After completing the work with GG yesterday, I ate a quick dinner and drove to Napa for work. Got here at 11:15 pm; waited to get my room key---and it was well after midnight before getting to bed.
Took my time. Stopping in Yuba City for a bottle of water, I saw in the local paper that 80,000 turbaned Sikh's are going to have a parade there this weekend. It's the largest gathering of Sikh's in the country. The Sikh's even won a lawsuit stating that a turban is just as good as a motorcycle helmet (doubtful--I used to work a brain injury unit); hence, a Sikh Harley Motorcycle Club is going to be there. That I would like to see.
The Mayor of the town is going to address the gathering. I guess the Temple there is quite famous amongst Sikhs. Why they would choose an agricultural town in the Sacramento River delta to gather astounds me. Why not a more pluralistic place? Yuba City is smack dab in one of the more conservative areas of rural California. McCain/Palin signs are everywhere. I haven't seen one Obama sign (let alone a Nader or McKinney sign) on my travels through this rural landscape. Seems that San Francisco would make more sense? New York? Even Des Moines, Iowa would be more pluralistic than Yuba City.
Makes me curious about this religious group and what their connections to Yuba City are...
This morning I gave Joni a quick call to see if the roof leaked.
"No leaks", she said. Joni went on to state the wind howled through out the night and that the rain was quite heavy at times. There were a few problems with tarps which she remedied by throwing a few rocks on them in the middle of the night.
No leaks thus far with our recycled tin roof. A good omen.
An ongoing journal of building an "off-the-grid" solar homestead, life, boring tedious stuff, knee-jerk eco-socialist opinion, work (as little as possible) and family---from the edge of the wilderness (where the Sierra meets the Cascades).
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Toasting with MacAllan Single Malt!
GG and I shared a toast of a single malt Scotch (in a plastic glass...just to show we aren't too snooty) to celebrate GG having completed what he agreed to do: put the roof on and build the post and beam. A fine partnership...
As I write this it is raining. No leaks yet. I don't think we could have finished this any closer to the beginning of the major rains...
The Ridge Cap and the Last Two Braces: Job Done!!
The Last Brace is done...
We added two braces...here's the other one:
GG putting up the last brace:
The Ridge Cap is on. It started to rain within ten minutes of completing the roof. As predicted!
We added two braces...here's the other one:
GG putting up the last brace:
The Ridge Cap is on. It started to rain within ten minutes of completing the roof. As predicted!
Bracing the Last Corners of the Post and Beam.
The last corner to be braced:
And the braces ready to be lifted:
GG finished up bracing this corner earlier:
Added integrity for the structure!
While GG's brother works on the Ridge Cap:
This will conclude GG's part of the deal. Today he finishes up what we have arranged for him to help me do. He originally thought it would take two weeks to put up this structure. It's been almost two months since we started. More on GG later...
And the braces ready to be lifted:
GG finished up bracing this corner earlier:
Added integrity for the structure!
While GG's brother works on the Ridge Cap:
This will conclude GG's part of the deal. Today he finishes up what we have arranged for him to help me do. He originally thought it would take two weeks to put up this structure. It's been almost two months since we started. More on GG later...
So when doing something like this, estimate how long you think it will take--and then multiply by Five. That's the reality.
As Storm Clouds Threaten...
GG and his brother are here to put on the Ridge Cap on the roof. This will fully complete the roof. Good thing too. As a storm is moving in. The roof will be tested, probably within seconds of the last finishing touches.
The forecast calls for rain through Monday. This should be a good test.
Posts Are Categorized...
Always looking for a way to get out of work, I categorized all the Blog Posts yesterday. I was hoping that you would be able to click on "natural building" and have all the entries come up on one page. That way a reader could have the whole process available; all you would have to do is go to the bottom of the page and scroll up--watching the photos---and observing the Post and Beam being built.
Didn't happen. Blogger would only give so many entries per page. However, you can still get to the end and go backwards to see the Addition being built.
Didn't happen. Blogger would only give so many entries per page. However, you can still get to the end and go backwards to see the Addition being built.
More Moving of Bales
I created a perimeter of wet bales to (hopefully) protect the Addition from having rain runoff go into it.
We were able to salvage more bales than I thought we would be able to. A month of hot sun on damp bales did it's work. The dry bales are now secure under the roof of the P and B Addition.
We were able to salvage more bales than I thought we would be able to. A month of hot sun on damp bales did it's work. The dry bales are now secure under the roof of the P and B Addition.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The New Window from the Outside...
To stay within our theme of: "Primitive Green"--we are using the recycled Tin on the outside of this section of the Addition. We will be using it elsewhere too. The family room will use this on one wall--in order to give it that warehouse, brewery, yuppie pub type of feeling.
