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Carla’s Niche
Avalon Journal
Copyright © 2006 L/L Research
April 4, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Vinyl Siding
Started the vinyl siding for the shed. Never did this before, and all the instructions said was “install vinyl siding.” Big help!
First thing I did was to break up the various bits and pieces into separate piles, then see what fit with what. A starter strip goes on the bottom, and the lowest panel hooks on to the strip to hold it into place. Then it is a simple matter of snapping the strips up the line, until you get to within one strip of the top. Another special strip goes up there, where you can tuck the last piece of vinyl into it (the top piece is held on by pressure, not nails).
It is fairly slow-going work by myself, having to measure, cut and fit each piece. But, should have some help tomorrow.
April 5, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
More Siding
V and I got a good pattern going; I would measure and cut, while she installed. The work went very smoothly and much quicker! We managed to complete all but the upper three feet of the sides, mainly because we were getting in the way of the roofers.
Roofing
K and G busy with the tarpaper and shingles. Hot work in the sun—and we ran out of sunscreen.
They were able to complete the roof except for the top vent (got too dark to work), which I’ll get tomorrow.
April 6, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Almost Completed Shed
Finished off the last bits of siding and the roof vent. Still have the window frame and a few more vinyl pieces on the far side to do; got cut off by some rain. More rain expected tomorrow, so I’ll probably finish up on Friday. But we’re water-tight now.
April 8, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Finished Shed
Finished the vinyl siding, and the shed structure is finished! Next, we are going to add some loft flooring to make use of the upper area storage space, then wire for plugs and lights (a prerequisite to insulation and drywall).
But it is HOT inside, though.
Shed View
This is the view the shed has of the field. The dead elm tree directly in front is scheduled to be removed, and the scrub to the left will be cleared giving a view of the entire 2-acre field below.
April 9, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Cleanup
Spent the day cleaning up the mess we made during the construction process. Picked up all the nails, roofing, bits of board, and general junk from the area. Looking good now.
Carla and Jim stopped by for a visit in the afternoon, and Carla had a bit of a chat with a couple of Native American spirits, whom I call Geoduck and Crowbar.
See next Carla’s Journal entry for details.
April 9, 2005
Carla’s Journal
Jim and I went up to Avalon on this sunny, mild spring day to rough out our personal house site, prior to deeding Avalon’s wilderness acreage in its entirety to L/L Research. Before this, it has been Jim’s land rather than the non-profit group’s, and it is Jim’s and my intention now to deed it to L/L Research, except for our own house site, which will be off the access road in the wooded hillside before one arrives at the meadowland and creek, out of the way of future farming endeavors.
We arrived just as Lone Bear was finishing the clean-up on his now-finished utility building, the Ute. It still needs a foundation built and drainage pipes designed and put in place to keep the small, snug building from looking like a floating Noah’s Ark in a rainfall of any size, but siding and shingles are now on, windows are in and the floor stands ready to receive the equipment needed to acquire energy from our solar panels.
We were also delivering KC, who has been part of the house crew for a time, to his summer posting as part of the gathering Avalon crew. And I was careful to take the time to say good-bye to my beloved old elm, with which I have communed so often, and which has now died in the meadow over which it so long reigned.
While Lone Bear, Jim and Ken went tramping through the woods to place flag-stakes to mark off our parcel for the surveyor, I went to have a talk with our Indians. Communing with Avalon on a previous visit, I had received the impression that Native Americans connected somehow with Avalon had a grievance, and I had promised at that time to come back and work this through with them. I went into the back corner of the future Sumai area and sat down on a felled log to await their contact. I tuned myself and asked to speak with them, and they were very ready to tell their tale.
Avalon said that these Indians were passing through the land, not living there. They had made camp, set up their teepees and their children were laughing and playing where I sat. Then white men came with guns and killed every one there, men, women and children. Avalon was devastated, of course, and had felt mistrust of any white man since that time. The energy which was communicating with me also said that on that spot, brother had killed brother. I had the impression that this was a different incident at another time, two white men who had lived there at the time of the Civil War, re-enacting the sad tale of Cain and Abel. No wonder the spot was full of intense impressions.
