Pioneergal's "Gunsmoke Trails"

[pioneergal]

I think that I've got this yahoo photo figured out....hope so anyway

This an update of our endevor to build a house.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jann8857/my_photos?urlhint=actn,del%3as,1%3af,0

[jwv]

Great progress!  Thanks for the pics.

Judy

[nandajor]

That's looking great, Pioneergal!   What size is the house?  It looks real close to what we are planning on building in Colorado.  We are going to add our porch across the front, a little after the cabin is completed.  I don't always get in on the first of these conversations, is this your first time to build a house?  Good luck, Nanda

[pioneergal]

That's looking great, Pioneergal!   What size is the house?  It looks real close to what we are planning on building in Colorado.  We are going to add our porch across the front, a little after the cabin is completed.  I don't always get in on the first of these conversations, is this your first time to build a house?  Good luck, Nanda

Nanda,

Thanks for taking a peek at the pictures and for your compliments.

The plans are 44X48.....the house is 38X48 with the front porch being 8X48.

It is our very first build after 30 years .....with the help of some great family and friends!

The plans are a combination of our own ideas and my brothers house plans that he drew himself.

We have received many compliments upon the layout , freeflow, and openess.

The house is being financed out of our back pocket so at times the progress is slow but we hope to be in the house sometime between this winter and next spring.

Sometime in the futurewe plan to either add an 8X48 covered porch or a deck on the back of the house.

If you don't mind me asking what area of Colorado are you planning to build?

[pioneergal]

Great progress!  Thanks for the pics.

Judy[/quot

Thanks Judy.

I went to your site and took a peek at your pictures.......looks great!

I read in one of my Farm and Ranch magazines about a family building a straw bale house somewhere in Nebraska.

Is this a more cost effective and energy efficent method of building?

[Amanda_931]

Nebraska's where the idea for straw bale apparently began--combination of sod being removed, invention of the baler, and not much in the way of trees.

So SB is high tech--1880's (or whenever) style.

[pioneergal]

Nebraska's where the idea for straw bale apparently began--combination of sod being removed, invention of the baler, and not much in the way of trees.

So SB is high tech--1880's (or whenever) style.

Your explaination makes sense Amanda.
Not throwing off on Nebraska but they don't seem to have a lot of trees but neither does Texas compared to the Southeastern and Appalachian regions of the USA.

Although, we do have one huge live oak down by the pond that stands at least 45 ft. tall and has a beautiful spread of branches and several other reasonably tall oaks and elm trees on other areas of our property.

When we first moved from NE Georgia to North Central Texas the first thing I noticed was the lack of nice big beautiful trees.
So, when we walking over what is now our property for the first time I was praying that the live oak was a part of the tract of land we were thinking about purchasing.
I'm happy to say that it was and that sealed the deal

DH had a pond dug and put up a swing under the tree for me and it is one of my favorite places for R&R when we are working on the house.

[nandajor]

Hi P'girl.  I know about financing out of the often shallow pockets. Have to learn to stret-ch-ch-ch a dollar, huh?  I also know about help of family and friends. Don't know how we would have built any of the projects over the past 30 years, without lots of that.  Your place is looking just great. Our cabin will be about 800 sq.ft.  It will be a summer place, although we have hopes of spending a good part of the year up there in the future.  We are building in Navajo Ranch Resorts, about 13 mi. west of Walsenburg, Colorado.  We were amazed at how affordable it was.  We bought 2.19 acres with a beautiful mountain view.  Water, power and phone is available without paying a fortune.  We met another couple, when we were up there looking.  Talk about true modern adventurers! they spend the winter on their sailboat in Malaysia.  Anyway, they were starting their summer cabin. They said that they had looked all over Colorado and had not found anything near as affordable as that area.  One thing we really like is that you have good access, practically year round.  You still have those majestic mountains, and they say snow rarely stays more than a day or so, even in winter. Ski resorts, such as Red River New Mexico, only about an hour and a half away.  Picture is from about 2 weeks ago. By the way, did you post your floorplan earlier?  I would like to see it.  

[jwv]

Hi nandajor,

That area looks very familiar-it's on the way to Home Depot from Creede! Of course, it's a 4 hour drive but what a drive it is!!

Judy

[Jimmy_Cason]

I just talked to Marshal Matt Dillon and showed him your place, He wanted to say .......

[nandajor]

That's true Judy.  Those are the Spanish Peaks in the background. I am, on the "plump" side, but even my wide behind can't hide those beautiful mountains.  :DI have been over towards Creede, majestic is the word for that country.  We are looking forward to someday, when the work is done (does that ever really happen?) to go over that trail from Lake City...I think?...to Ouray.

Nanda

[pioneergal]

Hey Jimmy,

I am a HUGE Gunsmoke fan!  

You could not have used another character ......Matt Dillion..... or  compliment that would have made me any happier.

Happy Trails

[glenn-k]

Dang it, Nanda.  That's not plump.  It's energy efficiency.  Shade in the summer, heat in the winter.  

[nandajor]

Thanks, Glenn. I always thought it was better to be useful, instead of just decoration In this day, with fuel prices, that would make me downright priceless.  

[pioneergal]

We finally have made some progress on the house and hope to be in it  by January '08
Its been a while since my last picture post so here goes......


http://www.kodakgallery.com/MyGallery.jsp

[Sassy]

I can't get to the gallery without a password   :'(

[MountainDon]

ditto   :'(

[pioneergal]

Sorry guys

I'll try to have them up this p.m.

[pioneergal]

Lets see if this works  

[pioneergal]

Just click on the image and it should open up 3 pictures.
If it works I will upload more later today.

Jackie

[glenn-k]

That worked.  Thanks, Jackie.

[Sassy]

Beautiful, Jackie!  

[pioneergal]

Thank you!  

We have not yet moved in .....hope to move by January.

The house is finished on the outside except for DH making the new front steps and a few odds and ends.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the sreening in of the back porch vs. the present back deck.

[pioneergal]

https://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e362/pioneergal/
I hope the link works!

[glenn kangiser]

Looks good, Jackie.