Monday 09.30.2013

T+2

"The Party's over..."

The morning after the night before...

 

 

 

The Ramsay Farm Dinner on Saturday evening 

was a blow-out success on all fronts!

The ripples of praise and gratitude from our guests continue

to flow over the hills and valleys of Greenwood and well beyond!

It was an exceptional event--the product of a great deal of 

work by a large number of people!-- and we are fortunate

to be able to share this beautiful place with others.

Thank you, Tom & Reae!!

We should have a major selection of the Farm Dinner pics from

the photographer to post tomorrow evening. Until then, these 

great shots should satisfy of your Ramsay fix for this evening!!!

"Can we just get back to normal please?"

A touch of fall in the air...

Post Card material!!!

Friday 09.27.2013

T-1  !!!!

The day that seemed so far away, and then too close,

is now upon us! Tomorrow, Saturday 9/28 nearly 60

guests from Greenwood, Alexandria and points beyond

will gather at Ramsay for a Farm Dinner that promises

to be a memorable event from start to finish.

 

Friends, neighbors and several special guests will gather to

celebrate fall, friendship, great food and wine--all local!--

and the special setting that comprises the Ramsay Estate.

A special commemorative blog post will arrive some time 

early in October. But with less than 24 hours until cocktails

in the Parterre Garden and dinner under the tent, these few

pictures will wrap up the adventure that began the last

week of July when TJ called SY from Germany and said,

"Let's have a Farm Dinner the last weekend in 

September and invite all the neighbors!"

Huge trucks have been arriving laden with party goods!

A medieval touch comes to Ramsay!

Just one of Patsy Wallenborn's floral masterpieces

Dear friends gather at the pasture fence along Farm House Lane

A great bunch of pumpkins...

some beautiful flowers...

 

            ...with Susan Yowell's magical touch become
               our Farm Dinner table centerpieces!!!

Place Cards - another Susan creation!

Thursday 09.26.2013

T-2

After so many days and weeks of behind-the-scenes work,

it is quite rewarding to see many of the projects coming

together in these last days before the Farm Dinner on 9/28!

And all during the hectic work and crazy schedule,

we try to remember to look around at the beautiful

setting that is home to Ramsay!!

Star enjoying an afternoon graze--following his afternoon nap!

The new flooring system sets the stage for...

the Farm Dinner under the Tent!!!

Freshly finished Carriage House floor is Mar-Va-Lous!!!!

On site today:

Stephen & Susan
Mick & Christy from SC/Seaside
Richard & Kyle
Kevin Kennedy
J&A Painters
Curtis Heating & Cooling
Sand King - finishing the CH floor
Patsy & Lewis
Skyline Tent Co.
Festive Fare Co.

Wednesday 09.25.2013

T-3

The clock is ticking now--we can no longer say 

"We'll do that next week!"

It's down to days and hours...

Mike Deane was here at 6:30 am...

the last painter left at 7:45 pm!!

On site today:

Sherry and SY

Kyle Vigano - weeding, mowing, carpenter's assistant, hauling debris, running errands, "being available"

Kevin Kennedy - last minute carpentry at Carriage House; final install of "courting benches" in the Parterre Garden

Chris & Todd - Kennedy Electric, final trim work at the Carriage House--all lights are on!!!!

Paul Vencil & Chris - water is running (where it is supposed to!!) and the toilet works!

Painters - continuing with their punch list seeming to grow by the day

Patsy and Lewis - doing the work of 4-5 people planting, edging, mulching etc. all over the estate

Jessica Beverage - cleaning the fish pond; introducing a new clientele of fish!!!

Kyle Lundgren - installing cobblestone pad at Studio deck

Curtis Htg. & Cooling - closing in on completing the new HVAC system

Piedmont Mowers - maybe our final mowing!?

Patsy's creations! 1

Patsy's creations 2

New outdoor portable flooring system

Fish pond overhaul - and new little fishes!!!!

