I completely forgot to write about some visitors we had last weekend (now two weekends ago). Good thing I have the pictures in my phone to remind me of what we did in a given week!
My niece Alana and husband Ryan came over for a puppy play date! They of course brought Sophie, their little Frenchie, but they also have a new addition to their family. Loki, their black lab.
Zoey, Sophie and Loki ran and ran and ran. That is until Loki found herself stuck in the fence. She stood here almost a full minute before her puppy brain figured out how to get out of this makeshift prison. Dakota on the other hand, just watched Loki and shook her head, trying to ignore all the chaos going on around her.
We had a great afternoon, and as a bonus, the Vikings actually won a game!
Zoey has even gotten used to the turkeys visiting and does not try to attack them anymore.
On the project front, Barb and I have been working on putting walls up in the loft. This is the "before" picture. I figured I better put up some kind of barrier before one of us falls over the edge.
So, off we went to Menards to pick up some 2x4's and OSB.
A couple days later, we have more wall space and a barrier to keep us safe and sound.
I still need to install handrails on the stairs. Some people are just not comfortable going up and down them without handrails. Case in point; here is Alana coming down the stairs. I think they call this the Boot Scoot'in Boogie!
Next up on this project will be to install board and batten siding. It will cover the gap between those two sections of OSB. I used my scrap pieces to do this side of the wall knowing that gap would eventually be covered.
What other projects have we been up to? I helped Kevin at one of his jobs for a couple of days prepping and pouring concrete. This is a garage addition.
Weather permitting, we have two more pours at this same location next week for an outdoor kitchen on the other side of the garage.
Barb, on the other hand, was on a mission to clean windows. When she asked me to bring in the 16' ladder, I knew she was serious! When I asked her why she did not just fly up there on her broom, she said it was in for its pre-Halloween servicing.
The other thing I have been waiting to show you are my trail cam pictures. Well, a couple of them are our neighbors as he is sharing with me what he is seeing as well. Lots of turkeys, lots of does and small bucks, a couple nice bucks, elk and even a mountain lion to get me motivated to get out hunting!
I’m with the Boot’n Scoot Boogie lady. Definitely needs a railing. Zoey’s pointy little ears gave her away in the “find” pic. Ah yes, hunting season is just around the corner and prep work is a must. Lots of deer in the area, although maybe not up to your expectations. Great job on the windows Barb, they look perfect from my vantage point. Stay warm folks!
ReplyDeleteDeb
It is pretty interesting taking people up to the loft for the first time. Some walk right up and down without an issue. Others will not go up at all, while others yet, like Alana, scoot down on their backside!
DeleteAlthough she blended in with the sunlit couch, I did see an outline of her ears. Of course, one has to click on the picture to get a large picture to be able to see it. I wondered how many times Barb was going to clean those windows...once would be one too many for me.
ReplyDeleteWe actually talked about that. We have been in the house since the fall of '19 and this is the first time we have cleaned them. So, they will be due to be cleaned in the fall of '27. I am sure Barb will hope right up on that ladder and get'er done!
DeleteOut here we have Tourist Season, but they don't allow permits ....
ReplyDeleteDefiantly handrails !!!
If they did, maybe I would have a few of those on the wall instead of deer!
DeleteA mountain lion on the trail cam is quite something in my book. Great job on those walls!
ReplyDeleteThey are a rare catch on camera indeed. Imagine if someone on your island saw one!
DeleteLove the dogs, we used to have a lab infact we've had two over the years, gorgeous dogs. Your building is looking good and the stairs, I don't think I would go up or down unless there was a rail.
ReplyDeleteThe lion, wow, that's amazing to have captured that...all lovely shots.
We have had labs, goldens and a Chesapeake. Dakota will more than likely be our last lab, we love them, but they shed way too much.
DeleteWe haven't gotten that cold yet, but it is coming and I don't look forward to it. You have a lot of room for storage in the loft. Is that how you're going to use it?
ReplyDeleteI put shelving up there for all of our season stuff; holiday decorations, summer activity stuff, hunting stuff. It is nice having someplace to organize and store it.
DeletePuppy play dates are always fun, especially when you get to spend some time with the pup's family members. And wow. Barb is brave on that ladder. I've done that. but it does give me a bit of a scare too. And maybe she'd come to New Hampshire to wash my windows. Ha-ha. Have a great weekend and stay warm. Erika
ReplyDeleteTell you what, next time we come to New Hampshire, we will stop by and do your windows!
