Tag: Aaron Valachovic

in Houselust to Wonderlust, Redacting Rosslyn

Did you know that another name for New Year’s Eve Day is Old Year’s Day? Not used widely, in my experience, but logical. Retrospective. Emphasis on the year expiring rather than the year arriving. Despite a personal proclivity for forward-looking and possibility, a year-end review offers merits too. This day’s, this year’s minutes are too…

Hibernal High

Dec 21, 2023

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in Redacting Rosslyn

I almost preempted this evening’s post with an update on the rising, rising, rising lake levels. Given the alarming uptick — Lake Champlain has risen approximately 2’ in the last couple of days with waters currently approaching spring flood stage — our attention is focused on meteorological forecasts. But angsty fretting serves no one, so…

Stumping

Dec 1, 2023

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As political pundits’ newscycle turns to election stumping, our workcycle turns to ash stumping. The inevitable next step in our current homegrown lumber undertaking is to transform the stumps (leftover from five removed ash trees) into mulch and then prepare the ground for grass seeding in the spring. After felling five ash trees in the…

Tony & Trigger

Nov 30, 2023

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Sometimes a snapshot… is all we need! This candid of Tony and Trigger (Aaron’s constant companion) landed with a digital ding on my phone this evening. The caption, “Tough Guys”, made me chuckle. Like a movie poster for a vintage action film, perhaps? Trigger shadows Aaron wherever he goes, whatever he does. Tiny dog. Huge…

Pavers Update

Nov 28, 2023

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We’re overdue for a pavers update, so here it is. This dramatic bird’s eye view of the icehouse terrace is the first capture of the icehouse “courtyard” we’ve been hardscaping for, well, many months! Installation of the stone pavers is about 99.9% complete. There are still a few pavers at the bottom of both stone…

Thank You, Aaron!

Nov 27, 2023

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Next up in our extended season of gratitude is Aaron Valachovic. I’ve recently chronicled his exceptional execution of tricky tree work, (“Fallen Giant”, “Stump-to-Lumber”, and “Aerial Arborist Haiku”), but Aaron’s input is no longer limited to tree work. It’s time I recognize the remarkable contribution he’s been making over the last four months. Thank you,…

Logs Off to Sawmill

Nov 21, 2023

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After felling five ash trees in the vicinity of Rosslyn’s icehouse and carriage barn with precision and arboreal poetry Aaron and Tony passed the baton to Phil and Calvin. There are still stumps to be ground down and logs to be split into firewood, but our ash logs have migrated one step closer to their…

Fallen Giant

Nov 13, 2023

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Timber felling continues. Bittersweet benchmark after bittersweet benchmark; five ash trees succumbing to the chainsaw. This afternoon we honor a fallen giant, the imposing 3-stem behemoth that stood just northeast of Rosslyn’s icehouse. It’s a poignant passing and sentimental benchmark when towering trees that helped define Rosslyn’s environs over the years must be culled. (Source:…

Aerial Arborist Haiku

Nov 11, 2023

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As often, Aaron spent his Saturday at Rosslyn, whittling down the bottomless punch list. His demeanor, perseverance, and smarts are a perennial hat trick, but his arboreal aptitude has proven again and again to be one of his superpowers. Yesterday and today his whittling was not metaphorical. High up — some 100’ to 120’ above…

Stump-to-Lumber

Nov 9, 2023

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In yesterday’s post I mentioned that we’re felling trees again. But my update was brief, overlooking a couple of important details, so I’m revisiting the stump-to-lumber topic this afternoon. (I probably should have titled today’s post something more inclusive since our homegrown wood isn’t exclusively destined to become the next round of Rosslyn furniture, floors,…

Lumberjacking

Nov 8, 2023

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