Big Project 3 - The Brick Terrace

We await the manufacture of the new pool liner and completion of the other critical steps in the pool repair, our first major project of 2008; and Jesse has completed about 90 percent of the interior paneling and associated steps of project 2; we have project 3, our final big project of the year, already getting under way. This project’s focus is on repaving the brick terrace at the front of the house and repointing the retaining wall below it. It is work that we identified early on as needed and worked to get into the project queue as early as we could.

The brick terrace begins at the end of the gravel paths in the gardens and extends across the front of the house, past it on the wooded side. It totals about 40 feet in length, and it is approximately 10 feet wide, ending in an edge over the retaining wall and overlooking the pool. I enjoy sitting out here in the mornings with a cup of coffee – all four seasons – as there is good sun and the view looks down towards Beaver Run and the woods. Besides the great outdoor environment, it’s a good vantage point for wildlife viewing, including our nesting hawk pair and the pileated woodpeckers that live in the hollow.

The bricks were laid in a basketweave pattern, which was also used for the flooring in the main part of the cabin. In fact, the design is meant to give the illusion that the front room extends to the outside, or brings the outside in, when combined with the windowed wall of the house. (For additional information on brick paving, I found this website on a Google search: http://www.pavingexpert.com/blocks.htm#desn , which includes pattern descriptions, how-to’s, and construction methodologies.)

Over the years, the lack of maintenance on the roof and the absence of gutters along the back edge had led to extensive run-off erosion along the woods side of the house. That water ran onto the terrace and settled into the brick work, eventually flowing out through the stone wall. While the former owners repaved one of the 10 by 10 sections where the most significant settling had occurred, we don’t anticipate it was done well – there is not a good track record on these do-it-yourself projects – so at best all the little project did was postpone a larger one. In addition to the settling in this section, mortar cracks had appeared in the stone work below on the retaining wall.

On the other side of the terrace, there are hints of things that aren’t there any more – a couple of sawed-off beams suggest that some sort of staircase was built into the retaining wall, leading to a brick landing in the garden. More settling in the bricks has occurred over here, and the retaining wall on this corner needs attention around the old stairs.

The bricks here are so displaced by the damage that they can shelter wildlife. One morning in the early spring, as things were beginning to warm up on a day where the temperatures would reach 80, I saw a garter snake lounging in the sun…for non-herpetologists, these are non-venomous and generally not aggressive snakes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake) that are notable for bright yellow stripes that run lengthwise along their bodies. In my case the one I saw was a dark green and the yellow stripes were brilliant in the sun.

This is the one species of snake I can tolerate pretty easily, as a grade school friend caught one and kept it for a pet for a time, feeding it gold fish from a local pet store. To reassure future visitors, any snake with lengthwise stripes – not just at the Hawksbill Cabin, but in North America, generally – can be assumed to be non-venomous.

I understand that while the work on our paneling project has been winding down and only odds and ends are left, Jesse began work on the terrace this week. So we’ll see how things are going when we get out there this weekend.

Spring Flowers, episode 7

A quick post today - the hydrangeas in the backyard of the Alexandria house are in bloom. I was out there the other night and noticed them.

Last year, a rainstorm blew through and knocked them all down, and since we seem to be in a storm year this year, thought I might snap these photos for posterity.

We were fortunate to inherit these legacy plants - they decorate the backyard landscape around the deck, and there are two plants along the drive. They are hardy in this climate and come back year after year.

For the most part they are shaded blue, but in a few parts of the yard they are pink. This has to do with the chemical composition of the soil they are planted in. The motocam is not likely to be able to pick up the subtle color variation in these.

Memorial Day Hike - Hawksbill Summit

On Memorial Day weekend, we set out for our first hike of the year up in the Park. After stopping in to visit some of our friends in town, and breakfast at the Brookside restaurant (right near SNP HQ on 211), we made our way to the Upper Hawksbill trailhead for the short hike to the summit.

Along the way, we bought our annual pass to SNP – a difference this year is that you can buy a pass for this Park only, which we did – in the past we’ve bought passes for all NPS parks. We also made a stop at one of the Skyline Drive overlooks to snap this photo of Old Rag.

