ME AND MANZANITA: It's A Thing of Beauty!

This week... Our big announcement is.... the hearth is going in!!! There's going to be lots of pictures of this one, so brace yourself! There's gonna be a little bit of flashback going on in this blog... I'll tease you with the final product from last week, and then show you how the whole thing was put together... And, just to let you know, this blog was from 2 weeks ago, not last week!!! I'll explain that one at the end of this blog!!!!

So, this is how the hearth ended two weeks ago. I am so excited with this project and it turned out amazing! Well, here goes...

Our rock mason contractor, Will and his son Ansel were the primaries on this one. We knew we really didn't have the skill to put a project like this in, and make it look amazing, so we contracted it out... And, it was well worth it.

Jim cut all the flat rock for the actual hearth last year, so it was ready and waiting for Will and company to show up. Will has an amazing eye for placing the rocks. I am totally amazed.

Jim told me that all the rocks were laid out in front of the hearth, and Will would point to a rock and his son would bring it over, and then it would be placed.

Here's a shot of one of the lighted rocks. The silver round things on the back wall, are also going to be lighted. The rock has this beautiful caramel colour, and they are translucent, and Will suggested putting them here and there... So, we took his suggestions... Jim had this amazing idea to use part of the duct work steel to building the foundation around each lighting pocket... it worked perfectly...

A couple of years ago, I found a couple of rocks that had Canadian geese painted on them. Jim gave them to Will and asked him to use them somewhere in the hearth, and this is where they ended up. If you look to the cold air return at the front of the hearth, and look up just a little bit, there's where they appeared. I love the look...I know, I know... I've got to have Canadian flags on my crocs and Canadian geese in the hearth... just humor me...

Here's the two preparing stone to be placed... The guy in the orange shirt is Will's son... I think he's teaching his son the trade...

This is after the 2nd day. It was a three day process...

And, a close up picture of Day two!

And, another close up of the hearth surface.

Here, you can see the rock all laid out that's already been picked over.

Which brings us back to the end of Day Three! I had Jim put the brass cold air return just placed in front of the rock so we could see what it's going to look like. Will ran out of cut rock for the hearth part, and ran out of time to finish the job. So, Jim is cutting flat stone today, and Will is supposed to return to get the rest of the cut rock and finish the job in a week or so. There's the little bit on the hearth, and a little triangle looking bit to the top of this picture that needs to be finished with setting the stone, and then they'll also grout in the whole thing and be finished.

While Will and son were working on the hearth, Jim and Ben were working on the jacuzzi area. The people at the jacuzzi store are getting a little impatient with us, so this is weighing a little heavy on us. Jim will be back this weekend to keep working on this project and get the block put down so the jacuzzi can be delivered and installed. Howard is supposed to show up this weekend to start working on the deck again, and perhaps run the propane line from the tank to the house. That way, we can have.. HOT WATER...

Ben using his Jeep and snow plow blade to level the dirt! And his tires pack the dirt down well too. Ingenious!

Slowly, but surely... it's coming together.

And, a little woops happened... We ran out of gas in the backhoe, and this is the position we were in when the tank went dry. If it isn't running, it has no brakes, etc. so, the bucket is chained to a block and that's what's holding the backhoe from rolling down the hill! I personally find this a little scary!! But, when you're doing this intense work, you really don't look at the gas gauge! Go Figure.

And, on the more decorating side of life. I found this egg holder to go on the breakfast table. I thought it was so freakin' cute, I couldn't resist. Jim looks at these things with this blank look on his face.. Makes me laugh..

And, last, but definitely not least.... We made a quick trip to Arizona for my brother, Barron's, 70th birthday. That's why we weren't working at the cabin last weekend! We kept the whole party a secret from Barron and his wife Alicia. My two "baby" brothers, Eldon and Duane, and their spouses, came to Arizona also and we had a "siblings dinner" on Friday night. We just sauntered into the restaurant where my brother and his wife were waiting for their three daughters... Boy, did they guess wrong. We walked in, and the shocked look on their faces was priceless. It was an amazing dinner and the company was sublime. Saturday night, we had a party with all family, and it was so nice to see everyone again. We have been unable to cross the border due to COVID, so this was a fabulous treat for Jim and me. What an amazing weekend. It will be a highlighted chapter in my book of life.

Here's the four siblings at the restaurant on Friday night... Duane, Cheri, Barron and Eldon..

...and, at the party on Saturday... Eldon, Cheri, Barron and Duane..

..and Barron getting assaulted... oh come on... there has to be at least one weird picture at a family get together..

... and, all of us Sprickerhoffians... back row: Carole, Alicia, Cheri, Jim and Anita...

front row: Eldon, Barron and Duane.

Brianne and her little family came also, and we got to show them off a little bit. My kids always make me proud.... (bragging a little bit here...) .Brianne and her crew floated down the lazy river on Sunday... The water was freezing cold, but it was only 107 degrees outside...... I know, seriously...

Here's Brianne, Coy, Chance and Lowell....