back again

like a bad penny.

Please accept my apology for my recent absence. Had some stuff I had to get down and written over at the other place. To make up for it, here are some pictures of what I have been up to.

Remember that teeny delivery shed I was working on? Well I got it done and here it is just after we placed it in its (hopeful) permanent location. There may be some maneuvering around come spring, but we're hoping this will be the place it wants to stay. The bungee cord is still through the hasp gizmo.


And here is a couple pictures of the inside. I know it doesn't seem like all that much, but this is primarily for package and dry-cleaner delivery, so a closet pole makes a world of sense, even if the thing looks like the world's smallest privy out there on the lawn.



And here is a shot of it with the door open. Isn't that a snazzy door? It's made of v-notched matched pine boards. First time I ever made one that came out the way it was supposed to. I was very pleased with myself.


And here is a shot of the shed from the back and side. Notice the dark gray asphalt shingle roof with real metal drip edge. This thing was really a miniature building. And the bonus? The roof was exactly one sheet of shingles wide. Sweet. It took under one bundle of shingles to do the whole thing and required very little cutting. I was sooooooo happy!


The customers are still raving about how happy they are. I am glad. I fussed and fretted over this for a while. I am pleased with how it came out, and am more pleased that they are happy.

Next, I recently had to go visit a friend down at a funky neat and cool interior design/decoration place on Little Deer Isle. Place is called Harbor Farm and they donated a bunch of colored tile samples for me to use in my workshop next weekend.

First, let me show you the approach to the bridge over the narrows out to Little Deer Isle.


Yes, the bridge does go straight friggin' up. Just like that.

It is not an optical illusion. It goes way the hell up.

Damned if I know why. Perhaps so tall boats can go under? I've never seen it, but that does not mean it doesn't happen. Anyway. One lane out to the islands, one lane back. Up and over. Not for the faint of heart. Especially on windy days - whew!

The bridge is the exact same design as the ill-fated Tacoma Narrows Bridge out in Washington State. I just love this video. It is silent, so don't worry that your computer isn't working. Just incredible.



My friend Lib narrates this in wonderful fashion. She'll do it again at the conference next weekend. I may or may not attend her session. Depends on what else I may have to be doing at that time.

In order to prevent a similar catastrophe happening to the Little Deer Isle bridge, engineers rigged these triangular wind buffers to prevent the wind from catching in the tall girders and thrashing the bridge around like the one in Tacoma. They work pretty well, from what I hear, but only the hardiest of souls venture across when a gale is blowing out of the northeast. Here's a shot of the buffers.


So out I ventured onto Maine's connected islands to collect colored tiles for this project I am doing. Here is a sample of the more than 100 4-inch, mostly artisan-made tiles we got.


I am now sorting and fussing and sorting and fussing to make them work and fit in some kind of series of patterns. Working up the patterns and making it all fit onto the boards is going to be more involved than I had anticipated. I am glad I am doing the prep work in advance. If I had tried to throw this stuff together the night before the early morning session, I'd have been screwed.

So that's what I have been up to. I also put up the wood trim on that sun room project, with help from a friend who taught me volumes about how to be patient and do the fussy stuff. I don't have pictures of that just yet, but hopefully I will later this week. Stay tuned.