Here’s the Hawksbill Summit hike description from http://www.ajheatwole.com/guide/log2/log23.htm
“HIKE: Hawksbill Summit. Round trip 2.1 miles; total climb about 520 feet; time required 2:00. A fairly easy hike on a graded trail and a fire road. Good views from the summit. …The trail goes into the woods from the drinking fountain. After a short steep stretch you have a steady, easy climb through young oak forest….”

The summit is the highest point in SNP, we enjoy going up there several times a year. Also, the peak is directly to the east of us at the Hawksbill Cabin, we see it every time we are driving home.

There is a lesser peak that I have yet to learn the name of – shown in this photo. Clearly this one is about 500 feet shorter than Hawksbill, although from the valley, the perspective makes it appear the same height.

Another photo, this time a gratuitous view of the Valley towards Luray, and one of Mary on the outcroppings with her new sport pack, which we picked up earlier in the day from Evergreen Outfitters. For these short hikes, we travel lightly, mainly only packing water and snacks – so the small pack is just right for us.

On the way back down to the trailhead, we detoured off the main path for a moment to take a look at the Appalachian Trail, which runs along this ridge on the west side here. There is a short detour on the AT here, as an ongoing Hawk restoration project protects some nesting sites on the ridge.

As we reached the trailhead, we encountered a deer foraging through the forest. In this part of the Park they are pretty domesticated, unphased by humans nearby for the most part, unless there are sudden movements or loud noises. You often run into them at this trailhead or just inside the woods at the start of the hike.

Pool Plan - Background on our swimming pool repairs

Uncle D tells us he's had to come back over for more pool measurements and confirmations while the new liner is being fabricated. This reminded me that I should post on the current condition of the pool while we are waiting for repair materials.

I was searching through some of the cabin documentation to make sense of all the projects we've already gone through out there and came across the original realtor photos of the place.

Here is one of the pool, before Britt and Lori undertook to repair it. I'd estimate that the photo was taken last March as they prepared to put the house on the market - despite the condition shown here, the do-it-yourself approach to fixing that pool was a disaster.


Here is a more recent picture of the pool as it is today, not quite the same view but giving an idea of its current appearance. While the "now" photo looks like an overall improvement, we've learned that so many mistakes were made during the attempt to repair the pool, that we seriously considered filling it in.


Among the errors: draining the pool and sandblasting the plaster finish. This single activity was the most damaging. Since the pool was hand built - it is a concrete masonry box, basically, with plaster covering the concrete masonry units (CMUs) - the effect of this activities was to cause the plaster to pull away from the CMU walls, embedding cracks in them so that the pool no longer holds water. The plaster skin is like the shell on a hard boiled egg after you roll it on a table now.

Our diagnositc continues. After the sandblasting, a layer of latex UGL was painted on - this is a hydrolic paint that we use in the basement on foundation walls - some roof patch (leftover from an ill-fated, do-it-yourself attempt to repair the roof), and a layer of waterproof roof paint over that.

Each of the steps above, from the first wrong one of sandblasting, only made the situation worse. The first estimate we had for repairs involved chipping away the old plaster and replacing it with new - an idea that was just too expensive to contemplate. A second person we contacted wouldn't even consider working on a pool built in this manner.

Finally, there's Uncle D, who recently opened the store in Luray...he proposed a liner solution that has really made a repair and renovation economically possible. We have a couple of small preparatory actions to get done - pouring a footer for the pool equipment and getting new power out there to run it, but all said, the job is going to come in for significantly less than the first estimate.

We really were that close to filling it in.

NJ Road Trip - Final

A final post on the weekend road trip and then back to the Hawksbill Cabin.

We certainly got our fill of NJ activities during the trip – great visits with relatives, the little hike along the trout stream, a drive down to Long Branch (exit 105), a hot dog on the shore, etc. But one of the treats was a trip to Alstede Farm in Chester (www.alstedefarms.com).


Upon first getting out of the car I saw this hay mountain – over the last month the hay harvest has been on in the Luray and Stanley area, a bountiful year it seems to me, but I never saw anyone make a mountain like this one. So I had to climb and take a photo across the fields, here looking over at their peach orchard.

















