Preliminaries

I don't think I moved the steps in front of the JayBee's door last year at all. As you might imagine, having the steps in place makes it a whole lot easier to run in and out the door all day long while building.

I moved the step sections to the driveway, but they looked to be in rough shape. (I spread out the particle board in the background because I think I might use it to help support new piers to level up the JayBee.)

The edge of the front step was also very beat up. I thought, "I'll just sand and re-stain all of the steps before I put them in place."

After sanding for hours and still having more sanding ahead of me, I thought: "Oh, right. Just about every step I take with this project takes me way more time than I ever anticipate." Finally, everything was sanded.

I paused working on the steps when my friend arrived to help me with this tree. I noticed after the last wind storm we had that this tall, very-straight tree was leaning across the driveway.

Closer inspection revealed a lot of dramatic splitting in the base of the trunk.

Observing proper physical distancing between us, my friend used his chain saw to cut down the tree, while I hauled away the branches.

The middle of the base of the trunk was completely rotten!

The rot didn't go very far up the tree, though. The logs are very straight. I wish I had a way to use them for something.

We were surprised to have it all done in under an hour. We left the heavy trunk pieces for now; at least they are not blocking the driveway.

Back to the steps, the staining didn't take me that long. I even remembered to put the gritty stuff in the stain so the steps won't be too slick when they're wet. It shouldn't take me long to assemble the steps. Maybe I can get that done tomorrow before the rain moves in.

...

The next morning, first thing:

All assembled, but not yet leveled up. That's it for the next few days. (I am very grateful to be working full time [at a job I love--added bonus], especially now, but it does limit my house building time. :-)

You Know You're Taking Too Long (to build your house)...

...when it's been ages since anyone has seen any progress on your build but you're posting about anything but building progress.

Since my body is doing better (including having had shoulder surgery just before this pandemic took hold, thankfully) and I'm stuck at home (as is everyone else), I'm starting to get myself organized to make progress on the JayBee.

Here is something I accomplished last fall before the snow flew. I permanently installed nest arrestors on the back side of the house to prevent nest building on the house this spring. I removed the nest from above the bathroom fan...

...and built a nest arrestor out of shingles.

 

Once I finished that, it dawned on me that I could make a bigger version to sit on top of the air exchanger.

I haven't come up with an idea for something that I would like to permanently install over the lights on the front side of the JayBee to prevent nest building there--so I'm continuing to use these cardboard nest arrestors during the non-winter seasons.

Sign of Spring--Crazy Cardinal

Yes, it's supposed to be spring. Nevertheless, between yesterday and today, more than eight inches of snow has been dumped on my yard. Nuts!

The snowfall has not interfered with this cardinal's crazy behavior. Take a look:

Sign of Spring?--Aerial Porcupine

I'm not sure if this visual is officially a sign of spring. Does springtime inspire chunky porcupines to climb over 30 feet up in the trees and wander around as if they are graceful creatures? I have no idea. For all I know, this guy has been doing this throughout the year and I just have never witnessed it before now.

The audio is definitely a sign of spring. The geese are having a convention out on the river, and other birds are forming a chorus.

Sign of Spring--Clopping Hooves

When I hear hooves clip-clopping up the road in front of my house, I race to peer out a window. Then I run outside. Never fails. I just love to watch the horse (with sulky and rider) go back and forth in front of my house. I have never been to a harness race. Why would I need to go--when I have this beautiful display at home? This training on my road has always been a sure sign of spring. This year, with the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on just about everything else in life, I find it soothing and reassuring that this ritual carries on.

Note that the video also captures another sign of spring--the Kennebec River overflowing its banks with spring runoff.

AWOL: Season Lost

Sorry, regular followers... I can tell that people have been loyally checking my blog all summer looking for updates. In spite of all of my plans and intentions back in the early spring for making great progress on my build, many other things intervened and took priority.

Below is my new daughter-in-law(!) standing in a canola field in England with her dog. Motivated by love (and no shotguns involved :-), my son got married. I had two weeks advance notice; yikes--that felt like a scramble, and I really had no responsibility for pulling it off.

Other family-related things and projects leap-frogged everything else and took priority and filled up my summer. Below is my last photo of George. This sweetie died during the third week of August. He had a good long life, but I do miss my companion of the last 19 years. When I feel up to it, I'll post a George tribute.

Now I'm trying to sort out some health-related things of my own. I'm not going to turn my blog into a litany of my health complaints but, so no one worries, just know I don't have anything life-threatening--just a shoulder that does not work, and a poorly-functioning thyroid. Both of these things really get in the way of making progress with house building.

It turns out that, if you leave anything alone for any length of time, nature tries to re-claim it.

While some of those photos may look like kudzu is trying to take over the JayBee, the worst culprits are actually grape vines.

I did finally manage to clear out the vines and shrubs that were crowding the JayBee.

I replaced the tarp on my tool/storage shed, so it no longer leaks.

I haven't yet repaired the interior of it, however.

Remember the latest/newest nest? This masterfully-built gem appears to be abandoned--finally. When I feel really confident I won't be displacing anyone, I will be removing the nest and crafting some kind of new nest arrestor to install...

I'm not really sure how much progress I will be able to make with what's left of the fall. After all, I will have to prepare the old wreck-of-a-house to survive yet another winter... I'm trying to keep breathing, put one foot in front of the other, take things as they come, and not get too discouraged.

Spring Reset

Finally: a day with no rain! Goal: get some momentum going with the JayBee project.

Not so fast. During the last few weeks of winter, I noticed that the JayBee was pivoting on its cinderblock foundation posts. This post is leaning into the hillside...

...and this post is leaning away from the hillside.

The tongue--obviously having shifted significantly left here--shows that the JayBee is pivoting.

I didn't think it was too bad because this other post has remained straight. Until I looked up under the JayBee today--and found out that only a tiny bit of the trailer frame is still sitting on the back corner of the post.

Goodness! I can't be running in and out of the JayBee when it's in this precarious position. The solution is not jumping out at me. I hope I think of something...  by tomorrow.

In the meantime, there are other issues...

Remember how I removed an old nest from the bathroom vent a few weeks ago? Today I went to install a nest arrestor on the vent. Look what I found (see photo below)? Arrgh! The momma bird was very unhappy with me even though I stood there only a few minutes. She's quite busy coming and going. At least this nest isn't right outside the front door. I think I can leave momma alone for this baby-raising season and still get construction work done.

Looking at this picture reminds me that this bathroom vent poses another problem as well. I learned while watching This Old House last weekend that a bathroom vent that shoots out air right under soffit vents will allow warm moist air to be sucked up under the roof, which will cause mold to form under the roof. Nice! Gotta find a solution for this problem, too.

One or more birds have been messing with the nest arrestor that sits on top of the vent for the air exchanger. No nest behind there yet but the other side of the nest arrestor...

...is covered in bird sh__--er, droppings--illustrating just how much time someone has spent fluttering around up there.

Before the snow flew late last year, I installed this tarp over the portable garage I use for construction storage. I thought it was a good preventative measure, since the tarp was beginning to tear at both ends of the seam that runs along the top ridge. Good thinking because...

When I went inside the portable garage today, I discovered that the entire top seam has let go. Yikes! Major repair job required.

Not a fun start to the building season. Lots of problems to solve.


We have had a lot of flood tides this spring. Fast moving, very full river.

I've been keeping an eye on the eagle nest up in the top of these trees. Haven't caught anyone moving in yet.

George is enjoying his spring.

See the theme? George is only looking up in some of the shots because I woke him up while taking the photos. In other words, pretty much all he is doing is sleeping and baking in the sun--in one spot or another.