Four boys

The new baby is here: it's a boy! Big brothers are delighted. David
and Pam wonder If we need a second addition, but for now we'll stick
with the 2400 sf we have to date. With our comfortable first day
shelter and the great outdoors we're set.

Spiffying up the porch

We got the porch screened and replaced the worktable with some
furniture. It's starting to look like a living space.

Pumpkin carving

Carving the sacrificial pumpkin with Grandma Kiker. She's an expert.

Growing

Landscaping and baby-growing continues, sometimes simultaneously.

Screen door

Getting the screened doors on.

Louvers on porch

Louvers on the soon-to-be-screened porch. The louvers are constructed
out of shiplap stained to match the house exterior. Finish at the top
of the louvers is a wide, thick piece of pine at table height. We
chainsaw milled the shelves from one of the big trees that was sruck
by lightning.

Another addition

We're working on another addition: a new baby under construction.
Landscaping continues.

Iceland

A quick trip to Iceland to do some work and to gaze at the volcano that caused all the trouble. No, we didn't get the hang of pronouncing Eyjafjallajokull.

Rustic serving boards

We're making rustic serving boards with the wood we chainsaw mill.
After a bit of planing, sanding, and finishing with butcher block oil,
they're ready for sushi or cheese. This is some cherry we brought back
from a trip to Tennessee.

Bees

We built a top-bar bee hive and ordered up 3 pounds of honeybees with
a queen. Here we shake them into their new home, cinder-block-plywood
paradise in the north Florida woods.

Story time

Reading Dr Seuss at the building site. The bench is a log we're
planing with the chainsaw mill. We've used the wood for window sills
and shelves on the porch.

Cables on stairway

Granddad Kiker and 3-year old finish off the stairway cables at floor
level of the addition loft upstairs.

Landscaping moving along!

Slowly, but surely, the landscaping goes in. This was taken in warmer
times!

Cleaning house

Now that we live here, we have to keep it clean. These are our "Cuban mops" which do a good job on the tile.

A Celebration - Sept 2009

Friends and family gather to celebrate at the building site that is now a home. Happy birthday, Granddad. We couldn't have done it without you. We won't be able to finish it without you!!

Pig Prep

What's that in the tub? A pig on ice! We're making preparations for a Cuban pig roast to celebrate Granddad Kiker's 70th birthday and to say thanks to everyone who worked on the house.

Po' boy t-ball

The boys create a t-ball stand for little brother with a tin can. They're innovative, for sure.

Rake edge

The roof receives some finishing touches on the gable ends, and another dumpster makes its way to the construction landfill.