It just happened to be strawberry festival – so we picked up one of these pecks (if it is a quart, my bad). There were lots of other products here, including gourmet firewood, nursery raised plants, etc. And also a little heard of miniature goats, about five of them, including a tiny kid. You could even catch a hayride to a pick-your-own strawberry field.

Makes me look forward to the festivals in Luray and New Market coming up in August and September.

NJ Road Trip part 2

Just a quick wrap on the write up on NJ trout streams - here's a photo of Mary and Larry looking out at some of the pools in the river we visited and hiked. Since we were taking our walk in the afternoon, after 3pm, the sun had started to descend in the sky, and some of the trout were beginning to rise in front of rocks in the stream.

We saw a couple get into a little skirmish for a prime spot, and the river started to come alive in general. Alas the limitations of the motocam - the zooms of the fish did not come out, nor did the photo of the lounging snake, perched on a rock in the river. (Sorry, but a wiki search has not revealed the species of the uniquely colored, reddish brown snake...)

Also, a treat - one of Larry's paintings. He is a landscape painter whose work has focused on the Cape Cod area for a few years. He was putting his summer trip to the Cape together and showed us the canvases that will be on display in the galleries this summer. The road trip up will take place this week - besides the drive and load in and out of paintings, there is a significant surfing stop (he is a long time surfer, having started in the late 60's and early 70's down on the shore - Long Branch area, which is close by Asbury Park for Springsteen fans.

Here is a bio with some additional paintings: http://www.kendallartgallery.com/bio-szycher.htm

I have one more post about the road trip, will add it later in the week.

Road Trip: New Jersey

We've been trying to put together a visit to NJ over the last few months, and finally worked it out over the weekend. We went for a visit to Mary's cousin Larry's, staying with him and his family in the Summit/Morristown area.


We had a wonderful visit with them.





Two years ago now, Mary and I went trout fishing down in Warm Springs, VA - we enjoyed it, took a little two hour lesson and each hooked a little trout, which we threw back.


Larry is an avid trout fisherman - while the weather was too warm to do any fishing, he took us around to a couple of his streams and showed his equipment - first photo above. This first stream is actually walking distance from the house...pretty nice benefit.


On Sunday, we drove a bit away and visited a farm (next post) and another trout stream, part of a trout conservation area. It was a really charming area and reminded me somewhat of Sperryville, VA. The next photo is of the trout conservation poster in that area, identifying the river and location.

We took a walk along the conserved part of the stream, about 3/4 mile in length. In the rocky places there were a number of brown trout - 8 to 10 inchers - hunting in the current. Across the stream, you could see deep shaded pools that Larry told us had the big fish - those the locals have named in the past.


This area also has a number of B&Bs operated by fish guides, where the establishment owns the riverbanks and reserves it for guests. Also, there was this excellent little reel store - the white sign showing all the conditions and expected hatches for the day.

Although the temps reached the high '90's on Sunday, by the time we walked out of the stream area, 4pm, the trout were beginning to rise and feed. Fishermen were showing up in their cars as the daytrippers were moving out.

An Update on the Pool Plan

It's getting hot around here, and Mary and I are both looking forward to getting the pool back into working order. I thought I would put up a quick post on this project, which was outlined a couple of months back in

http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2008/04/pool-plan.html

Last year we got a cost quote on the pool repairs that discouraged us - to the point we thought we might fill it in...since the early Spring, we've been working with Daris at Uncle D's Pools and Spas in Luray on this. Daris (who is Uncle D) brings loads of experience to the business and has helped us make better sense of the options available to us.


Most importantly, we can use a liner for the pool, although it will have to be custom made and there are concrete repairs needed to keep it from wearing too quickly. Also, we need some electrical upgrades and new pool equipment, all of which is coming along in the project...here's a photo of me in Daris's store with the liner we chose.



Lots of logistics and intertwined schedules with this. We are also having the flower bed by the pool taken out in order to provide more walking and lounging space down there. We were going to wait and have this done when we started big project three (I will post on it next week, but it is repaving and repointed the brick terrace area). Since by the time we get to the next project, the pool would be up and running, we thought better of trying to move all that dirt around so close to it.

