!! In the quiet hours of the bootcamp grind, I found myself: Esteban's Bootcamp Experience

B.E.L. Post # 91

This morning started with a cruise out to the Abbey, coffee in spirit if not in hand, and a mission to keep the junkpole reserves looking healthy. Harvested another 10 and added them to the pile — future projects will thank present me.

After that, I loaded up Roy like a pack mule with a hearty stack of dead fallen logs and hauled the whole wooden buffet back to basecamp. There’s something deeply satisfying about a truck bed full of potential.

I’ve got plans brewing to raise and extend the berm by the loveshack, so today was mostly a materials scavenger hunt. I also felled 6 live trees that will all have a second life in the project — nothing goes to waste around here, just changes job titles.

Wrapped up the boot day over at the turtle berm and managed to push it out another 11 feet. Slow and steady, just like the critter it’s named after. Tomorrow’s plan is to tuck those logs in with a nice blanket of soil and finish it off with some greeny bits so it can start settling into its new life.

B.E.L. Post # 92

Today started with a classic Abbey run — the kind where the morning air still feels like it’s deciding whether to be crisp or cozy. I headed out and loaded up Roy with a fresh pile of woody bits for the future project by the Love Shack. There’s something deeply satisfying about stacking up future possibilities, one log at a time, like putting coins into a savings account you can actually smell.

After getting back to basecamp, I shifted gears to the junkpoles along the drive. One panel was looking especially ready for a glow-up, so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. By midday, I had it reframed and standing proud again — always nice when something goes from tired and saggy to sturdy and useful.

With that momentum going, I started pulling off the broken horizontals on the next two panels. They’re now officially in the “mid-surgery” phase, patiently waiting for their new bones tomorrow. It’s funny how these little repair jobs stack up — one board at a time, the drive slowly gets its backbone back.

B.E.L. Post # 93

Started the day with a trip up to the Abbey, the morning air still carrying that quiet, slow energy. I gathered up another round of down, rotting woody bits for the project by the loveshack — always feels good adding to that future pile, one armload at a time. While I was up there, I harvested a few more junkpoles before heading back down to basecamp.

After lunch, I unloaded Roy and sorted through the woody bits, setting aside the good stuff and filling a few crates with burnables for the Fischer Price house. There’s something satisfying about seeing those crates stack up, knowing they’ll be put to good use.

Later in the afternoon I moved some logs from by the garden fence along the road over to the turtle lot to keep that project inching forward. Bit by bit, it’s all coming together.

Wrapped up the day by the drive, where I finished up one junkpole panel — always a nice feeling to stand back and see a section complete. Slow steady progress, but progress all the same.

All in all, a full day of moving wood, building pieces, and nudging projects forward. Feeling grateful for the momentum.

B.E.L. Post # 94

Today was basically a repeat of yesterday, settling into a good rhythm. I headed to the laboratory first thing and filled up Roy with more woody bits, then harvested a handful of junkpoles before making my way back to basecamp.

After lunch, Paul and I headed back out to the laboratory to check out some fallen trees over at the neighbor’s property — they had reached out to him about it, so we went to take a look and assess what might be useful.

Back at basecamp, I unloaded all the woody bits from Roy and spent some time working on the turtle berm, slowly but surely building it up. Toward the end of the day, I shifted focus to the junkpole fencing along the driveway and kept making progress there.

Yesterday (02/21/2026) felt like a good steady rhythm kind of day.

Started the morning heading out to the laboratory where I harvested some material for the turtle berm project and gathered six horizontal pieces for the junkpole fencing by the driveway. Always feels good bringing back pieces that will soon become part of something bigger.

Back at basecamp, I spent some time processing four crates of woody bits for the Fischer Price house, getting everything sorted and ready for future use. After that, I shifted focus over to the turtle berm and put in some solid work there, slowly but surely shaping it up.

Toward the end of the workday, I staged the horizontal pieces near the area I’ll be working on next so everything is ready to go when I pick it back up.

The rest of the day slowed down nicely — spent some time reading, journaling, and just relaxing, which felt like the perfect way to close it out.

B.E.L. Post # 95

Today started with a solid morning cleaning blitz — always feels good to reset the space before heading out into the day. After that I made my way up to the Abbey where I took care of feeding the cats and then spent some time harvesting more junkpoles.

Back at basecamp I got right to work and finished another junkpole panel along the driveway. It’s really satisfying to see that stretch coming together piece by piece. Just two more panels to go and that section will be fully complete.