Under Construction

     This is our latest construction project which also allows us to play outside and get some exercise at the same time. It’s a ‘fort’ that Cabe, Clara, and Austin have been working on for a couple of weeks. (They only get to work on it for a couple hours in the afternoon which is why it’s taking us so long.) I just started helping out yesterday by cutting some dead cedar trees for the roof and hauling up rocks from the creek for a rock wall.       
     The hardest part of building it is trying to use as many natural resources as possible. We’re not using hammers and nails, utilizing as little man made materials as possible, and limiting ourselves to only the necessary tools (hatchet, spade, saw, etc.) I’m amazed at how nice it looks so far. These pictures were taken yesterday right before I began helping:

 

 

     If you look closely you can see the two trees which serve as our front corner posts, and in the back there are two conveniently located boulders. To these posts we have lashed four stout cedar trees to support the ‘rafters’ which in turn will hold up the roof. To do this we have been using some nice yellow rope from a hardware store which works very well.

     The walls will be a bit of a problem as will the draining system (for which we might have to use PVC pipes) but so far we are very pleased with it. We might even sleep out in it this summer! Further pictures and reports will be posted.