September Update

Here is the latest update on the building site.

1.) My sister's house is going up (see pic, right). She has the foundation ready for infill so the slab can be poured. The two maples to the right of the truck in the picture (that's my truck!) have to be 'negotiated' and protected with berms, levels, and an odd assortment of beds and plantings. But they'll stay! They are on the south side of the house. This phone pic is taken then looking up the hill towards the north. To the right of the picture is the pasture; my new possible house site is to our left. In the second picture, taken the day of the clearing by my sister's contractor's crew, you can see our friend Jerry standing in what will be the living room; the two maples are directly in front of him and are seen from the north looking towards where the first picture is taken.

2.) This house sits where my March 10th post "Tree Killer" shows. That site, chosen by *moi*, was deemed by all to be the most level and the best for passive solar gain. Ah, well. I'll move, Abraham-like, to greener pastures. Or, in this case, about fifty yards west.

3.) Besides the gravel drive up to the house site(s), electricity and water are up for my sister's house. As for me and my house, I have been working with several people here who currently (no pun intended) use 12v solar power only, and they've been pushing me to stick with my original plan to be off the grid. So I shall.

4.) I think I've got a mentor! Dani Gruber, she of slip-form stone building fame and the arid steppes of Western Colorado, has kindly agreed to be a resource for SFS building methods. More on this soon.

5.) Whilst I plan to actually break ground in October, the 10+ inches of rain the area's received in the past week or so is seriously hampering my ability to get to the site and do any prep work.

6.) Yet, even on drive throughs, various and sundry wildlife is invariably seen. And Bucky loves it (see pic of him at the site, right).

More, and, I promise, soon.