We made it through the Winter without too much inconvenience. One thing is for sure, the battery is not capable of running the heat pump all night in sub-freezing weather. I plan to install an air handler to circulate warm air from the living room (which is easily heated with the wood-burning stove) into the bedroom.
We completed our entertainment system by adding a large pine board across the top of the book shelves to make a trestle. Also, I bought a small cabinet to hold the DVD player, the audio amplifier/tuner, and the disc changer. Currently we are unable to receive any broadcast signal for TV but we have good access to streaming material from Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, etc.
I managed to pop the valve stem off one of TRAKKER’s rear tires while attempting to push brush into a burn area. Rather than repair tires that were clearly on their last leg anyway, I had two new ones put on. Of course, this meant I had to remove the wheels and take them to town. While I was at it, I ordered a new seat for the old boy.
Slow but steady progress is being made on the bathroom vanity. We found a solid copper basin that we both like and its big enough to hand-wash clothes (or a small child). I hung a mirror from Carolyn’s vast collection. Backer board has been cut and fitted and Carolyn has laid out her glass mosaic pattern. I’ll let her tell you about that part of the journey.
I finally completed the propane tank setup by extending the iron pipe outside the house and providing a wooden support for the switching regulator. Now things are neatly arranged. I can’t believe that we are still using fuel from the first 100# tank that was put into service back in mid-August. I installed wire and a fused cut-off box to bring power from a propane-fueled generator (not yet purchased) to the solar power system for backup.
With so many projects at hand that require digging and moving stuff around, I finally bit the bullet and bought a tractor. I got a good deal on a Mahindra from the friendly and helpful guys at Foothills Tractor and Equipment in Centre, AL. I decided on a 2538 HST 4WD with a FEL (front end loader) and a BH (back hoe). The hydrostatic transmission really helps (along with the power steering) when trying to maneuver in tight places (like between rocks and trees). I also picked up a set of pallet forks and a grapple to replace the loader bucket for special applications (like moving pallet loads of things like cinder blocks or concrete or piles of brush).
Nathan and his crew were able to spend 6 days working on the Summer kitchen (he calls it the “cook shack”) and my shop. The kitchen is now ready to be sprayed with preservative/stain (Wayne, where are you?) as are the power house and the water house. Toby did a nice job of welding up a BBQ deck out of material I brought him. This will go inside the “cook shack” over a hole in the floor and serve as the deck for the various propane and charcoal fueled cooking devices. This will allow ash and grease to fall through without making a mess or setting the place on fire.
The shop now has large doors on the front that will allow big projects (less than 8’ x 10’) to move in and out. Also there is a 6-foot-deep porch across the entire back. This will be covered with a metal roof. Nathan got a start on installing the windows but ran out of time – he had another hot job he had to get to. Next on his list for me are the metal porch roof, steps up to the porch, and the remaining windows and a back door. On my to-do list is wiring the shop. Power is already run out there but I need to install a breaker/distribution panel plus all of the fixtures and switches. Then I can get started on the work benches.
Carolyn spent a lot of time last week preparing her herb garden – pruning shrubs, lifting plants, and raking and hauling leaves for the shrubs. I used my new work-horse (I refuse to call it a toy) to scoop up a pile of good soil from low spots in the road where years of rain had deposited lots of organic matter. To this I added the remains of a sand pile left over from the foundation block work and some of the terrible dirt found everywhere else around here. I mixed it by scooping it up with Digger (that’s the name I gave my new tractor) and dropping it from high up. When the soil was dropped in the herb garden spot, Carolyn spread it around and removed debris. Next, we loaded the bucket with rocks that we had been piling around the bases of trees over the years and took them over to the herb bed for a nice border. Kind of looks like a Valentine heart, doesn’t it. Carolyn, did you plan it that way?
"No... it is shaped like the main piazza in Siena, Italy. A shell."
