2011: Cutting and Milling Logs for the Top Level of Our House

With the first level of our home finally enclosed, we settled into the new year to await spring.  While waiting, we.....

Worked on the

inside of the cabin!

We went to town

with our dogs!

We went for walks....

we skied.....

and we played with friends!

We watched it snow 

and watched the sunrise!

Until......Spring!  Then we started clearing brush and working on our defensible space.

Defensible Space

Then.....I was deployed with FEMA at the end of May and spent the next six months working in Missouri and North Dakota while Jeff continued to work on our home.  Jeff's brother Adam came from Indiana to help, providing the additional muscle needed to gather the 48 logs from around the property that had been down and drying since last fall.  Adam helped Jeff for 3 weeks and in that time they succeeded in ......

gathering.....

sealing the ends.....

and decking all the logs !

These 48 logs would provide the 253 timber frame pieces for the second level of our timber frame house.  A couple of friends brought us a metal wheeled axle and tongue to aid in transporting the log to the log deck.  By strapping one end of the log to the cart and picking up the other end with tongs, Jeff could guide the log in front of the tractor to the log deck.  This technique allowed him to move a much larger and longer tree from the forest than previously with pallet forks.  Jeff could now move three pieces of log in one length saving time and diesel.  Kudos to Pete and Jim! 

Conner riding the log!

Jeff continued to mill logs in August and September ....

with a little help from our friends.....

Finally......I took two week off from my FEMA deployment in early October.  I was just in time to help inventory the remaining logs in the deck, cut and haul a few additional logs from the forest, clean up and organize the mill yard and start a porch roof over our generator and garage door.

ALSO......I got to ride a log with Conner!!

Visit with my family!!

And hug my honey!!

A JOB WELL DONE!!!

Fall was in the air.....

And then it was the middle of November and winter was upon us....Time to get our vehicles out and settle down for our long winters nap........!