I spent some time simply sharing grief and tears with the land, and apologizing to it for the stupidity and folly of human beings. I promised faithfully that none of our band would ever commit acts of aggression and destruction on Avalon. This greatly eased the vibrations of this area. I felt the energy of the land heal. I offered to come back with my Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and hold a memorial service for the beings slain on Avalon. Avalon was jubilant that this would be done, and I received the impression that for the slain Indians as well, this would be a great relief, a freeing of bound energies. Soon I shall return and hold that service, and I believe that will seal the healing of Avalon from all past woes.
When I asked if there was anything else I could do for her, the answer was swift and strong: “Sing to me.” So I sang three songs, and I will write the words here to share with you, as I felt inspired to choose just these words. In no case do they represent the whole of the songs, and I write down only what came to me to sing.
“Green Cathedral”—this is a song which is recorded on L/L Research’s music tape, “This Is the Day”:
I know a green cathedral, a shadowed forest shrine,
Where leaves in love join hands above and arch your prayer and mine.
Within its cool depths sacred, the priestly cedar sighs,
And the fir and pine lift arms divine unto the clear blue skies.
And I love to walk at evening, when the stars its arches light,
And my Lord and God treads its hallowed sod in the cool, calm peace of night.
“O, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem”—this is a psalm which I have often sung at church. It is composed for a four part choir, and I was only singing parts of one part, so it is in its way my own little song:
Oh pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
They shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will wish thee prosperity
For the sake of the Lord our God, I will seek to do thee good.
“Amazing Grace”—this is a song most people know. What many do not know is that it started life in the seventeenth century as a folk song, a so-called white spiritual, and is native to these Kentucky hills.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
Through many troubles, toils and cares
I have already come.
‘Twas grace that brought me here this far,
And grace shall lead me home.
When I finished, I sat in silence for a while. Then I asked Avalon if I could do anything more for her. “Sing every day,” was the immediate response. How loving and eager this place is for healing and growth, for collaboration and shared life and heart with its humans! I tried to explain how I was not yet living on Avalon, but promised that whenever I was there, I would sing for her. In the fifteen years Jim and I have owned this land, I have always sung to her when I have visited, as I sit and soak in the energies of the place and garden around its humble shack. It touches and lifts up my heart to know that Avalon loves the songs and awaits my return with gladness.
Just so do I look forward to each time of coming to Avalon. She is beginning to develop some trust in her new humans. How generous and forgiving is her heart! As I look about me in the world I find it easy to be tempted to lose faith in the power of unconditional love. Yet that is the world which is now being born, whether humankind is ready for it or not. May the new Gaia find one of its first spots of true fourth-density anchorage in Avalon, and in the social complex of living love that we at L/L Research hope will take root there.
April 10, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Started Loft
K. starting the loft flooring. Found out fast that the roofing nails stick thru the board into the loft area.
Old Dead Elm Taken Down
Carla saying goodbye to her old elm tree, which died a few years ago. (It’s companion, now a stump, was taken down last year.) We’re not able to pull the stumps, because the roots are now an integral part of the old well (the stones next to the stumps).
K’s Strange Mark
After some surveying in the woods, K. noticed an odd scratch on his leg. There were lots of other “straight line” scratches all over both of us, but this was interesting because it looked like a Norse Rune.
The Rune is “Uruz,” or Strength. In order to find out what it meant, one usually uses a 3-rune sequence, so we got out my old rune bag, and Ken pulled a stone—first one out—Uruz! Seems someone is trying to tell K. something …!
April 11, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Loft Finished
K. completed the loft today, which gives us about 176 square feet of bulk storage. It gets VERY hot during the day, when the sun is beating down on the shingles. You can feel the heat coming in from the roof. Even though we have windows on both ends, there isn’t much wind to ventilate. We were thinking about ways to use the heat to do cooling, like Buckminster Fuller did with some of his venturi-effect domes.
Loft Access
We installed a 4 foot x 4 foot opening to the loft, so large, bulky things would be easy to get up there. Have to work out some kind of staircase now, which will probably have to go on one of the sides, because it is too hard to twist and turn climbing up the wall to get into the loft area.
Electrical Wiring
The 1st floor electrical is done. We’re going to run some plugs and lights in the loft area, then some floodlights on the outside to illuminate the garden area and the access road.
Next steps will be to insulate, drywall, then install the solar battery compartment and inverter.
