It is my warmest hope that you all enjoyed your Holiday this past Thursday. Those of you outside the US, an equally warm hope it was a damn good simple Thursday.
I have been in Colorado for five months now. None of my family is here, however, in that time, I have made quite a few friends. Years ago, I used to be quite shy. Over the years, mainly through having to deal with them via Aviation, I have developed a more open and out-going/friendly disposition.
It surprises me the amount of people I have met in such a short time here. It isn't all my own doing. Namely just having a huge blue solar array attracts people. From there, it is up to me to figure out what to do with them all! haha.
I happen to have a very nice neighbor behind me. She invited me over for Thanksgiving. It was her, a couple of her long time friends, and myself. Quite nice. Even managed to find things to eat. Mash, brussels, cranberry, corn etc. A nice brew and even a cup of tea to wind down.
So, what have I been up to this week?
This week involved a very large winter storm that passed across the US. Starting on Wed/Thursday. Overcast. Snowing daily. A foot or so by the end of it all. Teen temperatures. It was nearly a week without seeing the sun, even for a peek. It doesn't typically do that here.
It all became a very good run on the Solar System. Through it all, the lights never turned off. I still was able to use the kettle. Each day, although not sunny, still managed to put a kilowatt or two into the battery to compensate for the previous evening usage.
The system is sized right for my usage.
It has been a while since doing laundry. Decided to tackle that while stuck indoors. Filled up a large tot with clean, powdery snow. (Packed down well to make a decent amount of water) The idea was to use snow instead of the potable water jugs. Overall saving me 10-15 gallons of water. One tot was used to wash everything while another was used to rinse them out. Wringing out the excess water between switching buckets of course. The Deck structure was put to great use. Even in sub frozen temperatures outside, clothing still manages to dry in the sun and light wind breezes. I was surprised at how effective it actually is. Plus, the clothing smells great. Aside from wringing out the clothes, it was a theraputic process.
If I was to purchase a wringer, the process would be easy-peasy. Saving me from having to eventually figure out hooking up a machine. Plus the water savings. Any ideas on a clothes wringer? Manual crank type stuff?
What else.... Ah. Got it! Today was finally warm enough (in the 40's) to cut out a hole in the house, install the remaining window, and caulk it sealed. Now I have what looks like a decent little cozy home. :)
It is all coming together!
Over the last week, laundry was done, holidays were had, windows installed, and the remaining bits of insulation put up into the ceiling. Hmm, I'm finding a nice equilibrium here. Things are coming along.
Two great things happened today. An additional window. The other was the postman showing up with my Tea order from UK! Weee.
Now lets get on to something more interesting... PICTURES.
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| Marked out where to Cut the Siding. |
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| Window Cavity cut out. |
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| Dry Fit before caulking. |
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| The visuals are coming along. |
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| The neighbors, Horse and Cow. |
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| About two days worth of Heat. Black willow. Creek bed. |
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| My order of tea finally arrived from the UK! |
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| Snow Finally melting off. |
Sounds like you’re getting settled in pretty well now and the neighbors have accepted you by not burning down your place :-) !
ReplyDeleteThe home looks really good now with that last window in place, I’ll bet the extra light inside is great!
Also sounds like the solar array was sized just right for you otherwise you’d be running a generator to make up the sun gap.
Not burning your place down is the biggest form of acceptance a neighbor can show you. :)
DeleteThe house's adorable, just need a few window boxes.
ReplyDelete:) I will work on it closer to spring. ;)
DeleteSo glad you had a nice Thanksgiving with you new neighbors. A week without sunlight? Is that a normal occurrence in your area in winter? The house looks very cute with its windows. It must be nice to have the extra light inside.
ReplyDeleteThe additional light makes it inviting inside. The ability to stare outdoors while in a protected environment is a simple blessing. A week of dreary overcast isn't typical here. I gather from the neighbors that it will snow, then sunshine. Very cold temperatures are much more common than snow. The sunlight compensates to make it appear warmer. For the last several days we have had intense sunlight with blue skies. :) Quite nice for warming the place up in the morning without a fire AND to line dry laundry drapped over the Deck. ;)
DeleteDo you think the Creek Bed will supply a renewable source of wood or do you think you will be required to travel farther in the future to find wood? We can often find wood at the side of the road around here from people removing unwanted trees from their yards. But of course Virginia is a state where a lot of trees grow easily. We had a good thanksgiving as well. It is great you have made friends. People for the most part are good by nature. But there are a few--------. I do really enjoy your adventures thank you for shairing them with us.
