The Pour

The concrete got scheduled for 1pm on Tuesday and we were very fortunate to have two helpers show up.

Dear guided the cement mixer in and then everyone got to work.

My cousin Jim was on a road trip that brought him to our house just in time for the pour.

Our son stopped by for an hour to help and his expertise with cement trucks and concrete pours was invaluable.

I got to watch. The work went well and was done in good time. Thankful for the sunshine and our helpers.

Welcome October! We were happy to see sunshine in the forecast again after our cold blast.

Documenting the progress of the shop again with this post.

Snow in September!

We knew it snowed in the higher elevations around us on Saturday the 28th of September but we really couldn’t see the snow until Sunday morning. These were the views from our home. We did not get any snow on our property. This is very early for snow in our parts. The last time there was September snow in Spokane was in 1926. We are north of Spokane but they are at a higher elevation than us. We were all surprised to see the snow and the below average temperatures for this time of year.

We had two visitors who stayed a while last week.

Mama and baby or maybe toddler enjoyed our back acres for a good stretch of time. Mama kept a steady eye on our family room slider while the fawn enjoyed nibbling on the brush.

We’ve got a busy week ahead with building and visitors and a local Marcus Ciderfest on Saturday.

Something pithy from John Newton emailed to me by Grace Gems:

Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts ~ Hymn

Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call;
To them that seek Thee Thou art good,
To them that find Thee all in all.

We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Foun­tainhead,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Wherever our changeful lot is cast;
Glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blessed when our faith can hold Thee fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stay,
Make all our moments calm and bright;
Chase the dark night of sin away,
Shed over the world Thy holy light.

Words: Bernard of Chairvaux, 12th Century

Photo inscription: The Path of the Just is as the shining light which shineth more and more until the perfect day.

Proverbs 4:18 (ESV) But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Shop Progress

From time to time for our own records I’m posting the progress of Dear’s shop.

This past Monday our son came over to help Dear auger the holes for the support beams. Augering 14 holes took the better part of the day and it was muddy work as a short rain shower rolled through during the process.

The rest of the week while the weather permitted beams were set in the holes with the help of our son’s tractor and ingenious strapping technique using the tractor forks. After the beams were set in they needed to be secured at the right distance from each other and have the right centering at least so many inches from the sides of the holes for optimum strength at the concrete pour. Too much for my brain to handle but Dear worked to get each one right on the money.

 

By the end of Friday (9/27/19) all the posts were set. Concrete will be ordered for next Wednesday. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. The trusses for the roof were suppose to be delivered at 2PM but never made it until almost 7PM. We had given up on him and then the doorbell rang. Dear went out to set up the spot for the trusses to be set on.

Catchy name…The Truss Company.

We were so happy to see that the truck had a crane to unload the trusses. Nightmares of trying to wrestle those heavy huge trusses plagued us. Oh ye of little faith!

It was raining at this point so Dear found all the tarps he could and covered the trusses and then secured the covers since we have been promised blustery weather this weekend and temperatures dipping to freezing. Unusual for September. Our kids had a bit of snow fall today (Saturday) at their home which is higher elevation from us and on the Stevens County page someone posted a photo of a good amount of snow up on Orin Rice Road. That was the road we had a Sunday drive on a couple weeks ago.

Right now as I publish this all we are getting is sideways rain. The tall natural grasses are blowing in the wind. It looks like they are dancing. Those holes that were augered are gathering some water in them and some slough which Dear will have to deal with before the concrete is poured.

Singing in the Rain

When Addy was here on Monday it started raining in the afternoon. She started asking if I had an umbrella for her. I wish I would have recorded her saying umbrella. It was something like umbuella or umbebella. So darn cute. When we went to the garage and found this one she wondered if I had something smaller for her. Sadly no but she managed to navigate with the big one.

JJ and mommy watched Addy and the progress on the shop from under cover.

We were hoping for another dry day today but alas it is raining. Dear will have to navigate the last 4 huge beams into their holes in the rain and then hope to get the concrete delivered tomorrow morning during a dry period, if possible.

And, in other news, our kids have spotted a bear on their property and lots of evidence that the bear is enjoying the apples from their apple tree. It also tried to get into one of their out buildings. YIKES! Just another day in the country… Thankfully this is the largest wild animal we have seen on our property. She was really staring us down as if she owned the property and wondered what we were doing on it. We were behind the slider.

Gleaned from my morning readings from Piper this time, Life As A Vapor:

Don’t be duped by the gurus of the age. 

One enslaving fad follows another.

The wisdom of this age is folly in view of eternity.

Don’t follow a defeated foe. Follow Christ. It is costly. You will be an exile in this age. But you will be free.

Summer Finale

Another Sunday and after church another lunch in Chewelah and on the way home we diverted here and there to see some new roads. It was our goodbye to summer drive. I didn’t have my big camera with me so had to use my phone.

 

As you drive into Colville you’ll notice a mountain above Main street. Besides the cross there is a big C on this mountain.

Continuing on through town we turn onto our road which is sometimes called skunk alley.

Sorry for the visual of why it got that name. Hold your nose and turn off your air vents.

A favorite weeping willow we see close to home.

Into our drive and we notice one of the trees changing color.

The last day of summer afforded us a nice drive and a relaxing evening. It was the calm before the storm.

The footings for the shop are ready for the support posts to be set and the concrete to be ordered. We were so grateful for our son’s help. Dear continues working hard. I’ll need to take a photo of the holes.

Hope your week is going well.

Borrowing part of a prayer from Spurgeon…

Lord let your living water flow. Flow to my family and my friends, and let it not pass me by…

Happy Fall Y’all

The photo above was taken last fall.

We are beginning to see some colors changing this year.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons and I’m looking forward to see what it brings our way.

Monday morning, machinery is being delivered here so that Dear and our son can auger holes to set all the posts to support the shop.

Later this week the concrete will be delivered to pour into the holes. We are hoping the weather cooperates for the hardening process. We were a little surprised to see a snowflake in the weather predictions for next Sunday. Yikes.

Before September slips away here is a poem by John Updike…
“The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.”
–   John Updike, September

When We All Get to Heaven ~ Hymn

When We All Get to Heaven

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Refrain

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Refrain

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Refrain

Words: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1898.

Five Months!

Jaymison Joshua (JJ) is now 5 months old. It’s been fun to see him interact with people.

I’m laughing about the photo in the collage where he’s grabbing Addy. She does not look pleased.

I had to add this one of JJ with Auntie LoLo. That smile!! Lolo’s, too.

Happy weekend everyone.

U-Pick Corn

On Tuesday afternoon we hopped in the car and drove a few miles north of us and stopped at this farm to pick corn. U-pick 4 for a $1. Part of the sign looks like it washed off but we got the gist of what they wanted us to know.

We found 4 ears we thought looked good and put our $1.00 in the metal box and headed back home.

There’s a story behind me having to take a photo of the photo of me at the corn field. Dear mistakenly took a video of me instead of a photo and my computer wouldn’t let me make it into a photo and I couldn’t upload the video, either. Hmmm.

We cooked 2 ears of corn as soon as we got home and boy was it good and sweet. I called it dessert, delicious. We’ll remember this farm next year and enjoy fresh corn again.

Quote of the day from Sprugeon:

“The way to do a great deal, is to keep on doing a little. The way to do nothing at all is to be continually resolving that you will do everything.”

Encouragement of the day:

If you are finding it hard to get started on a task, try setting a timer for 15 minutes and tell yourself to get after that task for at least 15 minutes. You’ll be surprised all you can get done in that short amount of time and maybe it will be enough motivation to continue.

Have a great 9-19-19!