There are two aspects of building foundations that Mr. D. is especially drawn to.

First, if you get the first stage right, the rest of the structure can withstand almost any future force. Secondly, after the foundation gets backfilled, it's the part no one sees (it's typically the hidden parts that provide the greatest strength).

The photo to the right shows the laying out of the forms for the footing of our cottage greenhouse on the Canadain Shield that I started to build in the summer of 2005. By the time September rolled around I had poured the concrete. This stage I liken to our first ACES course, in Grade 10.

The summer after, I laid the blocks and faced them with granite sets. (Roll over to see). These stages I liken to our Grade 11 and 12 courses.

In summary, how you construct, and what you eventually add, to your ACES Foundation is entirely up to you but, with a solid footing in place, strength and permanence are established.

In 2008, the greenhouse was finished.