Little Egypt

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I went and bought myself a ticket and I sat down in the very first row
They pulled the curtain but then when they turned the spotlight way down low
Little egypt came out a-struttin wearin nothin but a button and a bow
Singing, ying-ying, ying-ying, ying-ying, ying-ying

She had a ruby on her tummy and a diamond big as texas on her toe
She let her hair down and she did the hoochie-coochie real slow
When she did her special number on the zebra skin I thought shed stop the show
Singing, ying-ying, ying-ying, ying-ying, ying-ying~Leiber & Stoller

I remember this Elvis Presley song and most of the words even after not hearing it in probably 30 years. To a kid growing up in smalltown Bible belt southern Ohio it was bordering on scandalous. Enough to make you wonder just what this Little Egypt did and you knew it had to be good when adults would look uncomfortable when asked. I recall my Greatuncle Bill, he of the checkered and well-travelled past (he was into horseracing, also somewhat scandalous because of the gambling) talking about seeing Little Egypt and getting stern looks from my mother when he brought it up. Wow, this must be good!

Fast forward-My sister-in-law began studying Middle Eastern dance in the from of Tribal Bellydance several years ago and was here this weekend to do a performance at the University of Arizona. Through her I've learned some of the history of bellydance and the importance of dance in many cultures. Having been a labor and delivery nurse for almost 30 years I'm intrigued by the origin of the dance, or Raqs Sharqi , as a dance by women for women to prepare young women for childbirth. What an empowering ritual that must have been for women facing the rigors of bringing forth new life. Bellydance also brings women a better awareness of their bodies and the beauty of the female form.

The dance was introduced to the US at the 1893 Chicago Exposition by a dancer known as Little Egypt. But America was scandalized and the dance became sleazy sideshow or nightclub "cootchie-cootchie" act as immortalized in the Leiber & Stoller tune.

Dancing looks fun-that's probably why so many people are against it. There's that great scene in the movie "Monsoon Wedding" with the women sharing dance and song, it made me want to get up and join them. Those people looked so happy, how could that not be a good thing? I wish I was part of a dancing culture.

What does this have to do with strawbale building? Not much but we all have art in us, it's up to us to find it and lose ourselves in it.

Now, pictures from the weekend. Lots of painting accomplished and little details that have to be done.
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Hearth finished-check!

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Joe's room painted-check!

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Sam's room painted-check! The green boxes contain bamboo flooring "acclimating".

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Shower painted-check!

The End Is Near!

Aliens!



"They're coming outta the walls. They're coming outta the bleep walls, we're bleep!"

After a short battle with the alien creatures, the planet is again safe.

(This is a little green sprout searching out the light.)

The west wall-this one is staying brown

Truth window/niche in process. (photo taken in low light so a little grainy)




















First coat of lime paint on the kitchen walls. I like it. The recipe I settled on is: 1 cup nonfat dry milk rehydrated, about 1/2 cup lime putty mixed with a bit of water to make it the consistency of sour cream, approx 4 tbls yellow ochre pigment. This is very watery and flips everywhere when you brush it on. Cover everything if you ever use lime paint. I found another recipe that uses plaster of paris to make a thicker consistency and I want to try that this weekend.
I'm anxious to see it when I go back tomorrow after it's had a chance to carbonate. When looking closely at the painted wall you can see the crystals catching the light. I've done a lot of faux painting with latex but this is the REAL thing-what I was aiming for with the faux.








Beginnings of the hearth and adobe wall. The blue lines show the planned shape of the wall.
The 2 blocks that look more brown than gray are painted with clay paint-that gray has got to go!

Hearth day 2.

Coffee and naprosyn,

Breakfast of Champions

another day begins...

Just A Warning,

the next person who asks :"When will you be finished?" gets it! We're at that point and others involved in projects of this magnitude will understand-those who don't should get their own shows. (oh wait, that's a "Whad'Ya Know?" disclaimer, never mind).


We've accomplished a lot this week. The last plaster coat is on all the walls except our bedroom. Being on the northeast corner and with the weather we've had it's taking a long time to dry coupled with the fact that the NE corner had a huge hole which had to be filled in layers-you get the picture. Today we're painting ceilings! I can't believe my excitement. I chose a white with a yellow/brown tint to take advantage of the volume the cathedral ceiling provides while adding some warmth. It will also be complementary to the brown tones of the earthen plaster (pictures later). It is such a rich brown and the walls look so beautiful, I've decided to leave the south wall brown and use the white kaolin clay on the west and east walls. I love the look of these walls. The east wall will have the adobe veneer. Rick picked up the adobes this week and they are a totally flat, nondescript gray. I will have to put a coat of brown clay paint on those once they are in place.

I have two new obsessions, the first being the website It's nice to know there are hundreds of others out there involved in the craziness that is home building/renovation. I especially like the bungalow blogs as I've always had a passion for these little jewels and our house is a "sortof" bungalow. They have so much character and personality and were built at a time when those who built them were Craftsmen.

