I find myself contemplating a lot lately… the days are short and cold, and progress like a waterfall slowly freezing over in the winter has been reduced to a trickle. we have been getting quite a bit of snow lately. There’s about 2-1/2 feet on the ground where we are. It’s all the little things that that you wouldn’t really take into consideration that end up slowing you down. Like the walk from the shed to the generator. Instead of taking fifteen seconds now takes closer to forty walking through two feet of snow with an inch of ice on top. The shed is holding up really well though, so far it has exceeded all expectations in its ability to shed snow from the roof. Even sticky snow and freezing rain haven’t been an issue. Im still going to be cautious and keep a close eye on it, but I am sleeping a little easier seeing how well it’s doing. I’ve slowly been chipping away at the remaining tasks left before we can begin to plank. I have faired the chine, built scaffolding, and started cutting transom planking. All thats left to do is cut the stem rabbet, and rip all the 2×10 planking stock down to 1-1/2. Fortunately my neighbor who has been incredibly helpful throughout this whole project is going to let me use his bandsaw mill to rip the lumber down to size. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to get to the mill because there’s either to much snow on the ground, or it’s to muddy from all the snow that has melted… So I stay busy with other tasks.Theres usually multiple other projects on the boat that can be done, but I am pushing to start planking because I know it will be a huge moral booster to see the hull coming together. neither one of us had any idea what winter would be like. I thought snow would be much more difficult (I know it can be) , but so far its been fine. I won’t lie I am defiantly looking forward to spring. The most difficult thing for me is accepting the dwindling productivity. The days are short enough as it is, and half the time I loose a few daylight hours digging the truck out of the snow, or shoveling snow off of the trailer roof, or burrowing through feet of snow because I think I left that thing that I need on the framing table which now has 4 feet of snow covering it (all the snow from the shed roof falls on it). I suppose thats just the rhythm of the seasons… I have never before experienced seasons, being a california sea gipsy. It is interesting seeing the ebb and flow of the town throughout the year. Things have definitely slowed down as people begin to hibernate for the winter. This has been, and will continue to be an invaluable learning experience. Though there are times I stand back to look at this massive wooden dinosaur and think “what the @#$% am I doing?” , but those thoughts quickly pass, and are replaced by new ideas for the interior, or images of her salty hull riding peacefully at anchor, sails furled like the wings of a resting sea bird. Even though this chapter of our life has pulled us far from the sea and the way of life we crave I am glad we chose to do it, and I am forever grateful to those who helped us get here.