Lifting the first log for course 4. We got a system down of lifting one end up and over the overdangles, then adjusting the slings to swing the log and bring the other end up and over.

John playing with his new "toy" as he breaks down our dirt pile behind the house and fills in the ruts to level things out a bit.

Ted is using a level here to plumb the inside corner of the first log for course 4.

Drilling the first vertical hole at the plumbed corner.

Ted drives a rebar pin into the first corner hole with his shiny new hammer.

Jillena couldn't pass up coming out to help on such a nice day. (Grandparents make such great babysitters!)

She got right to work drilling holes in the first log we put up.

There's Ted, just standing around again. :-)

While Jillena was up on the front wall, she helped Ted mark out the rough position of one of the windows.

By marking where the doors and windows will go, we can save on time, labor, and rebar by skipping over those locations altogether since those log sections will eventually be cut out.

Jillena also drove a few rebar pins, a job which Ted was more than happy to give up for a while.

She looks good up on that wall, doesn't she?

Using the excavator to lift a log for the first time.

Ted steadied the log from the ground and we eventually got the log set on the wall almost right where we needed it.

We still needed the block & tackle with ratchet straps to allow us to get the chain slings out from under the log and to fine-tune the log's position.

The remains of our dirt pile behind the house. More still needs to be taken out so that the grade slopes away from the patio slab (right).

Ted drives the horizontal corner pin into the south log (third one on course 4).

By dusk, we had all four logs for course 4 laid, but not completely pinned - a very long day.