New additions to the family, floors and tomatoes

Here is Aragon, our new dog, taken off the streets in our village. He was in a poor state, but is now doing extremely well. Thanks to all who kindly donated.






















And this is the new kitten, who arrived as an Esme, but on closer inspection turned out to be a Ramos (Sergio).


Kitchen is coming along nicely now

So Lisa was able to make her wonderful chocolate self-sourcing pudding. IT´S FANTASTIC!!









































A welcome return to Anne, Karsten and Darius, with Helene, their new baby, who spent some time here last year but didn't see much as Anne was always in the way.





















We had had enough of gravel floors, so we made them all into lime ones, which dry very pale.

Here´s Claire and Tanja preparing for yet another bit of floor











Tomatoes were ripening faster than we could eat them, so we started drying them. YUMMY!!

Winter blues and spring whites

August

Plastering

Afterwards, the new wall was covered with sand and lime plaster. We went on to build the timber parts, the structural windows and doors, and part of the roof plate. We are so well prepared now for the arrival of the straw bales and roof timbers. The straw part is a fast construction stage and we should soon be enjoying the new rooms.

Two Rooms

In early 2006, along came Troy, Erin, Meagan and Drew in, wwoofers with plenty of enthusiasm and technical knowledge. We took off the collapsed roof, raised the walls, change the roof pitch and put on a new roof. All in the space of a few weeks. Later that year Erica, Clay and Melanie added their energy to the project and we completed the rendering of the first building.


The very same autumn/winter period, we added a new room beside this one, helped substantially by running a course for women eco-builders. I then wrote about this experience in 'The Olive Press, between March and May 2007, in articles called 'Women with Trowels'

First Steps

In September 2005 I finished clearing the inside of the little brick building which I guess was added about 30 years ago to the ruin. The roof had collapsed, the walls were single skin brick and cement and the floor was earth and yesso plaster. A friend helped me to put down a lime and sand floor which took a long time to harden as there was plenty of damp weather and no roof.