April 13, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Supplies Run
The K. and I spent most of the morning running building supplies to Avalon, such as insulation, posts, fencing and the various hardware to make use of it. It was still a bit of a rainy morning (rained all day yesterday, so we went to Anchorage for shopping and a visit to L/L Research).
Loft Wiring
K. completed the wiring in the loft, including 4 plugs and two lights. We put in 3-way switches so the lights operate from the main panel downstairs, or directly from the loft (in case someone wants to sleep up there).
Also pounded in an 8-foot copper grounding bar, which is linked to the electrical system. We will be adding lightning suppressors to the solar array once we move the inverter into the shed.
Load Center
While K. was busy in the loft, I completed the wiring on the load center, and tested the lights and plugs. All looked good, so we ran an extension from the temporary power system in the Sugar Shack and connected it up … worked like a charm.
We are using the “60-watt” low power fluorescent lamps, which put out the light of a 60-watt bulb, but only require 13 watts of power to operate. We had to tone the inverter “search watts” down to get the lights to stay on, since they weren’t pulling enough power to convince the inverter that there was actually a load on the system (the default is 48 watts).
We reserved two switches/circuits for outdoor lighting. Initially, we were just going to put floodlights at the roof peaks on both sides of the shed, but somehow it just didn’t feel right—seemed too intrusive. So we are just leaving that part until later, and we get some feedback from C. and V. on it.
April 14, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Insulating Shed
Started out the day with K. getting nice and itchy insulating the shed. Next step will be to add the sheetrock, then we can move the power system in (since we are already wired up and ready to go).
G. was supposed to come up and help today, but never showed. I guess his “spider sense” was tingling that insulation was on the prowl … even last year when we were remodeling the basement at L/L, G. always managed to be absent during “insulation days.” It’s been kind of a running joke. One can just hang a piece of fiberglass insulation on a string around their neck to ward off G. like garlic does for a vampire. (Pay attention ladies!)
Widening Access Road
While K. was busy with the insulation, I did some work on the access road. We brought my box trailer down a few days ago, and given the length of my full-size, extended-cab truck and trailer, it was a tight squeeze in places. Since we plan to bring 3-axle gravel dump trucks down this very same road, we thought it wise to widen it out a bit. This involved cutting in to the hillside, which is a challenge at points because the sandstone and slate layers protrude at an angle, catch the bucket, and stop you dead in your tracks. I can certainly see why a bulldozer is preferred for this work over a backhoe.
The road is now at least 10 feet across, the entire length, but there is still one really tight turn near the top of the hill (behind me in the photo) that I will have to widen out a bit more for turning radius.
Piping Out Springs
A number of wet-weather springs poke out of the ground along the steep side of the road, which then soaks the road, turning it into mud. We came up with a “inverse sewer” idea to deal with this. Using regular sewer pipe, we trench out the section where the spring is, lay sewer pipe in upside-down so the holes are on top, cover with rock, then finish off with gravel. The spring floods the spaces between the rocks, falls into the holes in the pipe, and is neatly carried off down the pipe (since the bottom is solid, giving good flow).
You can see the white pipe protruding out of the hillside on the right, piping this troublesome spring away down into the feeder creek where it belongs.
Harvesting Creek Rock
The last big rainstorm we had filled my then-excavated pond site with more rock, putting the old “island” back. Started to clean this out, and discovered that it was just about the perfect grade of gravel for building a base to the road work. And there was, indeed, a substantial quantity of gravel in there, varying from sand to 6 inches of rock. There were a few larger pieces, which were mostly from me hitting the underlying bedrock and prying it up in sections.
It’s a shame it doesn’t photograph well. In direct sunlight, the creek sparkles with life as it runs over the pebbles left on top of the bedrock, and looks quite dazzling. The wide, flat look makes the creek feel quite refreshing.
Shed Access
We used some of the creek gravel to build a base where the path to the shed will be. It was hard-packed clay which would get really muddy when it rained; the gravel is a welcome addition because it allows the water to drain off, and is much cleaner to walk on. When we get the “real” gravel from the gravel company, we’ll put a hard-packed path to the shed door so things like the chipper and brush hog will be easy to move along it.