My other obsession: researching limewash/paint. Being unschoolers we have always known that learning isn't linear and usually not triggered by chronological age (Ding!! OK junior, you're 12, time to learn Algebra). I like to think of it more as Bursts and Bubbles. Learning occurs when you need to know something and have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the subject and let it take you where it will. This week I have visited the lime kilns of Italy, England and southern Arizona. Saw the building of a Roman bath, and cob structures in England. Learned why barns are painted red. Found wonderful art and glimpses into the the workaday world of an earlier era. Gained an understanding of the chemistry involved in a successful lime project and why lime has that luminous glow. That led me to learn more about pigments that will work with lime which made me think of that beautiful scene in Girl with a Pearl Earring, Vermeer teaching Griet to mix paints. That of course led to pig bladders and the growth in popularity of plein air painting with the advent of collapsible tin tubes. Whew! was I busy but the journey was made easier by the Internet. (Thanks, Al Gore!)

So, after all that I think I've come up with a doable recipe for limewash and hope my results will pay off with something like this.

But until then, it's on to the ceilings.

Click, click, click

When it snows in Tucson you can almost hear the sound of thousands of camera shutters. Everyone gets out to take pictures. Luckily our friend (and soon to be neighbor) Casey took some pictures of the Civano house. It looks so...finished. Thanks, Casey!For more desert in snow pictures go to Simmons' blog Riverfall.
He always has beautiful photos.

The temperature did get in the 60s yesterday! Can spring be far behind?

So Much for Subtle Signs of Winter



Yes, that's snow!















And this is my backyard 1/22/06 at 0730.















The last time we had an accumulation of snow was Easter Sunday, 1999. We were building the strawbale house in Vail-hmmmmmm. The good part is, this time we aren't living in a drafty 5th Wheel. The forecast says 60's by the weekend. Keepin' my fingers crossed.

Winter in Tucson

Some years most people can't really tell it's winter in the Sonoran desert. After you've lived in the desert awhile you begin to notice the subtle differences that signal the changing of the seasons. The angle of the sun, different smells in the air, a slight dip in temperatures and sometimes water falls from the sky. Rain!-in a location that averages 11 inches of rain annually, rain is an event.

On the negative side for us this year is the fact that the lower tempreatures and damp air have significantly slowed the drying process for the interior plaster. On the plus side, it should be a great year for wildflowers. Even though many people think of the desert as a barren wasteland and some are even surprised to see things growing here, the desert has seasons, you just have to pay more attention. But in years with good rain, there is no missing spring as wildflowers literally burst forth and paint the desert with yellow, orange, blue, purple and white. It's an amazing site. It's such a big deal that there are Wildflower Hotlines and sites dedicated to keeping the public advised of the wildflower situation.

The other thing that bursts forth in Tucson this time of year is the Gem Show which draws people from all over the world. It's also an amazing site as all motels/hotels and any open areas around the I-10 corridor become the venue for sales of gems, minerals, rocks, jewelry, beads, jewelry making tools and supplies, rugs, furniture, clothing-you name it, someone there is selling it. The Show is quite an adventure and has to be seen to be believed. There is something for everyone.

But, back to the plasterwork.












Working in the bedroom. This wall had some really deep holes and took a lot of mud. Some areas I had to fill in as much as 3 inches! No wonder it's taking so long to dry.

















This is an attempt to show the depth of the second coat but that's only an inch or so.

















This is the window in the dining area. If you ever do a strawbale house, come up with some other way to finish the top of the window. Filling that area in is so tedious and half the mud ends up on the floor, 1/4 of it is on you! I'm using reed mats on the other windows and will slather on some mud and then sponge it back for a more textured look and a lot less frustration, I hope.










This is the living room west wall, the light areas are unfinished niches. This room is drying more quickly but gets more sun and took less plaster.



We now have a fully functioning toilet at the house and the little blue outhouse went away. Hooray!
The solar water heater is on the roof.
I've chosen some paint colors and tile for the shower.
Adobe veneer goes on the LR wall next week.
Will the details never end?

Click the photo for some more great flowers-but I can't take credit

But then I recall the Chinese proverb: He who finishes house, dies.

And I won't complain about the weather cause it could be this:

This is the house of our former neighbors in Colorado taken just last week!

The world is mud-luscious e.e.cummings

The drywall is finished and I hear it looks great. I haven't seen it yet as I've been working at the paying/healthcare providing job. Today I get to start on the final interior plaster. Of course the weather has been beautiful and warm all week and today the high will be 60s (not bad) but 30% chance of rain. However, that does mean 70% chance of sun! (I know I'm weather-spoiled!)

The correct springs arrived for the garage door and it is now operable.
The kitchen cabinets are "in the works".
The gas line for the grill is finished and we, at long lost, have no trenches!
On to the mud...

(Here's the complete poem: In Just )

Thought for the New Year


The Station

Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision.
We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent.

We are traveling by train.

Out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways,of children waving at the crossing, of cattle grazing on the distant hillside,of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat,of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills,of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination.


On a certain day, at a certain hour we will pull into the station.
Bands will be playing and flags will be waving.
Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle.