Let there be light at the new Carriage House

Tuesday 09.24.2013

T-4

Pictures worth many words:

York HVAC unit

All done but the shutters

Barn kitchen floor

Custom Shutters to match existing ones

Shutter painting 1 x 1

Rallying the troops from Curtis Heating & Cooling, Inc.

So much mulch.... so little time...

Flowers by Patsy!

Mad House

Monday 09.23.2013

T-5

The crush is on big time as we have just five days

remaining to whip the estate into shape for our

Farm Dinner Party on Saturday evening. The new

 Carriage House project (formerly our one-story garage) is 

in the final stages of finish carpentry, utility trim and 

placement, and the last few coats of paint.

On site today:

Sherry and SY

Richard and Kyle

Kevin Kennedy - finishing the courting benches and lending a hand at the Carriage House

J&A painters - all over the Carriage House like ants at a picnic

Clay & Josh Frazier - installing brick floor in old barn

Kennedy Electric electricians - exterior lights and Carriage House

Patsy and Lewis - planting and placing urns, etc.

Paul Vencil and Chris - working plumbing magic

David Robert's and Will - installing new metal roof on the wood shed

David "A" Snyder - tweaking the weather vane

Farm Dinner Team:

Ellen English - chef and caterer

Joanne Albertson -  event coordinator, and 

Susan Yowell -  flowers and decorations.

Ellen, Joanne and Susan at the Old Barn

New sofa delivered for living room

Our Gator Flower Truck!!

View from North Portico porch

Friday 09.20.2013

T-9

When I (SY) review the punch list of work to be completed

for our Farm Dinner by the end of next week, 

I'm anxiously optimistic--with a touch of panic!!

But when I survey what has been completed in a 

little over seven weeks, I'm absolutely amazed.

We have had outstanding help all summer long

from dozens of hardworking individuals.

We will post a compilation of all projects and activities

completed by mid-late week coming up.

Today alone we had:

4 separate carpenter crews at the Carriage House

7 painters at the Carriage House
1 carpenter at the Parterre Garden
2 brick laborers at the Old Barn
1 carpenter at the New Barn
2 electricians installing outdoor lighting fixtures
1 gardener
2 yardmen/gophers/"do whatever SY needs"-men!

Carriage House flooring nearing completion

A yard full of carpenters!

West elevation new paint complete on Carriage House

To install "down-lighting" you have to be "up-lifted"!!

Patsy - our indefatigable Gardener!

 

Invitation for the Farmers at Free Union Farm (Joel & Erica)

Invitation for Joel and Erika at Free Union Farm:

Thursday 09.19.2013

T-9

At the Carriage House today, we had 3 separate carpentry crews

(interior trim, flooring, deck) and one painting  crew working feverishly at their
appointed tasks--creating scenes that reminded several of us the classic movie
The Money Pit. NOT due to any financial reference by any means, 

but rather referring to the numerous scenes where multiple crews were 

working all over top of one another at the same time--

usually with humorous catastrophes.
Not the case at Ramsay!!

On site today:

SY

Kyle and Richard

Dave & Will finishing the new barn roof

Abbot Wallenborn's carpenters - at the new Carriage House

Kevin Kennedy - literally mending fences  at the Parterre Garden

"Do it right, or not at all!"

Clay & Josh Frasier begin dry-laying a brick floor in the old barn to serve as a kitchen area for our Farm Dinner at the end of the month.

J&A Painters - Carriage House (this pic at the Farm House)

"Lunch time!  Si ?!"

Bobby's crew pictured here installing the last piece of new siding on the new Carriage House!

 

Jess Haden & Mike - installing the new Carriage House deck

Zeke King Flooring Company starts installation of new oak flooring that we had milled from old fence boards here at Ramsay.

Wednesday 09.18.2013

T-10

Once again, a great and productive day here at Ramsay...

And again, only time for pics tonight!

New Monticello Dust at the outdoor fireplace

Kevin's new "courting benches"

Carriage House deck view before

Carriage House deck view after!

Yowell & Co. Tree
         Removal!

New Barn roof almost complete

Storing hay for the winter in new storage bay