Monday, August 25, 2008

Apple Trees, Roof Sheathing, Bruised Knee

Two days ago, in an effort to take it easy, I staked out a small orchard on the west side of our clearing. Ten trees. Seven apples, a peach, a cherry and, maybe a plum. The seven different apple varieties will combine to make fermented apple cider. Some of them will be for fresh eating, but others will be good only for their contribution to the cider press.

Most of today was dedicated to sheathing the north side of the roof. Doing this single-handed is tricky and strenuous. I walk a sheet of OSB up the extension ladder, and at the top it tips onto the shed roof. Then I flip it end over end a few times until it ends up where it needs to go. Once I get up on the more steeply pitched gable roof I have a 2x4 cleat screwed to the first row of sheathing so I have something to stand on. Once today, for reasons unknown, the foot bracing against the cleat slipped off sending the other knee to the deck. I chalked it up to being tired and quit while I was ahead. I have two more rows of sheathing to the peak. I plan to make it to the summit slowly, carefully and without incident.

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