We made a dashing trip to Rapid City and back the past few days to take care of some business, and today we stopped in Sioux Falls and bought 4 windows for our strawbale house. I studied the books all the way there and back. I am a bit nervous about the next few weeks. We are ready now to do the earthbag foundation, stack the bales, and begin plastering. I am clear about the bale raising but the plaster scares me a bit. It is what protects the bales from moisture and so I want to get it right, but we have not done this before. For some reason I seem to be okay with stepping out and learning as I go. I remember many years ago I started an aerobic dance studio. I took a week-end certification course and then spent a month getting the space wall papered, mirrored, carpeted, etc. On the day the studio opened and the ladies came walking in, I suddenly relized that I had never actually taught a class. My heart was thudding in my chest and I stood up in my little leotard, put on the music, raised my arms and beg–and one, and two, and three and up . . .
A week from now I will mix my first batch of slip and plaster, raise my arms–and then go. It is a good thing I have spent weeks raking the slash pile–my arms feel strong and ready for this. Tonight when we got back we put some bales around the foundation, decided where our woodstove is going to be, and located all the windows that we just bought. It is a wonderful thing when two kinesthetic types get together to create something. We have to “feel” our way into the design.
I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m already moving in:) Stay tuned.
Jamie
The rafters are up on our house at last. We are planning on a blue steel roof with the earth plaster a pale reddish sand color. For now I can still see the blue sky through the roof. It looks a bit like a tower–very tall with a small footprint and large eaves. I can remember when my dad built our first house how my sister and I used to sit in our “bedroom” and imagine walls and a ceiling, our bed in the corner. Then one day it was real and we were warm and snug. I am imagining that for Milt and I now. Today I stood in the center of the “house” and imagined a small kitchen corner, light coming in the windows, a small loft overhead filled with bookshelves and room for a couple of grandkids who might come to visit. I am still in love with our dream and living each day fully.
Yesterday I picked a bucket of chokecherries and juiced them today. So good. I may have to turn some into jelly because Milt said he loves chokecherry jelly–but then Milt likes jelly–all jelly. Sometimes it seems like this forest country is one giant garden. Although my own garden efforts were pretty slim this summer (except for the berry garden) I am making plans for next year.
What about when winter comes? We haven’t made a plan yet. It is odd to be living moment by moment like this with no firm plans. We are considering trying a winter here but we shall see how the house shapes up. As long as we have a woodstove we would be warm in our straw bale–lots of wood available!
My mind begins to turn back toward my own writing, teaching, constellation work. I am ready to start forming something here–just not exactly sure what or how. For now I am absorbing summer, forest, berries, etc. My soul is still a quart low.
Onward.
Jamie
Today we got tired of waiting for the right logs to come out of the forest–watching the weeks go by without seeing our roof go up. We decided to take the 20 plus bales we had under a tarp and begin. We started a small “practice” structure that will be a pump house, shower and tool storage area. It was exciting to finally see a structure coming into view. Our plan is to use this to find the right earth plaster recipe for the cabin. The piles of clay, straw, and sand are ready and waiting. We even found an old cement mixer that we hope will do the job of mixing.
We are also in the final stages of finishing the textbook I have been working on all summer. It is a fine book that teaches the structure of the sentence in comprehensible language that even an old B.A. English teacher/writer like me could finally get. This had to be a labor of love for both Rita (the author) and I because it has been a long and sometimes tedious job. I’m excited that two colleges will be using it this fall–a lot of pressure to finish this Instructor’s Manual in the next week! As Rita and I say–Onward!
Yesterday I wandered into my berry garden and picked the first berries. I’ve been so busy picking the wild ones out in the woods that I nearly missed my own “harvest.” Since I plucked most of the blooms, it is a slim harvest this year, but what I picked was beautiful! One of the varieties has berries that look like pug little thumbs. Very large! It burst in my mouth. So far the beautiful woods have filled a gallon of blueberries and a gallon of raspberries for my jelly pursuits in a few weeks. I also have a very sore body from squatting and bending–but getting stronger every day.
Onward!
Jamie
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