Tarred but not Feathered

photos (clockwise from top) : front of house; interior view of the main room; the white pines, milled; back of house.
The framing is finally getting somewhere. They've been working for several weeks but with a small crew. This week there were more guys at work, and the progress was visible. The roof is completely framed and tar-papered. They starting framing in the walls Friday so this week we expect to really see the house footprint. It's been a long process, though by California standards I guess it still is pretty fast. We looked at preliminary drawings back in March.

The roofing will also start soon. We decided on the metal roof for a number of reasons:

1. Durability. From everything we've read, the metal roof should last practically forever. Technically it is a 40-year roof. But we could get 50 years or more. Given that we are already in our 40's -- we should be pretty well set.

2. Purity. We are investing in a system to capture rain water. A giant cistern will be installed below our front patio and rain water will flow from the roof into the cistern. It seems a little funny to be collecting rainwater. Our site hasn't been dry since we bought it. But North Carolina is coming off several years of drought and there is no good reason not to collect the rain water. Using a metal roof reduces dirt and contamination from shingles.

3. Efficiency. The coating on the metal roof will reflect rather than absorb heat. Though we will not go so far as a pure white roof we will come close to matching the environmental benefits. Some studies have suggested that a white or reflective roof can reduce air conditioning use by 20 - 30 percent. Our WNC summers are definitely cooler than SoCal, but we still get hot. Given that we're using radiant floor heating with solar hot water, heating the house a little more will use less energy and produce less waste than cooling it would.

4. Ability to recycle. When and if we do need to replace our roof the whole thing can be recycled. A shingle roof generally ends up as landfill.

5. Aesthetics. I don't see the need to trade "green" for attractive. I want a house that looks nice. Metal roofs offer a very clean look particularly (in my opinion) when you avoid the green, red and blue options you most often see on commercial buildings. We're using gray - we haven't agreed on the final shade.

On a different note, our pine trees were run through the mill, quite literally. They were returned in lovely boards ready for installation as beams and interior trim. I was initially hesitant to use the pine as I have a serious aversion to the log cabin look for anything other than a ski get-away. But we had to take down three lovely and very tall white pines to site the house, and it just made sense to use the wood. Luckily the boards milled very smooth with few knots and a nice color.

I think the next steps are framing all the interior walls, installing the roofing, and installing all exterior windows and doors. I confess to a bit of impatience. I hope September brings much progress.

Summer Synopsis

I've heard the complaints. Yes. I can see I have only posted once in August. Hey -- pick up the phone. Or send me an email. We moved but we didn't fall off the earth.

Summer is slipping away. It's been 10 weeks since we left California - which seems alternately a lifetime or perhaps just a summer vacation ago. Sunday night we returned from a quick beach trip and I admit coming back did not feel like coming home. I brushed it off to the rental house status but I suspect there is a little more. September, school, reconnecting with friends. Familiar and comfortable. But not this year.

We've had a wonderful summer. Don't mistake my blogging negligence for a lack of activity. Perhaps a quick photo montage will help. The photos above are from August - after my last post. We made up for the lack of house progress with our own improvement - a much desired tree swing. We've slid under waterfalls and swam in their chilly pools, hiked up Mt. Pisgah (at least 5 or 6 miles of it), and explored Hilton Head Island for our beach fix. Jellyfish stings aside, the warm Atlantic water proved hard to resist, even for a self-described beach sloth such as me. I didn't even mind the alligator in the hotel lagoon. He was small enough to be cute, and his bigger scarier brothers can take the place of the Pismo sharks as the tiny thrill of danger on our otherwise lulling beach trips. Somehow those sharks always timed their attacks with our arrival at the beach. In fitting tribute, during our visit a 10-foot alligator hit the local headlines when he left his swamp to sample the salt water.

Despite our explorations and our near-constant enjoyment of the simple physical beauty here, we miss our friends. We miss the easy Friday night barbeques - come as you are and bring something to share. We miss Sunday night suppers with Auntie Nicola. We miss our favorite Pismo Beach hotel with its great staff of friendly local kids, the smores by the pool, the multitude of seashells on the beach.

