Back to the lake.
Everything looks just like I left it last fall.
Even the new shed survived it's first winter unscathed.
Somebody put up a deer stand right next to the pot hole.
Still no leaves on the trees.
But my favorite ducks are back.
I finally got out on the lake.
Lots of birds today ...
Little birds.
Pelican, pelican His beak can hold more etc., etc.
Finished raking today.
This seems like more than last year.
Chris arrives - fishing begins.
A third bird joined the flock by the dock.
We built a little w4ork bench and shelf in the shed for the chain saw.
I'm looking at the large dead pine tree looming over the boat house.
Ay Chihuahua! That was a big tree.
The boat house is safer now.
I guess someone doesn't like the flower bed by the boat house.
Can you tell that the big birch tree in the center is dead.
We're hoping it falls north.
Nothing destroyed.
Before - oh please, don't fall on the house.
Geoff, this picture is for you.
After - The birds and I are going to miss that tree.
Here's the fish that put me over 100 pounds
Here's some of the brush ...
... at the upper burn pile.
And there it goes.
That was a serious burn.
This is why I left that stump so tall.
Chris is making a shade for the new yard light.
Bill (71) 130.0
Chris (44) 76.8
Final score!
Yeeha.
And the coveted Bass Patch comes back to me.
Chris leaves. Thanks for all you did up here this year.
Noon. What's wrong with this picture?
Nothing to do and some plywood - a dangerous combination.
First: cut it up ...
... into little pieces.
This is the same dado blade that tried to kill me last year.
I made a template so I can drill symmetric holes.
A little Golden Oak stain.
Trying to glue all the right pieces together.
Next face frames. But now it's time to go fishing.
I attached Chris' shade on the yard light.
Using pocket screws to make the face frames.
After a false start I think I'm finally on the right track with staining the face frames.
Face frames glued to the carcasses.
Here is a perfectly functional set of kitchen cabinets.
And now - well, now this better work.
Here's the first new cabinet being jacked into position.
That went pretty well. I think I'm about 2/3 done now.
Here is something I know nothing about. I'll just have to make it up as I go along.
Here's the reason I started this whole project in the first place.
Here's a last look at the duct work in the attic before it gets buried under insulation.
Rob, Terri & Brandon arrive.
Here's a chance to recycle that old kitchen cabinet: garage before ...
Garage after.
Chicago Jim, Taylor and Aubrey arrive.
Working on the cabinet door blanks - routing the front profile.
Routing the back rabbit.
Now I need to see if I can match the existing stain.
Here's Rob with a 4.5 pound bass.
Jim and the girls have to leave - sorry to see them go.
Is that a tick on my ear?
Rob, Terri & Brandon (and Bandit) have to leave. Too soon.
Will I never learn? After another false start I'm finally on the right track with the stain.
At last, the doors are done. Now all I need is to track down some matching hardware for the doors above the fridge.
I cannot just sit here and watch birds all day.
I'm going to take a stab at refinishing the front door.
And here it is. Not great but not too bad.
Next I'm finally going to run electricity out to the shed.
How can it take an entire day to wire in one light and one socket?
And another day to dig a trench with a hand trowel to avoid all the existing underground stuff.
Now I need to see if I can thread a wire though this.
Chris stopped in on his way from WI to AZ. We are not reopening the fishing contest.
And now we have lights in the shed.
And Chris is off again.
I've got his lumber left over.
Carving up the 4x6 ...
... into two identical curved pieces.
Here are some more components.
Dorothy and her friend Jennifer arrive.
I'm trying to make four identical curves here.
This is the killer dado blade making tenons.
There, that only took an hour. Just 13 more to go.
Here's a preview of what this will eventually look like.
And here's another look.
Dorothy and Jennifer have to leave. We had a great time together.
After a lot of sanding here I am putting a radius on all the edges.
Chuck and Ruth arrive just in time for football.
This is so sad, I haven't seen a hummingbird in over a week.
Chuck and Ruth leave ...
We had beautiful weather - 70's and 80's all week.
Back to the bench. Here I am drilling holes for the dowel pins.
The dowel pins are glued into the back slats. Maybe some assembly tomorrow.
Glue up of the back and sides. I don't have any pipe clamps so I had to double up on the ones I have.
I put in wood plugs to cover the screw and dowel holes.
I think I'll at least prime coat this before I attach the seat slats.
But here is how it will look when I do attach the seat slats.
The birds and the squirrels missed a seed.
Even thought it still feels like summer I know that this warm weather won't last.
The shades are drawn.
The doors are locked.
The power is off.
And I'm out of here.