Our Mike Abbot design shelter over the firepit – brilliant on the increasingly wet days
Well, our busy season has finally come to an end, with the departure of our last wwoofers of the year – Armando, Clare and their son Leo, who have just returned home to Illinois in the USA. Most of their week here was spent preparing all the bits and pieces we need for the tipi – stripping and sanding the poles –
Having debarked all the poles with draw knives, here are Armando and Steve sanding the last of them.
Carving the pegs and the lacing pins – (here’s Armando)
Armando making pegs for the tipi
and generally gathering all the things that we didn’t know we’d need. Like smooth pebbles, for instance, that are used to secure ties onto the canvas covering.
Beautiful pebbles from Newcastle beach
It was great to have volunteers with a son just a little older than Lyra, and they managed to get along most of the time. Lyra took to them instantly –
Clare with Lyra
and here are Armando and Leo, enjoying the shelter of the covered firepit, which was very welcome on the wetter days –
Armando and Leo
Our slowly growing bank of solar pv
We’re just taking some time now to prepare for winter – expanding our solar pv setup, gathering in firewood, and reflecting on what has been an eventful summer. Our food growing has been more successful than we could have ever hoped, and as well as providing a continuing supply of meals, we have a better idea of what will and won’t work.
We are also working with a friend to develop a series of sessions for all the people out there who want to simplify their lives, take a different path, and want to explore how to do that, and the tipi should provide the perfect venue for that. We should have more information soon. Until then, it is time to put our feet up for a day or two and take things easy…
Piles of pegs, and lacing pins (made with Rowan) ready for use
Stripped, sanded and oiled tipi poles ready for use
