With yeoman expertise in perfecting the art of digging clean, straight, well plumbed postholes, Doug carried on with the remaining holes needed for the foundation.

This was aided by grade-school geometry and clever tricks learned from earlier escapades auguring, cleaning out, and digging postholes for the barn, cottage, and woodshed.

Once we set the first row of four posts, we were able to use them and the above tricks to get the remaining holes spot on (despite a small tree stump that had to be dug up).

Setting & plumbing the remaining row of posts was a piece of cake, so to speak.

After rectifying a boo-boo in ordering the 2x10s that will become the beams resting on the posts, we’ll attach the beams.

At the start of August (Santikaro is away for a retreat the second half of August), if causes & conditions cooperate, the rest of the hermitage will start going up.

p.s. To & from the hermitage site, we enjoyed these butterflies flitting about. They especially enjoyed the milkweeds, which are among the currently flowering beauties of the land.

p.s.s. An “Open House” is being planned for October 5th. Please save the date.