ReplyDeleteHey, Frank. Great to hear your Thanksgiving went over well. :) The creek is providing a nice amount of firewood. It is quite overgrown with black willow. It is doubtful that anyone paid much mind to using it. Easier to purchase a cord of wood. I shall eventually do the same. Mainly so I have an easy access stack to get wood when it is subzero temperatures.
DeleteWhat is nice about it, it is taking off the burden of using costlier options to provide heat during the transitional/buffer months.
I estimate that I should be able to get another few weeks out of it. Then have to move to purchased cord-wood. However, the nice part is that it serves to clean up the creek bed, should it get water, and allow more light to enter the canopies to encourage the remaining living wood to produce more and thicker.
After all, the thin trunks I am pulling out of the ground are never coming back and only make it a thick, bramble like mess. I do hope though that over a year or two that they would grow enough that I could at least supplement what I need in cords.
There are ample trees around here. Although I am not sure the neighbors would be keen upon me cutting a few down and hauling off. ;) My own land is devoid of them. It is basically meadow/grassland. I am looking into tree species that can grow a few feet a year. Plant something that will get to a height in a reasonable time etc.
DeleteA cord of wood from a few miles up the street runs for $140. The complete tree trunk is cut up there. The trees coming from places around Colorado, I would imagine.
Have you ever read The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball? She tells of her husband who, any time someone visits, puts all visitors straight to work. I got the impression that he's so good at it they don't even realize what's happened, LOL
ReplyDeleteFor hand clothes wringers, Lehman's carries them though I suspect theirs are a little pricey.
Speaking of reads, the reason I'm not around much is because I've been busy publishing my homesteading book! I'm so excited I want to tell the entire world. Please do drop by my blog to help me celebrate! Plus, I'm having a giveaway!
I've never read it. I am more of a Swan Song and Hitchhiker's Guide sort of reader. :D
DeleteLehman's. Thanks!
I'll pop over to your blog and check it out!
Cloud, If you can make friends with a tree trimer or a tree removal company, They always have an excess of wood. They have to pay a dump fee to take it to a landfill. If you can provide them a place to dump their excess all you would have to do is split the wood. It would be best to let it dry for around 6 months before using. After you get started it would be easy to put some back to dry from each load. Soon you would be using only well seasoned wood.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, Frank. On Monday, I purchased a cord (My first in life. $140). I have been doing the mathematics of it. How big a bundle is (.75CF/6 pieces) and how many in a Cord. (171) How many bundles I use in a day. With all of that, I believe a cord can last me a heating season even if next year I lack all the free willow. The willow has gotten me from sep to now.
Deleteso, you see, I live in a shack like yours while y house is being redone. I live vicariously since I a 71 yoa. SSSSOOOOOOO................Start posting. I love reading about you and your projects.
ReplyDelete:) Thank you, Dindin.
DeleteThe windows look super sweet!
ReplyDeleteYour solar kicks our solar's ass, BTW. In midday, full sun, I don't think we could run an electric kettle long enough to heat a cuppa.
And, yeah, Leigh already mentioned it but Lehman's is awesome with a lot of stuff for various off-grid adventures from clothes wringers to gardening do-dads.
Happy belated Thanksgiving!
A merry un-birthday to you! Or Thanksgiving. :)
DeleteI'll tell my solar to be respectable and not go around beating up the neighbors. What is your solar setup? Panels/batteries? I'd be rather bummed out if I couldnt get the kettle to work. Although I could place it on the wood box o fire.
Aren't you happy that the lows this last week have been 20s! How warm is that! :)
Happy New Year! I've been thinking of you and hope you enjoyed the holidays and are staying warm.
ReplyDeleteYep. Happy New Year. Silly thing. It is warmer up here on the cats mountain top than it is the rest of the country. We had a few days back where the low was -14F. Those make for times when you have to deal with the fireplace often. But lately it has been the mid teens and 20s. WHICH, are easy to keep the house warm with minimal wood.
DeleteMiss ya and hoping you and fuzzball are keeping warm. Happy New Year!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Years! We are warm. I was telling Rachel above how it is funny that this mountain top is much warmer that most of the US at the moment. My old life in Ann Arbor, Michigan had some daytime temps yesterday of -14F. That is wild for DAYTIME. We had a few -14F nights a few days ago but now it is downright pleasant. Lows in the mid teens and 20s. Wee weee!
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