Betty and Paula Go to Alaska

In all the hustle bustle before the wedding I never looked at these ones from when I picked up Paula and Betty in Ketchikan to get over to the island. We stopped after we got off the ferry and the window completely shattered all over Paula. They did a fine job cleaning up the parking lot. What a way to start off the trip. After a breezy ride, we got to the totem park. Paula says "hey, look a chicken"

Betty was fascinated and put the local men to shame with her work ethic.

The Beach Trail Revisited

My how things change around here. We had another widow maker storm. High winds and trees down everywhere. Remember that brag blog just two entries ago about the beach trail. Well its gone now, the trail not the blog. Right after the J+M log, the trail has become vertical. The rest of the "trail" is just littered with the former canopy of the woods. I will try to do a little before and after here.

The light in there has totaly changed so it will be interesting to see what grows in its place. The root wad is about twenty feet in the air and thirty feet across and supported what looks like three or four trees.

The pecker pole on the bottom is the former hand rail for going up and down the steps. Just under those trees are the beautiful steps that Jonathan lovingly made for our wedding party. You can still see the bottom ones under the big trunk. They are pretty much still in position except that they lead to a fallen down tree instead of a fabulous path.

Since the tree is so big we are not sure we can safely cut through it...and get the root wad to fall back down flat, will take some serious come along work. In the mean time there is still good mushroom picking in the surrounding woods. We have put up five gallons of chantrelles, some shaggy manes, and I made oyster mushroom lasagne with italian deer sausage last night, mmmmmmmmm.

Another New Roof

Part of the reason we haven't moved in yet is because of our old roof.
Our first roof was done with rolled gravel paper but didn't work right. It leaked. Not sure why. This turned out to be just fine though because Jonathan had no reservations putting the chainsaw through the old roof to build the dormers earlier this summer. With the dormers in and winter coming, we ordered a different kind of roof to be put on the barge and shipped up here. This time we just went for the good stuff that everyone uses so we know it works. Its called Snaplock, its a kind of metal roofing.
The rain just beads up and rolls off. We had to order it over the phone sight unseen, but Jonathan had a friend help make a parts list (flashing, trim, ridgecap, etc.). We love the blue roof, it is a good substitute for a sky, which we don't get all that often. When there is a pile of building material sitting around it doesn't last long.

Jonathan couldn't wait to get it up, so dangling from a rope, again, he got the roof cut and screwed down in about two and a half days. It was raining, hard, the whole time. Another reason Xtra Tufs are the best. (see Jon's feet above) All roofers should wear them. Here is the view from the outhouse:

Temporarily,we put some corrugated plastic left over from the

greenhouse up for windows. Ha, ha, ha temporary.