A Stake from the Ground

Fencing started. And I'm glad I went by to check status.

As part of our green build, the contract was drawn to salvage materials from the west fence line. When we moved in, our neighbor on the west side was the original owner of that house. Before he passed, we got to learn several bits of history about the properties. One was the story of this fence.

The fence was original with the construction of these two houses in the 1950s. The original owners split the cost of the fence in a unique way. The owner of our property paid for the installation, and our neighbor wrangled the materials. He went to Napa and salvaged some grape stakes to use for the fence boards. To me, that was interesting, and worth preserving.

When I passed by to admire progress, I noticed that these fence sections had been loaded up by the fencing sub, ready to be hauled away. Not what I'd asked for. A quick call to Sean at Hammerschmidt started the correction. It turned out to be doubly fortuitous. The lockbox for the keys was attached to the old fence on another truck. While Hammerschmidt got the fencing sub to put the sections with grape stakes back, that lockbox was relocated and saved from its imminent demise.

I figure we can split the grape stakes with our current neighbor, and either use them in gardening, or have the opportunity to sell 50+ year old authentic Napa grape stakes on the internet as collectors items.

Opening bid, anyone?