Our life living off the land in our log cabin, breathing fresh mountain air, and getting back to basics.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

It's a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Day!

My oh my what a wonderful day!  Yes, you guessed it, phase 1 of our deck is complete!  It's the truth, it's actch'll, ev'rything is satisfactch'll!!!  (You might keep humming the tune to yourself for the rest of your day; I have.with pleasure.  I hope it doesn't get stuck in your head like it did in mine, but if it does, it sure is a happy tune!)

Let me take you on a tour...

Ta da!!!  Phase 1 complete!

This is the new opening from our porch to the deck, there is a 6" step down (had to be this way because of how the house beams were attached).   The left side of the pass way will eventually look like the right with the horizontal beams, but it will have 4 horizontal beams rather than 3.  I am good with that. 

This is what that same space looked like prior to creating the pass way...
...yes I miss my swing already, but I will quickly find a new home for it, no doubt about that!

 Ha ha, this is my first step onto the deck through the pass way; I was so excited I had to take a picture, and you know I was saying WOO HOO!

When you first step onto the deck from the pass way, this is what you see.

After a few steps further out on the deck, and looking toward the cabin, you see this.  Oh yes, we will be getting more deck furniture, including a table set, but one thing at a time!

This is the view walking past the chairs toward the far corner, the one shot I showed you in the past through the bedroom window...this is the finished corner.  I think it's lovely; it faces deep into the woods (which of course I forgot to photograph, being so focused on the floor, and now it's too dark) and 40' below (almost a straight drop) is the creek...the sweet sound of it rushing over the rocks is fabulous.  Perhaps a hammock should set in that diagonal:) 

This is looking from the corner in the picture above toward the other side.  I'm glad we made it as big as we did, because I already see how much space those 4 chairs take! 


It was exciting to watch everything come together.  Mountain Man and I had set the rest of the floor boards except the last row in preparation to Ronnie's arrival, which was very rewarding to have accomplished.  But I got tickled every time Ronnie took a step toward final completion of the floor...cutting the tops of the 2 posts that were too tall, ripping the last row of flooring and securing it, trimming the sides of the deck where the floor boards were hanging over, trimming the corner section...I tell you there was a lot of woo hooing going on today!

Note that I said phase 1 is complete, there are at least 2 more phases...phase 2 is railing and lattice along the front, and phase 3 is the stairs.  And actually, we still have to finish nailing all the floor boards; they are all secured, but we need 2 nails for every spot the board passes over a joist, and 3 nails for each place the boards butt together at a joist.  But we can walk on it! We can sit on it!  We just have to careful doing it, though as I write, Mountain Man is putting up a temporary railing with 2x4's and rope...:)

Oh, and then there is the cleaning and sealing of the whole thing...it will be finished, one of these days!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, my oh my what a wonderful day...ev'rything is satisfactch'll!


Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

5 comments:

Susie Swanson said...

Oh wow, I can see why you're so happy.. Your deck looks soooo good and what a beautiful view..I'm humming along with you..

Dad/Pepere said...

Woo Hoo and zip a dee doo dah back to you! The deck looks beautiful...congratulations on your accomplishment! Looking forward to sitting on this deck 40 feet above the creek...Hugs!

Christine said...

That's wonderful to see how much progress you guys have made. Enjoy that beautiful deck! Can't wait to see it completely finished.

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

It looks awesome!
I wish I could bring my bottle of wine from tonight and share it with you. Guess I have to settle on wine in my paper cup in a hotel room in Ohio. We are here for 5 day Blacksmith conference! Whoop!

Lise said...

Thank you all, we are already enjoying it! Any time any of you are in then Sylva, NC area, please let me know!