The Studio Grows

Thrift is the mother of ingenuity. Witness the 'free store' find that became our most recent log carrier. It's the frames from two bikes that someone welded together, probably for a bike trailer. The tires were flat, but that didn't stop Doug and Al from hauling a log off the beach anyway.

This log became the third post for the balcony of my studio. One of the ones we had chosen turned out to have a deeply rotten core, so off we went for a replacement.

With just the right amount of adventure, the guys were able to take the log safely to the truck. Once they carried it into place, drilled a hole to set it on the rebar, hoisted the bugger up high - then that log became the tallest of the three posts.

Earlier, our neighbour Terry was kind enough to lend a hand boosting one of the geezly heavy beams onto the shortest of the posts. It took a couple of tries before they got a system and put the beam safely in place. That was a bit of breath-taker watching them balance 150lbs of solid wood over their heads.

This particular work party involved the skills of a forester, a carpenter, rock climbers and imaginative, collective, on-the-spot technique invention. Part of what gives Hornby houses their charm is how they come together in the spirit of make-do with what you have, combined with smart people pooling their disparate skill sets and creative problem solving. Throw in a little drift wood here and there and presto! A building with heart and soul.