volunteer gardening
 
Peninsula Rebuilding Together
Sunday, October 7, 2007
My friend Kira wishes she could visit the household’s guinea pig
 
Rebuilding Together’s fairly new Pacific County group had its second 2007 volunteer day in Saturday’s rain. Allan and I went to a project where nine excellently warm windows were to be installed in a double wide manufactured home. The owner had once had a pretty garden which several of us brought back to its original shape, while Allan helped tear out the old windows. Because the the rain and a predicted blustery wind, the window crew started out with the goal of getting one window done but succeeded in getting all but one...and the last one only because a new one of the right size had not arrived. The garden (left, before) had herbs, dahlias, daisies, annuals... (right) Three of the five or more garden workers, all in colourful rain gear. (above) The garden, after; happily, a pile of mulch was on the site so we were able to fluff it up, and a pile of driftwood provided edging material. (Above) the front porch window, before and after (Allan in yellow pants) ( (above) Window installers swarmed almost every window at once! Eventually, we could only laugh at how drenched we all were. Allan took a load of debris to the dump whole the last of the windows were installed; it turned out we were the only ones with a hauling trailer, so we will be sure to bring it on future such occasions. (Above) Installing the last screw, by which time the rest of the crew could only stand and watch (and drip, drip, drip). (Above) Now the family will be cozy with new rather than old, leaky windows....(one of which was actually stuck open, so you can imagine the wonderful difference the new windows will make). Due to the ghastly weather, the exterior trim will be installed on a future dry day. One of the crew told me an impressive statistic of how much energy the nation would save if everyone just could have good windows installed. http://www.rebuildingtogether.orgshapeimage_3_link_0