How restlessly we pace the aisles,damning the minutes for loitering - waiting,waiting for the station.When we reach the station, that will be it!!We cry, "When I'm 18..." "When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz...""When I put the last kid through college..." "When I have paid off the mortgage..."When I get a promotion..." "When I reach retirement, I will live happily ever after!!
Sooner or later we must realize there is no station,no one place to arrive at once and for all.
The true joy of life is the trip.
The station is only a dream.
It constantly outdistances us.
It isn't the burdens of today that drive people mad.
It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.
Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.

Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream,go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets,laugh more, cry less, life must be lived as we go along.


The station will come soon enough.

Author Unknown

CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY

...and the final steps to get there

a functioning bathroom

(Toto DualMax)

and an operable kitchen sink (Granite, I don't need no stinking granite!)

Obviously this is not the finish work but now that we have the CO we're finished with inspections and can focus on finer details.

This is the garage door installed. Looks great but we can't open it-they sent the wrong springs.

We've had freezing temperatures at night so the stucco isn't finished.

The taping should be completed today.

I've had a bad cold.

It's always something!

But,

it's a new year and a new day.

Onward and upward!

Merry Christmas





We've been busy! Someone stopped by the house today and said she hoped we would be finished with the house by next Christmas...arrgghhhh!! I said something clever like " We will be unless...uhhhh....we're dead or something." People just don't understand the time it takes to build especially when it's not a production build. Oh well, some just don't get it.

Here are the exterior lights I painted yesterday. They were a powder white and we wanted them to look galvanized. There are some excellent spray paints on the market now and you can get just about any finish/look you want. I LOVE paint! I think the lights look great-they will be on either side of the garage door, one on the people door of the garage and 2 on the south entry.

These I found on eBay for the ridiculous price of about $9.00 apiece. They are very sturdy lights and came with compact fluorescent bulbs-GONGA deal.
Here are the "stoops" we made in order to be able to get our CO. This is the slate I found on Craigslist and will eventually be the front porch/patio but for now it's appearing as the door stoops. The coloration of the slate is beautiful.


My project for today was to tape the joints on the brown walls. We asked that the rockers hang the rock wrong side out so that I would have a unsealed surface to apply the earthen plaster. When Rick asked the contractor if he had ever hung drywall brown side out he replied: "Not on purpose". I taped the joints with the standard mesh tape and homemade joint compound. To make this I used clay and a bit of sand sifted through a window screen. To the dry ingredients I added water and allowed the clay to hydrate. I then added a bit of homemade wheat paste (cooked flour/water). When combined it looks like chocolate mousse, almost good enough to eat. I taped the seams and applied the mud as usual but didn't have to worry about smoothing it as another layer of earthen plaster will be applied. One bright note, if you've ever drywalled you know you have to be careful of the "mud" drying because it leaves "rocks" in the mix which makes the knife work difficult to say the least. With the real mud this is not a problem, it all just mixes together and re-incorporates beautifully.



This is looking into our compact kitchen-it will be so efficient. Lovin' it!


This is a shot of one seam mudded, one seam just taped and the brown side of the drywall.


Cooking lunch in our solar oven.

We may work some tomorrow-or we may just sit, listen to Christmas carols and drink coffee. No matter, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous and Happy New Year!

Another week has passed

and things are rockin' and rollin' at the house. The drywallers are hanging the "rock" today and will come back next week to tape. Drywall really changes the look of things.

The garage door has arrived, the garage is being wired, the lot is being graded, the furnace will be tested today...lots going on. What's left to finish? Here's the To Do list:

Kitchen cabinets
Bathroom cabinets
Sinks
Toilets
Exterior lights (I'm painting those today)
Interior lights
Interior plaster
Paint
Adobe veneer on LR wall
Seal floor
Carpet in boy's bedrooms
Hang doors
Install sola-tube
Install WB stove

Quite a list! Onward and upward.

Most importantly- today our younger son, Joe, turns 14! Happy Birthday Joj!

Playing in the Mud
Plaster Party




Last Saturday some friends came to help celebrate my birthday and apply the first coat of interior earthen plaster. We had a great time and thanks to Sam, Connor, Dave and Shayne, who kept us supplied with mud, we were able to get the first coat done by about 1pm.



Amy and Olga



Sam and Shayne



Connor




Thel...errrr Loui......uhhh Robin!



New acquaintances, Phyllis and Mary, who hope to build a strawbale cabin in NM.



I must have been tired, because the camera shook. This is Mariel who came with her husband Bill and MIL Elsa. They also helped with the wall-raising and Bill helped put the roof on.



Casey, Me, Donna



Karen and Victor



Rick, Michelle



Lunch time!



Finished wall-we had to leave that space above the first course because we hadn't had the electrical inspection yet.
We have now been inspected and we passed! But not before having to run out and buy and install fire alarms....duhhh!

We were so busy we didn't get pictures of everyone but we sure appreciate all the help and encouragement.

We now have the garage roof finished and the "driveway", all 4 feet of it, poured. Victor will begin the stucco on Saturday.

Kitchen cabinet decisions have been made-they will be Plyboo! I was having a difficult time deciding what to use then picked up a copy of one of those glossy home mags and there it was, The Answer. I was drawn to the mag because our neighbor's house is on the cover. This issue is dedicated to "green" building and living.