Here is a photo of the brick area near the pool. The course of white bricks outlines the bed we are having removed. Unfortunately we have found that the stone wall here has no foundation, so that will be part of the improvement and repointing effort once the beds have been taken out.

We have some clean fill dirt, by the way, probably 5 cubic yards, if anybody's interested.

Carpenter Bees - at the Hawksbill Cabin we'll tell you all you want to know about 'em!

I had exchanged notes with Carey Winston at http://www.carpenterbeechamber.com - for those who are following this thread with an interest in the bees, the damage they do, or his product you can check it out on the site.

In his email, he offered a couple of interesting tidbits about his product and some helpful advice, so I wanted to pass it along:

In the product information category: "...the chamber is not filled with fly glue - this has been a formulated sticky bee bait, and the wood has also been treated."

He noted that I had stained the product which may compromise the attractiveness of it to bees....so we are going to keep an eye on things here.

Battle of the Species - A New Weapon Against Carpenter Bees

Here is a close up of what the early stage of carpenter bee damage looks like - the perfectly round, dime-sized hole. These holes can appear quickly, as the bee can set up shop and have a cozy little burrow completed in less than 24 hours. The real damage occurs once they have laid eggs and larvae appear, as the new generation will be programmed to come back to the same place, dig further, and start a grandchild generation in the hole, eventually leading to structural damage.



A friend of ours in Alexandria had tried this product - the Carpenter Bee Chamber, and found that it worked on some problems they were having with their house. Then an ad for the product showed up in the Google ads (over in the right column) a few weeks ago and I decided to try it as well.

There are two styles, one mounts vertically on facing boards and the other mounts flush on overhanging soffit areas. We bought one of each. I stained them to match the new wood and planned to put them up in some areas around the front door where I noticed a lot of activity - and where apparently a couple of bees had survived our pesticide application a few weeks back.


Here's an action shot courtesy of Mary. Now I know all my friends in Alexandria are jealous of this new ladder...if you come out and visit I will let you climb it.

The traps are made out of pine and have the series of holes drilled in. Along the back, a groove has been routered in, and filled with fly glue. Leads to the motto - "once they enter, they never leave."



Finally, here is a close up of the chamber installed. In this case, after I put some insecticide inside the hole pictured above, I filled it with wood filler and installed the trap over it. After putting the traps up, I kept an eye out for newly arriving bees, but didn't see any...it's something I'll be watching for over the course of the summer.

Big Project 2 - More Progress

Jesse's team continues to work on the ceilings and insulation project - there are a number of "accessory" tasks to this effort, as we grouped some electrical upgrades and a blow-in insulation task with it.

The main part of the effort was to install R-18 or better insulation in the ceiling areas in the addition, and to put up a finished ceiling in the patio as shown here, and the laundry/utility room below.


The blow-in task is being completed this week, and the electrical upgrades are to follow. In particular, these will lead to the pool repairs that are queued up into the summer.

New Art in the Cabin

Back in March, I posted about some post cards I’d found on eBay that showed some of the landmark views off of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park: http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2008/03/old-post-cards.html

I had picked up an alphabet card from the Flea Market in H-burg – “Greetings from Skyline Drive” – and planned to somehow display all of them on the so-called gallery wall of the cabin. This is where we also have a relief map of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley, a photo of the Half Dome in Yosemite (I hiked it in 2005), and my award from Chris for “Best Business Trip Ever: Seattle, January 1999” …

Among the postcards were one of Hawksbill Mountain, Old Rag Mountain, and a view of Page Valley from the Drive. Since we bought the Cabin, I’ve hiked Hawksbill several times, most recently with Mary on Memorial Day, although I’ve yet to post on that. And I hiked Old Rag with Chris last November.







The framing work for these cards was done by Vicki at The Main Frame in Luray – we’ll have some additional work done out there in the future. She also framed the poster that Mary won in the auction back in March – we haven’t picked a spot for it to hang yet.

There's a reason I still like baseball

While I haven't been able to watch any of the games, while we were on our way back to Alexandria yesterday I noticed that the police league game was going on at the high school athletic field. Apparently this is a semi-pro, below Class A, league out in the Shenandoah Valley more or less along the I-81 corridor into North Carolina.

