The basement’s back wall is now taking shape, so that you can see where the windows and doors will be. Here’s a view from the outside:
Those two windows on the right are for the new home office (yes! in the basement… far from the fridge, but gloriously close to the washing machine and cat box…).
The big space is for double-doors. The window to the left of the doors will illuminate the “extra” space in the basement, where Hyla is really hoping we’ll install a trapeze.
Those previously-first-floor windows (for the old kitchen and TV room/entry) sure look high off the ground now.
Here’s a view from inside the basement, looking at the same new wall of windows/doors:
The guys built a nice rock ledge behind the basement, to define the edge of the cliff that droops off into the woods and down to the river:
New to the landscape is also this nifty machine, which scoops up large rocks and leaves the soil more or less where it ought to be:
Our property, like most of Vermont, has quite a few rocks, so this little guy will come in handy.
Speaking of rocks: two “new” ones (excavated while digging for the new foundation) are now deposited at the far end of our new driveway, at the entrance to the trail down to the river.
These rocks, like the ones that used to be on the trail, closer to the old house location, keep cars from driving down to the swimming hole, but allow hikers, horses, skiiers, and snowmobiles to pass.
Friday was also the day that the excavators left. 😦 We’ll actually miss them and the dramatic changes to the landscape they could make in just a couple of hours.
Grongar 