! Josiah’s Bootcamp Log

185

I worked on more carpentry today. Measure cut nail repeat. There were a wide variety of clouds rolling by that gave the day an unsettled feeling. Fluctuating atmospheric pressure and a gorgeous rainbow ring around the sun.

The plants are really making a break for it. Flowers and lush green growth abound. May flowers. We have a little plum tree that is setting an aggressive amount of flowers. I wonder if it will fruit this year.

Also, selfies.

186

A day of many transitions. The taste of summer heat and sun faded to cool rain and stormy skies. Matt and I finished preparing the greenhouse for the glazing system, so tomorrow I will begin cutting the tracks and preparing them to install. Kyle hung the greenhouse door and boy does it just float so smoothly. Jennifer and I moved to a tent on my plot, just in time for the rain :)

Here’s to an excellent next chapter. Cheers

187

Another water run today and Kyle is now a certified water hauler. The pump motor didn’t make it easy for him, but he prevailed in the end. I spent a good deal of the day configuring the new PA system for the PDC. I dragged a tape measure all over the shop trying to figure the length of speaker cables we would need. I realized that wearing a mic makes me feel powerful. I should project my voice more.

I finally got to cutting the glazing track and ended up staying late to get it finished. I was immediately rewarded with tap dancing a’la Erica and some hot fresh sourdough bread that Matt made. What a perfect day

188

After several days of preparing materials and working on adjacent projects, it’s nice to actually make some visual progress on the greenhouse again. I did some finish trim work on the vents and the edge between carpentry and cob siding. I began enclosing the final wall, which is pretty cool.

189

Muddy boots today. It has rained for several days in a row and last night the soil reached a point of saturation that turned yesterday’s solid ground into today’s mud pudding. I discovered a new pond that has formed in a place which threatens one of the roads. A significant portion of earth slid from the top of the greenhouse. What a mess :) I’m sure the plants are very happy.

I started the day with a cold shower from a bucket, which actually really helped me warm up. There was even steam coming off my body and I felt very energized.

We finished insulating some of the interior walls and Magdalene helped cob another. Kyle built more door jamb and weather sealing bits and the space is beginning to feel enclosed. We also peeled and ripped some of the mill ends for the facade.

Looking forward to more tomorrow

190

Cob and carpentry today as we scramble towards the finish line. Tonight’s rain may be the last that I need to tarp the greenhouse for. The forecast shows a stretch of clear weather next week that may be enough for us to finish the exterior of the building.

Nina put a nice cob seal on the round wood roof edge and then learned how to mix a new batch of mud for tomorrow. Magdalene began cobbing the last section of interior wall. Kyle made some beautiful door trim. Jennifer got in the bathtub (finally). I worked on the facade and helped smooth things out wherever I could.

After work Kyle and I went into the woods in search of wild edible mushrooms. No luck, but it was lovely to be in the woods

191

The days are so long now. I’m staying up later and getting up earlier. I don’t know if I can keep it up but it sure is fun. We have been trying to get a group photo for a while now. It’s become more difficult now that we have a separate lab boot camp. It finally happened today! Look at those beautiful faces!

I  spent much of the morning working on the sound system for the classroom. It is such a small space  that the microphone picks up feedback unless the speakers are tilted up. Very interesting! I built two speaker platforms and ran the cables up in the rafters. Excited for the next movie night :)

The stinging nettle that I planted in 2019 from seed is growing well!

192

Finally got to installing the glazing track base bars today. It’s looking like it will work out and the glass will fit. We will find out soon enough.....

Now that the base bars are installed, we will take a break from the glass and look to putting the roof edge facade together and hauling some more dirt up top for the final grade. I want to have as much done as possible before we install the glass :)

Hot and dry today, it’s hard to drink enough water during the work day. I may need to start wearing a wet cloth on my neck again.

193

High 80’s today with blistering sun. There was a short cloudy shaded respite, and even a flicker of rain. It feels strongly of summer early this year.

Kyle and I worked on the greenhouse facade in the afternoon and got carried away working until after 7. It’s good to see some of these things finally coming together, and we are so close!

194

I stayed up past midnight last night making pizza dough and fresh lemonade for today. I was awakened this morning to raucous bird calls and the sound of thunder slowly rolling in from the west. I scampered out of bed and got a tarp over the greenhouse minutes before the rain and hail arrived. Luckily it only lasted an hour and had cleared up by the time my army of helpers arrived to knock out a list of tasks. We shaped earth, drilled holes in glazing track, cobbed, cleaned, carried, carpentried, and finally raised the glass on the south wall of the greenhouse. We celebrated by raising glasses of lemonade and taking a group jumping picture, which I will have to find and post here in the coming days.

Pizza rounded out the evening, and my belly :)