Esteban Ademovski

B.E.L. Post # 109

After the morning meeting, Stephen, Harry, and I made our way to the Abbey. The morning air carried that quiet kind of stillness the land sometimes offers. While Stephen tended to Cooper Cabin, warming the space and preparing it to welcome tomorrow’s guests, Harry and I continued our work on the cob floor—pressing earth, sand, and straw together, slowly shaping the floor and forming the cob that leads to the door’s threshold. There’s something almost timeless about working with cob… like participating in an old conversation between hands and earth.

After lunch, Stephen revealed a new project for us: crafting end tables for Cooper Cabin. I found the idea strangely delightful. There’s a certain magic in building simple things that will quietly serve the people who pass through this place. Pieces of wood, shaped by hand, becoming small companions to the cabin and its guests.

I’m really looking forward to doing more builds like this. It feels like the kind of work where each piece carries a little story in it.

Christopher Weeks wrote:Being able to just excavate a chunk of floor to make room for the peg-install is pretty handy.

Yeah, it’s a nice perk of natural building. If you need a little more room, you can just break some floor out and keep going. Way simpler than cutting and patching conventional materials ...

B.E.L. Post # 108

Today was a really full and satisfying day.

After the morning meeting we headed out to the Abbey and started making cob. The goal was to begin filling the crevices around the wood flooring piece we installed earlier. It felt good finally getting to that stage and seeing the piece come together more solidly as we packed the cob into the gaps.

Afterwards we gathered at the library watched an instructional video about sharpening a card scraper. Once we had a better idea of the technique, we gave it a try ourselves and practiced putting a proper edge on the scraper and using it. It’s a small tool but surprisingly effective once it’s tuned right.

After lunch we headed out to the Dances of Pigs meadow where we planted tree seeds. Once the seeds were in the ground, we put up fencing and mulching around the area to help protect the young trees and give them a better chance to establish.

To wrap up the day we shifted gears a bit and spent some time in the kitchen making apple cider vinegar and apple pancakes. It was a nice way to wind things down after a productive day and enjoy the fruits of the work together. 🍎

B.E.L. Post # 107

Today started with the morning meeting, and afterwards Harry and I began gathering the necessary tools and materials to continue working on the wood flooring piece at the Abbey. While we were getting everything together, Stephen was busy lighting up the rocket mass heaters at the shop and the Love Shack to get things warmed up for the day.

Once we had everything we needed, Harry and I headed over to the Abbey and got to work. We were able to finish laying the wood flooring piece, which felt great to complete. Tomorrow we’ll begin cobbing the section, which should be a fun next step in the process.

After wrapping up at the Abbey, we headed back to Basecamp and shifted gears to work on a couple of burn signs. We finished both of them and set them up on mini rock jacks and placed them at their designated spots.

To finish out the day, we spent some time tidying up along Complexity Trail before calling it a day.

Another good, productive day in the books.

Coydon Wallham wrote:Have all of the fence repairs been completed?

Great question! Technically, not yet—there are still several panels that aren’t up to ideal specifications and need attention. At the Abbey, about six panels are still standing but are propped up against a nearby tree and need work. Around ten panels with the Roman-style fort pattern also need to be brought back to spec. The remaining fifteen panels that I completely rebuilt from the ground up are solid ...

B.E.L. Post # 106

Today started with a little prep for the day ahead. I filled up the green work rig with gas, then headed over to the Abbey to make sure the cats were fed and happy. Their purring was a nice little reward for the morning.

Afterwards, I swung by basecamp and spent some time splitting firewood to fill the shop’s firewood holder. There’s something really satisfying about stacking wood and seeing the pile grow—it feels productive in a simple, grounding way.

To cap the day, Harry and I ran a little experiment together. It was fun, hands-on, and a reminder of how much there is to learn just by tinkering and observing. Days like this make the work feel full and varied, with a bit of adventure mixed in.

B.E.L. Post # 105

Today was a really enjoyable day here at Wheaton Labs.

This morning, Harry spent some time walking me through the basics of using the MIG welder. He showed me how to weld overlapping pieces, T-joints, and butt joints. It was my first time really getting hands-on practice with these different welds, and it was a lot of fun seeing how the pieces come together with a good bead. I really appreciate Harry taking the time to explain things and guide me through the process. Learning practical skills like this feels incredibly valuable.

Later in the day I performed some maintenance on one of the chainsaws, making sure it was cleaned up and in good working condition for future use.

After that, I took it easy for the rest of the day—spent some time relaxing with my dog and enjoying a bit of quiet downtime. It felt like a good balance after a productive morning of learning new skills. 🐕🔥

B.E.L. Post # 104

After the morning meeting, Harry and I headed over to Cooper Cabin to get a fire going. The cabin was cool and quiet when we arrived, so we got to work right away. For about 45 minutes we worked the fire—coaxing it along, feeding it carefully, and making sure it was burning well. There’s something satisfying about taking the time to get a fire properly established.

Once that was squared away, we made our way over to the Abbey. While Harry handled feeding the cats, I swapped out the memory card from the Abbey’s trail cam so we could check what kind of wildlife activity had been happening around there.

Before heading to lunch, we grabbed a bucket and filled it with soil, then carried it over to the greenhouse and added it to one of the growing basins. Bit by bit those basins are coming together.

Back at base camp we checked the trail cam footage. Nothing unusual showed up this time—just the usual quiet watch of the woods. With that done, we spent the remainder of the morning tidying up along the Complexity Trail before wrapping up the first half of the day.

After lunch came the cleaning blitz. I replaced the bedding in the cat box and then spent some time looking through a seed catalog, picking out three vegetables for the upcoming growing season. It’s always fun thinking ahead to what will be growing later in the year.

Later on I assisted my high commander with bucking, splitting, and stacking a log. Always good work—solid, practical, and a nice way to round out the day.

Another full day at Wheaton Labs.

Christopher Weeks wrote:

Esteban Ademovski wrote:...after finding one of the cats had passed away there last night.

I've never thought to wonder this before. What gets done with dead cats at WL? Bury? Compost? Toss into the woods for coyotes? Hugel-blotch?

Thanks for the curiosity! At Wheaton Labs we bury them on Raspberry Island. It feels like a respectful way to return them to the land. The spot has become a quiet little resting place for the cats over the years, and it seems fitting that they end up nourishing the soil there. Not the happiest task, of course, but it’s part of the cycle of life out here.

Beau M. Davidson wrote:

Esteban Ademovski wrote:

Beau M. Davidson wrote:

Esteban Ademovski wrote:Boom 💥  ... I'm ringing the bell ... I hit my 100th post yesterday

https://permies.com/t/192/361444/quiet-hours-bootcamp-grind-Esteban

It has been such a great experience being here at Wheaton Labs ... learning a lot and having many laughs along the way ...

Hey, congrats Esteban!!  Well done!

Thank you so much, Beau!

It’s truly been a joy documenting my experiences at Wheaton Labs and reaching that 100th post milestone — ringing the bell felt like a meaningful moment in the journey.

When you have a chance, could you please send me a PM? I have a few questions about what comes next after ringing the bell and what you’ll need from me moving forward.

Thank you again 🙏

I sent you an email.  Did you get that?

Good morning Beau ... I apologize for the delay was under the weather .... but yes, I checked my spam folder and found your email ....I will send you the info later today...

Thank you for your time