I keep hitting stopping points. I need the trim for the half circle window above the porch roof. I can't go higher on the loft wall with the eyeball windows until the left side is complete. I have reached the board that will cross the living room roof peak on the right. And that left side is scary high off the ground. I really need to go get the scaffolding. Today though I did get the corner trim boards and the first two siding boards put on the left wall of the loft using the ladder.
I'm not sure how scaffolding will even work on the back kitchen door wall now with all the stairs in. The new decks will let me use the ladder to go a bit higher, but the back peak is scary high off the ground.
Whether using a ladder or scaffolding I have to climb up and down for every single board to cut it to the right shape. It is almost like I am some zoo exhibit on the monkey bars.
In a roundabout way my little cabin building gardening blog was exhibited in the NY Times this week. Lou Ureneck writes a blog there about building a cabin in the woods called From The Ground Up. A commenter on his blog left a link to me and a very kind compliment. Thank you Lois.
This morning I noticed the Verbena bonariensis is the exact same color as the Vernonia noveboracensis, the Ironweed. There even seems to be a similarity to their names. Remember this is the verbena on a stick. The Ironweed is that much taller with the longer name.
The gifted verbena seedlings from Frances have done so much better than the store bought one in the same bed that was planted weeks before at an already substantial size. Now why is it that when I pay good money for the exact same plant and plant it in the exact same place it sits there and sulks?
Whatever. I just hope the verbena self sows. I am looking forward to the up and down spacing of the same color on different plants.
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13 comments:
It wears me out just reading about all this up and down the ladder business. Just thinking about the precarious perch while attaching the siding makes my toes curl too. I hope you get this project finished before there is frost or snow flying. It would be a very dangerous sport then. You are famous now. You must protect yourself. tee hee...
Love your cabin in the woods! Will be following along more regularly now.
Who needs a stepmaster! You will be certainly getting buns of steel with all the up and down on the ladder.
Love the verbena, it has never self seeded for me, I guess not enough sun, but I get seedlings from a friend every year so I can enjoy it.
Love the straight-on view! Do be careful, climbing. Do you keep a cell phone in your pocket?
Only those of us who have built something can appreciate the tediousness of the final steps to finishing a project. Solo building means you have no scapegoat, too.
Ironweed and Verbena on a Stick do coordinate, don't they? I should be out collecting seeds. Sometimes Seed-grown grows better because Nursery-grown received all kinds of growth altering chemicals.
Oh my, do be careful. That is a ways off the ground. Scaffolding for sure. Tedious work to make sure the hardy board fits just right. Not long now.
Congrats on the mention. You are more popular now. So is the Cozy Cabin. Be careful.
I know there is still much upping and and downing until it's finished~~but it sure looks good!
Love both verbena and vernonia....they would look wonderful with goldenrod if it were blooming! I love how verbena seeds in spots I would never choose for it! Nature has her ways.
Christopher~~those plants from Frances were touched with her green thumb! Also, they weren't growing in peat! Cindy from My Corner Of Katy recommends that we thoroughly rinse off the peat and then plant it in the garden. It's working beautifully for me!
gail
Wow Christopher, NYT! I have looked at that ongoing saga and though how much more interesting your story is than his. I will have to check this out. Those last little bits are bears. Do be careful on the roof, our metal roofing guys told the worst stories of accidents, just to see my reaction I believe. About the VB and Vern, what an interesting coincidence. My experience has been the same, self sowns are much hardier and healthier than store bought. Normal growing conditions versus chemical overload to speed flowering and keep them shorter for shipping. If you don't get seedlings, I have about a million more you can have! :-)
Frances
I will be careful up there!
Lisa I won't even go on the roof when the morning dew is on it. Snow, forget about it.
Hi Patty Craft thanks. It looks more like a home every month.
Deborah I am the skinniest I have ever been in my life at the moment. I do question the verbena seeds hardiness in my climate. We'll see.
Nell Jean I sure will know how to fix things if they go wrong.You would think even a nursury grown weed, the verbena, would do ok.
I'll be careful Lola. I want to enjoy this place for many years to come.
Gail if only I knew what you knew about plumbing before the last redo. But it is done right and complete now. The goldenrod next to the vernonia and verbena is coming into bloom now. Maybe next time I will break up the rootballs a bit. I had a ligularia die too and I suspected the potting mix root ball. We have had plenty rain.
Frances I think when the verbena is done done for the season, I will collect half the heads and sow them in the spring as back up. I saw your comment at the NY Times. I'm blushing.
Ugh, it's always those last little pieces that go so slowly! Maybe you could paint the siding up there while you're set up for climbing up and down! Just think how strong(er) you'll be from the ladder exercise, haha!
Funny about the verbena; I have never seen it together with the ironweed but I always thought the ironweed was darker. Fear not; it will definitely seed!
bev
Well, I should have read the other comments first, I hadn't thought about verbena seed hardiness in your climate. I like the collecting and sowing in spring idea!
bev
I know why Francis' seeds grew better: free (or stolen) plants/seeds always grow best! Works every time for me! BTW, I have been absent a long time, and I am amazed at your cabin! All that gymnastic work is really paying off...want a building job in Wisconsin? :) Just kidding...mostly.
BTW-the ramps and angelica from you are supporting my theory, thanks again! :)
The verbena should self-sow for you just fine... but it comes up late. And it's really really REALLY easy to mistake for a weed in the spring before you remember what those leaves could actually be. :-/
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