From what I have seen so far and read in the local paper, many past high school stars, and good athletes from the town police and fire departments, get in the game. In short, these are probably some of the games my great uncle V.T. (Versa T. - I never learned what the "T." stood for) used to scout for the Reds.

And the games look like just the kind of minor league experience that could make for an entertaining summer weekend evening, swatting mosquitoes and waiting for the fireworks (beer - probably not served at these games on these facilities).

Earlier yesterday, Mary and I had lunch at a little Italian joint in Shendandoah - "Mamma Mia."

As we enterred, they sat us near two guys in "Shenandoah Fire Department" t-shirts. While we were waiting to order, one of them received a phone call. The conversation I overheard: "Hi hon. We are having lunch at Mamma Mia's. ... Well, you remember yesterday I came here for lunch before the game and I went 2-for-4. ... So I figured, I'd have lunch here again today before the game and see if I go 2-for-4 again. It might work."

One additional note of interest, I learned that my grandfather (Russ) attended college in Shenandoah on a baseball scholarship in the early 30's. We don't know how far along his baseball or academic career went...but I do know his brother (V.T.) achieved at least a two-year degree and played ball enough to get to the minors, and to scout well into his 80's...very possibly here at that same school and in this league.

Added after receiving comment: Apparently my grandfather played in the leagues around Leaksville, NC after college. And we don't have info that V.T. - T stands for Tankersly, so that is Versa Tankersly...needs to be a topic of research - actually played ball. His two year degree, however, was from Wake Forest, we learn.

Catching up on a few Small Projects

Today a quick entry to catch up on some small projects – they all involve painting. While there is nothing wrong with the colors on a couple of these, the fact that we had to change them radically just speaks to how true the old saying is, “different strokes.”

First, this little project from last September. We found a couple of items in the house that had been painted this bright blue color – at least, in the direct sunlight, the color is bright blue. This actually showed as a navy inside the house. There were two little chests of drawers and a folding closet door that needed to be primed (two coats to cover this!) and then painted with Swiss Coffee semi-gloss from Home Depot.

Next, a project from a couple of weeks ago. I am starting to think about options on this garage building, it has been poorly maintained and shows a lot of wear and tear. There are a lot of insects inside that we are keeping down with pesticides and the like; some rotting non-structural wood; there’s no power to it; and it could stand to be insulated. Home Depot and Lowes – not to mention some locals in Luray – sell these little portable buildings so the thought of replacing out right has come to mind.

I should note for the record two items about this project. First, because of the wood pile under the garage, the bamboo that grows off to the side, and the openings in the foundation, I kept the hoe visible here leaning against the side wall handy in case of snakes. I am not so worrried about rat snakes these days - they already know who's boss on this property. I was worried about timber rattlers (for Greg: haven't seen a snake in months around here!)

Also, I recently found a bat hanging under the overhang that casts a long shadow on this photo. It was a pleasant surprise - when I pulled the door open he fell to the ground. I didn't see what it was and thought I had chipped off the siding; finished my business and closed the door. When I went back a half hour later to get the grill, the bat flew out of the garage. I was glad he was free, and now I am thinking about putting up a little bat house on the side of the garage.

In any case, the paint job on the door was meant to brighten it up…two notes, this red is more terra cotta than the merlot color on the main house – so it’s the wrong color; and two, it comes off as orange and black, but I am not a Harley rider (the previous owner was).

Finally, we are ready to paint the interior. Thanks to Nancy for the old paint samples, which we put around the place to choose colors. We have made our decision and will begin this project soon – we went to Lowes in H-burg over the weekend to buy paint. (Surprisingly, the service at Lowes in H-burg is not as good as at Home Depot…that is different from my experience in Alexandria and Raleigh).

Big Project Number 2 for 2008 - Update

Jesse promised that the paneling in the addition would be completed quickly - and he was right. When we visited over Memorial Day weekend, the job had pretty much been completed.











Here's a link to the previous entry on this topic:
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2008/05/big-project-number-2-for-2008.html



The first two photos are of the master bedroom, the paneled wall is where the old smoked mirror panels were. The wall vents are also visible here in the first one.








