One thing I am enjoying about sculpting wood is how totally absorbing it can be, engaging the imagination, aesthetic sensitivities, knowledge of the properties of wood and manual craftiness. On a tip from a friend that she had seen some downed wild cherry trees near a campground in our local forest, I gathered a truckload … Read more
To continue with my previous post, I want to describe more of the evolution of my recent sculpting career… well, not exactly a career, but at least a pastime. It is something that is giving me much pleasure, and some physical exercise. After the doggie sculptures, I played with other nature-inspired pieces. One is called … Read more
I have worked with wood all of my life. I can remember helping my father with his construction projects and eventually being hired by him to help create wooden products that became parts of remodeled pianos (legs, lyres, benches, etc.). When I was still in grade school I made my own croquet set on our … Read more
I just got a nice update on what Ed Konderla has been up to in Ecuador, first building an earthbag house and then a guest house: The location is in the Andes Mountains, Southern Ecuador… very seismically active which necessitated a robust construction technique. The earthbag construction has been the way to go for me. … Read more
Here is a short video featuring one of Malcolm Wells’ underground houses. He was a pioneer in earth-sheltered designs and this one is now for sale.
Getting the money together to build a house can be an enormous challenge. The possibilities include saving up enough money over time, paying for it with earnings while doing the construction, or borrowing from friends, family or a bank, and then paying back the debt over time. All of these options have their pros and … Read more