Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Leaving Shenandoah, Now What?

Monday October 5 to Saturday October 10, 2015                                 Previous Post
Greenfield Mountain Farm                                                                    I Did It, All 105 Miles

 

 

We finally picked our day to leave Shenandoah based on the weather.  It had rained for 3 days in a row.  We had the break for the hike and then more days of rain were predicted.  We’d been in Shenandoah for the entire summer and now into the fall.  It was time to pack up, go back to Charlottesville, get some things done in our hometown and get back on the road.

So first thing of course was to wave goodbye to Shenandoah National Park where we have had a delightful and cool summer up in the mountains but close enough to UVA for David to get his weekly treatments and for me to have my cataracts removed. 

There has been rain but almost no heat or humidity so we were content with our summer location.

 

As with most people who return to the towns where they have their roots, we had a number of things to accomplish in this familiar surroundings.  They aren’t terribly interesting but just for the record……….

 

You may remember that when we return to Charlottesville Roger, David’s older brother, often comes down and the boys spend their time “working on things” around the farm for a few days.   This time was no exception.  They both claim that they actually have a good time doing this stuff although I wonder if they are a rare duo to consider this work fun.

Take for instance, installing a steering stablizer on Winnona.  I checked on them several times but this was a tough thing to take photographs of.   Here were the first two.  I got Roger in the gray on the driver’s side and David in the blue in the front.

Great pictures huh?

 

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How about this one?  Can you see them both? 

 

They did come out to get just the right socket so I had them pose.

 

This is at the end when David REALLY wanted me to get a picture of them using our air compressor to power Roger’s pneumatic impact driver to do remove the nuts from their bolts and replace them.   I guess the guys looking at this may know what’s going on here.  This is the best picture I could get and it doesn’t have the compressor in it.  Sorry David.  In the end, it got done and we are now much safer should we ever have a driver’s front tire blow out.

 

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Next they tackled painting the porch roof.  Metal roofs are wonderful!  So glad we didn’t have to give up the sound of rain on our roof when we got Winnona.   Metal roofs also last way more than the 20 years of other types.  IF, you keep them painted.  So when I spied some rust on the porch roof before Carrie’s shower in the spring, I put scraping, priming and painting on the list.  I think David felt Roger would be a better help to him in this endeavor than I might so he saved this chore for the two of them. 

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David wears a mask whenever he works with any chemicals like a rust remover.  Actually a good idea for everyone.

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Scraping finished, on goes the red primer.

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Mostly  finished, sweaty guys with big grins!   Thanks you two!!

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Lookin’ mighty spiffy after David puts the finishing touches on the following week!

 

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Each time Roger comes there seem to be several sections of fencing that need to be replaced.  This time it’s 3 sections in the front.  If you’ve ever had a ranch or a farm, you know that fencing is a never ending task.  Sort of like dishes or vacuuming although not quite that often.  Of course you have to take out the old stuff before you can dig the holes for the new posts, set them in the ground and then nail the boards to them.   That’s the farm lane to the house behind them in the pictures below.

 

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Really nice job guys.

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Next is the dryer.  It stopped working early in the spring and since we haven’t been around it didn’t get high up on the list until it was impossible to hang the laundry out on the line because of the rains.   Now this isn’t a difficult repair supposedly except for where David installed the laundry when we put the bathroom in.  There is a hidden dutch door behind the clawfoot tub and next to the shower.  Open the top and you have access to the stackable washer and dryer.

So the heavy cast iron tub and the washer have to be moved out before you can even get to the dryer.  Probably should have had 3 men for the tub but these two managed it.  And without hernias it appears.

got the washer out

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   Got the dryer out.

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David did the repairs after Roger had left.

 

In addition, they had some nice meals and pretty sunsets.

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That’s Humpback Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway sticking up above the trees to our west.

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The farm’s signature barn is extremely old and probably could be torn down but it is such a wonderful part of this place we don’t want to do that.  It was home to many of our animals over the years.  Still it is deteriorating and if we want to sell the property, we need to get it shored up.  So we call on Mike Watkinson from Shenandoah Restorations who specialize in antique barns to come out and evaluate it and give us a plan and a price.  GULP!!

 

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Pretty primitive construction.  But she’s lasted 100 years + before needing some help.

 

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After claiming he actually had a good time, sadly for us, Roger headed back on Saturday.  It is just so wonderful of him to come and help David out in ways I just wouldn’t measure up.  You are just THE BEST Roger.  We can never thank you enough.  