Continuing the Road
One of the problem I’ve had with clearing the south acreage was that I couldn’t get the backhoe physically over there—no way across the stream and up the other side. Now there is!
Even though the remains of an old road went up the other side of the creek, it has been far too muddy to run any equipment over it without getting stuck in the mud. The backhoe would just start sinking in up to its axles before it got half way.
The stream gravel gave a good solution—a gravel base to pack over the mud, providing sufficient support for equipment.
I build the base up from the stream, though I’m going to have to add some large rock to the right side, to keep flood waters from eroding it away. Working quite well now, except for that one tree right in the middle of the road. One step at a time, I guess.
April 15, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
More Piping
K. installing the drain system in the ditch I just dug at the lowest point in the road, to pipe away the rain runoff, which tends to make a pond there.
We chose a slightly different approach this time, filling with rock all the way to the top so that water coming down the hillside and road would fall into the ditch and get carried away by the pipe. This pipe also connects to the feeder creek as a natural washway.
Plotting a Garden
We will be running a fence line up the string seen here, for the purpose of separating off the unescorted “visitor” areas from the organic farming areas (certification standards need this restriction), and as a secondary defense against cows, which are grazing in the field to the north … already lining up on the fence line, licking their chops at our nice, green field.
We had to do some minor fence repair this morning, as their leaning on the ancient wire was breaking it in places.
The right side of this will be a test garden, to see what grows—and how well—in our native soil here.
I pulled up the top layer of grass to see what the soil was like underneath; not too bad, an organic-rich clay (but lacking oxygen). I cut this trench along the future fence line, so we could grow some snow peas or other climbing vegetables along it easily. I plan to mix in some of the stream sand and dirt in these trenches to improve drainage and content (too much clay right now).
The Grassy Knoll
Rather than just wasting the grass I pulled up from the garden plot, K. and I relocated it to the shed area, placing it around the shed on top of the gravel we placed yesterday (after a bit of leveling). Still need to add more, but this should take care of our “Noah’s Ark” problem during heavy rain. The grass will soak up a good part of it, and the rock underneath is providing good drainage. It also looks nice.
More Stream Access Roadway
Will my running the backhoe in and out of the creek for a couple days, the road I initially put in got soaking wet, turned to mud, and I was leaving 14 inch deep tire impressions.
Grabbed some more stream gravel and filled in the access road on this side of the creek (yesterday’s gravel fill out of the creek is on the other side, and can be seen in the distance). The rock is settling in to the ruts nicely, and giving me a more stable surface to drive across.
Started Fencing
K. and I setting T-posts for the fencing off of the organic farm section. We still have to set corner posts (wood), but are having a great deal of difficulty digging that 2 foot deep hole in this rocky soil. K. would set the post with a couple blows of the post-setter, then I’d ram them in with the loader on the backhoe. Save a lot of arm muscle that way.
An interesting curiosity … the surveyors were out today to survey off the site for Jim and Carla’s house, and the corner of their site is EXACTLY in line with fence line. Straight as an arrow, and we never planned it that way. This is usually a good sign that we got things right.
Spring is Here
“Spring,” as it “spring water,” that is.
We located a nice spring coming out of the hillside a couple hundred feet up the creek from the Sumai site. It has a reasonable flow to it, and the water is crystal clear and odorless. K. cleaned it out, and we’ll see how it does.
We plan to have it tested for purity, to see if it is drinkable. If so, it would make a good source to fill a cistern for Sumai use. It does seem to be the cleanest water we’ve found on the property yet, since it is coming out of the ground substantially below ground level from a collapsed section of the hill that has been washed away by the creek.
April 16, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Drywall in Shed
We finished more than half of the drywall in the shed. After a quick talk with V., we decided that a simple white paint would do nicely, since the shed is rather dark.
After the drywall is in, the inverter and battery bank will be relocated from the Sugar Shack and put in by the door. We have a composting toilet on order, which should be arriving next week, that will also go in the shed.
Started the Parking Lot
Started work on filling the low areas of the future parking lot, which will also provide access to the Sumai (walking bridge site is in the center, top of the picture). Fortunately, the creek replenished the rock I removed to rebuild the banks, and we’ve been pulling it out literally by the ton to build the base, so it will be strong enough to hold cars. Moved about 60 tons so far … another 20 to go.