I know we'll make new friends and establish new traditions. But the end of summer is always a little poignant, and I'm feeling it tonight.

Progress - Finally

photos: the radiant heat tubing pre-concrete; laser leveling; ankle-deep in concrete.

I know I haven't posted lately - but the house building process has been a little dull. First our builder went on vacation for almost two weeks. Then he did a lot of necessary but non-photogenic stuff. Stuff like more gravel to level the floors, styrofoam insulation, plumbing pipes and electrical conduit, and the tubes for the radiant floor heating system. Finally - they poured the floor.

Like the walls, the floors are one of the "big" green elements of the house. On the passive solar side, they provide additional thermal mass. On the active solar side, a couple of solar panels will heat the water that will flow through the tubes. This, plus our efficient fireplace, will heat the house.

As a bonus, I think polished concrete is beautiful. And practically indestructible! Roller skates, dog claws, puppy pee (a side note, we all fell in love with 4-week old boxer puppies. No, I didn't give in. Our rental house has fussy wood floors and white carpet) -- whatever the kids and pets bring it can handle.

When we stopped by last night, there were lots of stacks of wood and other material around. Soon our white styrofoam house on the hill will evolve. We have a lot of decisions to make now. Metal roof vs. shingle, stain color for the meranti plywood panels that will cover much of the house, appliances for the kitchen - these are all on the list for decision by Monday or Tuesday.

The kids and I have continued exploring the area. If there is a wildlife center, forestry exhibit, or nature center within 50 miles that we've missed -- it's pretty well hidden. Both kids went to camp at the Arboretum - a fantastic 400+ acre facility with miles of trails, a bevy of young outdoor experts and enthusiasts, and beautiful gardens full of bugs, birds, snakes and lizards. Dexter can now identify most local snakes and lizards by name, and a handful of birds by sight and song. And we've all become fond of the jewelweed, or "touch-me-not" plant, a lovely wildflower with exploding seed pods and the magic ability to ease the itch of poison ivy. We've also explored many swimming options -- to answer all my California friends questions about why we aren't building a pool. Why build a pool when you can swim under a waterfall, slide on a water-powered rock formation, or tube down a river?

25 days till school. Can you believe it?

Berry Crazy

(photos: wild raspberries, making turnovers, finally eating the HOT turnovers, a pre-consumption photo)
We've gone a little berry crazy here. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries -- they all seem to love the red soil and regular rain. Wild or domestic, they thrive. Sunday we went exploring for a "pick your own" adventure. The place selected ended up being what I'm coming to think of as an Asheville-area specialty. Acres of land, beautiful and partially domesticated, sprinkled with roaming babyboomers finding their new way in the world. This particular berry wonderland was also home to handmade solar water heaters, a variety of composting strategies, a well-stocked trout pond, and a host of organic-looking living structures. A friendly if somewhat reclusive volunteer (separated, divorced, finding his way through physical labor and organic living) directs us to the community center and sign-in, points out the recycled containers and gestures in the direction of raspberry and blueberry patches.

The kids think it's a little piece of heaven on earth. "These are the best berries I've ever tasted!" Never mind that the raspberries are almost done and the blueberries will peak in a couple weeks. Enough treats were found to fill a couple pint baskets and to stain four lips a lovely shade of pinkish-purple.

Once home, the surviving berries needed to be folded into turnovers and popped in the oven. The results may never grace the front of Gourmet - but they earned a five-star review.

Today we checked on the wild berries on our property. Lovely little jewels beckoned us to overlook the scratched shins and poison ivy threat. We're heading back tomorrow properly attired! Think there may be more turnovers on the menu.

Buying happiness

This week marked the first big tears about our move. Late Thursday night, after a busy day including a trip to our local library (to escape the rain) and several hours of biking and playing in Cane Creek, Dexter came into our room in tears. Despite our busy schedule, he misses his friends. "I hate my life!" Are there any harsher words spoken by a child to his parents? Nothing much to do but comfort him and agree that leaving friends behind sucks.

