28-30 May 11

Bank Holiday weekend

Although technically it isn't a Bank Holiday here in Spain Dave took the opportunity to spend 3 days at the Earthship this weekend. Guillermo and Julia from Granada came to help out and learn on the Saturday and Sunday. I stayed at home to do a spot of hare raising. So there's lots to say and lots of photos...

Water catching

A couple of weeks ago we hired a van and brought over our old water tank from the house. We bought this on the second day of being in our current house and had it filled within the day and piped to a makeshift bathroom. It then became a dip pool when we had the main water tank built and then a duck pond. Now it's here waiting to be the temporary water tank until we can build the tyre one - versatile or what!

Guillermo and Julia set to getting it in position which meant digging a hole so the top is below the roof drainage level - the plank to the right of Guillermo in the third pic shows the level.

It took a couple of days to get it deep enough, although that was in between other jobs.

Flora and fauna

These are the chumbo (prickly pear) cuttings we planted back in November, well, when I say planted I use that in it's loosest sense. Not sure which is better - flat on their backs or on their sides, what d'you think?

The sticky insect in the 2nd pic is in fact a Nosed Grasshopper (Acrida hungarica).

And the last pic shows the wild oats that are spreading themselves around the land.

Round room guests Guillermo and Julia are our official first guests in the round room, albeit in a tent!

Roof work

At the start of the weekend there were three frame sections to make, at the end - none!!! Well apart from a little sliver of edging to finish.

Julia is boraxing the front section in the pic below.

The next shows the finished frame.

And these two where Dave has started to make the final sliver of frame. So our roof isn't totally square, it's a bit squiffy or should I say rustic?

Building Permission progress

We had a meeting with the Diputacion on Friday which we think went very well. There are amends and additions to make, but generally it's looking hopeful. We just need to sort out who is going to do the extra plans, we know Alicia can't as she's now been transferred to America and is busy beyond belief by the sounds of it. Daniel has been working on a very interesting project in Holland since last autumn but we're hoping he will have the time to slip in the few extra plans and amends we need. Fingers crossed.

And finally....

That hare raising I was talking about. Our neighbour found this little fella on his land, he'd been ploughing, saw an adult hare go, ahem, haring off and found Hoppy. We tried to find mum but after no luck started to raise him ourselves.

And here he is...