We chose pine paneling for this area, as we have in the original stone part of the house. In this case, to maintain the character of the area, we've used a whitewashed finish, since the exposed beams were painted a flat white originally.

Also, there is new recessed lighting in the hallway.








Jesse still had to finish some small loose ends, but we were surprised that he was 95% complete in just a week!

Blogging - we learn as we go

I have started going through the old post and will be using the "tags" function as a way to index those entries. For example, say you would like to have a recap of the carpenter bee adventures - or would like to be reminded of the termite damage we encountered when we first bought the Hawksbill Cabin. The tag "carpenter bees" will take you to all associated entries on that topic, while "termites" will take you to the other; there will also be a tag "battle of the species" where all of the encounters with wildlife can be found, and "big projects" when an entry should be cross referenced - as the termite issue meant a roof replacement.

On another note, I elected to allow Google to place ads based on content - these ads are shown in the left hand column - over there ---->

I am not promoting gratuitous clicking, but any proceeds on this site will be donated to the Page County Animal Shelter. If you do see anything of interest over there, and you decide to click through, you can rest assured that you will be doing some good.

Battle of the Species - The Carpenter Bees Return, continued

It’s a small thing, a carpenter bee carcass, but when I found this one on Sunday morning, I was swept up in a big feeling, one of gratification, satisfaction, dignity, one of…victory.

Immediately on our return from Home Depot and unpacking, we got straight to work on the bee battle. After setting up the ladder, I donned the mask and gloves to begin treating the new pine facing boards with Chris observing. After some experiments on how to apply the chemicals in the wind so they would not blow back in either of our faces, we really made traction on progress.

At this point I would like to repeat the concentration ratio of the chemical treatment we were using. When I write 6 milliliters, it may not be clear how much that really is. In the bottom of a one gallon jug, this amounts to three drops the size of your thumb nail – and the one gallon solution is adequate for 1,000 square feet of application!

After some misguided spraying on my part, Chris decided he wanted to take over for me – while I went inside to wash off the stray drops that had landed in my hair (despite the hat) and on my face (despite the mask). Here are some action photos of him applying the insecticide to the facing boards, both from underneath and then from the roof, which proved an easier vantage point for a lot of the work. The new ladder worked well.

We mixed a second gallon for application to the outbuildings. I was less concerned about these, as there is past damage to them, and I hadn’t just months ago paid for new facing boards to be installed on them. In fact, I’d prefer that the bees go there.

After we finished, we sat down to an excellent dinner of rib-eyes, kale, and roast potatoes, all cooked on the grill. A victory cigar for me, a fire in the firepit, and a nice Old Vine Zin completed the celebration. We speculated on the effectiveness of the treatment, and to the potential damage the chemicals might have done to us, but went to bed satisfied with a job well done.

Still, as that article from Texas A&M warned, the diligence was just beginning. The treatment will keep the bees from starting new holes, but unless we had sprayed them directly, bees in existing holes, or which happened to be away hunting pollen while we were applying the chemicals, would be unaffected.

The next steps are to identify still active holes (hot spots!) and pursue those bees to the death. And I have a secret weapon that I am going to install next week. More on that in a future post.

It was gratifying to find a bee carcass already the next morning, and upon our return last weekend, another two carcasses lying there. I added two to the tally with well-aimed spraying (one was boring a nest in Jesse’s sawhorses – at least it wasn’t targeting the house!) and a perfect flyswatter swing. I gave a gallon of the solution to Terry to put on their house, and to my Page County neighbors who might want to try this stuff, you’re welcome to a gallon or two as well.

I just need to reserve two gallons for the fall application.

Battle of the Species - The Carpenter Bees Return

A few weeks back, as I was sitting on the brick terrace enjoying a morning cup of coffee, I heard the familiar steady buzz that indicates the return of the carpenter bees. I’d seen them among the azaleas earlier in the season, but had yet to spot any active boring or nesting activities. Now here they were, actually beginning to drill into the new siding we’d just installed at the front of the house after the roof replacement.



