Bobby and Robbie installing central vac unit

Duct that Don was concerned might be crimped

Space cleared for solar power center installation

Dual canister vac installed

Patio side of the retaining wall

Most of the eastern wall is done now -- just a bit to go on the retaining wall part, and then the cistern end

July 8: Power center installed on north under-garage wall

Ductwork running through my closet, through Kailyn's closet, and up to the attic

Interesting beetle Don found. Extensive web surfing makes it look like genus Anastrangalia or Paracorymbia. Google pics made it hard to tell the size of those - my beetle was rather large.

Don spotted this scarlet tanager off of our deck! We haven't seen one before. According to what I looked up about them, we're right in the middle of their breeding territory, and they prefer large unbroken deciduous tracts, particularly oak and pine -- in other words, precisely what we have.

Another pic of our scarlet tanager

A much better pic of one so you can see what they look like up close (pic imported from the web just for illustrative purposes)

I also recently spotted one of these out near where the birdsfoot violets are found. It's a Kentucky warbler. (Another imported pic -- I didn't have the camera with me when I saw mine, and even if I had, I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten a pic this good!)

Levi started work on the pump bench today

Laying out blocks to see how the stone base to the porch post might go

July 10: Zorro is staying with us while mom is in MN for the next week and a half. He's settled right in.

July 11: House progress. Deck rails are entirely done now

Stair rail

Eastern end deck

Patio interior wall, and the stone selection bench in front of it

Showing the intersection of the house wall and retaining wall

East end of the house now, with stonework and deck rails complete

Today the guys also removed the framing to make a door into my closet under the stairs

Small door into the storage space under the stairs

Framing around the bathtub