Building a Peaked Roof on a Flat Roof

We have been VERY occupied with framing this roof.  The back and one side of our house has a hip roof design but the front of the other side have a gable roof design.  Since the flat roof area is inset into the hip roof on the back we had no choice but to finish building out the hip roof.  But this left a 40 inch bump out and we decided to frame that roof area with a gable roof design.

The photo above was taken during the tear off phase and before we installed new framing underneath to make the area flat.

We used new wood for the joists but the attic decking is old wood we are reusing.  We used joist hangers and R said he jumped up and down and it felt very sturdy.

I have no idea how many times we framed the hip roof portion only to take some of it back apart.  Thank heaven for screws.  The hip roof design is complicated enough but when you have to incorporate it into a nearly 100 year old hip roof and you are rookie hip roof framers.....well, let's just say I am glad that our neighbors live more than an earshot away because we had some really intense discussions.

But today we rounded a corner and installed two sheets of plywood and it was wonderful.  They went right into place and we breathed a collective sigh of relief.

My photos aren't great because we were running out of daylight.

Tomorrow's plywood installation will be tricky shapes but the pieces will be a lot smaller.  Today when we installed the 2 full sheets we kind of cheated.  The plywood is thicker than most roof sheathing and because of that it would be impossible for the two of us to get that plywood sheet on the roof without either one of us or both.....breaking our backs, falling off the roof, destroying our already old injured shoulders, or and we laughed about this....that we would be found dead under a sheet of plywood with only our feet sticking out like in the Wizard of Oz.

How did we cheat?  We cut the sheet of plywood right down the center lengthwise.  This cut the weight in half and made the handling a lot easier.  We made sure to butt up the cut edges so there weren't any gaps, not even the slightest.

But on a prettier note.  The photo above are of the last of the roses blooming in our yard.  Clockwise from top left is a Red Knockout rose bud, Pink Fairy, Red Knockout rose, and the white roses are Gourmet Popcorn.

The leaves are falling and the temperature is dropping fast.  This week's forecast is for high temps in the 50's all week.  I can handle that as long as it doesn't rain.  Sunny and 55 degrees is actually perfect working weather.

Reuse Repurpose Recycle

Praying Mantis Egg Cases Part 1

Today I took the praying mantis egg cases out of the fridge so I could set them on their journey to hatching.  The photo below shows the three pods in a paper bag.  

The dark string like objects coming out of the pods are thin wire that was threaded through the pods for easy attachment to a limb.  Pods should be attached to a limb in a protected area and between 1 or 2 feet off of the ground.

Each pod can contain between 50 and 400 praying mantis.  That means I could have anywhere between 150 to 1200 praying mantis' eating bugs in my yard.  I hope this means that my roses will be aphid free this summer.  Praying mantis' are carnivores with a big appetite.

Praying Mantis

The cost for the three pods was around 15 bucks.  Which is both safer and less expensive that buying a commercial rose bug killer product.  We are trying very hard not to use any pesticides or Round Up in and around the house.  

But sometimes we have found it impossible and we must use a pesticide or Round Up.  When we do use pesticides it is with a light touch and confined to just the affected area.  We found a carpenter ant infestation in the rotted wood of the garden shed during it's remodel.  After spraying the area we waited one day to make sure the ants were dead before we removed the rotted wood.  I swept up the dead ants and burned both the rotted wood and dead ants.  That was three years ago and we haven't seen another ant. 

Hatching may take up to 8 weeks of warm weather before we will see anything.  I will make sure to check every couple of days to see it anything has happened.  But I don't expect anything right away because the weather has dipped back down into the 40's.

There is still time to get some praying mantis egg cases for your yard.  You can find sellers and stores that sell egg cases (pods) on eBay.

Reuse Repurpose Recycle   

Japanese Beetle Trap Hack

It is amazing how well these traps are working.  The beetles just fly into the bag.

I set up the third trap today and used the trap hack that Hartwood Roses posted about last week.  I used a large water bottle (half gallon???)  and a tomato cage in my version.  She posted an update on her traps today. Read about it here.

First, I cut the bag off just below the narrow portion.

I then placed the neck of the water bottle into the bag and used a piece of plastic twine tied just below the ribs that hold the cap in place.  A twist tie would work better but I didn't have one right at the moment.

