PERGOLA PROJECT COMPLETED

Yesterday I put away the tools and cleaned up the back yard.  The project was done.  Except for the part that grows.  That part will evolve beautifully over time.

The tools can now stay in the garage for a while.

The view from our kitchen window a month ago.

The view from our kitchen window a week ago.

The view from our sliding glass door a month ago.

The view from our sliding glass door a week ago.

I built a similar structure on The House on Hybiscus.  Where we now live, I will eventually trim the ivy at the level of the top of the fence, blocking the view of our neighbor's windows.

The ivy is already beginning to reach for the top of the pergola.

On the posts nearest the house, trumpet creepers are also reaching for the top of the pergola.

Eventually the lattice will be interwoven with leaves and flowers as the trumpet creepers creep and provide shade for our patio.

THREE WOODBURN BIRTHDAYS

This weekend I headed to Woodburn to celebrate the June birthdays in the Weathersby home. Bethany, Silas and Devon all share the same birth month.

 

I took my bicycle since Naomi recently got a new bicycle and it seemed like a good idea to go for a family ride at some point during the weekend.

 

Friday night we walked to a nearby restaurant, Luis's Taqueria, and enjoyed a great Mexican meal.  Saturday morning we headed to a park to party.  Following the birthday party at the park, we all took naps, then rode bicycles.

 

Sunday morning I rose early and headed home while the entire Weathersby clan continued to sleep.

 

 

Friday morning, with my bicycle loaded in the pickup, I'm ready to head to Woodburn.

Tim and I escort Naomi to Luis's Taqueria while Silas, walking ahead of us, pushes Tyler in a stroller.  Bethany, with camera in hand, and Devon follow us.

Silas learns some history with a book he received as a gift.

Over a dozen party guests play on the climbing structure while Tyler swings.

The party guests converge around Silas and Devon to watch them open gifts.  All six Weathersbys can be seen here.

Silas, opening a gift, shows emotion.

Devon, opening a gift, shows emotion.

Naomi watches her brothers.

PERGOLA PROGRESS

I'm building a pergola in our backyard.  I have one primary purpose for this project. 

Privacy. 

We have a very nice neighbor who lives on the other side of the fence and we talk often when we're both in our backyards.  But we can see inside each other's windows whenever the curtains are open.

So, I'm fixing the problem.  It will probably take three or four years before privacy is achieved, but it will happen.

Last Saturday I went to The Home Depot and hauled home all the supplies needed to build our pergola.

The pergola will cover most of our patio, about 40 feet long and 8 feet wide.

This is our view from our back windows.  Coincidentally, they can see through our windows, too. 

I set out the lumber to get an idea of how things might fit.

On Sunday I did the most dreaded part of the job.  I mixed 240 pounds of cement in my wheelbarrow, using a hoe, and filled eight cement tubes.  Each tube of concrete contained an embedded bolt, measured and precisely placed for supporting the pergola posts.

Getting ready to place the posts.

I covered the threaded bolt in each cement tube with masking tape to prevent cement from getting into the threading while pouring the cement.

The masking tape was removed to expose the threaded bolt.

A galvanized steel base was secured to each bolt with a nut and washer.

Each post was nailed to the galvanized base.  These posts will never touch dirt and, eventually, ivy will grow up each post along the fence.  The ivy will also grow across the beams and will be trimmed to hang down just far enough to block the window-to-window view.

First post in place.  The cross beam is attached to the overhang.

Second post in place.

Third and fourth posts are placed at the far end of patio.

Fifth and sixth posts placed.

Final two posts are placed at the near end of patio. The only other work remaining now will be to install additional cross beams overhead, then plant ivy at the base of the five posts on the left, and watch the ivy grow into a privacy wall.