Final Rainbow Interim Update

We are actually sleeping in the new house now, and even have a few clothes here! It is mostly done, with just a few hardware type items left to do. No art on the walls yet and some furniture yet to come. But before we do a final post on this fun project, a final "in progress" report seems to be appropriate. First an early morning picture from Rainbow lane, just up the street from the house.


Clear back last summer we began to suspect that the folks who were doing the iron work were struggling to get it right. The fact that the original installation was not to code seemed to exacerbate the problems, and soon the curved entry stairs with the iron railing just wasn't seeming right.


To her credit, Paula finally put the hammer down on what was clearly a less than great idea, and it was rip out the staircase and start from scratch. The replacement stairs were framed with a typical two runs and a landing layout, and we were then left with how to finish the railing to fit the rest of the house.

Our friend Terry came up with a great plan for using the Acacia wood flooring for not only the steps, but the aprons as well.


Note the lack of scars on the head, and in the photo above the hardhat on the table saw. I won't show the wound, but it was roughly in this same location that I smashed my finger trying pretty much the same trick that laid Terry out a month earlier!


Terry was kind of secretive about putting the treads down, and I even called him a sneaky Swede at one point. Turned out he had a reason, and the morning after it was completed I discovered that we had a special treat at the top of the stairs.


Terry's wife Jean works at Aloha High School and got the Japanese teacher there to help with this little subterfuge. For those who don't read Japanese, it say's "The House Of Rainbow". Like Terry said, it is for sure named now. We love it and it perfectly captured the whole reason Terry was here. As our friend and home teacher, I had mentioned to him that I was hoping he would do something on the house so we could remember him for the work. Well, he got more than he bargained for, and we certainly did too! And....the stairway looks great!


We still had to figure out what to do for the railing however, and I spent the better part of two days driving around Portland looking for the right wood to use in building a ranch style railing. I couldn't find big enough pieces to do the posts in any hardwood, and just wasn't feeling it. Green fir would be a disaster when it started to twist and check, and so what to do. At the Vial Pham warehouse we found some old fir beams and timbers and with the help of Nic and Hoa, we milled our own posts, railings and picket material. This was actually really rewarding. The old wood had real character, and although it was hard work, we had a fun time sawing, sanding, routing, cutting, sanding, staining, sanding and.......


It actually came out pretty nice after some late nights putting it together.





After using this fun recycled wood on the entry stairs, we ended up using it for the top on the balcony wrought iron railing as well.


We are in the process of having a couple of finish carpenters put the same material on the curved railing. They are up to over 80 pieces, and have dubbed it the HELIX. Will post the final product soon.


Meanwhile we are loving the house and looking forward to some fun times here. One of the best parts is I finally have my garage!


And how can you beat something like 3 naked babies in a hot tub?


Oh and did I mention that I love the garage.


The house just feels good.


I love waking up to the birds.


And then there is........


Ok, back to work. Peace Out. Rich

Gabriel (As in the Angel)

One of the really fun things about discovering Windsor Vermont has been discovering the Cornish Colony across the river (over the covered bridge) in New Hampshire. Home of the Sculptor St. Gaudens, painter Maxfield Parrish (one time owner of the home we got there) and many others, this was the epicenter of American Art in the early part of the 1900's. A young woman of Mexican royal lineage, Alma Smith was selling Maxfield Parrish art in California beginning in the 60's, and eventually moved out to New Hampshire, bought the Parrish home called the Oaks, and founded the Cornish Colony Museum. Housed in this historic firehouse in Windsor (just down the street from Chelle's home), this is a suprising gem and the home of millions of dollars worth of original art. Just another little hidden delight about Windsor Vermont!


The founder, Alma, (now about 80 I think), is a pistol. She has become a good friend of the family, and as seen here with Paula a confidant! Unfortunately, the current economic turndown has affected the museum, and so Alma put out the word recently. A very renouned living artist, K.Y. Craft (Kinoku Craft) is also a friend of Alma, and hearing of the difficulties did a very special drawing of the Angel Gabriel and donated it to the museum to be auctioned off to raise funds for the upcoming summer program. Here is Alma with the piece. This is a big deal. Craft does work that often goes for many tens of thousands of dollars, and has some very famous stuff. I am not making this up.....look it up!


It is a very subtle drawing, and when I took pictures of it I noticed how different it was in different light and from different angles.




Well, to make a long story short, we loved it (especially Chelle who has met K Y Craft and really liked her and felt a good spirit around her), and when the auction ended, we had bought it! We took the kids over to take pictures with the drawing. Maddie was really drawn to it. Even though Gabriel is a male personage, it is uncanny how Craft seems to have mimicked Maddie in the drawing.







I predict that this will become a family heirloom. For now it will hang in Chelle's home in Vermont, and it is possible that we may loan it to the museum at some point.


Anders by the way was not quite so taken with the whole idea, and eventually Maddie got tired.




Once again, I find myself feeling like the luckiest guy in the world. I am greatful for the best family, the chance to discover amazing places and people, and the chance to feel the joy of this life. I can truly see it in the picture!

Way Cute Grandbabies

Maddie who is always a bit shy when we first are around each other. I don't know what it is with the hands on the head, but Anders does the same thing.


Meanwhile back in Oregon at the Rainbow House, Ava and Jacob found a swivel chair and are having a great time together!


Sierra clearly loves to entertain the sister and the cousin. This was Jacob's first visit to Grandma's new house.

This was the scene within minutes of Jacob and Hai showing up for the first visit.


It was cold in Vermont so most of the time spent there was indoors. Here Grandma, Maddie and Eddie are all playing piano together.


Anders was bored however, so we decided to go birding. Maddie of course had to join us. Notice the cute little shoes and leggings for the snow.


Anders was a great brother though and made sure she saw the birds as well.


They had a couple of secrets that I wasn't in on. I suspect they wanted to see a bird that Grandpa hadn't.


They really love the trail up behind the Parrish House. Anders knows right where to find the birds.


He always has his book with him. Maybe someday I will tell him it's a UK book with virtually no birds from Vermont in it.


No matter. He is really proud of it and refers to it often to identify the birds behind the house.


It is great to have a birding companion like Anders, and I am betting that when I can't see any more he will be there to find them for me!


Seriously cute grandchildren.