Our photographer, Karen Shull, who took hundreds of really good pictures of our antics. I got my revenge with this shot...I offered to hold the camera while she climbed the ladder. After that, she didn't let me get hold of the camera again....
Rain barn roofing team: Here are most of the people who worked on the rain-barn roof. L to R, Kerry Fabry, Judy Fabry, Richard Moon (hiding behind the ladder), Ferris Duhon, Michael Moon, Elizabeth Moon, and John McLean. Ruta Duhon was another helper as was Susannah (she's only 15; not publishing a last name) until she got too cold. It was cold and windy all day.
Getting to and from the work site involved a trek across the fields and through the woods; this picture was of the homeward-bound-for-lunch group, but it could as well have been heading back to work or coming home in late afternoon.	The trusses are triangular framed with a "kingpost" from the apex to the middle of the base. They're put up on the frame that goes around the posts, where they lie flat until they're lifted, one by one. They have no stability at first; the board John McLean is holding at the top is a jig with slots cut to space them properly until they're secured in place. I'm on the ladder fitting a spacer block between the base on this (the south) side: trusses need to be vertical and parallel to one another.
What keeps the trusses upright are purlins, in this case 2x4s, that run lengthways across the trusses, and the hurricane clips that fasten the trusses to the girders that run around the poles. It's important that purlins be evenly spaced and level, because the roof panels will be screwed into the purlins. Here John McLean and Kerry Fabry are adjusting a purlin before securing it.
And here Kerry is putting nails into a hurricane clip securing one end of a truss.
Once the purlins are complete for enough trusses, it's time for the roof panels to be screwed in; this adds to the stability. Here Judy Fabry and I (I'm on the far side, in shadow) are lifting a panel up to Richard on the scaffold; you can tell by the tip of the cedar tree in the background that the wind is blowing pretty strongly. This is the second panel; the first is just visible on the roof behind Richard.	Richard holds the bottom end of the first panel in place, and Michael the top; Ferris is about to put in the first screw, while Kerry helps ensure that the panel stays "square" on the roof.
Judy and I had time to relax and chat between lifting panels.
"Don't try this at home..." and other sayings apply... The last truss on the end is tricky, because it can easily fall out and off (and break)--so someone needs to have a long pole and apply pressure. There was nothing the right height to prop the truss-lifting pole on except my head...so I was able to provide a little light amusement for the group. I had to lighten this shot, as the sun was sinking and the shadows were dark.	Kerry and John hurry to get the last purlins on.
Ferris, Kerry, John, Richard, and Judy are all determined to finish it NOW.	A lot of work done: all the trusses, all the purlins, and six of the roof panels on. The "ground crew" has been cleaning up loose bits of lumber and stacking tools back into boxes to be wheeled home in the garden cart.
Michael and I take Kerry's big ladder back to the house.

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