.. is how Tolkien described the quiet waiting before the Battle of Minas Tirith, if I remember correctly. It’s a great analogy for that tense yet calm anticipation of major activity and ok, so we’re not waiting for a battle against the orcs of Mordor here, but it is something that really matters to us: something about which I’ve been talking about on here for more than a year now: building our first structure in the field, which will be Ali’s little house.
We’ve got to make that first cut in the ground soon, in the next week or two, to start preparing the foundations. We’re going to make a ceremony out of it, with photos and a feast. (Any excuse for a feast!) But can you believe that we still haven’t fully decided where to put it?! Ali says he doesn’t mind where it is, but I want it to be dug into the hillside, to get some shelter from the wind and weather and to ensure its low profile. The trouble is that there’s a tree in the way, which I don’t want to move, so am thinking of ways to build around.
But Skipton Castle has a tree in its courtyard, so I don’t see why Ali’s ‘castle’ shouldn’t!
…Except that the Conduit Court of Skipton Castle is about 40ft(?) in diameter, and that of Al’s might be about 4ft, if we’re lucky. Hmmm.
I think, once we’ve made the first cut, the build will take on a life of its own and decisions like that will become clear. We’ll find out where the tree roots are, at least, which we don’t currently know.
Building our first earth-sheltered straw bale house was always going to be a challenge. Building it around a tree..? A bit silly, maybe. But I like that tree and it goes right against the grain [groan!] to cut them down.
We’ve just got to make a start, and doooo it.
Soon.