DeleteLong gone are the days when either Joe or I would be on ladders that tall…washing windows or sitting in deer stands. Love the photo of Zoey sleeping in the sunshine! Burr is right…
ReplyDeleteYou are probably the smart ones. She shouldn't be washing windows like that either. Well, it is done for this year, we will worry about next time next time.
DeleteBetter get out your long johns!! Yup I found the cutie pie sunning herself. People tell me all the time not to climb ladders, but I do it anyway. Someone's got to do it. As for the handrails, probably good if you've got company going up there. I rather like the balance challenge though.
ReplyDeleteIt was 11 degrees as I went out to the deer stand this morning. Cold, but definitely manageable. We have gotten used to going up and down those stairs without handrails but I will put it on my list to get some up.
DeleteI noticed that the truck still has the camper on it. Are you going somewhere this winter? I hope you don't have to go up and down those stairs drunk. Maybe a slide would be fun. I'm just thinking outside the box. Spit balling so to speak. Hey! How about a Fireman's pole so that Barb could slide down it. Nice trail cam pictures.
ReplyDeleteNo, we are going to stay here all winter. We don't want to take a chance of hitting the road and running into someone we don't want to see. If we do leave, it will be to a Super-Secret Undisclosed Southern Location.
DeleteWe already have a fireman's pole, I guess I could move it to the loft.
Fireman's pole or stripper pole?
DeleteIs there a difference?
DeleteI wouldn't be able to walk down those stairs either haha! Gosh you do so much DIY. I wouldn't know where to start!
ReplyDeleteCorinne x
https://skinnedcartree.com
Friends that know what they are doing and YouTube. It's a small wonder how we ever survived without it.
DeleteYour house looks so comfy and pretty, glad to see you've got plenty of wood within easy reach. I'm sure the dogs had a ball. My knees were quaking with just the thought of the windows or the stairs, lol. Good going Barb!
ReplyDeleteI offered to do the windows but we both knew it would not have been up to her standards.
DeleteThe older I get, the more uncomfortable I am with heights. And that, apparently, goes for other people too. Because I need Barb to get off that damned ladder and not ever do that again. She's stressing me out.
ReplyDelete(This is why god invented 20 year olds. Put them to work!)
Good luck finding a 20 year old that wants to work! You can relax, she has finished all the high windows and the ladder has been put away.
DeleteOpen stairs and no handrail going up is not the issue in my book it is the trip down...lol I give Barb a lot of credit for climbing that ladder and doing those windows.
ReplyDeleteSnow and cold something we do not miss. Brrrr is right. Stay Warm.
That seemed to be the same with Alana. She had no trouble going up but once she was but there and looked down she was like "Hell no".
DeleteWe would personally miss the cold and snow, but not this cold! 17 right now!
I would wait for the service to be complete on my broom and then use that to get to those heights... Impressive. Washing our high windows has been on my to do list but always sounds so awful that I keep NOT getting around to it :(. Your current weather is our middle of winter weather. So cold! Knowing a mountain lion was nearby would have the opposite effect on me- I would want to stay indoors. Super cool to see the picture of one on the trail cam.
ReplyDeleteWe had ignored those windows for several years, but the flies were so bad this year that she just had to get up there and clean them. We have always lived in areas that there are predators; lions, bears and wolves. Of those three, the wolves make me the most nervous, something about that pack mentality is unnerving. Here, we only have lions, no bears or wolves in the hills.
DeleteWinter came to Montana too this past week, our son tells us he has a foot of new snow. I can't believe Barb is on that tall ladder--I would not have washed those windows the first time! And--I think stair rails are definitely a must! Great game camera shots!
ReplyDeleteYou got out of town just in time! I imagine you could get snowed in at your place. Do you have year-round neighbors nearby or is it pretty much seasonal?
DeleteAs long as Barb was on the ladder, she dusted and polished the mounts as well!
Wow! Those are quite the captures on your trail cam. It sounds like you've been keeping yourself quite busy.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what is walking around our woods and forests and we don't even know it!
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI love all the furbabies, there are times I miss having a dog. At one time many years ago we had four dogs, 2 labs and 2 goldens. You have a beautiful home, Barb is brave on the ladder cleaning windows. Cool captures on your wildlife cam, the mountain lion is great but I hope it was just moving on. Thanks for the visit to my blog. Take care, have a great weekend.
4 dogs is a lot. 4 large breed shedding dogs like that is just crazy! I bet you had to vacuum every day.
DeleteReviewing the pictures of the loft project and the deer stand work has me completely tuckered out. I need a nap.
ReplyDeleteGreat trail cam pics! I see why you can't wait for hunting season.
