todo masa: May 2009

Some Photos from My Life This Week

Japanese Climbing Cucumbers and Persian Carpet Zinnia!

Our Garden Terraces

Ed with seeds in the cherry and live oak wooden bowls he turned

Can you see the willow trellis? Soon beans will grow on it!

Garden Smiles

Dressed up for Jessie's Quinceañera at Quail Springs

Candace is making a pallet palace for the chickens!

Cassie and I are putting windows in the Pallet Barn

And we got to go glean at a nearby farm.
Above is some of the bounty we brought home!

Wind

Betty and I hold down the carpet in the 60mph Figueroa Mountain winds. Then we all put some sandbags up to hold the liner down until the living roof is completed.

Patio at the King's

Dawn, Al and Ginger wanted a place to relax outside, have parties and play music. Ed and I worked on this project in between gardening, building and travel during April and May. The total paved space is about 1500 sq ft and we made it with hexagonal cement pavers. There will be more photos later after all the gardening and opening party. :)
Thanks also to Jesse, John Henry, Betty and Diane for your help.

Above you can see photos of the place before the patio.

Pruning back bushes to define the patio space

Grading!

There were lizards everywhere during this project.
I love how they do push ups.

Tile saaaaaaaaaaw!

The patio maestros.

Gaviota Coast

Earthen Renovation Update!

Back for another session of innovation, beauty and fun. We have added plasters, finish plasters and alizes to the porch, outside walls and in the kitchen. Walking around one sees many earthen elements seamlessly incorporated into this home. There are lovely niches and earthen solar tubes. It is inspiring to be here. I helped to make and trowel on a finish plaster outside this week. Ed and I are repainting the kitchen.
Check the previous post ("Aviation Grade Cob") for project details.

Above- plastering in process

Above- The view from inside the bedroom

The porch bench, wall and chimney we built are plastered!
Looks so good with the ferrocement roof!
The column which you are seeing above is the chimney from the rocket stove downstairs.

Kata and Erica put a luscious earthen plaster the kitchen ceiling bays.
And below, more earth plaster in the kitchen. Wish you could see the mica!

Above you can see a photo of Kata and Erica putting Erica's scrumptious cookies in our rocket stove oven tests. A terra cotta pot has been turned upside down and we experimented with a round piece of granite on the barrel.