The House Of The Golden Balls

[Jay Greer]

Rob,
Sorry to hear of your injury! sounds like you have come out smiling after the pain as it looks like your loss is a gain in disguise! Good to hear from you as I have been a bit busted up a bit as well and lost a lot of momentum for a while. I just keep on shoveling, as I know there is a pony in that pile somewhere! Thanks for sharing!
Jay

[Jay Greer]

I am reminded that I gotta varnish that front door next Spring.
Jay

[amish rob]

I am reminded that I gotta varnish that front door next Spring.
Jay

The price you pay for living in a Christmas card photo.

Peace,
Robert

[Jay Greer]

Here is Charley our resident squirrel. He is so tame that he will eat out of my hand.
Jay

[Bookmark]

Must be a west coast squirrel thing. This is my little friend Nutjob sitting on my shoulder at our old place in the Berkeley Hills.

thumb_Mark and Nutjob 3-1-2_1024.jpg

[jpatrick]

One's relationship with a squirrel will go south really quick if the creature finds it's way into your house.

Jeff

[Jay Greer]

You are so right Jeff! Several of the native red squirrels gnawed through the wooden roof, made a mess out of our attic and my model trains by gnawing up a Z Gauge layout and nesting in some of the running stock boxes. Then they went inside the wall into the dining room storage closet where I was storing vintage WB issues and some rare nautical books. I lost a copy of Dixon Kemp to their mania for paper nest liners. This made one hell of a mess! They also broke china and glassware that was stored there. We ended up having to rebuild the closet due to rot that was brought on by a leaking down spout. The damage was very extensive and took a lot of effort to set right. Charley is a grey squirrel that is not native to our area, so he was not to blame.
Pictures will follow.
Jay

[Rumars]

You are so right Jeff! Several of the native red squirrels gnawed through the wooden roof, made a mess out of our attic and my model trains by gnawing up a Z Gauge layout and nesting in some of the running stock boxes. Then they went inside the wall into the dining room storage closet where I was storing vintage WB issues and some rare nautical books. I lost a copy of Dixon Kemp to their mania for paper nest liners. This made one hell of a mess! They also broke china and glassware that was stored there. We ended up having to rebuild the closet due to rot that was brought on by a leaking down spout. The damage was very extensive and took a lot of effort to set right. Charley is a grey squirrel that is not native to our area, so he was not to blame.
Pictures will follow.
Jay

This kind of problems are the very reason humanity domesticated felines all those years ago. Every nice wooden home needs at least one non-castrated cat on guard against rodent invasion. Multiple hungry cats will guard your remaining WB issues with their life.
If you are allergic to cats your only hope is to befriend an owl family and for security, a marten.

[Favorite]

If you are allergic to cats your only hope is to befriend an owl family and for security, a marten.

I hear boa constrictors also work ...

[Hugh MacD]

I duno if boa's will tolerate a Port Townsend winter

[amish rob]

This kind of problems are the very reason humanity domesticated felines all those years ago. Every nice wooden home needs at least one non-castrated cat on guard against rodent invasion. Multiple hungry cats will guard your remaining WB issues with their life.
If you are allergic to cats your only hope is to befriend an owl family and for security, a marten.

Our cats are all neutered, and hunt regularly, especially the girls. I recently found an opossum the cats had killed. We have a pair of sisters and a male. They drag everything to the entry of the garop. Have I related the rat tail file story? It WAS’NT a file on the floor...

Also, our Mastiff HATES squirrels in the yard. She has caught two, and one tail.

Which, so do I during fruit and nut season. The flickers can stay, but the crows and squirrels gotta stay away.

Peace,
Robert

[Bookmark]

We had several cats at that house, and one in particular was a dedicated and skillful huntress. Each morning she had the previous night's kills laid out in a neat row for our approval, and she also hunted during the day. But that same cat would sit quietly when Nutjob came down out the huge coast redwoods to visit us on the deck. Nutjob seemed to recognize that the cat had given her an exemption and never showed fear of her.

One of our older cats (still with us) is a former feral who joined our household when we lived on a farm between Lexington and Versailles, KY. Shortly before she decided to move into the house we saw a group of deer standing in a circle next to the house, staring down at the ground. There was Rosie, the feral cat, sitting right in the middle of the group. The buck had his head down and he and Rosie were nuzzling each other. Animal behavior is endlessly fascinating.

[Favorite]

I duno if boa's will tolerate a Port Townsend winter

I figured Jay's house most likely has heat

[Jay Greer]

We would get a cat but the neighbor has been kind enough to supply several that keep the house and shop rat free for us. They come by from time to time and stay a while for lunch or dinner. The, fortunately, take their prey out side. We used to have a pest guy come by but the cats are so efficent that we don't need him.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

Well here is a peek at the damage that the squirrels managed to accomplish by gnawing through the roof plus the leaking downspout. The floor joists where toast as were the hood ends of some of the rafters. Note that the sheathing is VG old growth fir that is diagonaly laid. The hand wrought square nails were still good. Our guys did a great job tearing out the damaged area and replacing new wood to match. Once painted I couldn't see the repair work! The job too just a bit over one week to accomplish with two men working half days.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

[Jay Greer]

[Jay Greer]

[Jay Greer]

We primed the new wood and painted the repairs to match the color. Sorry no last photo yet. But once the rail was put back in place, I could not find the splices. We matched the old siding in the shop.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

I figured Jay's house most likely has heat

After the temp. dropped to 34 deg in the house during the Arctic Freeze of 1990 we did add forced air heating Helps a bit but we still have a stove in the bedroom that came with the house. Tacoma logs burn well and keep the bedroom toasty. The house is pretty well insulated.
Jay

[Favorite]

After the temp. dropped to 34 deg in the house during the Arctic Freeze of 1990 we did add forced air heating Helps a bit

I lived in a house similar to yours (though not as nice) ... after trying the fireplace system for a year, near the foot of the stairs we put in one of those old-fashioned floor grates. Propane. That worked super, and basically silent, but maybe we had to sign a waiver that we promise never to walk near it without asbe ... err, nomex shoes with 2" of ceramic insulation ?

