Snow's early arrival

This last week, as our builders, excavator, and my husband were amazing me with all they could accomplish on our house, we had our first falling of snow.  It was so gorgeous to wake up to a beautiful white blanket covering all of our mud pits, and piles of wood.  Every tree dusted with white, and clouds so thick they seemed to block out the entire universe but for our little haven on the hill.  Likely needless to say, Tanner and I LOVE snow.  We ski, snowshoe, happily shovel and truly just enjoy every bit of winter.  With these facts established, we were happy to see the snow when it covered all of our construction site, and were thankful that the snow wasn't rain, which would be a little bit more tricky to handle.

The earth covered in a blanket of snow, all things still and serene.  Silence envelopes as calm sets in.  White flakes drifting, floating all around.

 By the end of the week we had accumulated about 5-6 inches.  The snow slowed us down a little here and there, just in clearing it from the roof and all of the tarps over which all of the tools and supplies are lying.  While snow melted on the valley floor and rain replaced snow as the temperatures rose, all of the snow remained at our elevation.  Normally, and in every other year in the future, we would be ecstatic, unpacking all of our winter and ski gear as we plan our winter activities.  This year, however, we are behind to get things comfortably situated for the winter.  My last blog post may have misled you into believing that our house was enclosed for the winter, but in fact we have another floor and loft to frame in with roofing before winter really rears its ugly head.

Chilko, keeping watch from the first floor of the house

Sunday morning, Tanner and I checked the weather forecast for the week, and discussed the weeks plans.  The forecast shows rain and warmer temperatures all week long, which means that all of our snow will disappear into a muddy abyss which is our home-site.  While this weather situation leaves us with very little dry work space, Tanner introduced me to an additional dilemma that occurred during the week. 

Our land has plenty of wood, ready to be cut and split for firewood to keep us warm this winter in the yurt.  In the process of developing our land, we've piled these logs in anticipation of preparing them for firewood this fall.  In our numerous tasks set before us in getting the house dried-in, the firewood has fallen to the wayside for the time being.  We've cut some here and there, but for the most part it has laid untouched.  Also, since most everything for the house is in the driveway, under tarps, we've developed a shortage of tarps, and in haste to save pretty wood for building our home, our firewood was sitting under our beautiful blanket of snow, melting in the warm temperatures, and about to be rained upon! 

If anyone has ever had a wood stove as their primary heat source through a winter in the northwest, you may know how frustrating it is to heat your home with wet wood.  This prospect caused me great concern.  Despite the fact that we received snow in October, (an occurrence that I don't remember since I was in the 6th grade) our yurt has seen temperatures as low as 47 F on a few mornings and evenings.  I worry for the temps we may see in January! 

So Tanner and I set out, shoveling and sweeping snow off of the log piles, and finding tarps to cover them.  Tanner reassured  me that the wood would dry out, being that it was very dry before being snowed on.  I must admit that the entire situation brought me the closest to tears that I have been in this entire process.  Nothing like the thought of human suffering to bring about despair!  Tanner did his usual great job of bringing me back to earth, and pointing out that we still have lots of wood, still standing in our forest to suffice in getting us by while these logs dried out.  Now, to find time to cut it!

With the main firewood logs swept and under tarps, I spent my afternoon splitting kindling, and Tanner spent his insulating the yurt further.  My chore has been awaiting me for months, and has fallen down my priority to-do list, just as the firewood has fallen down Tanner's.  When I first began working on the kindling pile, it was a gorgeous day in September, and I chopped away in between being dumbstruck by all of the beauty around me.

 I remember taking these pictures because I was having such difficulty concentrating; my deck chair calling my name, the sun and cool breeze singing for the commencement of a puppy walk.

Here I am in September, in my tank top....









and here I am in October, in my wool pants....

Moose and Chilko

 Once I had this particular wood scrap pile taken care of, we consolidated kindling and wood to take the kindling tarp down to the gravel pile, awaiting an icy driveway to be distributed onto....why don't we just buy more tarps? ;)

Moose, Chilko, and Buddy, trying to tell me it's dinner time

At day's end we were glad at all we could accomplish, and motivated to get as much done as we can.  It seems we are always just a little bit behind, but our spirits are good~living the dream!!

House: Enclosed

In a matter of just a couple of quick weeks, we are happy to see our house take shape, while my head spins at all that has been accomplished.  Our schedule has truly worked like a well-oiled machine thanks to Tanner's organizational skills, and the dedicated work from our contracted help.  In just two weeks, we were able to get all of the slab preparation done, including radiant heat tubing and post supports dug and framed for deck posts, pour the slab, continue sealing the outside of the foundation in order to back fill dirt, first floor of the house framed in, and floor laid in the second story of the house.  It has been a task just to keep up with all of the progress in pictures, let alone write about it, but we are so excited that things are going smoothly.  In the meantime, we have been slowly making arrangements in the yurt for winter weather, while also preparing beams and other materials for the house.  Temperatures have dropped, and snow is prominent on the forecast this week, so time is running out!  So much for planting fall bulbs-I'm out of time!

Tanner, digging a hole for the deck post support

 Tanner and Kyle, proving that they make a good team in their efficiency and attention to detail.  Tubing for radiant floor heating was stapled into the insulation layer in preparation for the pouring of the slab.

 On the day the slab was poured, we had a great crew of people to help, thankfully, as I was scheduled to work.  I missed out on all the action, and with Tanner being busy working, this is the lone picture of the slab pouring:

Jerry, smoothing out the concrete

 It's all good.  When I arrived home, Tanner, Jerry, and Kyle were having their evening pow wow beer.  I figured it was just a good sign that all went well!  That evening, we layered straw onto the fresh concrete and laid a tarp over it, to protect it from extreme temperatures and moisture while it finished curing.  Kyle stayed until dark, spreading concrete sealant on the foundation of the house.  This step is to ensure that we won't have potential leaking in the basement once we refill dirt back against the house.

