When Dave and I cleared the property last summer, we were guided by a development plan that allowed us to build on the first two hundred feet of our property. Of that, the area we selected to be cleared was chosen, in part, because it was relatively new growth that did not require the loss of any historic trees. At one time there was a plan to develop the land with more homes and a partial road had been started. As a result of this previous bulldozing, many of trees that came down were young and another number of them were dead ash, killed by the ash borer.
Any of the logs that were large enough to meet the necessary criteria, went to a small portable sawmill owned by Mary Frances’s brother, Eugene Frayne. The idea is to use the ash we harvested for stairway material so, armed with a list of proportions from Ed McMahan for balusters, newels, shoe and handrail and from Hugh for stringers , risers and treads, Dave worked all day with Bruce Sheardown (Gene’s father-in-law) and Matt Fielder and converted logs into dimensional lumber.
Any of the logs that were large enough to meet the necessary criteria, went to a small portable sawmill owned by Mary Frances’s brother, Eugene Frayne. The idea is to use the ash we harvested for stairway material so, armed with a list of proportions from Ed McMahan for balusters, newels, shoe and handrail and from Hugh for stringers , risers and treads, Dave worked all day with Bruce Sheardown (Gene’s father-in-law) and Matt Fielder and converted logs into dimensional lumber.
The only kiln in the area, that we know of, is at the sawmill of Abram Martin in the Mennonite community along Kairshea Avenue near Holyrood. We found him by Google search.
After talking to Abram, he agreed to include our lumber in his kiln with the next load. When that time came at the end of June, we loaded up and drove it over.
Abram’s mill is a fairly impressive operation. We are not experts in the specific practices of this order but the community as a whole seems to have successfully perpetuated their traditional ways of life and farming. They have rejected the use of modern technology such as electricity and motorized transportation (except it seems the latter can be hired) but most use tractors and mechanized equipment. Abram uses a community pay phone at the store in Holyrood where there is also some very generous ice cream cones available for purchase (apparently).
In their efforts to control change, their equipment is about 100 years behind current technology but still not without its conveniences. Nowhere was this better illustrated than by the “fork lift” that was used to lift our load from our trailer into the pile bound for drying.
After talking to Abram, he agreed to include our lumber in his kiln with the next load. When that time came at the end of June, we loaded up and drove it over.
Abram’s mill is a fairly impressive operation. We are not experts in the specific practices of this order but the community as a whole seems to have successfully perpetuated their traditional ways of life and farming. They have rejected the use of modern technology such as electricity and motorized transportation (except it seems the latter can be hired) but most use tractors and mechanized equipment. Abram uses a community pay phone at the store in Holyrood where there is also some very generous ice cream cones available for purchase (apparently).
In their efforts to control change, their equipment is about 100 years behind current technology but still not without its conveniences. Nowhere was this better illustrated than by the “fork lift” that was used to lift our load from our trailer into the pile bound for drying.
The lumber has to be in the kiln for a month to be dry enough to use so we are hoping the whole endeavour proves successful. It is a bit of a leap of faith that it will all come together into a staircase in the end but we are nothing if not optimistic.
Back at Hillway, the forms came off and a waterproof membrane was applied to the foundation. This membrane is a plasticky material with bubbles to make it breathable – a far cry from the tar that Barb Hibbert Little and I got into at the Such house foundation on Bingham Drive (50 or so years ago). After getting it all over our hands we proceeded to touch every doorknob in her parent’s house which did not end well for Barb – as I beat a hasty retreat. After the membrane installation was complete, the wires for the eventual hydro hook up, a line for the well and plumbing for basement bathroom were established.
In floor heating was laid in the basement with a mocked up panel in the area that will be our mechanical room. The loops and grids and gauges and hoses are terrifying to someone who preferred not to know where the fuse box was located at Lighthouse.
Back at Hillway, the forms came off and a waterproof membrane was applied to the foundation. This membrane is a plasticky material with bubbles to make it breathable – a far cry from the tar that Barb Hibbert Little and I got into at the Such house foundation on Bingham Drive (50 or so years ago). After getting it all over our hands we proceeded to touch every doorknob in her parent’s house which did not end well for Barb – as I beat a hasty retreat. After the membrane installation was complete, the wires for the eventual hydro hook up, a line for the well and plumbing for basement bathroom were established.
In floor heating was laid in the basement with a mocked up panel in the area that will be our mechanical room. The loops and grids and gauges and hoses are terrifying to someone who preferred not to know where the fuse box was located at Lighthouse.
The floor was poured on July 10th and neighbours Colin and Anne Chisholm kindly provided water to keep concrete moist while curing. Mom could not get over how smooth the floor was. She thought it was the most beautiful basement floor she has ever seen. I have a feeling this is her grand-house… like her grandchildren - it will be perfect from start to finish.
During this period of construction, Jeff and Mary Frances came home for a holiday from Fremont, California, and Mike, Janice, and Sydney visited from Ottawa. They all saw the beginning of the house for the first time.
I was going to have Michael be my pool boy and water the floor but Hugh had beaten us to it.
Hugh brought along his faithful assistant (and wife) Kim whose brain I will be picking at a later date for landscaping ideas. She was a landscape designer in a past life, before she became the owner and Inn keeper at Samuels Hotel where I am also employed.
During this period of construction, Jeff and Mary Frances came home for a holiday from Fremont, California, and Mike, Janice, and Sydney visited from Ottawa. They all saw the beginning of the house for the first time.
I was going to have Michael be my pool boy and water the floor but Hugh had beaten us to it.
Hugh brought along his faithful assistant (and wife) Kim whose brain I will be picking at a later date for landscaping ideas. She was a landscape designer in a past life, before she became the owner and Inn keeper at Samuels Hotel where I am also employed.
The framing started on July 14 (happy birthday Jennifer – we are giving you a new vacation retreat!) and it teemed rain most of the day. They persevered and headway was made. The men from Hugh’s crew we have met so far are Andrew, Kevin, Alex, and Gerry; we should be fast friends by the time this is done. The hole was excavated for the detached shop and the lane to that created. Just that detail was really exciting; it helps visualize what shape the eventual landscape will take.
For those of you who wonder where Dave’s voice is in this blog, he is the first proofreader (before Jillian) and is my technical adviser when I can’t remember what the thingies are called. He also keeps his own blog but its form is slightly different than mine -