The cupola is built!

Pete and the kids finished the cupola structure today. That's Chris - completely unscared of heights.

Raising the Cupola

Today we raised the cupola! In the center of our house will be a 20'x20' cupola that houses an office and school room on top and the laundry room and pantry below. A balcony will overlook the living room. The cupola will provide light into the center of our house as well as ventilation through 12 working windows. Heat escaping upwards, through the cupola, will help save energy costs. (And it looks very pretty.) Pete sawed the 10"x10"x16' posts and 8"x12"x18' beams for the copula on the sawmill. He varnished them before construction (because can you image doing it afterwards?). Raising the posts and beams was a family affair. Pete pushed them up with his tractor while the kids "steered" them into place with ropes. I covered my eyes!