Ok ok, this isn’t my formal announcement for the brandy new site design, but more of a “hey! I’m incorporating the new site design and a few kinks need to be worked out still!” It should be a day or two and everything will be 100% in place. So expect my formal announcement once the last few wrinkles are ironed out! Hurrah.
One of my big projects this winter has been overhauling this here website after many many years going without a major renovation. I’ve been anticipating tackling this task and I finally hunkered down to do the nitty gritty over the past month or so. It’s tedious and time-consuming work, no doubt. The new design is shaping up nicely and I should be rolling it out soon. So look out. It should make for a better reading and browsing experience.
p.s. Did you know that The Year of Mud is 10 years old this year? Cheers to that. More soon!
The reward of building is seeing the progress and the character of a house take shape. This most recent plastering project has been no exception. Back when I saw the house for the first time in January, the walls were bare and the floor was gravel. It’s come a long way since then.
This photo sequence shows the three major phases of the plastering work we completed inside — bare faswall, the initial clay base coat and trim, and the finished product. What a difference!
I recommend viewing this image enlarged for the a fuller effect.
Our new baby boy
The day after I wrote the last blog entry, April went into labor. And on Saturday, March 5 April gave birth to our baby boy. (It was the actual due date, believe it or not). His name is Hazel Elliot and he’s a healthy 8 lbs., 2 oz. with a nice ol’ patch of dark hair. I fell immediately in love with this mushy little baby.
2015: the year we acquired land, built a straw bale octagon, traveled east and west..
It’s that time of year again when I like to reflect on the goings-on of the past twelve months, wondering what the heck happened to the time. There was no lack of building work this year, and some very exciting trips towards the end of the year… and then there’s the new land and a baby on the way, too. Hrm… this whole blogging thing might get difficult trying to hold a baby while planting potatoes in the upcoming spring, eh? Well, until that time comes let me take a moment to share some of the highlights from 2015.
Lighting the first fire in the new Kitchen Queen stove
Another big fulfillment came in the form of moving our wood cook stove into the house today. Hooray! The stove made it through the door, and nothing terrible happened in the process either. Mind you, the stove weights 750 pounds, so it was no slouch trying to maneuver the beast into its final resting place. We found this beauty on craigslist months ago — it’s a Kitchen Queen 480, an Amish-made wood cook stove of epic proportions. Here you can see me about to light the first fire… yes, it was a giddy moment for me.
Our natural oil finish in the process of going on the new red oak floor
Well dang, I’ve been waiting many days for this moment. Right now I’m happily sitting in a chair on our hardwood floor. That doesn’t sound particularly thrilling without any context though, I know. So… after days of grueling installation and sanding, we finally got to put the finishing touch on our new red oak floor — a special natural oil floor finish, one we’ve never before used. The application was a breeze / dream, your choice of cliche.
Really though, the finish went on extremely well. Best of all, of course, is that it’s a natural oil finish. This particular product is linseed oil-based (no polyurethane or VOCs here, thanks), it goes on in a single coat, and it gives the hardwood floor a beautiful “natural” tone and low gloss finish. The particular natural hardwood floor finish that I’m describing here is Rubio Monocoat, which I’ll talk more about below. So far, I really like it.
!!!
I’ve got an exciting announcement to share with you all. I’ve been waiting to really share this news for a little while, and now’s the time. The newest addition to our lives is better than the new land, or any house or cool building project… it’s a little baby. April is pregnant, and she is due in early March. Wow! This is by far the most exciting thing that’s happened for us, even moreso than acquiring land this year and all the other great things that are happening in our lives. Life is about to get really interesting, I must say. I’m looking forward to parenthood and having a little one running about. I already have visions of the baby’s first fistful of cob, and tromping around in the garden… oh yea.
It’s been remarkable to experience all the changes in April’s body. Thankfully, April’s health is really sound right now and she is physically feeling quite good. A bit of sore muscles here and there, but things must be alright if she’s able to paint the walls of our house, and cook big meals and plaster walls… There’s nothing more remarkable than a woman’s body and the ability to grow a tiny person, right? Unreal…
Well, until March… we have some time to prepare, thank goodness!
The NBC20 crowd
What do you get when you assemble 150 natural builders and seven days in the middle of nowhere, New Mexico? A whole lot of jabbering, that’s for sure. Seriously though, the recent Natural Building Colloquium is what I’m referring to. April and I just returned from a long stint out west, where we participated in the 20th (!) anniversary Natural Building Colloquium (NBC). Twenty years ago (21 to be really precise), the idea was hatched to gather individuals from across the country to share ideas and inspiration, and to further the goals of the natural building community. And thus the Colloquium was born. A lot has happened in the time since the first gathering, and this year’s event provided a great opportunity to reflect on the history of the movement.
I’m back from the foothills of the Gila National Forest in NM… where the sun shines bright and the soil is deep brown & beautiful
It’s one month later… and we’re back in Kentucky after a rather long road trip. I’ve been enjoying the break from the computer/internets, to be frank… that’s no offense to you though, dear reader. It’s nice to be unplugged for a good stint. I am, however, excited about sorting through my photos from New Mexico and the Natural Building Colloquium to share here. It might take me a few days. We have a moving truck from Dancing Rabbit to unload and I suspect the return to remodeling the house here will be swift.
All is well… keep posted for some insights from the Colloquium and more.
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.
