Saturday, October 2, 2010

My Gazebo May be A Two-Year Project!

 The gazebo is finally getting some work on the lower parts.
The gazebo is finally getting some work on the lower parts.

Finding time to work on the gazebo has been tough for the last month or so. When we started this project we thought that it would be more or less done during Hubby’s vacation (his main vacation that is, as opposed to the one he had last month) but it turned out to be a much more complicated build than he was prepared for. The upper roof took forever requiring almost full extension of the big ladder and even then he was stretched out as far as possible to reach the peak. The lower roof was a little easier but it still required multiple positions of the ladder, each one needing various shims to make it vertical. Then there were fascia boards and caulking and sanding… Needless to say, his desire to get the upper sections done is getting pretty intense. They are now ready for the paint that we bought a month ago if only the weather holds on long enough to get it done. Other than that the only thing left to do up on top is to attach my new weathervane.

The fascia boards have all been sealed and sanded are now ready to be painted.
The fascia boards have all been sealed and sanded are now ready to be painted.

Wait a sec; I don’t think I mentioned that before. We’ve had this really heavy mounting system for a weathervane ever since we built the potting shed but for some reason we just never got around to buying a weathervane to put in it. I guess that explains why we didn’t put the mount up on the shed, either. Now that the gazebo roof is (almost) finished it’s practically crying out for some kind of finial to cap it off. I remembered that when we were in Mahone Bay a couple of years ago there was this really nice nature store that sold weathervanes so I looked them up to see if they were available online.

The store is called “For The Birds Nature Shop” and they have tons of weathervanes to choose from but it was a pretty easy selection for me. Well, besides the “Flying Witch on Broomstick” they also have “Moon and Bats” but I’m not sure that the bats would stay attached. Anyway, the Witch is just so appropriate that how could I pick anything else? It was back-ordered when I called but it has been shipped to me now and should be here today or Monday. The only question now is whether it will be the right scale for the gazebo. If we put it up and it looks too small we will put on the shed roof and look for something bigger for the gazebo.

My new weathervane as shown on the For The Birds Nature Shop website
My new weathervane as shown on the For The Birds Nature Shop website.

Yesterday Hubby finally started to work on the lower part. Two of the facets towards the road are going to be solid and covered with cedar shingles from top to bottom for privacy and heat control. He framed those walls in and they’re now ready for some plywood and the shingles. The doorway will be framed out next and then the other 5 facets will get some shingles on their lower 3 feet and then the screening. Maybe someday we will actually put some flooring down, too. It would at least be nice to get the wood off the house deck!

The upper spindles and their trim pieces are all finished.
The upper spindles and their trim pieces are all finished.

The two privacy walls have been framed out.
The two privacy walls have been framed out.

The inside of the roof, someday I may get to sit under it.
The inside of the roof, someday I may get to sit under it.

As we’re now into October I guess that some of this work is just going to have to wait until next spring. Hopefully I’ll get to use it sometime next summer and that it does its job to keep the flies and mosquitoes under control.

UPDATE!!

My weathervane arrived in great shape and exactly when I was expecting it. The For The Birds store is a great place to shop. I loved dealing with them! Doesn't She look beautiful up there
My weathervane arrived in great shape and exactly when I was expecting it. The For The Birds store is a great place to shop. I loved dealing with them! Doesn't She look beautiful up there?!

13 comments:

Sparkless said...

It's a beautiful gazebo! I hope your witch weathervane works out perfectly for the top of the gazebo.

Jane said...

Love the witch weathervane! Look forward to a picture of you sitting in the completed gazebo next summer. I take it then that it will be screened in as a refuge from the mosquitoes - SWEET!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I'm so sorry that you're not going to be able to enjoy the "full effect" of your gazebo this year. But your pictures show what good work your husband is doing so I know it will be worth the wait! There also could not be a more perfect weathervane!

THANKS for the comment on my blog. I always look forward to hearing your thoughts--I don't mind the toads on our back porch--Three of them are 'living' under a tilted rock at the foot of the steps. I'm wondering if they'll stay there through the winter. But we see 'other toads' around in the evening too--No shortage of them. But I don't use pesticides so that may be what keeps them around.

By the way, what are you making that's wonderful with your Ferrari mixer? :-)

The Witch said...

Kim,
Unfortunately I have been very sick with a terrible cold and really have only used the mixer twice.
Made banana bread and whipped meringue for a lemon meringue pie.
Hopefully I'll be feeling better and whip up some creative delights for Thanksgiving and Halloween, my favorite day.

its me, sam said...

Somethings in life are worth waiting for, and I'd say that gazebo would be one! Hope you're feeling better by the week-end!

Canadian Saver said...

The weathervane is gorgeous, I hope you get to put it up on top of the gazebo!

can't wait to see what you make for Thanksgiving using your mixer :-)

The Witch said...

My weathervane arrived on Saturday just as I was hoping and we got her in place right away. I added an update to the latest post so you can see how she looks.

svelteSTUFF said...

The WITCH is Perfect ~ and she arrived in the perfect month - when else could she have possibly been installed more appropriately than October / Autumn?! Love the Gazebo and your whole process!!

Sisters of the Blog said...

Your gazebo looks wonderful so far, and the witch weathervane is absolute perfection!

megan

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

My "blogging dashboard" has changed and I've ended up at your blog--I see that your weathervane is perfect!! It looks great and I'm so glad that it's gotten the home that it was intended to have, right on top of the gazebo!! Have a good weekend and I hope that cold is now history! :-)

PS: THANK YOU for the kind thoughts for Sam!!

Nakamuras on Saipan said...

I can just see how wonderful that gazebo is going to look when it's done! I LOVE the weather-vane...how cute!!! So "you"! I was marveling at the pictures of the roof...my hubby is not "handy" so I can't imagine your husband doing all of that alone...great!!! It's really nice work from what I see in the pictures.

Marguerite said...

oh my goodness what an absolutely wonderful weathervane! We were just in Mahone Bay in August and went to that store. I was captivated by the many outstanding weathervanes and filed it away in my head thinking there'll come a day when I'm looking for one and that's exactly where I'll go.

Diana Studer said...

She does she does!! Had to scroll back thru your posts to see if a new to me header is a - found it somewhere wish it was mine, or a This is MY gazebo and my weathervane. (and we have Marguerite in common :~))