A Diorama:The Ranch at Grizzly Flats

This instructable is a follow up to my previous entry, "The Use of Wood In Scale Modeling." Done earlier. All of the techniques employed in the actual construction are explained fully in that instructable. This is just how to arrange the various elements in a pleasing and believable setting. I named the diorama "The Ranch At Grizzly Flats" because this ranch was virtually in the shadow of Grizzly Mountain. Photos of this are shown next.

Grizzly mountain is shown in this beginning photo. This was the place I lived from 1956 to 1960. These were my high school years, and we moved to the ranch in September of 1956. Just this year I learned that the ranch house was built in 1919, so you can see that it has quite a history. It was an exciting time, maturing through high school, learning and doing all the chores that a ranch required, and actually coming of age. You know, first girl friends, first car, high school, leaving behind many child hood things, and so on. Reconstructing these buildings and displaying them in a diorama was a very nostalgic and fulfilling journey.

Just some quick visuals to show tools, materials, paint, and a few steps in the building process. Materials include; corrugated cardboard, mat board, craft paper, cereal box cardboard, wood pieces, glue and acrylic paints. To see a much more detailed presentation of all these items, please see:My previous Instructable:

This was the first of the four buildings I made, so it was a learning experience after some previous model making of a different scale. My first car, a '49 Chevy and was actually stored in that garage at times. It was in much better condition in 1957 of course, but it's amazing that it's still standing. What really blows me away is the fact that the door of this building is in the same position in all of the photos taken of it. I would go by the ranch on visits back to Oregon and the last photo shows a montage of pics drawn and taken. The photos scan a period of 30 to 35 years, and that door has not moved! Unbelievable!

This barn is still standing today although it has changed somewhat, externally. It still has the same ambiance, however, and sure brought back the memories of me collecting the cows at 5pm every day after school and doing the milking. Raw milk! Sometimes the cream on top would approach 50% of the pail's volume and it was almost as thick as butter. Plus all the other activies: caring for thoroughbred studs, birthing calves in the winter, storing hay in the middle and playing in that pile. Sometimes, just to lie in the hay and dream a little.

This was a small building on the ranch, and it actually served as a bunk house at one time. When we moved there in the fall of 1956, I decided I would sleep there as well. It was ok for a short period of time, until the cold set in, say in October. Oh well...There are precious few pictures of this building, and the best is the one with me on the horse, Old Paint, in the foreground. This picture was taken in 1957, almost 60 years ago!

I think I captured the essence of the ranch house, although it's far from perfect. Again, I just learned that this house was built in 1919, so it has come a long way. The first photo was taken in the 1980's I think, and the last one was taken this year on my trip back to Oregon in September. It has been majorly upgraded but the front of the house still maintains the original facade. It was fun to build.

Finally got around to painting a backdrop for the diorama that reflects the actual scene.