September: Final Inspection, Moving Day

Inspection passed with flying colors - time to move in!

A few pieces of furniture turn the space into a home.

Erik is getting hungry. Love the new kitchen!

Meal's ready to eat!

Harry and Jason take a break on the deck.

Matt plays us a tune.

The final inspection went smoothly on the morning of Wednesday, September 14, just short of two years after we received the building permit. Woo hoo! We started moving things in that very same day. Most of the moving was done on Thursday.

It's amazing how a few sticks of furniture can transform a construction site into a home. We are so grateful to Matt, Jason and Erik for helping us move, and to Erik for all he has done/is doing to make our dreams come true. At day's end, we prepared a meal and had a wonderful evening. Certainly, a milestone to remember in our lives!

For a full album of move-in day photos, click here.

August: A Whirl of Activity

The ceiling fan fits in perfectly with the timbers.

The stairtower landing revealed itself - uncovered after months of being protected by cardboard.

The woodstove and its tall stovepipe were added to the main space,
which is still serving as an interior work area.

Miho finished tiling the master bath and fabricating
the granite counter; Erik built the vanity and the mirrored
medicine cabinet; Simmonds Glass made the glass shower doors;
Morris Plumbing installed the plumbing fixtures.

Appliances were installed in the kitchen and all the plumbing was connected.

The heat was on in August to finish up many details in many directions and to prepare for final inspection in early September.

Installed were the woodstove and chimney, ceiling fan, remaining electrical fixtures and plumbing fixtures. The stairtower landing was revealed as its protective covering was removed. After Erik completed two bathroom vanities, the mirrored medicine cabinet and the loft bedroom closet, he started in on the office, where he created a desktop, countertops, cabinets, shelves and drawers.

July: Front Porch and Backfill

Beau treads lightly on the cedar flooring.

Erik checks to make sure all the screws are lined up perfectly.


Finished railings match the deck and balcony.

The south yard is beautifully graded (and the drywall heap is gone)
thanks to John Cadden and his backhoe.

On the north side, Erik and Scott built steps up the steep grade.
Large rocks will hold the grass in place on the slope.

As Miho continued working on the soapstone counter, bathroom countertops and tile, Erik and Scott finished the front porch. The decking was milled from one of our cedar trees, and there was just enough left after doing the deck and balcony to finish the job.

While the field was dry, it was time to bring in the backhoe to clean up, backfill around the foundation and grade the site around the house.

July: Slice of Life

An eagle perches on our fence post to see...

...what furry creatures might be fleeing the tractor as neighbor farmer Bob harvests our hay.

A slice of life on Orcas Island.

July 1: Soapstone Arrives

First to be unloaded was this 800-pound slab that surrounds
the cooktop and extends into the dining space, sure to become a centerpiece
of activity in our new home.

The slab is rolled into the house.

It's then tilted, resting on the cabinets...

...and slid into place.

Miho grinds the one of the smaller pieces for an exact fit.

Miho touches up a joint in the soapstone.

The new soapstone countertop is everything we hoped for. We chose Classico soapstone for its inviting character, earthy tones and warm, friendly texture. After looking at soapstone samples for almost two years, it's exciting to see our stone countertop in place.

Miho Ljubic of Adriatic Stone is fabricating and installing the countertop using slabs we chose at Creative Surfaces in Anacortes. It took six men to unload the main 800-pound slab of soapstone from Miho's truck. It was amazing to see half a ton of stone eased into place with such precision. The soapstone only required minimal grinding for an exact fit. Miho will be back soon to cut out areas for the faucet and cooktop.

May 22: Steel Guardrails with Fir Panels

The steel guardrails are complemented by rough sawn fir panels tied together
with steel straps and fasteners. Angled spaces present a design challenge.

I hold the panel in place while Erik tightens the bolts.

What to do with leftover rough sawn Douglas fir timbers? Erik created rough-sawn fir in-fill panels for the steel guardrails in the main living space and in the stair tower. The panels, which have the same bandsaw finish as the timbers, blend beautifully with the timber frame and the sleek steel staircases. Collaborating on steel fabrication was Jorgen Harle, Orcas Island Forge.

April 30: Eco Flooring and Reclaimed Fir Trim

The new EcoTimber floor is installed in the loft.

The top Douglas Fir timber tread meets EcoTimber floor...and its underlayment...
all atop gypcrete, which was poured over radiant heat tubes.

Scotty cuts trim to size while Erik and I discuss work in progress.

In the stair tower, Erik and I admire the window trim and the view.
The finished landing is protected with a covering of thick cardboard.