Then using the same plastic twine I suspended the trap in the middle of the tomato cage.  I used the tomato cage to help keep the traps from blowing sideways in the high winds that we have had the last two days.  The beetles are not very good flyers and when the trap is blowing around it is hard for the beetles to land on the trap.  Also, I had a stash of cages so no extra money was spend except for the initial costs of the traps.

Yesterday I mentioned that they say not to hang in trees or by plants.  I have found that my plum tree is a Japanese beetle magnet.  In the past years the top of the tree has had a swarm of beetles flying around.  But today the top of the tree was without beetles and the only place I could find beetles were on the limb right around the trap.

The second trap that I hung yesterday was moved out into the yard as was the new third trap.  After relocating the traps I walked around my yard looking for beetles.  Normally my rose bushes are favorite places for beetles to snack on but today there were no beetles to be found.

Where were they?  They were in the traps.  The two traps that I hung yesterday are filling up fast.  By Thursday I will need to remove the bag on the trap in the plum tree. At that time I will either replace with a gallon ziploc bag or modify the trap to accommodate a large water bottle or milk jug.

The more beetles that I kill this year are less beetles laying eggs in the ground to hatch next year.  I don't see ever being able to eliminate beetles all together but if I can keep them off my trees and roses I will be happy.

Red Sink....Going Going Gone

I wish every day was like today.

It was great. While we raked, we had people stop and give us money. OK, they just didn't stop and hand over money. It was more like as soon as I listed items on Craigslist...it was gone. No bickering over price or anything.

I had someone contact me about the red sink within 5 minutes......gone.

All the left over sheet metal duct work......gone within several hours.

Tomorrow is suppose to be another great day so hopefully we can get the bulk of the leaf raking done. I have a huge blister on my thumb from raking without gloves. I always forget to put on gloves until it is too late.

I have all the roses trimmed except for the Knock Out roses in the lavender bed. I have about a third of the roses in that bed trimmed.

Today I trimmed the Purple Rug roses by the kitchen door. They are so thorny. This photo is blurry because the wind was blowing quite briskly today. If you cannot tell by the photo they branches are so covered in thorns they are like little bottle brushes.I normally do not plant roses that are this thorny but this particular shrub rose is very hardy, blooms profusely, and has the most intense rose scent. You can literally smell these roses when you are 20 feet away.

What is that I hear???? Sounds like my pillow calling my name. Nite.

Risers, Roses, & Rain

Today was a day of R's.

Here is R installing B & G's risers. Notice how we used those same cap plugs to hide the screw heads. G says it's overkill......I say it's a nice detail.Hey...R has on long pants!!!! It must be fall.

Three risers installed before the rain started.After the rain stopped and back at 'The Gear' we removed the little strip of grass in front of the house. In it's place we will plant Pink Supreme Carpet roses. I'll plant the roses tomorrow and then over the next several weeks install rocks around the roses to finish off the bed. Hopefully this will make it a little area easier to maintain plus it will add a shot of hot pink to the front of the house.
Tomorrow we will install more risers, plant roses, and hope it doesn't rain.

Windows are open for business.......

I wonder when was the last time these windows were open???


Or these windows????

I can't imagine why anyone would paint windows shut. Sure it might keep air from infiltrating in during the winter. BUT....it also keeps air from coming in during the summer. If Sunday was any indication, I think we will only need to use the A/C when it is humid out.

Sunday was a perfect day. Even though it reached 80 degrees it wasn't at all hot. A nice breeze made working out in the yard very comfortable. I trimmed all the rosebushes, except for the climbing ones. All bushes appeared to have new growth. I really can't wait to see the roses on the bushes I bought last year at Frost Gardens. They are a shrub rose called Midnight Blue. The color is between black and royal purple. Hopefully they will grow together and form a low hedge on the inside curve of my circular driveway. I am hoping they smell half as good as they look since it will be close to the front door.

All my Knockout roses did great last year. I am keeping my fingers crossed that all the climbing roses I planted last year along the fence, really take off. I usually don't plant hot or warm color flowers but I couldn't resist the climbing rose called Joseph's Coat.

I plan on planting a climbing rose on each side of the dining room bay window. With some luck, I should be able to get them to grow right over the top of the window. I'm considering planting a white climber called Iceberg. That should show up nicely against the dark grey.