We've continued to have good weather and have also moved forward with the log raising. These are some of the steps involved in getting these hefty logs up where we want them. As you can see in the above photo, they tie a rope to the log and drag it from the pile with the truck. Most of the pulling is done with this old pickup truck!

Here it comes off the pile...


Next, one side of the log is hoisted up into place...

Now the other side is lifted up--sliding up the board like a vertical ramp.


Almost to the top...

The board pops up a bit when the log reaches the top but it's now in place. Once again, all the pulling is done with the truck--and of course the series of pulleys in place on the lifting poles.

Now it's time to drill the holes and pound in the re-bar spikes.

Here they decided to try lifting both ends at once...

Up it goes...

Almost to the top...


And now it's in place...

Here are some close-ups of the logs...you can see the re-bar spikes in between in the gaps between the logs. Eventually, we'll put chinking in these gaps with a cement mixture and insulation.


A re-bar spike is also pounded into the ends of the logs once they're in place...

I put my little hand up there to try to give you somewhat of a perspective of the size of the logs. They're not huge logs but they're definitely nice sized logs...and would hurt if they fell on your toe. We're now at about 6 feet...only about 10 more feet to go!

 
 

Our summer has been on the rainy, drizzly side plus the daily distractions (like making a living) just manage to keep getting in the way, so we've been somewhat hindered in productive progress on our log home. However, the sun has been out in full force, we're caught up on most of our other obligations--and we have my parents from TX up here visiting who are ready and willing to help! So the past 2 or 3 days have been quite productive--finally!

So, what's the progress? On the first day, Andrew and my dad were mostly trying to get things organized and ready to go. They did manage to also get 3 logs up by that afternoon. The next day they had to put up a new lifting pole in one corner since the other one had broken off. This proved to be more time-consuming than they'd hoped, but it got done and by the end of the day they had another full course of logs up all the way around.


And this is where we ended up the first day.

The next couple of days I was also out there with my mom and the kiddos mowing and clearing out the brush from the front of our land near the drive. We have some lovely small birches and poplar trees coming up and I'd love to accentuate a grove-like appearance with a carpet of grass and perhaps later some wild roses growing along the steep slope up to the road. Sound nice? I also realized that there's a really wonderful massive, low climbing tree perfect for summer adventures--if I could only get to it and clean out all the scraggly limbs and two feet of grass.

We borrowed a huge weed-eating machine from some friends that quickly made short order of the tall grass--and by day 2 the front was beginning to look mighty respectable.

All in all, we've gotten up 10 logs and the last course has all the holes drilled and most of the re-bar spikes pounded in. We're rainy again today and needed to catch up on some watch work and errands, but are prepared to hit it again tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep you posted and put up more photos!