This earthen oven was built during a three-day workshop. The design was inspired from the story of the Great A'tuin in Discworld, where a turtle's back supports four elephants which in turn hold up the world. With all the colorful mosaic going on on this turtle's shell, the world is sure be be supported. This oven gets a lot of use from it's owner and I am delighted every time I get invited to enjoy it.
For Ianto's birthday and to celebrate the new floors in the house, we had a Leo party. And following tradition, each course of the meal was interspersed with entertainment. About 30 people were served and the music went late into the night, Great fun!
nature's champagne chiller
Returning to Cob Cottage to work trade for alittle while, this logging truck was the perfect reminder of why I'm doing this whole thing...
And since I had been there, another workshop had taken place that was focused on plasters and finishing, they did a great job on the walls we had built in the workshop I took.
So before I get too far removed from Eugene, I thought it's be good to show some pics of the cob bench I worked on at Maitreya EcoVillage with Jack Stephens.
Local school children used to gather at this driveway waiting for the school bus, rain or shine. Now they've got a nice covered spot to wait and inspiring form to sit on. Maitreya also wanted a place that they could post announcements for events going on in the strawbale community building. There was an old fence at this location and the original fence posts were integrated into the structure. If ever needed, the original gate could still be reattached.
So the journey begins--architectural intern seeks to learn the philosphy and craft of natural building. I'm 'stepping off the treadmill' and excited for the next phase of my life, meeting new people, learning new ways of building, and discovering the positive forces which our endangered world still holds strong.
My first stop is the Cob Cottage Company in Coquille, Oregon where I participated in a nine day workshop with twenty other like-minded individuals. Simply an amazing experience, each morning began with slient cob mixing, usually three or four batches before breakfast. (We combined 2-buckets of clay rich soil, 1-bucket of sand, a few flakes of straw, and some water...how much? well, it depends...) At the cob cottage company the soil is…