After the base is in, we have to relocate the lean-to and existing outhouse in order to clear the remaining trees. Then we should be ready for gravel.
April 18, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Double Gates
We hand-dug and set the 4 posts for the double-gate to the organic section of the farm. We had to use a breaker bar and a sledgehammer to get thru the layers of sandstone and shale which started about 8 inches under the soil … 1/2-inch at a time! It was a lot of work in the hot sun. Digging, cleaning and setting each post took about 90 minutes of work. We killed the whole day doing this.
To secure the posts, we added an 80 pound bag of Quikrete to each hole, added cross-bars and X wires with turnbuckles to secure the posts together.
The actual gates were added on the 19th. Each is a 12 foot galvanized tube gate, so we have a 24 foot access into the field. (And we got a heck of a deal on the gates—about half price).
April 19, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
We Bought a Tractor
While searching for a used power auger (since we have a lot more posts to put in), we ran across a heck of a deal on a used tractor. A quick call back to L/L set things in motion, and now we are the owners of a Massey-Ferguson 165 tractor, with several attachments, including a plow, disc, harrow and auger.
We’re making the financial arrangements now, and hope to pick up the tractor by the weekend. This will allow us to finish our anti-cow fencing quickly, as well as get the field turned (it hasn’t been turned in 20 years!)
If things look good, and we can get a functional well or two in the area, we may just throw some seed in and see what sprouts.
This is also going to be of great help in smoothing out the access road. The backhoe is good at moving bulk dirt and rock, but does not do well at getting the soil raked smooth to make a nice base for the gravel mix. We have all the necessary attachments to do a good job now.
April 21, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
We Have a Tractor!
Loading the Tractor
K. and Don from Hanover Implement Inc. loading the Massey-Ferguson on to my flatbed trailer for transport to Avalon. That’s me on the right, down by the front wheel.
The trip to Avalon was uneventful, except watching the fuel gauge drop very quickly, hauling the Massey’s massive 5100 pounds behind a pickup.
Arrival at Avalon
Arrived without problems at Avalon. We unloaded at the top of the hill, and drove the truck/trailer and tractor down separately.
Loading the Implements
The disc unit was too wide for my trailer, so we had to load it on sideways. Not a problem, since we were able to use the backhoe to get it off back at Avalon.
Unloading the Implements
We just lifted off the implements that we bought with the backhoe, including a plow, disc, auger and harrow. They all weigh a substantial amount—something we really didn’t consider.
Some Cleanup
Finishing off the day we have G. doing some chipping of some trees remaining in the field area. Then, off to the Ponderosa for the all-you-can-eat steak night!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
I meant to get down to Avalon bright and early this morning, but that wasn’t destined to happen. First one thing and then another conspired to delay my departure. For one, I wanted to bring my cats with me. That meant setting up the kennel in the backseat of my Mustang (it’s a snug fit), and packing the other items destined to make the trip in the front seat. Of course, eventually I had to put the cats in the car, and my little feral one, Shawnee, is not thrilled about being picked up or carried.
Secondly, I got a wonderful email from an artist … if you read my story of moving LoneBear out to Avalon, you saw the painting “Squash Blossom.” I wrote to the gallery that features her work, asking for more information on the painting, and the artist herself—Helena Nelson-Reed—replied at length. I hastily read her email, and printed out copies for the house and to take with me for a more careful reading.
The other thing worth mentioning here is that I intended to stay two days … but felt compelled to pack enough socks and underclothing for at least four days. Also, though KY has been in the 80-degree range lately, the MN in my blood insisted I pack layers—tank tops, t-shirts, long-sleeved button-downs, hoodie, and jean jacket.
Finally I left the house at 11:00 AM. Part way to Avalon, it dawned on me I wouldn’t be able just to hike down the hill with my cats over my shoulder, so called LoneBear to arrange for a ride down in the truck. Had to stop at D’s to drop off his mail and pick up my 2nd litter box, etc., for the cats. They’re like children, you know—Mama’s got to have her diaper bag. LOL.
By the time I reached LoneBear at the top of the Avalon hill, I had my overnight bag, cat kennel with cats, litter box, extra cat food, and a box of lidded containers for general use. I was extremely grateful for the ride down! It would have taken a minimum of three trips (at least one with a wheelbarrow), and I’m just not in that degree of physical condition yet. A few weeks on Avalon should fix that!
