This morning, drooling over my new cable connection, I took my video camera and Red over to the new farm and decided to make a movie of the new farm, inside and out. I wanted to capture some of the renovations, the new work on the barn, Red and Rocky,  the slate excavations and the very special feel of the place. It is rich with character and characters. There are many actors on this farm – Red, Rocky, Florence Walrath, Maria, the old farmhouse, Ajay, our neighbor Jenna Woginrich, Momma’s,  the collapsed barn, the old wood stove (already the subject of many alarmed e-mails from unsolicited advisers) the traffic outside, but I suppose if there was a single star, it would be Ben Osterhaudt, a carpenter, restorer, friend and the supervisor/producer/maestro of our frantic and underfunded efforts to move into this place on a magically shrinking budget.

Ben has been amazing, and if we pull it off it will be largely due to his creative, energetic and resourceful self. He is everywhere, talking to electricians, negotiating with scalpers, putting up the pole barn, crawling around repairing the slate roof, spackling and sanding, encouraging and helpful. We have not yet found anything Ben does not do. He understands that we are working with a small budget and he is finding all sorts of ways to save money and so great work.

When he finishes with the pole barn – I was shocked to hear him say he expects to finish it by the end of the week – he will take on the renovation of Maria’s Studio. Maria has worked as hard or harder than Ben, painting, cleaning, scraping wallpaper.  But she and I both have our real work to do, and this is Ben’s real work and he is the hero of this drive, the star of the movie. His presence is felt everywhere, and is much appreciated. Today he took a break for 10 minutes and lunch was a can of Red Bull. He does all of these things with a smile, an easy and honest matter and a desire to do good work and help out. We appreciate him. While the movie goes on a tour of the house and the barns, and Ben is only a part of it, this film is dedicated to him.