In beginning my tale, I would like to cite the wisdom of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, part of Texas A&M, which says, “…ordinarily their tunneling is of little or no consequence. However structure repairs may be necessary if colonies are present years after year in the same timber. Effective control includes prevention, persistence in locating the nesting site, and insecticide applications.”


Another point I’ve learned is that the nesting sites serve two purposes, as a place for the larvae to hatch and mature, but also for over winter shelter. Successive generations will return to the same nest, extending the network and the damage, leading to potential structural damage.
All of these thoughts came to mind as I sat there with a cup o’ joe.








Fortunately, my friend Chris was visiting, and although we planned to do a short hike in SNP, he immediately saw the urgency of tackling these pests. So off we went on our project – first step, to acquire supplies to do battle. We figured we needed some heavy duty insecticide, and I knew we’d need a ladder for this – a good one, OSHA Type 1 (load capacity 300 pounds!). Off we went to breakfast at Farmboys, and then to the co-ops for advice on insecticide.




Breakfast did not disappoint, and neither did the advice we received at Southern States (http://www.southernstates.com/) where we learned our friend Kenny is recovering (get well soon, Ken). I was told, “we’ve got one thing, it’s very effective, but it is expensive.” I told the clerk that we were talking about saving a five-figure investment, so I was willing to look at what he had.


Unfortunately, I don’t have the name of this poison handy. But it is highly concentrated stuff – they use it to treat chicken coops throughout the county, where they mix it up in 50 gallon batches! I laughed when the clerk told me that. The square footage coverage told me I’d need only one gallon. Heading for the calculator for some math, we figured that six milliliters were needed per gallon. This package was the 50 gallon size; it cost $40, but it was all they had, and I figured “if it’s good enough for the chicken farms, it’s good enough for the Hawksbill Cabin.”

We shopped for a ladder, next step. I wanted one like the one I borrowed from some neighbors in Alexandria recently to clean my gutters, an extension job that could go up to 16 feet (and OSHA Type 1). Nothing doing in Southern States, the Page Co-op, or Wal-Mart. We were resigned to drive to the Home Depot in H-burg, adding two hours to the adventure.



After a custard stop (Chris recommends this one, near the Wal-Mart in Luray, by the way – especially, say, if you have just gotten stitches at the Luray hospital for a bizarre firewood chopping accident – we’ll leave that for another day) we headed off to follow the GPS to the Home Depot in H-burg.








A note for the record, if you need to go to a Home Depot, this is the one to go to – it is a super deluxe store, and there is plenty of help. Advice and car loading are available. I guess this is where they got the reputation, because you certainly can’t get this kind of service in Alexandria. The ladder selection – awesome, we had three to choose from. Finally, settling on the Gorilla model, we headed for Stanley.


Arriving back at the Hawksbill Cabin at 5:30 pm (thus always with Home Depot projects!), we assembled our gear:
Insecticide: check!
Sprayer: check!
Ladder: check!
Heavy duty latex gloves: check!
Breathing apparatus: check!

The battle was about to begin…

Battle of the Species - It's about to get ugly

As many of our readers know, one of the joys of owning a cabin in the country is frequent encounters with nature. I suppose that one could be called a naturalist, or even an environmentalist, for taking on a project such as the Hawksbill Cabin – we respect the environment and do our best to consider the impact of our actions while we are out there; and we respect the heritage of the place at the county and community level and we’d like to contribute to efforts to preserve these things. We have altruistic goals that offset our other selfish ones.

For me though, there is also the simple matter of a man needs a place to go where his fellow global travelers won’t accompany him. When I speak of global travelers I mean my fellow species – those that don’t quite understand the concept of a symbiotic relationship…snakes, termites, and carpenter bees among them. In the next week or so I have a new tale I am about to unfold, a tale that will comprise the sixth episode of the ongoing Battle of the Species.

For now though, for our readers’ convenience, here are permalinks to the past installments in the series.
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2007/09/battle-of-species-introduction.html
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2007/09/battle-of-species-part-1-carpenter-bees.html
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2007/10/battle-of-species-2-snakes.html
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2007/11/battle-of-species-3-termites.html
http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2008/04/snake-in-laundry.html