Tuesday, March 17, 2009

After the Move


In order for the house to be moved, the foundation had to be knocked out and the house put on metal beams. Then the house was pulled by two or three vehicles, one of which looked like a giant Army jeep, up to its current location. The move took one day. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to watch. I did see the house halfway up its move when I came over to get the mail at midday.

Getting back in the house took another 4 months. The house sustained minimal damage in the move, but the foundation had to be rebuilt and everything had to be hooked back up. Construction was still booming at that time, so unfortunately we were not a priority with contractors.

Here are a couple of shots up to the house taken early April 2008 (when the garden was more advanced than it is now). Very different than it was before the move, needless to say. Much more open.

Mid-April 2008, looking across the big perennial bed to the path cleared for the house and the woods beyond. Just behind the pine trees on the left side of the picture is a large ditch which carries the water shed from the surrounding land. This ditch was not the reason we moved the house; the creek that is 3/8ths a mile from the old house site necessitated the move.



Early May 2008, standing on the opposite side of the ditch, which used to be covered in trees, looking toward the neighbor's pasture.


The vegetable garden and view down to the big perennial bed, the old house site, and our horse pasture. Eventually I want to wreath the front yard with garden and join it to the big perennial bed -- the area between the lawn and big perennial bed is a nuisance to mow.

East side of house, vegetable garden and view to neighbor's pasture.


October 2008


July 2008, on the western side of the house looking down pathway to old house site. I intend to keep this pathway clear, as this is where we lead the horses from the paddock behind the house down to pasture. We're also planning on putting footing for a riding arena over the old house site.


In right of this picture you can see the brown sedge seedheads in the ditch behind the big perennial bed. The ditch has some nice things growing in it already: Clethra, Hearts a Bustin, Joe Pye Weed, Aronia, and Virginia Sweetspire. I've added snowbell and sweetbay seedlings, Rosa palustris scandens, and a paw paw tree, all of which are still very small.


View from upstairs window November 2008, showing our pasture, the old house site, ditch, big perennial bed, the bed next to the neighbor's pasture, and the neighbor's pasture off to the right. The area in the foreground is where the horse trailer was parked in the previous post.


Beginnings of bringing the house gardens together with the big perennial bed.


Currently we are enjoying this open space

(May 2008)


but there's still a lot of landscaping to be done. I love it. It's like a being writer with a blank sheet of paper in front of her and pen in hand, imagining all of the possibilities!


14 comments:

  1. I had to laugh when you said you couldn't watch the move. I would be exactly the same. Just thinking about moving a house floods my mind with pictures of possible disaster.

    I'm glad the move actually went well. Everything looks so nice.
    Marnie

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  2. WoW! What a job you took on. The gardens are beautiful though. Great pics ya took!

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  3. Wow fancy moving your house! Its not something that happens very often here in the UK, if at all. I suppose that is because most houses here are of brick construction. Your garden is looking lovely

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  4. So much space - and so beautiful! I'm always amazed that houses can be moved. I don't blame you about not wanting to watch.

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  5. Thank you Marnie. Moving the house was such a hassle, but I always kept in mind that in a few years we won't remember the hassle at all.

    No way was I going to watch the house being moved. I had dreams that the house was moved 2 feet and then the chimney fell off.

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  6. Thank you raingardener and patientgardener :)

    I know that brick houses can be moved, as our FIL had a brick house moved onto his property. All of the bricks must be taken off before the move and then put back on.

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  7. Hi Phillip and thank you. It still amazes me that our house was actually moved.

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  8. As I was reading your post I thought...oh to see A's property from above...Wouldn't a google image be wonderful! But you've done a great job of showing us the gardens. They are lovely. I wonder if I would watch a move? All in all a very happy beginning! gail

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  9. That was quite a project but your home and the setting look lovely.The garden photos are lovely also.Love the irises.
    Carolyn

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  10. How much space you have!!! You are absolutely right - it's a canvas and you are an artist! Will be waiting for your paintings!
    Irises are gorgeous, such a stunning color!

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  11. What a beautiful property. I wouldn't have been able to watch my house being moved either. Such lovely gardens.

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  12. It sounds like a.... eh, strange experience to have one's house moved! I'm glad it all turned out ok.

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  13. Gail, our county actually does have aerial shots on line, but I believe the last one was taken in '05. The county will probably put up new shots next year. I'll have to see if I can post a link to them.

    Thank you everyone for your comments.

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  14. Hi Sweetbay, what a magnificent piece of land. I was just thinking blank slate when I read your blank sheet of paper comparison. What an apt description. The moving of the house must have been a nail biter. I would have had to leave town! :-)
    Frances

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