My Florida blood can't read thermometers below 50 so I have no idea what your low numbers really mean. Also, what's "snow"?
Hope your having a great weekend!
Isn't it funny how people get accustomed to where they were raised? You cannot imagine living where there is snow, and I cannot imagine living without it!
DeleteYou have been busy. We allegedly do not have cougars/mountain lions in Virginia, although there have been reports of sitings since the 1970s, at least. But no trail cam photos.
ReplyDeleteYeah, isn't it funny how the wildlife officials say a certain species does not exist in an area despite sightings and trail cam photos? There are allegedly no bear or wolves in the hills, but they have been spotted on more than one occasion.
DeleteI assume the deer heads have to be cleaned periodically. Do you just wipe them for dust? The stairs... I would be ok going up but coming down would be a problem.
ReplyDeleteBarb has a long-handled duster that extends for the mounts. We know it is time when we see a spider web in the sunlight. Sometimes that is more than once a week!
DeleteLooking forward to checking out that gazebo! Very cool getting a photo of a cougar. Nice ladder stands…always wanted to try that.
ReplyDeleteThey are typically a little noisier than tree stands but so far, I like them.
DeleteThose windows would be a challenge. That’s one bulky kitty!
ReplyDeleteCan you believe the shoulders on that thing? He is a beast!
Deletei don't have any dogs but i think i am the only person on earth that does not!! we went to the boardwalk yesterday, it was 82 degrees here and every single person had a dog, EVERYBODY!! the boardwalk was crowded and i had a hard time navigating with my zinger chair!! i "booty scoot" down our stairs at times, even with a handrail, i am very good at it!!
ReplyDeleteplease tell barb they have companies that clean windows for you. i use one and my windows are not nearly that high!! she has to stop doing everything...she is making the rest of us look bad!!
I doubt we could find anyone willing to drive out here to do the windows but perhaps we'll have to look into it for next time.
DeleteI can just picture you trying to navigate those dogs on the boardwalk. They don't exactly look where they are going!
The loft is coming together beautifully. Wow look at that mountain lion.
ReplyDeleteI imagine there are not too many predators in your neck of the woods. I have yet to see one in person but have gotten several on camera!
DeleteThat is one brave lady you have there, Jim! No way would I have gone up that ladder, even in my 40s! Love the game cam photos. As always, plenty going on around your place!
ReplyDeleteHeights never used to bother me. I could climb a ladder or a tree with not much problem, but now I find myself hanging on a bit tighter and I am less sure of myself as I get older.
DeleteYou guys are amazing -- walls in the loft! Wow. I'm impressed. A puppy play date sounds like such fun! And thanks for coming by, too!
ReplyDeleteThe puppy playdate was a blast! In a couple of weeks, we will be puppysitting Sophie for over a week. Let the chaos begin!
DeleteIn the first photo, I thought at first you're holding a koala bear.
ReplyDeleteThat's my niece and nephew-in-law with their little frenchie, Sophie!
DeleteVisiting with family is always so nice! Sounds like you had a good time with your sister and her husband, along with Sophie and Loki. Loke? Marvel fans perhaps? I am going to start watching the 2nd series very soon. Zoey must have had a wonderful time too, and the photos of those sweet pups were smile bringers, especially Loke’s jail time. Fun to see your wood-working project. You should start a YouTube show, I love those! I would be one of those people who would need handrails, having taken a few falls down our stair over the years, even with handrails! The last one was a doozy, head first! Should have done a Boot Scoot'in Boogie, lol! Yes, handrails for me every time :) Another great post, I read with much interest but better not comment any more as this has already turned into an epistle. I was trained on a typewriter and can still type as fast as I think, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on my spell checking. You and Barb have a great week!
ReplyDeleteLove your comments! No worries on the length. I asked Ryan where he came up with the name Loki. He said Loki was a Norse Trickster God so maybe it is related to the Marvel one. Ryan said he was Thor's brother or uncle depending on the source.
DeleteThanks for stopping by my blog:) Wow you have a nice camper and a lovely home, I like all the wood...and you are a window warrior washing those windows:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, it's our little slice of heaven.
DeleteShe may not like going down the stairs, but she sure handled a ladder. Wow!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing how busy things are at your place. You all are quite enterprising! Your family visits look like fun. Yes, I would need a handrail asap! Hope your day is full of joy!
ReplyDeleteThe handrail has been put on the back burner while I work on another project. But it will get done soon!
DeleteHaha Barb does not know me but tell her the pirate said stop climbing the ladders and make you do it. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI think your opinion is in the majority. No more climbing tall ladders for Barb!
Delete