Tractor Tim

Alright, for everyone who's been asking for a photo of the tractor...

You Rock!

My friend and neighbor Denny came out with me to spend the day picking rocks for the chimney & columns. Denny & Jen own Lot 27 and are looking forward to building a home there. Here Denny surveys the view from his lot.

The mason says a ton of stone covers approx. 35 sq. ft, and we'll need around 20 ton total. I'd say Denny & I collected about half that.

There are several ancient rockslides lying exposed on the slope of the ridge. Over the centuries these gray fieldstones have acquired a dusty rose patina and a colorful smattering of lichens.

We were able to get the pickup fairly close to the rockslides. We had to pitch some of the higher rocks down the hill first. Sort of like bowling or bocci with 20 lb stones, congratulating each other on a particularly well-placed pitch or finding the perfectly-shaped stone.

We made it through the day with no herniated discs or smashed toes, and we left the hillside looking pretty much as it did before, having removed just a tiny fraction of the stones out there.

Thanks Denny. A good friend indeed, and a good day.

2nd Floor Views

If you build a 2-story home on a ridgefront lot, these are some of the views you get. The bottom photo is looking east, the middle looks south, the top (taken in the summer, obviously) looks west. The view is truly panoramic, stretching 50 miles to the Saddle Mountains in the south and 50 miles to the Stuart Range in the west. At your feet are alfalfa fields, the lake is across the road. Can't beat it, I don't think.

View of Vineyard from 2nd Floor

I've never seen the vineyard from above eye level. Not as big as it seems when you're down there pruning!

Cathedral Ceiling

in Living/Dining/Kitchen

Rafters Going Up

Prow of the Ship

Vineyard Consultants

My friend Mike and his son Jonathan came up from Walla Walla to inspect the vineyard and give some pointers. Mike has an Enology & Viticulture degree and owns an 8-acre vineyard in Walla Walla. We spent a very valuable hour looking at my vines and talking about nutrients, disease prevention, irrigation, pruning, trellis systems, weed control, etc.

It was most informative and will be a big help in taking the vineyard to the next level. Thanks guys, I am forever in your debt.

Moses Lake Business Happenings

Two recent news tidbits convey a sense of the re-emerging local economy in Moses Lake:

Genie Industries builds aerial lift equipment at its two plants in Moses Lake and Redmond. In 2011 Genie added "a couple of hundred" full-time employees at the Moses location. Overall the company ramped up production by 60% in 2011 over 2010. Genie signed a 15-year lease extension with the Port of Moses Lake last year, and is busy "investing in infrasture," according to the general manager. Click here for full article.

ASPI Group is a commercial land developer with extensive holdings in the airport development zone. They have several business parks laid out already, with streets and utilities already in, and are actively recruiting new businesses. (The SGL/BMW carbon fiber plant is in one of ASPI's centers.) This week the City announced they are partnering with ASPI and the Port to install a 12-inch water main through the heart of the airport development zone, because new business will require that additional capacity. Click here for full article.

House on a Hill