Or more likely they refuse to even sell those in the US anymore. Washington state for sure.

but we still have a stove in the bedroom that came with the house. Tacoma logs burn well and keep the bedroom toasty.

Now we know where the boa is going to be hanging out

[Rumars]

It's interesting that the cats did not catch the squirrels. Maybe you have a warm roof and the cats do not patrool the attic?
Is diagonal sheating a common feature for such houses? I am only familliar with traditional half timbered structures, nothing sheated.

[Jay Greer]

The diagonal sheathing was used prior to the age of plywood arrived. I think plywood would have been more of a barrier for the squirrels but we stayed with the original form of structure with the re-build. The squirrels were living in areas behind locked doors and we were not aware of them getting in until it was too late. We know now!
Jay

[Jay Greer]

To all of you,
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!
Jay and Annie

[Rumars]

Thank you for the info. Merry Christmas to you too.

[Jay Greer]

The neighbor's dog likes to hang out in our yard except when he is out with Santa making a run. He is Rudolf's brother, Adolf. Adolf was a native of Oberammergau in Bavaria when Santa first asked him and Rudolf to take a practice run with him where he is known as "Der Weihnachtsmann."
Ever since that time Adolf and Rudolf have worked the Skys around the world with Santa on Christmas Eve.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

I am often reminded that one of these days I must grow up and get serious!
Jay

[Hugh MacD]

For God's sake, WHY?

[Jay Greer]

I don't think I ever will! I am having plenty of fun just as I are!
Bird

[MN Dave]

I don't think I ever will! I am having plenty of fun just as I are!
Bird

Don't do it. We like the old Jay and would miss him.

My daughter called the police when she came home and found that her apartment had been thoroughly ransacked. When the police found the perpetrator's footprints, they said that it would be difficult for them to get a positive ID on Mr. Squirrel and even if they did, he would be difficult to apprehend. At least they thought that he didn't take anything of value that was inedible. The cops apparently hadn't grown up and gotten serious either. She had to get on the landlord's case about the missing screen.

Some tar paper between the siding and the diagonal sheathing would have been an improvement. My father has had to replace several areas of rotted plywood where the water got blown past the clapboard siding.

[Jay Greer]

There are pros and cons about over lays on exterior wall sheathing. Most of the contractors in Port Townsend agree that the plastic sheeting Tyvek does not breath as well as tarred felt does. Several structures in town have been infected with rot as a result of using a material that does not breath well. The worst was Brian Dimic's light house replica on the hill that overlooks Sim's Way. The entire east wall, floor joists and studs rotted out in less than ten years! Needless to say the contractor used tarred felt on it this time. Buildings that used "ship lap" drop siding over felt tar paper on diagonal inner sheeting have lasted for long and indefinite periods of time, some as long as a hundred and fifty years! The problem with our house was that a metal down spout was added to the gutter that led over our south wall. It leaked and fresh water was constantly soaking the paper and wood behind it. The squirrels added to the mess and the wood finally rotted. It did not show and we were not aware of the leakage as we are usually inside when it rains here.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

Here is a shot of the F.C.Harper house shop and guest apartment. from the back. Just wanted share and add to the Christmas Spirit for us all!

Jay & Annie

[Jay Greer]

On one of my birthdays, my wife Anne gave me this one ton bird bath as a gift. Here is one of our resident deer who comes to drink water out of the hollow in the rock.
Jay

[MN Dave]

If the house wasn't so old, the cantilevered deck would worry me. It would be interesting to know how it is supported and sealed. Don't get me wrong, the house looks fantastic.

[Jay Greer]

Joe, You must be a contractor or designer to have such a sharp eye! The cantilevered porch deck is supported by by five 2x12 beams that run through the wall and across the shop and are doubled to the ceiling joists. The bury is about two thirds the width of the shop. The building is not old. It is new and still under construction. We designed it to be of the same style as the house that was build in 1889. The wall piercings are caulked with cotton using an a caulking iron and my Drew mallet. The neighbors thought it was funny to hear the sound of corking up on the hill when we did it. The cotton was primed with red lead and the seams are payed with the last of an old can of Khull's Elastic Seam Compound I had been saving for a rainy day. I thought it was a good idea to do that to insure water proofing as it would be awkward to service the joints if they leaked after the permanent porch floor was laid. We will tackle that job next summer when we put in the permanent stair case and finish the rail and turned Victorian porch posts, fancy knees and other trim to match the house. The building inspector wanted us to put up a hand rail so the one you see is only temporary. The roof will have a coupola with a wind vane that was a gift from our friend and designer, Vern Leckman, who did Main Street USA for the Anaheim Disneyland Park. Regretably Vern has passed on and will not see his design in finished state. Here is a picture of Vern with one of his scale models, the CW Morgan, that is so real looking as to fool the eye. One whale boat that is inverted has it's stbd. bow stove in but does not show in the photo.
Jay