No New Tale To Tale

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.......... NO NEW TALE TO TELL...
Oh yeah. I forgot the plumber was on vacation. So if you want modern house kit updates, skip on.
I'll bore ya.




But IF you want to hear about

• The Big Buck finally being spotted after cat-and-mouse tracking of 4 years, AND that he really *was* the size of a small horse, still majestically mythic for me but witnessed by my husband and Mr. H,
• That, like the song above, the trails are overgrown after the mid-summer cutting and we are actively, selectively shaping things to let some trees breathe and not get choked by weeds/seedlings,
  
• IF you want to hear about the small community library cookout in an old 1800's train depot along a ghost town-fronted street, where an endless train did rattle by not 5 feet outside while we ate inside, shaking the windows while the children gaped and I absorbed black and white photographs of generations of tales and stories of this community hung along its walls,
  
• IF you want to imagine the climbing of impossible hills, the discovering of more secret places, tilting back in your chair at night, craning your neck waaaaaaaaay back to see... galaxies with no light pollution
• Remember those $2 doors from the 1900s I bought (and felt so guilty I paid $4 apiece?)? We also dragged them out for reuse on top o' bins to make a nice picnic table with a smorgasborad o' camping food- fresh fruit, veggies, hummus, sausage, cheeses, pastsa, homemade bread... decadent!
  
• ... then I hope you enjoy the pictures- Click Here to see 'em all.
  

Oh and by the way:
We did our first badge for our self-created "Kid Scouts"- a takeoff on the traditional boy scouts except that it's multi-gender, non-religious, no uniforms, and accessible to multiple ages (which means kid siblings can tag along). See, I did Brownies as a child and lasted like a week- it was all about sticking your hand into spaghetti and going "ew, brains!" instead of, er, using your brain. I'm more o' a mumbley peg / archery / sporting gal myself... so...
Kid Scouts it is.

Follow along if you like, join our pirate bunch if you dare. Grab a large blank book (I'm using an album purchased in a thrift store- blank pages to fill with specimens as well as "momma explanations" for the children to enjoy later in life...), follow our course, suggest other badges!

Badge #1: Identify 5 trees. Look at the leaves, talk about how these trees are used or important (Are they providing acorns for wildlife? Hardwood that people used historically in building? An indication of wetlands? Deciduious? Evergreen?). Fall is the perfect time of year to identify shapes, colors, deciduous vs. evergreen. Then, as they learn the tree shapes, the leaves, the bark, they can begin to recognize them throughout the seasons.

Badge #2: Fire. Discuss fire, and how it affects tree generations, a camp fire, a fire in your home and safety. What routes would you take if there were a fire in your home? How do you exit? If exposed to fire, "Stop, Drop and Roll." What is oxygen? How are wood and air important to fires, and sand/water put them out? How are oxygen and water important to plants?

 

casa ti update, camping, and a new barn!

For the first time ever, we decided to camp when... well, when most people would consider it normal camping weather.

Because we have no shelter aside from our Scotty camper on the land to avoid the high heat of summer, plus we sail, we tend to camp September--> end of November/beginning of December, then March--> May. So I guess we lean towards extreme camping ; ) - when heavy down sleeping bags, multiple layers and hats on heads in bed are a must. Often, during those times we um, tend to dress in blaze orange, as not only is it freezing, it's hunting season.

So it was very strange to shed those layers, open up the camper windows, and let in the gentle summer evening breeze. It was also vastly different because normally I have to make sure the camper is completely ready around 5-ish for the children because once night falls... it's DARK. Instead, last night I felt like the sun never quite set- the dusk seemed to slowly linger and never quite slipped; to then regain strength and return as dawn.

But before we relaxed, we first had a meeting with our contractor. This is where the project turns from a Modern SIPs House Kit company, to where you start reading about a family building their dream. AND the mistakes and successes and trials and tribulations that we encounter as real people, and our own personal zero energy off grid decisions in conjunction with what you get with the house kit.

So let's start with the mistake.
I let my husband review our project. This is what happens when you marry a handsome MBA who wants to audit everything. And then he looks at you with that look and you say, "Awwwww, you're so cute, sure, why not?"

We then slipped six weeks behind schedule, the draftsman my husband supposedly hired never did squat, our contractor lined up new work, and now we have to get in line behind everyone else because we missed our scheduled opportunity to move ahead and have this house built in JUNE.

Ohhhh, yeah. It's totally our fault.
I am grateful our contractor didn't fire us for wasting his time.

