Unplugged

While the nutrient cycle claims the has-beens of my first garden crop, only several feet away la casita has been growing up up UP!


Seen here she looks much like a castle, no? and strikingly similar to the plans we drew up mere months ago, our vision of home a scribbled circle, little squares labeled dormitorio and bodega. Look at her now, ¡Increíble!

Below you are looking into half of the kitchen (envision me washing dishes under that window, glancing up every few minutes as a ripe avocado plops from a high branch); and the large opening is our backdoor, with a sweeping vista of mi jardin; (that protruding lower wall is actually a bar/counter--picture me there mixing a mojito with fresh-picked menta).


We've decided to go ahead and have our contractor put up all the interior walls, opting for this convenience over experimenting with cobb inside the house. Fear not! playing and constructing with mud will happen for another structure nearby, possibly a workshop/tool shed.

With our goal to reduce energy use and to rely primarily on alternative sources (wind, solar), I am burdened with finding non-electric substitutes for many of our energy-sucking appliances. Unfortunately, the trend these days in kitchen gadgets seems to be plug it in and push the button, whereas the hand-powered egg beater and hand-crank coffee grinder that i seek were apparently retired with the final publication of Sears-Roebuck back in 1922.

I did, however, discover a solar oven here in the garage. FUN! so far i've only cooked rice, but seriously it worked! The little box heats up to over 250 degrees F, supposedly i can bake whatever in there. Photos and documentation to come.