Work is moving along quickly as the floor goes down in the loft and window and door trim goes up in the loft and in the main space.

We're installing an EcoTimber floor, an engineered product made with sustainably harvested hickory. EcoTimber makes flooring from forests with the highest standards of sustainable management, and utilizes no toxic materials to ensure healthy indoor air - these qualities were high on our list when choosing a floor.

Erik has milled, planed and cut trim material from leftover pieces of timber, and from scrap material reclaimed from a local lumber yard. The effect is so natural - and the trim, treated with a penetrating oil finish, blends perfectly with the mighty posts, beams and knee braces.

March 27: The Great Unwrapping

Harry admires the queen post as he unwraps the timbers.

More unwrapping as he works his way toward the king post.

Free of wrappings, the beauty of the hammerbeam construction is revealed.

Harry goes to any lengths to get that last bit of tape off the timbers.

Erik fits the cedar around windows, the door and joists
as he finishes the west face of the entry.

For months, the timbers, wood plank ceilings and windows were wrapped to protect them from drywall taping, plaster and paint spray. (Beams Harry and I haven't seen since the topping off more than a year ago!) Yesterday, it was like unwrapping a big present as the beauty of the timbers and craftsmanship were revealed. Harry enjoyed working on the scaffolding where he could get up close and personal with the lofty beams and appreciate the intricacies of the timber framing.

Erik worked outside, finishing up the cedar siding on the west wall of the mud room/main entry.

Now that the painting is done, and the exterior siding is nearly finished, everyone is looking forward to finishing up the inside.

March 17: Great Gray Owl

The Great Gray Owl is back on the garden post.

Erik was thrilled to get this photo with his 'old' camera
while Harry the professional forgot to bring his 'fancy' camera.

The owl perches on an old fence post nearby, looking for snacks,
and wasn't bothered by our presence.

About 10 days ago, Erik had his first sighting of this magnificent Great Gray Owl. It is enormous - more than 30 inches long with a wingspan of about five feet. For days the owl hung around, sitting on fence posts, a deck post of the new house, and in trees nearby.

This "phantom of the forest" didn't seem to mind power saws and sanders, a big chocolate lab, or three of us digging a raised bed for the vegetable garden. He would kept a wary eye on ravens as they harassed him and then drop into the grass to feast on voles.

But then, he moved down valley about a week ago, and we thought he was gone for good...until late this afternoon, when he reappeared. Erik saw him sitting on a fence pole, and then the owl enjoyed scanning the field from our deck posts. What a fascinating creature - we hope the owl sticks around so we can continue to enjoy watching him!

February 20: Let There Be Sun

Thirteen modules comprise our solar array,
which is generating lots of power even on cloudy days.

The wireless readout keeps us informed about all the details.
This screen shows we were generating 2.42 kilowatts at about 2pm yesterday.

The solar panels started to produce energy this week! Our hookup to the grid is complete and even on cloudy and drizzly days, the panels were collecting solar energy. During the past three days, there was bright sunshine and the panels pumped out lots of power - a stellar performance for February days when the sun is low, and much better than we anticipated.

Most fascinating is the wireless gizmo that tells us many things regarding our power generation, including how much we are making, what we are saving in pounds of CO2, and how much energy we are using vs. supplying to the grid.

February 12: Doors and Floors

Here is one set of doors made for the window openings in the loft.

A stained closet door waits to be hung downstairs.

Taking a break with Beau.

Taping the edges of the dyed concrete floor before etching.

Removing all the tape from the floor in my office after etching.

Harry and Erik apply the penetrating sealer.

The interior doors arrived and were treated with an environmentally friendly wood stain, a light oiled finish. A special set of doors was made for the loft windows - so we can open and close them as needed, like shutters.

But before the doors are installed on the lower level, we needed to etch and use a penetrating sealer on the dyed concrete. This involved a few days of taping edges, etching, and three coats of sealant. Good to have that job done!

February 6: Solar Panels Ready to Power Up

The solar array's 13 modules will generate 3 megawatts of electricity.

The solar panels will be on line any day now. The system was installed in late fall by Rainshadow Solar, and it's passed a series of inspections. We're going through the application process to connect to Orcas Power and Electric Co. (OPALCO).

The panels will generate 3 megawatts of power and the system is expandable to 6 megawatts. We'll generate our own electricity when the sun shines, and sell any additional power to OPALCO. The goal is to break even, taking power from the grid on most wintertime days, and selling excess power to OPALCO in the summertime, when days are long and the sun is strong.