You'd never know that just a few short weeks ago there was over two feet of snow on this ground . The universe promptly flipped an atmospheric switch, and 60 degree sunny days came one after the other, leaving the ground bare, dry and delightfully soft. Good for staking.
Margaret and Clint measuring off the basement footprint. I think the tree right behind Margaret's head is a goner.
This is a pretty interesting part of this whole building process. Our property is an almost 6-acre parcel, and the platted building envelope on the property is over an acre of it. With different views in different directions, meadows over here, clumps of trees over there, where we put our house says some things about our relationship to our land.
Guided by a marvelous book entitled "A Pattern Language" by Alexander et. al, a team of architects who years ago set out to define the "rules" that govern good design, we have decided to use one of their "patterns". Which is this: when blessed with a meadow, don't plunk a house in the middle of it. Rather, place it on the forest's edge, with a nice view of the open.
Sadly, a few trees will have to go. But in truth the footprint of this house is only about 28 feet by 48 feet, fairly small. I think we have a good placement. The big window wall of the great room will face almost due east, so our days can begin with plenty of glorious sunlight to go with our french roast, and to avoid too much solar gain in the hotter 2nd half of the day. Clint wants to make sure that WE'RE sure about where the house goes, after all you can't exactly move a foundation once it's in place....but we reassure him. No worries, mate, it's a good spot.
Neighbors up the mesa, Jim and Linda, chatting with Clint and checking out the build site. Jim and Linda run a wonderful air bnb out of their home in Log Hill Village, up the mesa about 10 minutes, which we stayed at for two nights. On the far right you can see one of the stakes.
Margaret used the weekend to reunite with her boyfriend (that's Mt Sneffels). Yes, it was t shirt weather.
Late afternoon light on the Log Hill Mesa escarpment, overlooking the Uncompahgre Valley and the Cimarrons. An easy walk from Jim and Linda's place to here.