The "Sower" is in place!

Aden, the stone mason, was back this week to face the big garage wall in "fake" stone ... he didn't get quite done, but hopefully he'll be back next week to finish it. If you can forget the fake aspect, it looks pretty darn good I think. Now, if only the cursed (!) garage doors would arrive so we can close up the building ...

Aden also finished off the tops of the stone surrounds of the front entry pillars. One of my tasks this week was to sand and oil the "wood porch" (on the right hand side of the front) timbers and here I am starting the entry beams. That oil really makes the wood look beautiful and rich! It smells good too.

Evan has moved inside and in this picture is installing wallboard on the divider wall between foyer and kitchen. This is very good ... any inside work is very good indeed at this point.

Our friend David Hewitt back in Pennsylvania donated three round Mercer tile assemblages to our effort -- from the Four Seasons set. We were not sure where we would install them when we accepted the gift but knew without a doubt that as we worked, the house would tell us where they should be ... and this was the week that we got the word. Inspiration struck and with a bit of consultation Chris and I agreed on three different locations, one on each of our three house levels. The first tile is a depiction of a sower (of seeds) and represents Spring ... it was the obvious choice for the kitchen area because we had the very same tile built into the stone wall in our Lahaska kitchen back in Pennsylvania. Evan prepared the hole in the wallboard and Chris helped install it as I watched and felt a little weepy. Amazing how such a small touch can make you all of a sudden feel completely at home. Thank you, David Hewitt!

Our most recent house guests (who shall remain nameless lest they be embarrassed that I am posting an image of their sweet thoughtfulness) left this lovely token of appreciation for their stay with us last weekend for us to discover after they had departed: a small bar of guest soap wrapped in ribbon! Both Chris and I were very touched by the gesture. Thank you J&B!

As some of you may know, I am umbillically connected to soaring ... so I take great delight in seeing soaring activity over our house. Over Labor Day weekend the local field hosted a meet by the Boulder Soaring Association. There was tow after tow and circling gliders in the air for three days in a row. The weather was perfect for them and I couldn't help but feel that all was right in my small tiny corner of the world.

Back at ground level ... Chris holds up a panel to see how this color stucco would look on our wall. We had worked really hard trying to figure out just the right color. He painted that panel with seven or eight variations before we settled on this one. A sample has been given to Louis the stucco man to match and hopefully his crew will arrive sometime in the near future to do the final coat.