Site Updates

Aside

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’m rolling out some changes on this site. For a while now, I’ve wanted a bit of an update on the dark theme of my site. I really do like the older theme, it was very low-profile and showcasey, besides I’d made it myself from scratch, but it was starting to seem a bit dark for my taste, and the site needed to be updated anyway in its methods of handling information, so I figured I’d combine the changes into one.

Originally meaning to stick with “good sites come from tweaks and enhancements over time” I tried pretty fruitlessly to figure out how to change the existing layout into something that would keep my old site intact, but capably handle a new batch of work. Because we all know I won’t get a chance to update with much more than posts until Christmas break.

Alas, I couldn’t help but be suckered into the promises of greatness from a brand new theme, and as it turns out, using the simple Twenty Eleven theme by WordPress has been a very smart move.  I started with the Portfolio Press theme but decided its back-end was more than I wanted, and went with this option instead.  It’s run very simply from my end, leaving me to really focus on the posting, and letting the gears work all the coolness of the menus, the home page layout, with its different post type displays and featured slideshow, and the individual posts laying out differently as well.

It’s a good jump for me, and as I continue to get used to its workings and take advantage of its features, I hope you’ll enjoy it as well.  Lots of new content on the way as I’m starting a new year in school, so look forward to that!  For now, though, check out my summer stuff, especially the Poland post, for sure the most extensive blog post I’ve done yet.

I’m looking forward to putting new stuff up, learning more about this new theme, and hearing your feedback on how the whole thing is progressing.

The Gwozdziec Synagogue in Sanok, Poland

Featured

IMG_5157 Yup, I went to Poland.  To help build a timber frame synagogue.  A replica of the 1731 place of worship.  It was pretty awesome.

The Timber Framer’s Guild was commissioned to build this structure, and Handshouse Studio organized a student volunteer opportunity to help with its construction.  My group flew into Warsaw, where we stayed for about three days, and then traveled to Sanok, where we were for about twelve, to build.  We then went to Krakow for about two days and headed home.  There are plenty of pictures and memories from the trip, and I will do my best to summarize them here :) .

Continue reading

Covered Bridge at Wason Pond in Chester, NH

Commemorative timber framed covered bridge over a dam

This was a post-Poland project (somebody said I’d caught the timber framing bug) at Wason Pond in Chester, New Hampshire.  It was a week-long project held by the TFG, and I was able to help out for a good two days on a brief vacation from working and taking a break at home with family. Continue reading