There are several unrelated topics to cover this time. I attended a family reunion, went antique hunting, and reviewed photos (taken by the painters) of just how bad the tower needs work. More flowers are blooming around the yard and Elma had its annual celebration, Elma Trail Days. Onward!
I will begin with photos of the tower as that is the oldest topic this week. While the painters were here with their bucket trucks we asked them to get close to the tower and take photos so we could see what we were going to have to deal with. The results are not pretty.
It does appear that the “skirt” was built over regular shingles so removing it will not involve disturbing any structural elements. The “cap”, on the other hand, will need extensive rebuilding. However, the top is a piece of metal that was installed sometimes in the ’90s and is not original to the house. It appears to be salvageable, but the decorative elements are in pretty bad shape.
This is worse than we had anticipated but not completely unanticipated. We are currently discussing how to approach the repair work, if we can find someone to do it. Definitely NOT something I care to take on.
Elma celebrated Elma Trail Days with a parade and other events, but I did not take photos of anything. The parade was pretty lame with few decorated floats and no bands. Area service company trucks made up most of the entries, along with fire engines from various nearby communities. Let’s just say that if the parade did not come past our house we would not bother driving anywhere to attend it.
Becky did come up to visit us and watch the parade from our front porch. Here is a photo of Pam and Becky among the festive bunting.
Last Sunday, July 9th, I attended a Rohland family reunion. (My mother was a Rohland.) This gave me the chance to visit quite a few of my many cousins for a few hours and catch up with a bit of family news and lots of “where are they now” stories.
Back in Elma, utility workers have been around to set “pedestals” for the new underground wiring and running cable to them. Not exciting, but here is a pedestal near the west side of our lot.
Friday afternoon I went antique hunting. Pam, Becky, and I had met an antique dealer a few weeks ago during our jaunt to an arts and crafts fair and it made sense to see his “home store.” I was hoping he would have more furniture, but that was not to be. He did have quite a variety of steel wheels and lots of bottles of various vintages and, to be honest, a lot of stuff in his 5,000 square foot shop. Outside he had more ‘mechanical’ items such as old wheels, some antique farm implements, and other odds and ends. I spent a few hours there going through the shop and yard but bought only one small item.
It was a pleasant way to spend a morning.
Around the yard, the phlox are now in full bloom. Along with the hostas, daylilies, and other blooming flowers the yard is quite colorful.
My next event to attend is an antique power show north of Elma, in Spring Valley. I will try not to overload the next post with pictures of old motors…
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
Pam’s Penny
Re: Elma Trail Days, when did hogs in a pen on a flatbed become a float? Or a pickup with a handwritten sign taped on the door an entry? Is the bar that low?
With a hefty budget, I’d alter the entire tower design by cutting it in half and installing a metal-fence widow’s walk around the [new] top. But that is NOT going to happen. So I vote for a basic “tidy up” approach; take off the wood around the middle (mostly rotting/falling off anyway), scrape and paint the decorative top elements and call it good. Even that very basic plan will be hard to implement.
Happy Trails.