!!!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

BRK #146

Sunday edition. It's cold and snowing. The forecast is calling for colder weather later this week, but today it seems like even today no one was really interested in spending time outdoors. We're girding ourselves for some serious building work. Both the interior of the RMH trailer and the Pump House roof are in our sights to be finished before the end of the year.

But Sundays are for Nest labor. Today, I did a bit of rug steam-cleaning, followed by a building project. I'm hoping to build a shelf for under the counter in the bathroom of the Fisher Price House. Here's the sketch I put together.



I was mistaken that we had some 1x6s on hand, so opted to use 1x4s instead. It took a few more board feet to compensate, but in the end I think it'll be worth it. I did some initial cutting today, and assembly will happen next weekend.



To wind down my day, I brought out the seemingly-endless rag rug braid. I think I'll start stitching it together once I'm done with my last brown t-shirt. The brown, orange, and green take on some strange shades thanks to the multi-coloured lights Grey installed on the Day of Light earlier this month.



Two additional developments to note:
- my camera is out of commission for some reason. The photos in this update - as well as any more, until I either fix or replace my camera - were taken with my old-skool flip-phone.
- the replacement pole for my tent has arrived! Thanks to Daniel for being on the lookout and adding his signature to the delivery to help me out. Installation should happen later this week. We'll see how much snow comes along in the next couple days.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

I've been watching the weather forecast and hoping your tent pole would come quickly! How did your books fare in the tent collapse? Thinking of you about a hundred times more often than I communicate with you!

BRK #147

Monday edition...! It was a fine start to the week. Based on the forecast, it seems like days below freezing and some single-digit overnight lows are ahead. A week from now they're calling for below-zero F temperatures. That'll be interesting.

But first...



The camera works again...! Funny that "givin' it the Fonz" cured what ailed it.

Back to admiring the weather. It was a mild day, in terms of cold. Last night's snow began melting just around lunch time today, making all travel - even walking - an amusing diversion. Before that however, there were signs that it was going to be a warmer day. Low-hanging clouds in the winter typically mean - at least around here - that it'll be warmer than usual.



I enjoy being a morning person.

The turkeys continue their routine, serenely clucking in the face of all danger and potential hostility.



In the first half of the day, Grey and I built a shelf unit in the RMH trailer. There was just enough time to attach one course of slats. The rest will have to wait until tomorrow.



In the afternoon, the team moved up to the Lab. Here's Caleb operating our sawmill. We really, really want a large quantity of 3/8" boards primarily for shakes for the Pump House roof (a project that seems to defy timetables).



Finally: while piloting the tractor, I had the good fortune of passing under this graceful winter arch.



Other items on the agenda:
- moving solar panels to Cooper Cabin
- making all structures at the Lab "rent ready" in time for the Garden Master course in January

We'll see what can be finished in time.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

Nancy Merry wrote:I've been watching the weather forecast and hoping your tent pole would come quickly! How did your books fare in the tent collapse? Thinking of you about a hundred times more often than I communicate with you!

The tent is amazing. It's made of canvas, and has an additional rain-fly layer on top. All that means that fortunately my books (and cot, and telescope, and, and...) are under a weather-resistant layer. So they may be cold right now, but at least they're not obliterated and/or suffering from constant water-damage.

I would love to live in there again as soon as possible. I am thinking I can set up the tent this coming weekend, maintain it for the next several weeks, patch up any holes that might have made it through the canvas, and then be ready to move back in sometime round the end of February. Temperatures ought to be a bit more bearable by then.

...Hope all is well in Baltimore, Nancy! Tell Bill I said hello.

BRK #148

Plenty going on prior to our weekly Taco Tuesday meal. I'll hop right to it.

Here's Daniel working on a crate for more burnables in the Library. He's been a solid addition to the team, who had to put up with me a lot today.



Grey and Caleb teamed-up to work on the up-and-coming shelves in the trailer. The project is coming along just fine, and I'm excited to see the final result.



I spied some more turkeys in the first part of the day today. This crew was maybe 15 feet away when I first spied them. They must like people a lot (or they're just... not too bright).



In the second half of the day today, Daniel and I visited Bartell's Bunkhouse, one of the structures in Ant Village out on the Lab. Personally, I like visiting this structure and enjoy my time spent inside it. I was pleased we were able to do a fair amount of temporary patch-up work here today with a bundle of wood scraps. I gathered several photographs of the before and after of adding additional insulation to the walls and in particular surrounding the RMH exhaust.

Here's the before and after of the wall by the exhaust.





(Tongue-and-groove boards are excellent!)

Here's the before and after of the rear of the house interior. We had a small amount of patching-up over a large amount of added rockwool/insulation. The entire triangle off to the right needed filling with Rockwool.





Right above the doorway, there was a large section that needed a lot of attention. Daniel and I were running short on wood scraps by this time, so while everything is secured, it looks a bit too patchwork for my tastes. This is a temporary fix, and I'll be more happy about it when we can go in there with some proper boards, do some proper measurements and cutting, and make Bartell's Bunkhouse a bit closer to its best.





In all seriousness, I think the Bunkhouse is a great structure. I imagine I could live in a place that size, with an added loft for sleeping. For now the tent (which although large, seems just a tad smaller than the Bunkhouse) will do me right.

To wrap up the day, Daniel and I stopped by Allerton Abbey to check in on Pearl, the local cat-on-patrol, plus watering the plants in the Greenhouse and the houseplants while Fred is out of town. Late in the afternoon during this season, I find myself admiring the treeline and clouds up above to re-energize.



Finally: not sure if this is easily visible, but it's rabbit-tracks on the snow. There was at least one of these curious critters avoiding Pearl and nosing about the perimeter of the Greenhouse.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!