 Kyle, English teacher, raft & hunting guide, ski patrol/avalanche expert, and King sludge spreader.  Kyle spent the better part of three or four days (he'll have to correct me if it was more) in the trench, spreading an acrylic/concrete mix onto the foundation.  I did not miss out on this chore myself, I helped Tanner spread goo for a few hours last Saturday night.  It isn't a fun chore, but he did it with conscientiousness and no complaints.  Thanks Kyle, you're a champ!

the trenches

Mother Nature, smiling on us for a days work done well

Tanner, working through the sunset

Deck posts, filled with concrete and ready for beams

Spreading straw on the fresh slab

The following day, with concrete still curing, we had most of our house beams delivered.  We had Jardy return with his bobcat to help unload all of the beams from the truck.  Thankfully we had one skilled driver in Jardy, we weren't too impressed with the guy delivering beams.  He bombed up our road, worried he wouldn't make it, and took out one of our trees.  In the scheme of things it isn't a big deal, and one wasn't made, but he wasn't real impressive.

Jardy and Truck driver

Jardy, unloading beams

It's our house!

beams, ready to be raised

Poor tree :(

The following week, we were set to start framing the inside of the house, and the guys sure did well by us.  Jerry brought up his machine and filled in the front of the house so he could drive the machine in to haul and raise the beams.

Jerry and Isaak, prepping a beam

Jerry, hauling beams

Getting things situated

By Thursday, the floor trusses were set...

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 Floor laid on Friday!

In a matter of a couple of weeks, we have a dry and enclosed area within the house.  I am amazed at how fast it is going lately, and Tanner is working harder than ever to have the details ready for our workers when they arrive each morning.  He has spent a few nights working into the wee hours of the morning preparing beams and beam plates for their installation the following day.  Tanner is holding up nicely, and while working to the stage of silliness, he is taking it all in stride and really enjoying himself.  I have stayed busy doing small chores with the yurt and keeping Tanner fed and happy.  We try to remember to slow down enough to soak in the beauty that October brings to our neck of the woods with the colors changing as fast as the weather.  I pinch myself daily, as I look around at all we've accomplished, and I gasp at the visions I get of our future home as things come together.  As my friend Del always says:  It's a good life we are living!!
More updates on the yurt soon!!
Cheers!

Anniversary

As we approached the end of September, we dreamily clinked our beers together over dinner as we realized we had reached our one year anniversary since moving back to Montana.  I was raised in Columbia Falls, and met Tanner in Whitefish in 2006.  We briefly left our beloved mountains to nurture Tanner's career in the Midwest.  After a couple of short years, we happily returned to our mountains of Montana, with the bittersweet sting of missing our great friends back in Wisconsin.

As our anniversary passed with little fanfare given to that particular milestone, we cruised passed some big accomplishments on our house. Our dear friend, Mark, helped to advise and teach Tanner how best to do our plumbing and drainage for the house.  After much digging, and placement, it's looking good.

Panels were dug out to hold more concrete in-slab for post support

Buddy, wishing we would bag it and play ball with him.

Gravel truck, shooting gravel into our house

 Once all the plumbing was set, and Tanner had all of the slab preparations ready, we had Montana CAD come bring gravel to fill for our foundation layer in the house.  Two loads of big rock, followed by a load of pea-gravel.  All of which needed to be leveled out to a depth to accommodate an insulation layer, and then concrete slab.

Giant truck, operated by this guy, via remote control.  Amazingly, he can operate the entire truck from his belt remote control.

 Adding pea-gravel to the foundation layer

www.montanacad.com
 Needless to say, this truck, and the service it provided, was super cool.  It was worth the investment to have the gravel delivered this way, as Tanner and I could then continue with leveling out the gravel ourselves, rather than needing more machinery to move the gravel.  Unfortunately, over-estimations caused us to need to haul gravel out of the slab area, in order for the gravel to be at the correct level within the house.

digging the gravel down to the proper level

Left of the orange line=level.  Right of the orange line= lots to haul away.

 Tanner and I, once again proved that we can make a great team; once I got over being crabby about having way too much gravel.  When I completed my first section of leveling gravel, Tanner enthusiastically claimed that I was good at it, and hence my job was established.  Tanner continued shoveling away excess gravel, as I raked, leveled and smoothed out gravel to the appropriate level for our slab.

All level, with our notches for support posts

Day two, gravel leveling.  Once we were level, we crossed our fingers that the insulation crew could arrive the same day.  Winter weather was threatening to arrive, and if we missed our window of opportunity, we could be delayed for a few days, as the insulation needs to be applied to a dry surface.  We decided to go with spray insulation foam, which is sprayed with what looks like an airbrush sprayer.  The spray foam cures in a matter of a few minutes, and is waterproof and sturdy enough to walk on. 

It doesn't look like rain...

The professionals used their laser level on our gravel layer, and we nailed it! 

 Sure enough, as soon as our insulation team was finishing up, along came rain.  Thankfully it only sprinkled as they were getting tools put away, and Tanner and I scrambled to get tarps on piles of insulation, firewood, kindling, and various tools.  After a month of no precipitation, we were happy to see the rain, but also so relieved to have the insulation sprayed before more severe weather hit.  Apparently, the insulation barrier sprayed will lie just below our concrete slab to the house, in the meantime will hold water just like a swimming pool.  Here's to hoping we won't have our own little redneck jacuzzi in our soon-to-be slab.
Cheers!