Wednesday, July 28, 2010

the Shanty - from outer space!

Today I was telling someone about the Shanty for the first time, and he asked how close it was to the main house (he suggested I install plumbing out here somehow). I didn't have a sufficient picture to illustrate to him the shanty's proximity to the house, so I figured I'd google-map that shiz and show him the site as compared to the house. Nay, I shall show him the aerial view of the Shanty! Lo and behold Google had taken a new photo of the Earth and thar she sits! Smack in the backyard. And you can even make out the transparent roof to the North, with a hint of supporting rafters. Anyway, just wanted to share this artifact with you. I feel as though I have made an official architectural contribution to the world, because someone other than me has taken a photo of my construction.

That large rectangle in the center is the pool, you can't actually see the house in this shot, but you can make at the top of the driveway and part of the woodshed to the Southwest of the image.



For those of you who missed out on Blizzards 1, 2 and 3 of 2010, I am also going to include some of those pictures below. This past winter proved to be an excellent test for the Shanty's might and make. With minimal leakage at a few (anticipated) locations, the Shanty pretty much proved to be well put-together.







2 comments:

  1. LOVE the curve, as the more scientific of our pairing why do you think it did that?

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  2. So I just NOW saw this comment. If I recall correctly, that particular snow was of the "heavy" variety - i.e. a good compacting type. I believe the weight of the snow itself was enough to overwhelm the friction offered by the roof and thus it began to slide off. I believe the snow had the plasticity/tensile strength to hold itself together (because it is the compacting and non-drifting type), however it did not have enough compressive strength to resist deforming downward as it was relieved of its roof support. I am not certain as to whether the corrugated shape of the underside of the snow slab had any effect on its strength - be it tensile or otherwise. I am not certain, but perhaps the "curve" can be explained by the more exaggerated results of taking a ribbon or thin strip of paper and pulling it quickly across a scissor blade in order to generate a festive curl for wrappings and adornment.

    I suppose this process involves creating a higher tensile stress in one face of the surface? Almost like pre-stressing the surface?

    I may not have the words or concepts to describe it, but it is quite a sight to behold!

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