Tag: Stonework
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Pavers Update
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…
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Thank You, Aaron!
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,…
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Stone Wall Retrospective
Fifteen years ago, on November 5, 2008 we were many months deep into building/rebuilding the stone walls around Rosslyn’s deck. The original estimate had morphed from weeks to months. As I recall, five weeks had stretched into five months by this stage. I’ll dig into my notes to verify, but for the sake of this…
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Solving the Paver Puzzle
Some days at Rosslyn are more kaleidoscopic than others, textures tumbling, patterns resolving then dissolving again, protean punch-lists pushing the limits of planning and patience, and ever evolving priorities and timelines. Nothing is constant except for change… Some days, many days lately, we’ve been solving and re-solving the paver puzzle. No one ever steps in…
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Bird’s Eye View: Backyard
Over the last year, I’ve often relied on aerial photography to help me conceptualize icehouse rehab plans, visualize topographical integration, and plan landscape / hardscape layouts. Over the years I’ve relied upon bird’s eye view photography (thank you drone technology!) for many of Susan an my projects, so this isn’t something new. And yet, it’s…
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Stone Paving Icehouse Courtyard
The title of this post conjures a hot summer’s day along the highway, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, slooowly advancing through a construction site where hot asphalt is being laid in a stinky, tarry, gravelly layer, then rolled flat and smooth with an enormous steel drum ballasted with water, pressing the roadway into submission. Paving. We’ve…
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Mighty Muscle, Mini Machine
I’m overdue for a shoutout to Aaron Valachovic for helping out with icehouse hardscape in recent weeks. During a site visit to review autumn tree work he happened to mention that he’s done stonework before and had some availability. Wait! What? I’ve been pleased with Aaron’s work as an arborist, and his work ethic is…
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Hardscape Supervisor
Supervising stonework is challenging, but somebody has to do it. Fortunately Carley loves hanging out on construction sites with carpenters and contractors of all stripes. Lately she’s been spending much of the day in the icehouse observing Pam, Tony, and Aaron while they’ve been transforming rock piles into the icehouse courtyard. Carley would always prefer…
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Stone-Walling
While still too early to celebrate completion, I’d like to share a prequel of sorts. A couple of weeks ago we shuffled the team in order to better prioritize completion of the gangway railing. Peter and Supi shifted down to the waterfront, while Tony and I leaned into the stone-walling Rosslyn’s icehouse courtyard into existence.…