#strawbalehome

[kmorgantini]

New concrete patio with colored concrete - came out pretty good-looking. #strawbalehouse #strawbalehome #strawbalebuilding #strawbalesofinstagram #strawbaleconstruction (at Metz)

[honey-im-almost-home]

My first strawbale home I've seen in person. What a great trip. Loved the feel of it. Was so solid. And quiet. At this point being used more for storage than living space but still good to finally see one.

[honey-im-almost-home]

Going going back back to Cali Cali.

Seemed appropriate (if not a little backwards) on this 18th anniversary of Biggie's death. (Ok so technically I'm a day late but I'm still awake from yesterday so it counts...) Back to my heading, my mother returned today from a trip to visit my sister in LA. My sister is pretty much vehemently opposed to my strawbale house dream. I know she thinks I'm a total crazy person who is setting myself up for a life of misery and hard work. The hard work part I know I am in for...but I like it! It gives me life thinking about a house I built from the ground up. Or at least touched every step of the way. And the work of a small self sustaining farm is something I would relish in. Especially come harvest time. And all the learning about canning and preserving and growing year round in one of those sunken greenhouse things. Exhilarating!!!! I guess they had a rather lengthy discussion around the dinner table one night re my potential life choices. I have begun to convert, if not fully converted my mother to the idea. My brother has softened enough to actually sit and listen to my ideas and entertain my questions without becoming aggressively antagonistic. I see improvement! I don't think my sister will come around until the house is done and we are sipping fresh from my garden summer cocktails while lounging in my pallet deck furniture. :) She's not an easy sell, but neither am I. We are stubborn irish girls and I love us for it. :) Just a blog about facing adversity and everyone giving you that sort of sideways glance as if waiting for the punch line when you tell them you're wanting to build your own alternative house. And you have no building experience. And you own and operate a small business. And you have two kids under age 10. Nobody said it was gonna be easy. But what truly fulfilling life accomplishment has ever been easy?!?!? No one rants and raves over social media when they returned their books to the library on time. Speaking of books...will post this week about what books I'm reading to further my head knowledge for this project.

[honey-im-almost-home]

Not the fastest moving adventure

So what’s happening now? I went and saw my first strawbale house this past weekend in Shutesbury, MA. It was really quite beautiful. It was being used more as a storage unit than a home, but I enjoyed being able to see one in person and touch the walls. Sorry to be so critical, but I saw a lot of places where it seemed like attention was not paid to little details. I’ll be interested to see more houses and learn if that’s the nature if the beast or more of a personal preference. Either way I fell in love even more so.

Meanwhile I am continuing to read read read on alternative building methods, how to plan contract and build your own home and more. Lots and lots of research and I’m really having fun learning about the ins and outs of a home. Gathering info is a slow and not very thrilling task but I am enjoying the experience.