Preparing for building 2013.
As our long winter comes to an end, I look forward to another season building, maybe finishing this building. Even though this Easter weekend is in the 70's and mild in Pueblo, just six days ago, it was a blizzard.
I made a "map" of what to begin with for building goals: I will begin immediately with cobbing and setting timbers in the corners of the building embedded in cob, but this will require delivering sand to the site. Because I drive up an unpaved meadow which I maintain with woodchips and hand-aeration, I don't drive on it when it's wet. So this last weekend of my spring break from teaching, I at least wanted to go up but figured the ground would be wet...
I made a "map" of what to begin with for building goals: I will begin immediately with cobbing and setting timbers in the corners of the building embedded in cob, but this will require delivering sand to the site. Because I drive up an unpaved meadow which I maintain with woodchips and hand-aeration, I don't drive on it when it's wet. So this last weekend of my spring break from teaching, I at least wanted to go up but figured the ground would be wet...
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I teach painting at university, and I do paint, so I decided to do some plein air on site using a new little portable easel.
I set up on the north-facing porch with the view above. It was a great day. The land is so textured, I didn't know if there would be anything worth painting...landscapes and realism has never been my primary subject matter. But after painting, I walked around and saw so much to paint! And even though I wasn't doing hard work, I could feel how the site energizes me. I actually feel much stronger and more capable when there vs. in town. I'm so ready for summer and cobbing! |
Some views of the site after wintering over.
Eventually all of this will be under roofs with a porch running along the East and North sides here. I keep it covered in the winter for two reasons: one to keep moisture out of the masonry, though it would likely be fine, and secondly, to keep moisture out of the dry-stack retaining wall because I put diatomaceous earth in the walls as I stacked stone to discourage scorpion habitat.
Last last summer, my shade tarps (made in China) started disintegrating into a million small silver chips of synthetic material, fouling my catchment water. From now on I will try to use cloth tarps.
Last last summer, my shade tarps (made in China) started disintegrating into a million small silver chips of synthetic material, fouling my catchment water. From now on I will try to use cloth tarps.
South side, looking north.
There is great satisfaction in viewing a stone wall one has made. The time of day shows clearly how the site was hand-dug into the hillside.
On the right is Jen's lizard bench awaiting plaster. The pole will hold the end of porch on East side.
On the right is Jen's lizard bench awaiting plaster. The pole will hold the end of porch on East side.
NW View
NW corner. You can see the inside of walls are urbanite (broken sidewalk). There will be one foot deep of adobe floor on the inside then the remainder covered with rigid insulation then earthen stucco.
Notice the ramps–there will be a barn door here that opens to french doors on the inside. As an ATV shed this structure is not considered a dwelling so the Homeowners Association won't require 1600 square feet. This is just under 200. It can also be a fully-functioning ATV shed, greenhouse, painting studio...
Notice the ramps–there will be a barn door here that opens to french doors on the inside. As an ATV shed this structure is not considered a dwelling so the Homeowners Association won't require 1600 square feet. This is just under 200. It can also be a fully-functioning ATV shed, greenhouse, painting studio...
Stone / masonry
My building will be the only thing of permanence on the land. There is no road and fences can be easily taken down. I love looking at the masonry, though...how stones were fitted, the history they hold.
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There is a form to each one: flat, triangular, small, large, thin...and there's also a history. Clockwise from left: a section of wall, below, a stone nicked with the scoop loader when the road was being built, another with archeological evidence of bead-making. another showing layers of geology–eons of sediment from when the world was very different and lastly, moss which I try to care for so it can survive even on a masonry-set wall.
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Southwest corner
Soil
As mentioned in previous pages, I have no roadbase up the meadow to my site, so I don't drive on it when it's wet and I aerate once or twice a year by hand and lay fresh woodchips (from forest fire mitigation) when and where needed.
On this day, opting not to deliver sand but rather walk up, I see the soil is indeed wet and as it dries out a little, it opens up making it perfectly receptive for any additional moisture that might come. If it were driven on now, it would compact, water would run off, and erosion would begin as is seen on many a rural piece of land in this arid country.
The photo on the left is immediately next ot the east side of the building so I do drive up here in the summer to deliver sand, stone and water, but not now, and happily, the soil is in great shape. At right is happy moss...careful where you walk!
On this day, opting not to deliver sand but rather walk up, I see the soil is indeed wet and as it dries out a little, it opens up making it perfectly receptive for any additional moisture that might come. If it were driven on now, it would compact, water would run off, and erosion would begin as is seen on many a rural piece of land in this arid country.
The photo on the left is immediately next ot the east side of the building so I do drive up here in the summer to deliver sand, stone and water, but not now, and happily, the soil is in great shape. At right is happy moss...careful where you walk!
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Last snow
Part of making good decisions is observation. I saw that snow was last to melt on the north side of the little travel trailer as you see on the left, so I designed building with a porch on the north side (also cool in summer and to enjoy the view). Even though this Easter weekend it's in the 70's in Pueblo, and from town the hills look devoid of snow, you can see along the main road, there's still a good patch on my land (where we thinned forest).
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Headed home
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Keep posted in future months as building walls will rise with cob and vertical timbers inset to support girders; frames inset for windows; and eventually, girders placed on the walls, then roof. Wish me luck!
