Last Weekend's Natural Plaster; Success!

Dad and I took a vacation day Friday to prepare a few things for the workshop; we got to see a bunch of people at work on the house (I'm usually at work, so I don't get to meet all the cool people that are building our house!).

Marlon, the carpenter, admiring his handiwork - the frame for the clay sifting.

Assembly line for cutting wooden 'arrow' anchors to hold trim to strawbales.

Crazy big wind on Friday smooshing the tarp to the house...it was so strong that it blew a few unsecured bales back into the kitchen! ;-)

Saturday: Sigi talking about natural plaster and sifting clay from the site.

People learning stuff about applying plaster to the exterior of the library.

Sigi and a big doo-doo lookin' flop of clay plaster.

Marco and Craig applying plaster while Ben supervises from under an umbrella.

Marco having good, muddy fun!

Joan hauling straw and putting us all to shame with her mooscles!

Ben, eating his foot, and supervising Joan and Dot mixing dry plaster ingredients - sifted clay and washed sand.

Plaster coat completed between furring strips. Fiber cement siding will be attached to the furring strips, so the plaster doesn't have to be all nice-looking here - it's just there to cover and protect the straw from rodents, etc.

Joan, smooshing plaster on the walls inside the library.

Craig, Ben, Judy, and Sigi working in the library. Shortly after this picture was taken, Ben decided the library was too crowded, so he went for coffee.

Sigi admiring Craig's handiwork.

Ben and his proud Mom on the play blanket Nancy Jones made.

Craig and his plaster hawk made from a former slate crate.

Sosia and Dot mixing plaster with their feet.

Overall house and workshop shot.

Erich measuring plaster ingredients. Hose in the foreground preparing to burst because our well yield is so awesome!

Craig standing on a slate crate to reach the high parts...it is rare that Craig needs to stand on anything for height; he's 6'4", so I had to get a picture.