunny days pretty much over now and we need the bees next spring for the fruit trees and berries. We've considered our own bee hive but a little more research is needed before we dedicate the time.

Don't just stand there looking at the sky...

Get to work!

This guy's been taking too much time staring at the clouds instead of keeping you folks updated.

Most of the past month has been spent cutting weeds:

Mowing:

Also, a mower repair and assorted other duties, such as tying up blackberry vines for next year's crop:

I took several cuttings from the vines to propagate for next year and buried other vines in hopes of a bumper crop next year. Who knows what next year will bring? A handful of blackberries has been a sweet reward after a hot day working (or staring at the clouds).