So yesterday we reviewed EVERYTHING. And it was good. Because when you are planning a zero energy off grid house with all kinds o' stuff in the poured concrete foundation, you only have one chance to completely evaluate, think through, and get it all right. Our meeting yesterday confirmed... it's right. It's good. And Ron even sent us off with some corn and lamb ribs which we gratefully accepted (and will have for dinner tonight!).

Now here's another thing about our personal casa ti project:
Let me tell you about the crew: It's going to be Ron, and then the crew is made up of four men:
Three Amish and a Mennonite.

See, it can never be a 100% Amish crew because they need someone to drive 'em around and use their cell phone! Hahahaha! I'm excited. But it's a double edged sword: what is exciting for me as a person is bad for me as a business! Amish don't allow themselves to be photographed, much less videotaped, as it symbolizes vanity to them. We respect that. So getting shots of the house kit being assembled / videotaped is going to be interesting. So don't expect a lot o' close up shots of people. Maybe they'll let me film their hands. I don't care, I love it anyway and can't wait to get to know them.
But I'm jest warnin' ya, it ain't gonna be the typical house erection photos!!! ; )

Speaking of those nice Amish men, look what they did in the meantime!
Our barn! (Fine, actually it's a shed, but my children are calling it a barn so there ya go.)

I'm so thrilled with this "barn."
I trusted Ron and the Amish and they delivered. Since we had no idea what we needed, we told them what needs to go there and let their experience take on the project. A-plus, guys!

It's exactly the size, quality, and placement for security and convenience, and amazing craftsmanship to last... well, to last.



Really incredible worksmanship. I loved looking it over, marveling at how well it was put together. If this is an indication of future work on our house kit then... I am super, super excited.

So now we need to focus on improving the fields this fall. And in September, we start our OWN Green Modern Kits house construction.

In the meantime, here's some pictures from our weekend on the land. : )
Hope you enjoy.
We went for lots of walks (to the end of the property & back), ate lots of berries, chased lots o' grasshoppers, and generally just hopped around. The dogs are WORN OUT with adventure. And we are still smiling.

Last night I also listened to coyote howl for hours. Tried to capture it on the audio that was on my camera (which takes lo-grade movies sometimes, like the video in "My Mom Can Tie A Bowline Faster Than Your Mom" post) but it didn't work, I guess because it was picking up the silence in the camper and not the (loud!) noises outside. Oh well, there's plenty o' coyote, but it still was cool & eerie.

Oh. The scythe.
I'll explain quickly:
SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more efficient than any weed whacker, for smaller jobs when you don't want to drag out the tractor! Our purchase of several "old fashioned" tools (like the scythe, seed drill, and high wheel cultivator) were not so much out of nostalgia, or the fact that they don't use fuel (although that IS a bonus) but because, well, they're just so darned efficient! We have not been disappointed, and recommend them highly.

Enjoy!

 

At the Bay... Reminiscing on Mumbly Peg.

We are at the Bay.
I consider, and voice, "I think L. is about old enough to have his first Swiss Army knife!"

My husband launches into his European childhood memories of being not allowed to own or play with knives.

"Yeah, but you didn't grow up in the south.
When I was his age I was an ace at playing mumbly peg at camp!"

Which neccessitated an explanation on how to play mumbly peg.
And that at camp we not only played mumbly peg, but our activities were:

"M-a-n-a-k-i-n, that's the way ya spell Man-a-kin!
That's the place where we have our fun:
Rowin' our boats and shootin' our guns!

Now the meals are fine
and they taste just right.
Keepin' us strong and feelin' sprite;
We're so sad when the bell does ring: we must leave Camp Manakin.

But that's not all there's something more:
The next day comes and spirits soar-
Archery, crafts, and then there's more:
Camping, swimming 'till about four!

Ohhhhhh M-a-n-a-k-i-n, that's the way ya spell Manakin! That's the place where we have our fun, rowin' our boats and shootin' our guns!"

Not only was I a champ at knife games, we all were! Every kid had their knife, and we played mumbly peg to pass the time during those long, lazy afternoons where we sought shelter from the heat under old trees and poison ivy-infested woods.
Because... well, we had time to pass.
What children have lazy days now?

Hmmmm.
Now I could use my Beretta knife I always have by my side, but that's just not the same.
So tomorrow off to the hardware store I go, searching for knives.

And a nice long summer teaching and playing mumbly peg.