Over the past month, Nick and I have been working to complete the slate roof on the new timber frame. Slate is nothing more than split stone “hung” with copper nails on a roof deck. The genius of slate lies in its simplicity. It’s literally stone roofing, and incredibly durable and beautiful. Nothing more, nothing less. Slate happens to excel in this roofing context, and humans have devised ways to work with this natural material to create incredible structures for many generations.
Well, here we are again. Another year (of mud, timber, gardening, challenging weather, the pandemic, parenting, life on earth) for the books. In many ways, 2021 was a continuation of 2020. So many ups and downs. So many glimmers of both hope and despair. We all need a collective pat on the back, unironically. It’s impossible to pretend that things are “normal”. It’s hard to know what to say after a while without repeating myself. And so this annual recap exercise takes on some new meaning.
Beyond the pandemic and the continuing torrent of challenges, there’s a host of things to remember and celebrate. I can fall prey to pessimism pretty easily these days, so this is good practice for me. Life is indeed full, and here’s a glimpse of some things worth remembering in 2021.
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Hi there, I’m Ziggy. In 2008, I launched The Year of Mud while building my first natural home. This blog is a collection of personal stories and experiences building with clay, straw, and wood over the past 15+ years. A few of the things that get me fired up are natural plasters, timber framing, & Japanese architecture. Since 2012, we’ve been hosting Natural Building Workshops so you can learn essential skills to build your own natural home.
