Contractors in Maine are a hardy bunch. They work outdoors in weather that would leave their counterparts farther south shaking in their steel toed boots. However, mortar is not quite so rugged, and to allow the Jorgensen crew to continue work on the greenhouse foundation, Jason erected a plastic ‘hooch” that can be heated to allow the mortar to set properly.

On this 27 degree day, it was quite pleasant inside the hooch. Stonemason Bill Jacobs, who is also an artist and partner to our plant records coordinator, Sharmon Provan was quite comfortable in a tee-shirt as he cut and placed the stones that will form the base of the 10x16 glasshouse. The glasshouse will be a perfect place for our young volunteers and students to start vegetables and flowers for the garden. The frame has been delivered and it sits protected under tarps until spring. Glass and a construction site are not always good bedfellows, so we thought it best to wait until the heavy construction is finished before erecting it.

Now that the whales are in, paving can progress from the entrance plaza on down the serpentine paths. Today as he has for the last several, Lee Dunning was busy at work on the paths. The concrete pavers are laid out in a specific pattern then Lee has to trim any that do not sit together tightly. The serpentine path that will lead guests down through the rainbow terraces has some sharp curves that kids will surely delight in walking through, but for the stonemasons, these curves are challenging. The whine of the diamond-tipped chop saw rings out in the crisp air as Lee and Bill trim and fit stones.

Lee Dunning laying pavers

A view of the finished walkway from the plaza

Becker Construction has finished shingling the barn and has all but the wooden louvers to install on the cupola. A fanciful pig weather vane will crown this cupola on the completed structure. We have picked out a lovely crescent moon weathervane for the cottage and another of a gull for the activity shelter. These along with the windmill will make it easy to tell which ways the wind’s a blowin’ in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden.

Now that the trim is taking shape on the activity shelter, I can really picture how it will look with a sod roof and flared, shingled pillars. The wide fascia along the bottom edge hides a gutter that channels water into a rain barrel and also into a small rain garden we’ll install a pocket of the ledge behind the structure.

So, despite the cold, snow, and short days, the work continues. I put together a composite panorama looking northwest from the spot where the lupine meadow will be to show a larger view of the site on this, the first day of winter. - Bill Cullina