One year ago, our straw bale house was nothing more than a handful of holes dug in the ground. Now it’s got a completed timber frame, it is fully baled in and at least partly plastered over the interior and exterior, and half of the soil has been hauled up to the rooftop. The floor platform is insulated, we’re beginning to close in the porch, and I think I can say that things are looking pretty good coming into year two of building our timber frame and straw bale home.

This year, we get to do more first coat plaster, but even more finish earthen and lime plaster, install finish floors upstairs and downstairs, close in the north porch and build our rustic kitchen, finish the roof, and build our attached greenhouse. Oh, and build the spiral staircase, and a handful of other finish work tasks.

I am probably most excited about closing in the porch and getting a greenhouse built, as well as doing more plaster work. If I never have to get up on the roof again, I’d be a happy guy, but alas… I just have to keep telling myself it’s almost there, and that day will come soon enough. Getting the roof done will probably make the biggest aesthetic difference, so I should keep that in mind, too. Exposed EPDM membrane just doesn’t look so hot.

I fully plan on not going as crazy as we did last season, when we had to perform feats of endurance and strength on a massively tight deadline in massively record-breaking heat waves. I mean, I did enjoy myself much of the time, but wow… I really don’t want to do that on a regular basis.

Keep tuned as we begin our 2013 building season. I will also probably do some time traveling backwards and write more about what I didn’t have time to cover in 2012.