Dickman Legacy Lodge

Grouting, scratching and brushing the stone.   As many as five masons and helpers worked to complete the garage face today.  Note the color change as the sun goes down in the last photo.

Major progress has been made on the installation of the windows.  Trim can be seen on the garage windows and upstairs windows.  Log siding can also be seen going on the side of the garage.  The triple casement windows shown in the third picture weigh nearly 500 pounds each (i could hardly lift them into place- haha!).  All of the windows are aluminum clad wood windows.  Aluminum on the outside and wood on the inside.

The first picture shows the garage face covered with Typar house wrap to repel water.  Not shown, a layer of waterproof felt and wire is added to the face.  A layer of mortar, or scratch coat, is placed over  the wire.  After the scratch coat dries, the stone can be buttered with mortar and stuck to the scratch coat.  Four masons with two helpers completed the stone today.  Tomorrow, the grouting of the joints will begin.  What do you think?

The shingles are completed.  Savannah and Papa pose with a few of the crappie harvested from the bountiful waters of beautiful Lake Seminole, and the morning sun rises can only be matched by the gorgeous sun sets.  Truly the end of a perfect day!

The fireplace mantel is set so that the final stone work and grouting can be done around it. The mantel is western Juniper which is a naturally twisted tree that colorfully reveals the dark heartwood inter-twined with the creamy sapwood.  The mantel was finished by Kelly Maxwell, a renowned wood worker from Hamilton, Georgia, who now creates his masterpieces in Nashville, TN.  Visit his website at Littlebranch Farms.

The last picture shows the top of the mantel, revealing the gnarly beauty of the log, as viewed from the upstairs loft. The gentleman in the pictures is Gene, who is the master Carpenter, who leads his team to make it all come together.  A real Craftsman!

The front porch  ceiling is finished with 1 x 6 tongue and groove pine.  Workers install 1 x 8 cypress log siding to complete the gable.  Note the quality of the finish work as you zoom in on the pictures.  The logs actually pass through the ceiling in the last picture.  No caulking, just tight fits.

…and oranges, make lemonade and orange juice, and lemon bars, and lemon cake, and…..

The girls stand in line waiting for their favorite fresh squeezed orange juice on our Christmas morning.  The citrus harvest this year was amazing and enjoyed by all.

Natural field stone from Tennessee is carefully placed on the fireplace by the stone masons.  Can’t wait to see the mantel go up and the joints grouted.

The fireplace was assembled by the masons.  Carpenters now build the frame around the fireplace to create the structure for walls, wire, mortar and stone.  When i return from Christmas, the stone should be going up.  I hope!

5/8″ plywood, synthetic felt, drip edges, storm guard membrane in all the valleys, Cobra ridge vents, lead vent boots and HD shingles all combine to have a Lifetime Guarantee on this roof.  One thing for certain, I will not be crawling up on this roof to blow pine straw off.