About five or ten minutes into this teary event, the subject of a much-desired bow and arrow set comes up (trust me, it didn't come from my mouth). Upon eliciting a tenuous "we'll see about that tomorrow", Dex is done with the tears. He still misses his friends of course, but he's set his price for happiness. $50. Available at Wal-Mart.

About a week or so ago, during our inaugural week of "mom camp" (as I've dubbed this summer excursion extravaganza), Bella and Dexter are gleefully noting they have had ice cream three days in a row. Not just any ice cream, but DQ and two days of Biltmore Estate shakes and root beer floats. Add to that snacks from the Y, treats from the farmer's market, sodas at dinner.....I decide enough is enough. I announce I will no longer be buying daily "goodies" at the gym, and they shouldn't expect ice cream sundaes either. Bella, always quick with a quip, says "Just like normal." I prod, a little. What does she mean, just like normal? She elaborates. "Mom (that's Mo-om, with two syllables), I mean just like California. You hardly ever bought us anything. "

Yes, I see the pattern. Yes, I know we should get back to "normal". Yes, I realize that my goal is a simpler, less possession-driven life. And yes, I know that you can't really buy happiness.

But maybe, just for a little while, the credit card ad is right. An hour on the property, broken arrows and missed targets and all? Priceless.

Simple Pleasures

Fourth of July weekend. Our first holiday in North Carolina, and one devoted to family and friend barbeques and gatherings. We missed our friends in California, but had a lovely weekend in our new home.

First up -- camping on the property. What the site lacked in rustic beauty it more than made up for in satisfaction of spending a night on land we own. And while camping in the backyard is sort of cheating - aside from the construction toilet and one temporary electrical outlet, our backyard is pretty unimproved. Kirk did insist on an air mattress. I had my doubts but he fit it in. We all cozied up. And though coffee was available just a couple miles down the road, we brewed our own onsite. Campfire coffee -- much better than Starbucks anyday!

Next up -- some river kayaking. We found a place to push off just a couple miles from the house, and the boys spent a few hours paddling down the river. Bella joined in for some fun in the gentlest part. The French Broad provides quite a range of kayaking options but we're skipping the white water for now. There is plenty of time for that.

The town of Hendersonville, just down the road, provided great family fireworks and fun. By Monday, we were all tuckered out.

Hope you had a great 4th!

More Worms!

(pictures -- from top: Dexter drilling holes, the worm bedding, the worms, feeding the worms, and a lovely worm salad.)
We finally set up our worm bin today. We quit composting about a month before we moved. We didn't think the new owner of our house would be excited about our worm bins. So we reluctantly returned to throwing our food scraps in the garbage and spread the lovely wormy compost in the garden. We thought it would be a brief break from compost.

Unfortunately our rental house isn't all that compost-friendly. The yard is tiny and completely exposed to the neighbors. The development has lots of rules, some pretty dumb. I'm pretty sure acompost pile in the backyard would not be viewed as appropriate landscaping. I could collect our kitchen scraps and haul them out to our property but I'm a little too lazy for that. And even I am not that excited about decomposing corn cobs in the back of my car.

So we set up a worm bin. Two tupperware tubs with holes punched in them, stacked one in the other. The bottom one will catch the liquid released from the compost. The top one serves as home for our pound of red wigglers. It has drainage and air holes, shredded paper and cardboard, and our fruit and vegetable scraps.

For those of you following the blog -- yes, I did buy worms again. Twice in a week! Once from a vending machine and this time from a guy with a "worm farm". In California our worms were free. But the red wigglers are supposed to be better composters, eating up to their weight in food scraps each day. So I bought a pound.

Kirk says they better be hungry. He was a big fan of our cheap and easy approach to compost in California. We cut holes in two old garbage cans and put just about everything in those cans -- shredded paper from the office, all our coffee grinds and kitchen scraps, old newspapers. We then mostly ignored the whole mess, except once every couple of weeks Kirk and Bella would go out to check on the worms and turn the compost. The system worked fine and we had hundreds of happy, hungry worms.

At least if these worms don't eat much we can always use them as fishing bait. I'll keep you posted.