Shortly, Bear, K, and G were off to pick up the tractor. I elected to stay and settle in to Sugar Shack. Mocha and Shawnee had never been there before—they’ll be 13 this year—so this was a little traumatic for them. I sat with them for a time on the porch, comforting them as they became familiar with the smells. Once they settled down, I left them there in their kennel while I began some much-needed tidying inside.
Months of being used for tool storage and occasional lunches had left the Shack in quite a poor state. I set to work in the “parlor” first, as this would be my bedroom. Decided to create “living” space and “working” space. Moved all working items out of the living space, and vice versa. Along the way, I discovered an empty black plastic trash bag, and began collecting empty Gatorade bottles, food wrappers, and other dribs and drabs from lunches past. Old shopping bags were collected to become trashcan liners, and plastic jugs checked for leaks (good for drinking water). Basic cleanup detail.
Once organized and relatively trash-free, I wiped down all the surfaces, shook out rugs, and swept the floors. All told (Parlor, Office, and Porch), it was almost five hours of work, but the Shack was singing again. I even got the tools sorted into logical categories—electrical, welding, etc.—and laid out so we can find what we need when we need it. What a concept.
Meanwhile, the guys hauled back the tractor and all of its attachments … hooked up the auger and puzzled out how to work it. Later, G chipped a couple of trees while LoneBear filled the tractor with fuel, checked fluid levels, and made sure it was well greased. Then we headed out in search of sustenance.
Thursday night is all-you-can-eat sirloin at the local Ponderosa … I was treated to the sight of Bear and K putting away a total of 13 sirloin steaks PLUS the buffet. Wow. For $9.99 per person, that was a heck of a bargain! I’ll be eating like that after a couple of months out here. LOL. But not yet. G left from Ponderosa to head back to L/L. On our way back to Avalon, Bear, K, and I stopped at D’s again to pick up the just-delivered composting toilet.
Bear dropped off K, me, and the toilet, and headed back to Milton for the night. K borrowed the phone for a time, and then went to bed in the shed. I, of course, stayed in the Shack … went out at midnight to use the outhouse and noticed the light still on in the Shed. Hmmm.
Closing thoughts:
I can think out here. The air is full of voices, but they’re in harmony—not all jangled like in a city. It’s about partnership out here, and humility, and respect. I can feel the challenge in that …
Somewhere, I lost my innocence—I lost that childlike trust that the world would work with me. I learned to take control and bull my way through—forgot how to relax and let it flow. I learned to stand alone, I learned to lead … now, I will have to re-learn how to associate and partner.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
Got up at six to use the outhouse again and noticed the light still on in the Shed. I think K must have left it on all night—he’s definitely not up and moving around yet.
Relatively quiet day today … raining. K was up around 8:30, cleaning up the Shed. We talked for a little while about painting the interior of the Shack. I’d like to clean her up, but don’t want to go so far that she has an identity crisis. It’s going to require a creative use of color, and K had some interesting ideas. He’s off to MI again, and D was going to give him a ride to the bus stop, so he climbed the road about 9:45. Good thing Bear called shortly after, because D thought he was picking him up at 11:00 … could have been a long, soggy wait. I went out for a good look at the creek.
When LoneBear arrived, we puttered around the Shed for a time, fixing outlets and affixing ceiling lights. We sorted garbage and discussed the need for a formalized system … we’ll put proper barrels out front of the Shack with water proof labels: Burnables to be burned, Construction Waste to be hauled, Household Recyclable (glass, plastic containers, coffee cans), Household Waste to be hauled, and Food Waste—SEALED. Also discussed the need for several “rules” signs—for tool use, machinery, solar inverter, garbage, toilet, and laundry. I’ll have to do some brainstorming on this later.
I mentioned the light on in the Shed, and Bear said we’d better check the battery level. Duh—I should have thought of that. They were drained nearly dry … will have to talk with K about solar power rules. We made a list for a supply run to Madison, checked in with the cats, and left for the afternoon.
