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

Today was a much gentler pace, and honestly, it felt right.

I slept in a bit this morning and took the time to enjoy some slow moments—playing with the cats and easing into the day instead of jumping straight into boot stuff. Later on, I filled up one of the work rigs with gas so it’s ready to go when needed.

The rest of the day was intentionally low-key. I spent time with my dog, did some reading, journaling, and gave myself space to rest and reset. Not every day here is about moving logs or running tools—today was about recovery, reflection, and keeping the mind and body balanced so I can show up strong for the days ahead.

Grateful for the quiet moments and the chance to slow down.

B.E.L. Post # 71

After this morning’s cleaning blitz, the pace of the day settled into a nice, steady rhythm. I processed one crate’s worth of woody bits and topped off the gas on one of the work rigs, taking care of a few practical odds and ends around basecamp.

Later on, Samantha showed me the basics of knitting, which was a fun change of pace and a good reminder that learning here comes in many forms. I also spent some time watching "The Wicked" and made solid progress on my online permaculture design course. Overall, it was a balanced day—some hands-on work, some learning, and some well-earned downtime.

Yesterday 01/19/2026

After the morning meeting, I spent the first part of the day processing 5 crates worth of woody bits and 1 crate worth of cardboard, then hauled everything over to the Fisher Price house. I also took some time to service a chainsaw, making sure it was ready for more work ahead.

Later, I worked on adding soil from my beautification project on top of the turtle berm, slowly building it up and shaping it a bit more.

For the second half of the day at the Abbey, I was back on the last section of junkpoles. I managed to get one vertical post set, with many more still to go, but it felt good to keep making steady progress on this final stretch.

B.E L. Post # 72

After the morning meeting, I headed to the shop and processed four more crates of woody bits, along with some additional cardboard. After that, I serviced another chainsaw and then made my way up near Raspberry Rock, where I took care of two trees that had fallen across the path.

I bucked both trees and laid the logs on top of the turtle berm to continue increasing its height. The plan is to add soil from the beautification project on top of the wood as well, helping build it up over time.

For the second half of the day, I focused on rebuilding the junkpole fencing and added two more vertical posts to that section. Steady progress, one post at a time.

Feeling good about the momentum today and how these projects are slowly coming together.

Hey Esteban, what does "processing woody bits" mean?  Where is the wood coming from that you're processing?  It seems you're making them into short chunks. I thought J tubes liked longer pieces?  Curious mind wants to know :)