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

BRK #12

One event has ended, and another has immediately begun. I'll have a few photos of the Permaculture Technology Jamboree soon. It's been enlightening so far.

Meanwhile, this past weekend was also eventful. I had time to do some chores and catch-up. This included "cutting the lawn" around the tent. This 10 pounds or so of cuttings were later used for mulching along the top edge of Basecamp I.



While gathering all the cuttings together, I may have uncovered a wild melon of some kind... Sorry for the blurry picture.



To wrap things up: I finished a major project as part of our "Nest Labor" tasks. There was a braided rug that had been literally falling apart at the seams. After spreading the repairs over three weekends, a couple hours at a time, the rug is holding together much, much better and I learned about how fantastic 100% cotton quilting thread could be.



Thank you for reading, and enjoy your day! :-D

BRK #13

Quick post at the end of the evening, smack in the middle of the Permaculture Technology Jamboree. What a wild week! So many interesting things happening just on the outside of boot labor tasks, and fortunately excellent conversations around mealtimes to cross paths with presenters and the other gifted attendees.

First up: checking out Basecamp Too today, I took a moment to recognize the health of the massive mullein plant along the top edge of the hugel bed. I wonder when this big plant is gonna start sprouting that seed stalk.



Meanwhile... Ain't no party like a follow-Caleb-while-he-hauls-two-300-gallon-water-tanks-with-the-tractor party:



Had a few hiccups on the way in to Basecamp once the tanks were filled, but ultimately the trip was successful. Other boots had finalized the install of the Kiddie Pool (or "Kitty Pool," were you to ask Magdalene). The submersible water pump ordered and hooked-up by Jeff was also a successful addition.



Thank you for reading, and enjoy your day...! :-D

BRK #14

The PTJ (Permaculture Technology Jamboree) streaks along at a steady pace, and all of Basecamp and select locations around the Lab are buzzing with activity. It's an exciting time. I have a few more photographs of today's activities.

After a visit to my tent I noticed this scintillating flower in the evening sunlight. It's not a dandelion. I've never seen an arrowleaf balsam root quite like this. Does anyone have any idea what it might be?



Next, the developments with the Kiddie Pool continue... Someone wanted a solar-powered water fountain installed for when it's running at full blast. Here, Jim J is providing instruction to PTJ participants Matt and Tim on how to properly hook up a solar panel for outdoor DC applications.



(also, Jim provided some pointers on making the coffee in the mornings, and Matt is currently our "Football Highlights: The Dice Game" reigning champion... But I digress.)

Finally, here's Cory sanding down a few rungs of bunk ladders he and I later installed in the Solarium. He and I work together well. It's like Tool Time, except that Cory is Tim Allen and I'm the other guy with the beard.



Finally, and this is bittersweet: I'd like to bid a fond farewell to Antonio, who first came to WL a few weeks ago for the PDC (Permaculture Design Certification) Course. He stuck around for nearly an additional week, stepping in and stepping up not only to fulfill boot duties alongside us, but also to spread his cheer, infectious good vibes, and catchy harmonica tunes. Best of success to you in Little Rock, man...!

That's a salsify seedhead. If you look closer, you'll see there's a second plant growing in with the balsamroot.

BRK #15

A fair amount of photos to add today. The Permaculture Technology Jamboree (PTJ) had both Saturday and Sunday off this weekend, so I caught up on some personal projects. The most significant of these was that I upgraded my housing...! It's an intermediary step, but a worthwhile one. All my possessions are on a single tent pad now, and my car is available for hauling, ferrying passengers and guests along with their luggage, and so on. Here it is while I was in the midst of moving:



Thanks goes to Jan White for pointing out the salsify seedheads. Here's one in my hand, so if you've never seen one you'll understand their scale.



Here's a photo of a recent unexpected guest at Swamp Castle:



Mornings can vary widely from one to the next. For example, here's a brilliant cloud-dappled morning earlier this week, when there was no rain to be had:



Meanwhile, an approaching cold front provided for this kind of misty morning the day after an afternoon squall (where I had the opportunity to observe the all-weather fitness of my new tent):



Finally: I've been having some issues with my YouTube account access, so there's a delay on additional video posts. Working on it.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!