The Gazette Pays Us A Visit And I Started Moving In!

I had contacted The Gazette in June and asked them if they were interested in a barn story. They said they were and since that time they have sent several photographers out to document the demolition and reconstruction of my barn. Dave from the Gazette came out on Friday to gather details of project last Friday! I hope this sparks a public interest and awareness of our barn history here in Iowa. I know Dave will write an awesome article!

I began moving into my loft studio on Saturday! Mike strung some lights for me and also brought down some portable lights on a stand. We strung a cord to the house and I had power! The solar panels won't get put on this year so I will have to improvise! I brought down the radio and I was set!

I wanted to start working on my window design and since the window is huge (54" x 42") I decided that I should create it as close to where it will be placed as I could. Mike helped me set up a make shift table with saw horses and plywood- hey it works!

This past week Mike had contacted a gentleman who repairs windows and asked him to start saving glass for me. We were both surprised when Mike got a call from him that he had glass for me and that Mike could pick it up! To my surprise there was about 8 large pieces of glass!

After I finished gathering my glass work tools and setting up shop I began drawing out the web design. I then cut the paper pieces. I then used the paper patterns to trace out the design on the glass and then started cutting my pieces. I had company Saturday evening. Mike and Nephew Mike sat up in the loft having a few brews while I worked. I enjoyed the company.

When Nephew Mike left Mike and I were just hanging out looking at my work when something swooped out of no where! A bat!!! He quickly realized that he was not going to be leaving with us in the way! The bat quickly retreated back up to the perlins and there he stayed. We soon decided to call it a night and when I went back down today I did not see the bat. But there are alot of places to hide and he may have been with me today as I continued working on "Charlotte's Web".

I'm pretty sure this big opening is how the bat got in!

Me working in my studio!

My web design for the West window.

I started to wrap the pieces in copper foil.

My barn owl!

This Weeks Progress

On Thursday the "Dylans" from Silver Brother's Construction came out and finished the roof. Saturday more of the siding got put on and the Hay Trolley got hung.

On Sunday Big Dylan showed up around 7:30 and he and Mike hung more siding. This morning it rained for about 5 minutes and then stopped. When I walked down to the barn there was a rainbow!

I got to drive the big fork lift again today. My son Dakota snapped some photos of me raising and lowering Mike as he hung siding.

We wrapped it up around 3:00 pm. The Dylans are supposed to come back out tomorrow and finish the siding, facia, and soffits.

Shortly after I went in to the house to get cleaned up I heard what sounded like cars crashing. I had just stepped out of the shower so I yelled at Dakota to go and see if everything was okay at the barn. I quickly got dressed and went down to the barn to see what had happened....the trolley had fallen!

As Mike, Dakota, and I surveyed the trolley Mike saw right away what had happened. When the Amish fixed it they had only brazed the outside so basically it was an accident waiting to happen. I just thank God that no one was any where near the trolley when it fell because that would have been a tradgedy I am sure. When the trolley fell it broke in 3 places this time. Mike is going to fix it but we will never hang it again. Instead it will sit in a corner of the loft for memories sake only.

I returned to the house and Mike continued to work on cleaning up in the barn. I later went back down and he was hooking up the light that he had hung on the front of the barn today. He was trying to surprise me! He said he felt really bad that the trolley had broken because he knew how much I really loved that trolley. It was a very nice surprise! And the light is absolutely stunning all lite up!

9 21 09- The Dylans came over today. They got the front and north side soffit and facia done. It rained a little today and it was very foggy this morning. The first day of fall is tomorrow!

9 25 09 - Mike finished the deck for the stairs going up to the loft! It looks great! Things are getting wrapped up. The big fork lift is parked in the driveway ready to be picked up. The scaffolding is down and Mike will return that tomorrow.

We decided that the big vent that I bought to go on top of the barn was too rusted to put up. I will use it as a decoration for the flower bed that I am going to put in front of the barn.

I am going to focus on getting my window design done for the West side so that we have some light coming in because it's pretty dark in the barn now! I'm going to cut the glass in a web design and call it Charlotte's Web!

Week-end Progress 9 12 and 13 09

On Saturday the main accomplishment was to get the the peak got supports put on. The guys started on the perlins too. Sunday the rest of the perlins got put on and the lower South side tin got put on. As I watched the guys build the perlins I realized that I was very glad to be the "ground crew"! I have always had a great respect for the construction industry but as I watch my barn come together I am simply amazed at the craftsmanship that Silver Brother's Construction (with the help of me and Mike) have accomplished in breathing life back into this barn. I am equally amazed when I look at the way the barn was originally made using mortisse and tenon technique.

Mike L and Dylan putting on the perlins.

The second piece of steel going on the roof.

My nephew Mike and hubby sitting in my Rhino after the roofing ordeal today. Next week they promise me the roof and my cupalo-vent will be done!

Another Change Of Plans

I got to operate the big fork lift yesterday! Since it was just Mike and I working today I had to lift Mike up to the top of the barn while he put on siding. I was pretty nervous the first couple of times I had to lift him up and down!
As we put the siding on the West side we realized that the siding needed a lot of repair to be able to seal it up tight. I had already decided that the front (East side) was going to be done in new siding. After some talking we decided that as much as we hated to not be able to save the old siding that in the long run it would be the best option. We won't pull of the siding we already put up, we will just install over the top of it.

We planned on taking a short motorcycle ride today after we worked on the steps for the loft but when Mike tried to start his bike it wouldn't start- the battery was dead! So we didn't get to go for a ride today.

Here are some photos of the steps:

Here are some photos from yesterday:

Mike carried Asia up to the loft so she could look around.

This is a view of my Garden Shed from the loft.

Mike relaxing in the loft!

Starting To Put The Siding On

We started putting siding on the South side of the barn today and then moved to the North side. It's hard to believe that it's Labor Day week-end! And so far the weather looks great for the entire three day week-end. Here's some photos from today-

The Supporting Beams and Rafters Are Done!

Silver Brother's Construction Crew arrived before I left for work this morning and by the time I got home the supporting beams and rafters were done.

Liz from the Gazette came out to take some photos today also.

Mike will be ordering the roofing and maybe the solar panel for the barn tomorrow. This week-end he and I will begin hanging the siding.

Here are photos from today's progress.