We have gotten additional cash pledges totalling $752 which includes a sponsorship of the Interior Stairs by Lynn & Dacie Babb with their children Keith & Karen. Thanks to all who have given so far! We now have less than $3000 to go! It is, of course, not too late to make your donation. (shameless plug) 🙂

I also wanted to include this excerpt from a recent email exchange between Hugh Babb & our builder David Howard. It was very heart warming to several of our members who have asked me to share it:

From: Hug Babb

Subject: We Put it up —-with help

David, I sure enjoyed log raising day on November 5th in Greeneville–what a day–and thanks for including me as a part of the beginning–of going up–you said sometime a long time ago that —-WE WOULD PUT THIS THING UP —-Guess we had a little help–your crew and about 35 of my cousins–it sure was a day most of us will always remember as long as we have memories. Your patience never seemed to waver that day–I think my cousins got caught up with the spirit and really it seemed they really worked together–or did their best to help this thing go up. Some of them had not been together in several years.

I sure thought it was great to hear you and your telling us about Seth’s house and and other log houses–early morning and also that evening at supper time. I can still see you drive up at Seth’s house –you were on your phone several minutes–no doubt talking logs or something similar. That was in 2004. So thankful you have stayed with it. Guess you have a leak proof top on it or soon will have–hope everything is going well with you, David ! Appreciate you and take care !! Hugh Babb and right on !!

From: David Howard

Subject: Re: We Put it up —-with help

Yes we did put it up Hugh! One thing that has proven true for me over and over in the nearly 30 years of my career in this is that the quality of my work experience is determined by the quality of the client. For me Hugh it was an extraordinary day that I will remember and cherish the rest of my life. The warmth and friendship (or kinship) I experienced with the Babb family was deeply moving for me.

At the risk of appearing gushing and sentimental, that was one of the most fun days I have ever had, really no joke. My dear friend Jerry Strom that helped us and my employees all were talking about what a fun day it was. There were a few people who were not so sure but I never had the slightest doubt that we were doing the right thing by putting the cabin up ourselves. Well maybe that is not quite true. There was one moment when I looked up and saw one of the girls coming down the hill walking through the mud wearing a pair of boots with heals on the them.

That did give me a moment of pause. However, within minutes she and three other women were toting logs around laughing and having a ball. Those were some determined females. And there was another moment when we were hoisting logs up that I looked around and there were, amongst the men, were two women, at least in their fifties, pulling on the ropes.

I thought that was quite extraordinary and symbolic of the commitment you and the rest of the Babb’s have had to this thing. It just occurred to me that you all showed on that Saturday the same grit and substance that was required of Seth live in the wilderness in the 1790’s.

Those traits are inherited you know. So you know, we got the rafters on today and hope to get shingles on very soon. I want to get it dry and get the doors and windows in it and figure out what we want to do next. Let me know if you are in Knoxville any time. I would love to have coffee somewhere. Also, we need a spiker on our YMCA volleyball team and I have been thinking of you for that. Think about it.

Warmest Regards

David Grant Howard

Repost: Originally posted on Jan 3, 12