It’s amazing how much of “work” is planning to work. We needed a number of solutions: airflow in the Shack, bugs and rodents out of the Shack (cats will help), roof repair on the Shack, ceiling repair in the Shack, etc. We had ideas, but found ourselves walking up and down the aisles, back and forth across the store, reading labels, checking prices, phoning L/L for info and more ideas, and generally standing around talking it over, hashing out “what if’s.”
By the time we were satisfied with our decisions and heading back to Avalon, the latest local storm was turning the sky black. I considered racing the storm to get out and back to Louisville … but, in the end, I really wanted to weather a storm in the Shack and see how she felt. So, I elected to take my chances with the road. If it gets too muddy, I won’t be able to hitch a ride to the top with my cats tomorrow.
LoneBear and I raced to get our purchases under cover and everything secured. It was blowing hard and starting to splatter as he headed back to Milton. I holed up with the cats; just as I closed the door and dropped the hook, the telephone rang. Jim called from L/L to report on weather conditions … sounds like we’ve got a doozy coming in tonight.
He also let me know that M has decided to leave the L/L household. I am sorry to see her go, as she is not only knowledgeable and extremely hard-working, but excellent company. As I look around the Shack, with the rain pounding on the tin roof, I see her careful hand everywhere. I hope our paths continue to cross … she has taught me much.
Closing thoughts:
My god—I forgot how beautiful it is out here! How does that happen? I grew up in the country … how does one lose sight/awareness of something that is so deeply embedded? I know I need the company of trees … I know I prefer the silence. But, how long has it been since I just sat? How long since I soaked up the essence of Nature? I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve “touched base” with it, but I don’t think I’ve let it sink in since Wyoming, last September, and before that, since Africa, in 1989. Just being out here is like a long drink of cool water.
April 23, 2005
LoneBear’s Log
Rainy Days
We did a materials run yesterday, so no photos of interest, and today is raining. Hotaru and I discussed how we could fix up the Sugar Shack enough to make it livable again, for the short term, and came up with some ideas we’ll be putting into practice over the next couple of weeks.
Mocha: “Today the Sugar Shack … Tomorrow the World!”
Hotaru is currently stuck in the rain at the Sugar Shack with her two cats, Mocha and Shawnee. The temperature dropped quite a bit today, hitting the low ‘40s, and the Shack’s wood stove came in handy—particularly for the felines, who love a toasty warm bed.
More from Hotaru after she gets to a computer to enter her journal.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
It rained all night. Not too much wind, surprisingly, just a lot of steady, soaking rain. The Shack did very well—I am pleased. We have a few wet spots, but nowhere near so bad as I’d feared. I expect that blowing rain would cause a much greater problem.
Yesterday, we found a paint-on roofing product that claims to fill gaps, expand and contract with heat, and reflect 90% of the sun’s rays. The tin is in poor enough condition that you could put your hand through it if you leaned too hard … so we don’t dare put people on it. So, we’ll need a scaffold of some kind, and really long handles on our brushes/rollers. If we can get it relatively clean with the pump and sprayer (siphoning from the creek), it should work like a charm. Here’s hoping!
It’s in the 40’s today and breezy. Still quite damp, too, so you really feel the chill. I’m glad I packed so many layers! I hiked up the road this morning to see if LoneBear might be able to get his truck down and back up. No such luck. The top and bottom are fine, but there’s that steep part in the middle where the gravel has washed down the ravine. The clay is very soggy and he’d surely get stuck. Rats.
No good way to get a wheelbarrow up, either. Which means I’d have to zip the cats into my overnight bag and hike up with them that way. Yikes! That thought precipitated a call to L/L. I wanted to get back in time to help cook today, but even if I hike the hill with the cats in the bag, I won’t get back until after lunch. I thought maybe if they were okay on food for a couple more days I could do the cooking on Monday. Jim picked up the phone and said not to over-stress the cats or worry about it—just wait until the road dries out. So—back down the hill I came.
Today will be a day of “country time.”
I caught up on journal entries and took measurements in the Shack for some of the interior work. Checked again for water damage in here and in the Shed … there’s one water spot at the bottom of the Shed door. We’ll have to find the origin of that and get it sealed up. The creek looks good—no excessive flooding, and Bear’s progressive damming seems to be holding.
