Tree Go!

The elm by the workshop has been troubling me for years. This morning I set out to dismantle the sump pump because the temperature dipped to about -9C last night; I worried I might already be too late. However, I found the pump churning away quite happily. As I studied the discharge pipe, which emerged amidst the sucker growth on the elm, I noticed that there was not a breath of wind--exactly the sort of day I had been waiting for, and quite surprising after about 18 hours of violent winds, starting in the wee hours of Monday. I sharpened my trusty Husqy, and set to work. I cut an open-faced notch, and then dropped the elm quite neatly between two red pines. 

As a bonus, the butt came to rest above the sump pump line without crushing it in the least!

Soon the tree will become firewood. I'm quite curious about how it will burn. I might just stack it in the "wet" end of the woodshed, because our woodpiles are tarped for the winter. I think we have about two cords of seasoned wood left in the shed--I hope it's enough! Winters are so unpredictable.

Winter Kitchen

The kitchen wall is now wired, insulated, vapor barriered, and drywalled. Now we can start demolishing the interior walls, and that should be rather simpler. 

First Snow

 We made it to the second week of November--not bad! We'll see if this decides to become a permanent resident or just plow on through. 

Foundational

The repair work on the workshop foundation continues. On the 10th, Boris finished the excavation work, and then on the 12th, I poured a footing (25 bags @ 30kg), to which Jo and I added another 25-bag wall section on the 25th. The rebar comes up right under the sill, the stone having collapses inward. 

North Corner

We finished the North corner and took down the scaffolding at last. Already, it seems we have defeated water infiltration. I'd like to paint more of the flashing green, but that can wait. The main point is that it is well before the end of October, and all the scaffolding is stacked away in the little tractor shed.

Last of the Green

 In a few days, perhaps, the winter weather will begin; we sometimes have permanent snow down before Halloween. This seems to be something close to the last of the green: the hydrangea in the garden. Farewell, summer!

Muted Tones

 This autumn, the fall colours are muted. The long dry spell so desiccated the trees that they did not give their best. Some aerial views contradict this; apparently, deep in the forest the trees are more vibrant. Here, this is about the best we saw.