30 comments:

  1. Everything looks all ship shape now. So glad Roger came to help. I'm sure the two boys had a good time working their butts off! The old barn looks - well old, might be expensive to shore it up! Are you coming to Florida for the winter?

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  2. There is nothing like a brother! I'm sure they enjoy being together and telling stories. By the way, how did your cataract removal go? I don't know if I missed the post where you wrote about it.

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  3. Those two do look like they are really having fun with these projects! Brotherly love!

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  4. This has been quite a big Summer for you guys. Will the Winter be as busy? Enjoyed catching up on your blog.

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  5. Hi Sherry, Ok, I'm trying to take your advice and improve so here's a comment from me. :O)
    I also think puttering around on a farm is fun, even the hard work, especially when Someone takes good care of you at the dinner table like I see here.
    How's that?
    Bob

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    1. Great to see you hear Bob! Don't be a stranger.

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  6. I sure have enjoyed reading and viewing pictures of your Shenandoah summer and fall. Looks like David is handling the illness and treatments real well, you are both real troopers through all this. Looking forward to seeing what you all will so over the winter. --Dave (GoingRvWay.com)

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    1. Glad you have enjoyed our summer in Shenandoah. I didn't know you were following along. We really did have a wonderful time.

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  7. Great to see David and his brother putzing around the farm. When Mo's brother visits that is the kind of fun they have as well. Beats me! Now then....where to next?

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  8. You have a beautiful house Sherry. Glad to see David having fun working so hard :-). Hope to see you folks this winter :-).

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  9. David and Roger look like they're having a grand time doing all of those projects! They are definitely two talented guys. Your farmhouse is so appealing -- and I really like the old barn, too. Amazing that it's lasted 100 years! Soooo…….where are you headed for the winter??

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  10. Really nice that David has a brother as talented as he is. They sure did tackle some fun projects;o)) It is just great that they enjoy working together!!! Looks like the list must be short and you will be heading south. Sure hope you chase the rain and winds away before you get here!!!! Safe travels and see you soon:o))

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  11. Great photos, Sherry. These brothers are quite the duo... brainy, nice guys who actually enjoy working together. Love the pics of the farm.... lots of good memories from bygone times. Mostly, I love their smiles and their brotherly connection. Thanks for sharing all of this... and safe travels as you head out again.

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  12. How nice that David's brother can help with all the farm chores. Gotta get done!

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  13. Good weather, good food, good wine and beer, good memories. Always have a good time with David. Thanks for the posting Sherry.

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  14. With the aid of time and Mother Nature in my absence, I am sure we can do it again next year and have some more great times. Funny how things just stop working or fall apart even when you are not using them, or perhaps because of that. Thank you Roger & Sherry!

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  15. Your house looks great! Seeing all the maintenance you have to do makes us glad we don't have one anymore.

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  16. With the smiles on their faces, I bet the lads had a laughing good time working with each other on all those tasks. You did a great job documenting their endeavors. :c)

    Amazing the barn is only 100 years old. I don't think many things built today will last that long. Some good craftsmanship went into it to last that long. Now with a little TLC, it should be good for another 100 years (at least).

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  17. It occurs to me that I'd be hopeless trying to do handyman stuff!

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  18. Nice to have help doing chores. Hope you're done with these and getting back on the road somewhere warm.

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  19. I love your parting photo from your wonderful summer in the Shenandoah:) Every time you have shown David and Roger in blog photos, they always appear to be having so much fun together. How wonderful for David to have Roger's help in these big projects. Sure is a money saver! The barn is beautiful. I hope you are able to save it without breaking the bank.

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  20. View things are more satisfying than keeping an older place "going". My boys grew up doing "fun work" at the ranch. Love the metal roof - our neighbors had a metal car port when I was a little girl, and I loved the sound of the rain from my window above it. A cast iron tub and an old barn.......what a wonderful place you have.

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  21. I hope you'll be able to keep the barn standing. I see too many falling down.

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  22. I really enjoyed your post. I had not followed this summer. I want to research and see just where you were camping.

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  23. You are lucky to have such a great person to help around the farm. Priceless, really...

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  24. The boys were working hard-they deserved the wine:)

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  25. Brothers who love each other enjoy each others company and have fun tackling projects. They sure do made those tasks look easy. Lucky you, you have a duo to work on some maintenance around the house and farm. They both deserve not just wine but big hugs!

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  26. I'm so impressed with how much got done with Roger there! That is great :) Thanks Uncle Roger and way to go Dad getting all that accomplished there at the home place. Great pictures! Nice comments here - I second all the sentiments :)

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