This place is nearly square … or, at least, the walls in each room are the same length. That surprises me in a building as old as this one. We’ll find out whether it’s really square when we go to cover the walls and ceiling in the Office. Not likely, I think.
With the Parlor closed off and a fire in the stove, it’s nice and toasty. Happy cats. I’ll have to keep the fire going … the weather reports say we might get snow tonight.
Yesterday, we looked at lightweight paneling, hardboard, and 1/8” Styrofoam sheets. We can’t nail into the Shack walls because their integrity is already so compromised. We need a solution we can glue up, caulk, and paint. I liked the Styrofoam idea, but as a wall covering, it will be dented and destroyed in short order. Hardboard is probably the better solution. However, it occurs to me now that Styrofoam would work REALLY well on the ceiling in the Office. We could paint on something like the roofing solution to seal against water and bugs, then glue up the Styrofoam and paint it. Should be leak-proof and smooth again and also somewhat insulated.
I have a plan for painting the interior of the Shack. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so I won’t detail it here, but I promise to take ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures. Should be fun …”whimsical” would be the right word. Not sober at all, and yet I think I can pull it together so it isn’t obnoxious. Wish me luck!
Brrr. The temperature is dropping (I can feel a breeze through the cracks around the window behind my chair), and my little stove is struggling to keep up. Time to tend my fire and get some dinner.
Closing thoughts:
Whose sadistic idea was it to put a metal toilet seat in the outhouse? Brrrrrrr!
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
Went to bed at midnight last night … wanted to put one last log on before crawling in. My internal clock woke me at four to put more wood on. Good timing, too … it was down to embers. Ducked outside briefly … the moon was nearly full and vying with heavy cloud cover. Air was quite damp, still, but no snow yet. My cats were huddled against me … I wonder how long it will take them to figure out it’s warmer inside the sleeping bag?
Woke again at eight to a cold room and stoked the embers in the stove. It was snowing, this time—the heavy kind that falls almost like rain. Nothing sticking, of course.
I’m going to be optimistic about getting out today, though I wouldn’t mind staying. Will restock the wood, refill the oil lamps, and sweep up again.
The cats have figured out the bed. Mocha is in my sleeping bag, but won’t allow Shawnee to join her. Twit. I’ve rucked up some extra rugs and made her a nest in the kennel. Okay—it’s warmer in here than outside, but I’ve been sitting still too long. Time to get moving!
Just back from hiking the road again … LoneBear will still have trouble with the steep spot just below Big Bend. Still soggy with no traction.
Shifted the wood around … dry in from the porch, wet from the front moved ‘round back to the porch. Got all swept up, too. Checked the creek—looks good. As always, the water has found ways through Bear’s rock dams. So long as it finds multiple small ways through, rather than cutting into the bank and going around, I think we’ll be okay. I’m glad to see small deep pools forming upstream … they will help slow the progress of water coming down the hill, and alleviate the problem of our disappearing bank near the Sumai site.
I must remember to bring my camera out here! Must also stoke the fire and make some lunch—I’m hungry.
Started making lists. Grocery list for my next trip, household supply list … also started on a draft of the rules lists, and ideas for tracking our precious tools. We’ve got the Ranger Gathering coming up and I started an admin list there, too …”To Bring” list, Food Arrangements ideas, Registration ideas … we’re going to need Permission slips and/or Liability Releases, sleeping arrangements, etc. Lots of work to do, and most of it emails to send when I get back to my computer.
LoneBear called about 5:10 PM. Going to try to get out today.
LoneBear’s Log
Arrived at the Sugar Shack about 5:40pm.
A bit of fun getting down the hill; only two really bad spots, one where some runoff backed up and went down the road instead of over the hill down to the feeder creek (courtesy of me adding some extra bank to keep the trailer on the road). We’ll take care of that with some 15 inch piping under the road.
The other bad spot is right in front of the gate, where Jim dumps his excess wood from his landscaping business. It is a sharp turn, and there is mud sitting on a rock ledge. One needs to just “gun it” and coast across, because if your wheels stop turning, you’re history down the hill (as I discovered last year).
Got Hotaru out without incident. The sun had come out, and with the strong winds blowing, most of the surface water had disappeared. One of our new gates blew off its hinges, and the leak in the shed came from where the top vinyl panel had pulled loose. I’ll get that secured on the next trip.
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