Week 17

This week the roof progresses as the X spot photo shows they have finnished over half the roof beams and the second floor is getting wire mesh and lath type cross boards for the roof.

To the right of this photo along the property line our first coffee tree is settling in after being transplanted.

Even though this tree is only about 2 feet high it has lots of berries already.

Here is how all of those heavy beams get into place, these guys are strong

Here is the view from the stairway up thru the second floor

Many hands makes the work go fast.

Here you see the view from the right front corner of the lot. in the back the beams are going up on the master bath room.

Well thats it for this week, I took these photos on Mon the 31st as we were gone over the weekend. below are some of the sights we saw on our trip

The trip to La Mana took us thru a little village called Pujili which has a beautifully landscaped central plaza where we waited for the road across the mountains to be reopened, there was a road race taking place and the road was closed until 1 pm.

We also went to the market and enjoyed the vast variety of produce there but first we had to get past the vigilant guard dog

Across from the market was the restaurant. We had to wait for it to open and inside we were greeted by the welcoming dog.

After lunch it was a 5 hour drive over to La Mana up over high country where we were often above 12,000 ft

Here, the view back to Latacunga where we had left the PanAmarican Highway behind

Black Volcanic soil is evident in the cut along the road

Now above the treeline where mostly grasses with a few shrubs thrive

Off in the distance we see burning in preparation for planting of some crop

Its amazing how much road construction there is here in Ecuador. This road is being rebuilt all the way over the mountains. This fact slowed us and the ubiquitous busses and trucks considerably.

Sheep and Lama lined the road side and dotted the landscape

While colorfully attired women tended the herds

Looking temporary these homes dotted the landscape

The view near the top of our climb

Old Adobe buildings sit next to "Modern" cement block homes.

                                               Unique terracing allows more crops

Decoratively dressed natives share road with trucks

Pacific Moisture greets us as we drop down the West side of the mountians

At once the vegetation becomes lush and tropical as it was at our destination.

here is a banana tree with green fruit

It was growing next to the house of Alex Putney who we visited on our trip

The first day we tried taking the Taxi up the hill but the road was so rough the next day we took a more suited vehicle shown below

Well thats our adventures for this week, more to come so

"ya all come back now, ya hear"

Weeks 15 and 16

Well we had quite a two weeks, first, not much to look at different on house in week 15 so will show house at week 16 below. But first we went to a birthday party on saturday the 15th and will show photos of the birthday boys yard and the band etc. Our kitchen designer Kerry Kleges decided to have a celebration of life for his birthday and we were invited to bake the bread to make sandwiches for the party.
Here is some of the bread and the breadmaker:

The entrance to his home is typically non descript

But as you enter it starts to get interesting on the right is his disguised shipping container and ahead is his yurt

and then the back yard with the gazebo

The yard is open and inviting with its many plantings

and wonderful vegetable garden

His galley kitchen is large and well laid out for making the sandwiches by many willing hands

Our host and hostess seem to be having a great time later in the evening

and the live native band played great music

NOW FOR THE HOUSE BUILDING UPDATE

Starting with the X spot photo, as you can see the rafters are going up and the second floor walls are up.

and here is the view of the roof from the future office

and from the left front showing the second floor

Here is another view from the front

We think it is starting to look like a house, thanks for stopping by, see you next time.

Week 14- Trip to Cheese Factory and the House progress

First, our trip to Yanayacu Cheese Factory---
After meeting the group at the bus station and an adventureous bus ride (my photos here were gone because the memory card was not in the camera!!!) We entered thru a long palm tree lined drive that had bogunvelia growing in them, shown here from the yard near the milking barn and cheese factory.

Here is the herd of "contented" cows

And one came by the entrance to the Cheese Factory for a photo op..

Here is where the cows line up to give their milk,

The cheese making room where everything is very clean

The heated copper vat where the milk is seperated into cheese curds and whey (which is fed back to the cows)

After the seperation the curds are placed into molds and pressed in this tank.

downstairs in the "cave"the cheese is aged for up to 6 years

These wheels are wine washed twice a day for 6 months and are almost ready very tasty

Here is one of their specalities Mutchli aged 5 weeks tastes much like colby. Comes in the big wheel or half Kilo rounds.

Then for the fondu lovers here is some really old cheese 6+years ( we had some last night ) it is quite good despite what the outside looks like. Notice the mold growing on the bottom wheel.

NOW FOR THE HOUSE UPDATE

The standard X spot photo, looking closely you can detect the second floor has been poured.

From the back yard you see the 2nd floor is ready for walls and the porch arched supports are done under the plastic ( used to keep the raw adobe from being desolved by the heavy rains that sometimes are hapening in the night.)

Going up the ladder in photo above you see what the poured floor looks like. ( Its ready for the walls of the second floor)

Under the second floor we now have a slightly gloomy main hallway.

The fireplace progress' up to the top of wall height this week.

Well thanks for coming, see ya next week:)

Week 13 - Second Floor begins

Here we have the X spot photo, not much to see this week.

Now the Second Floor starts to take shape. Earlier in the week we watched them lifting these heavy logs up rickety ladders to the top of the walls!

Here is a detail of the Second Floor construction. what you don't see is the nails driven into the logs prior to the addition of the cement saddle.

Ane stands behind where the island will be in the kitchen.

Shot from the front corner of the house as we leave the site this week.

Thanks for visiting.