A little dark outside...
A little dark outside...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Our First Window!!
GG and his brother showed up today to finish putting the wall up above the Cabin. They put in our first window:
We are using the recycled Tin yet again...this time as siding:
Photos got mixed up...here's how it looks before putting the window in.
Another view:
The window we picked up for a mere pittance on Craig's List. That's where we have purchased most of our windows.
And now the "Pink" Wall is closer to not being pink anymore. Adios gross pink stuff!
We are using the recycled Tin yet again...this time as siding:
Photos got mixed up...here's how it looks before putting the window in.
Another view:
The window we picked up for a mere pittance on Craig's List. That's where we have purchased most of our windows.
And now the "Pink" Wall is closer to not being pink anymore. Adios gross pink stuff!
Getting Ready For Rain...Disaster Planning!!
With rain in the forecast for this weekend--this time we want to be prepared for it. The last rainstorm (freakish really) got 190 strawbales wet and mostly unusable. What we are worried about is the uphill side of the addition. We do not want rain runoff into the new addition.
We also want to get the usable bales that are drying under the roof. Moreover, we want to dig a drainage system (temporary for now) to channel any large amounts of water away from the floor of the Post and Beam addition.
So this is the area I am working on today and tomorrow.
The vulnerable trench below. I will dig the drain even with the roof line, and have the water channel away down the hill on both sides.
Along the Post line below, we will build a Stem Wall. This will be the next project, to protect the inside of what will be our bedrooms someday. We don't want a landslide into our newly finished Post and Beam!
So if you are wondering what is next? Three things: 1. Create a drainage system by digging and setting up a strawbale perimeter on the uphill side of the Post and Beam addition. 2. Do the Stem Wall on the vulnerable side pictured above. 3. Start the Cob on the Family Room (where we have just finished 24 feet of Stem Wall).
So it looks like the new roof will finally get it's first test of rain this weekend. How will it turn out? We have sealant on hand for the roof just in case. Of course, I'll be gone and working. It's up to Joni to protect the addition...
We also want to get the usable bales that are drying under the roof. Moreover, we want to dig a drainage system (temporary for now) to channel any large amounts of water away from the floor of the Post and Beam addition.
So this is the area I am working on today and tomorrow.
The vulnerable trench below. I will dig the drain even with the roof line, and have the water channel away down the hill on both sides.
Along the Post line below, we will build a Stem Wall. This will be the next project, to protect the inside of what will be our bedrooms someday. We don't want a landslide into our newly finished Post and Beam!
So if you are wondering what is next? Three things: 1. Create a drainage system by digging and setting up a strawbale perimeter on the uphill side of the Post and Beam addition. 2. Do the Stem Wall on the vulnerable side pictured above. 3. Start the Cob on the Family Room (where we have just finished 24 feet of Stem Wall).
So it looks like the new roof will finally get it's first test of rain this weekend. How will it turn out? We have sealant on hand for the roof just in case. Of course, I'll be gone and working. It's up to Joni to protect the addition...
The Corner, This Morning...Before Buffing.
We took the forms off...
Yes! We have a corner!!
Outside looking in...
24 Feet of Wall...
And the view from down the hill...
Yes! We have a corner!!
Outside looking in...
24 Feet of Wall...
And the view from down the hill...
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Next Wall..We Will Have A Corner!
This is the corner where the Wood stove will go...
Happiness is putting in the last Rock of the day...
Happiness is putting in the last Rock of the day...
Hitting the Wall....
Tired today. Lazy. I got the forms moved for the next section.
I want to get this section done today:
More rock. I'm hoping this rock I collected will be enough for the next section. By the way, this rock is granite. It is reddish in appearance because it's been marinating in red clay soil for the last few thousand years or so.
Joni works hard. Always moving; never stops.
Buffing up the stone we set up yesterday:
I want to get this section done today:
More rock. I'm hoping this rock I collected will be enough for the next section. By the way, this rock is granite. It is reddish in appearance because it's been marinating in red clay soil for the last few thousand years or so.
Joni works hard. Always moving; never stops.
Buffing up the stone we set up yesterday:
About As Exiting As Watching Mortar Dry...
Not buffed up all the way yet--but you get the idea:
"16 Feet of Rock on the Wall...Sixteen Feet of Rock...Take One Down and Pass it Around..."
Angel wondering what the heck is going on...
16 Feet Down....90 more Feet to go!
It'll look great when it is buffed up! And of course, I'll take a photo of it!
"16 Feet of Rock on the Wall...Sixteen Feet of Rock...Take One Down and Pass it Around..."
Angel wondering what the heck is going on...
16 Feet Down....90 more Feet to go!
It'll look great when it is buffed up! And of course, I'll take a photo of it!
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