helmhomeinspections: Summer Food - 08/04/07 02:41 AM
As the summer progresses, this Bellingham, Washington vegetable garden gets more out of control. The pumkins and squashes leap out of their beds and fill the pathways. The fourth succession planting of brocolli is ready to harvest. The corn is producing tassles. Eggplants have started producing fruit. Tomato plants and pepper plants … (21 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Ajo Harvest - 08/04/07 02:19 AM
Last week I harvested my garlic (Ajo in Spanish). I grow both hardneck (rocambole) and soft neck garlics. I grow several varieties of hardneck because I like their flavor and ease of peeling. I grow the soft neck because they keep longer. Hardnecks will lusually last till December and soft necks … (2 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Riparian Repair - 07/28/07 01:35 PM
This is a quick look at an intergovernmental/private money project to restore the riparian area along sections of the Nooksack River just outside Bellingham, Washington. This area, which is prime wetland habitat, had been poorly used for many years. It is home to many species of duck, overwintering area for Trumpeter … (9 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Local Independents, A Free Press - 07/22/07 09:07 AM
I'm sitting here this early Sunday morning looking at a group of local independent newspapers. These papers, in this era of only three corporate owners of news media, are the last bastion of a free press in this country. These locals, all with a slightly different political bent than each other, … (0 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Water? What Water? - 07/20/07 03:42 PM
I hate to belabor a point, but here are a few more crawlspace photos. Where does that water in the crawlspace come from? These photos, not all from the same house, show a few ways water can get into the cspace. Enjoy!
The above two photos show drain lines penetrating the foundation … (4 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Fire Hazard - 07/19/07 10:45 AM
I think a while back a colleague did a post on chimney's and their problems. I thought I'd show this one to illustrate why it is important to get chimneys inspected and cleaned annually. Creosote buildup can burn your house down. And it can happen fast.
This is a chimney fire just … (23 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: More Trees - 06/25/07 11:00 AM
On a previous blog post I showed a number of specimen trees on my property just outside Bellingham, Washington. The trees I'm showing on this post are some more mature ones. These I didn't plant, but were instrumental in making the decision to buy this property ten years ago. The gardens … (0 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Unique Home, Is It a Hobbit? - 06/25/07 10:31 AM
Went to a party Saturday evening at an old friends home. He lives on the side of Blanchard Mountain in the most interesting home I think I've ever seen. The pictures I am showing are only of the outdoors of the home. The inside is every bit as interesting as the … (17 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Garden Tour - 06/25/07 10:14 AM
On Saturday, my wife and I went on the Whatcom Horticultural Society's Tour of Private Gardens. This is an annual event that hilights private gardens in Bellingham and other communities in Whatcom County. This years tour was the 21st annual. There were five gardens in the tour (self guided), all in … (0 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Specimen Trees - 06/23/07 12:33 PM
I commented on Tony Moores gardening blog about thinking of all four seasons when planning a garden. I thought I would show a little of what I mean by showing a few specimen trees we have planted in our gardens.
This is an Acer Griseum or Paper Bark Maple. The interest here … (6 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Dutch Treat - 06/21/07 11:57 AM
Yesterday I was doing an inspection in Lynden, Washington. Lynden is a small town Northeast of Bellingham, Washington. It was founded in the late 1800s by Dutch immigrants. Lynden, Washington is a very clean and well kept community. The downtown area looks like a little bit of Holland.
Lynden also has a unique entry. … (4 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Is It a Prince? or What? - 06/19/07 07:08 PM
Took a break this afternoon and sat out by the pond for a few minutes. I happened to look over at the water lilies and this is what I saw. This has to be the classic prince pose.I've heard that one has to kiss a lot of frogs before finding the … (8 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Bellingham's Working Waterfront - 06/19/07 02:03 PM
Many people get to see marinas with yachts and other pleasure boats. These are a few pictures of the working water front in Bellingham.
This is one of two floating drydocks at the shipyard on the southside of Bellingham. If you look closely, you'll see one of the peaks in the Canadian … (0 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Time Warp - 06/19/07 01:44 PM
Went this morning to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. This is the place that the Alaska Ferry (Bellingham is the southern terminus for the Alaska Marine Highway) loads and unloads twice a week during the summer (once a week during the winter). Today, docked at the terminal were two very different eras … (2 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: My Town; Downtown Bellingham - 06/18/07 02:36 PM
There are many new buildings in downtown Bellingham, Washington that are interesting. The buildings I am posting here are all old. Some of them are on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. I hope you enjoy this pictorial.This section of the Whatcom County Courthouse is fairly new. I believe they did … (5 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Ocean to Snow Road - 06/16/07 12:30 PM
I had the occasion to work in the village of Glacier yesterday. It was a grey rainy day but thought I might take a few pictures of the diversity we find on State Route 542, more commonly known as the Mt. Baker Highway. This road travels from near the water in … (5 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Urban Trails in Bellingham, Washington - 06/14/07 06:38 PM
There are a number of magnificent trails in and around Bellingham, Washington. They are all a part of the city's Greenways program. Here is a list of five that Bellinghamsters use regularly.
1. Interurban Trail - This trail, for much of its distance, follows the old interurban rail line road bed that connected … (2 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Garden Tour, Bellingham/Whatcom County Washington - 06/12/07 05:22 PM
On Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24, the 21st Annual Tour of Private Gardens, put on by the Whatcom Horticultural Society, will take place. This is a magnificent, self guided tour, of usually, 5 to 6 private gardens. My own garden was on this tour a few years ago. This … (3 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Bellingham, Washington Outdoor Art Part 3 - 06/12/07 04:00 PM
This outdoor art blog, the third in a series, features art found in Downtown Bellingham, Washington. The sculptures on the back lawn of the Bellingham Public Library, are part of a revolving display. Pieces are kept for a period of time, then replaced by others. Some of the downtown Bellingham pieces … (4 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Bellingham Outdoor Art; Part 1 - 06/09/07 11:53 PM
Bellingham, Washington is a town that is known for its patronship of the arts. This blog series celebrates sculpture at various venues around the town. The first venue is the campus of Bellingham Technical College. This school, one of the most dynamic technical schools in the country, hosts an annual welding … (4 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: The Stimson Reserve, A Little Known Gem of Bellingham and the Whatcom Park System - 06/09/07 12:35 PM
On the Lake Louise Rd. route out to Sudden Valley one can notice an unmarked small parking lot on the left. This is parking for the trailhead at Stimson Family Nature Reserve. The core of this reserve was donated to the Whatcom Land Trust in the year 2000 in memory of … (0 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Why Go In the Crawlspace? Some intense photos - 05/25/07 12:58 PM
The following photos are reasons home inspectors need to go into crawl spaces. Photo above: Post in contact with soil; wet Photo above: Post in contact with soil: rot Unsupported electrical wires Soil in contact with post, too close to beam Anobiid beetle (WDI) infestation in beam Horizontal post; Dampwood termite damage This crawl … (20 comments)
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helmhomeinspections: Washington Wood Destroying Organisms (WDOs) - 03/20/07 06:04 PM
By far the most common wood destroying insect in Western Washington is the Anobiid Beetle(sometimes called the Western Death Watch Beetle) Hemicoelus Gibbicollis. Often misinformed people call this the "powder post beetle". True powder post beetles(Lictyds) infect hardwoods and appear in Washington primarily in furniture. The Anobiid infects softwoods; important because … (2 comments)
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