Building An Earthbag Home in Northern New Mexico: That's a Wrap

Whoo! Finally a moment to catch my breath, catch up and actually update the blog. In addition to the physical and emotional turmoil of being pregnant, I've been working like a maniac trying to get the house finished up *enough* to give birth in it in February, and getting it winterized before I leave...left today.

I've been wanting to go into a lot more detail about some of the work that I've done, so will do some separate posts on the earthen floor etc. I've also wanted to update on some of the other little bits and put some pics up. I was going to take some final pictures last night, but it was too dark by the time I got out of there! I do have some from a few days ago though.

So what in the world have I been doing? I hired a wonderful plasterer named Tim to do what remained (almost all) of the inside of my house. If you're in the Taos area and need an efficient, reliable, quality plasterer and jack-of-all-trades, contact me for his contact info. I finished the bedroom floor--more about that in a separate post. Put in the stone bathroom floor. Got the plumbing hooked up into the bathroom--more about both of those also. Got kitchen cabinets from a friend, and a propane fridge that worked but now doesn't. Built a covered area above the front door and concreted in a rock entryway. Had Tim hang my doors properly! Mudded in tile in the entryway, dining and kitchen area--more on that. Put down an earthen floor in the living room--oiled it yesterday! Weather-proofed, though not mouse-proofed, the shed and put a door on it. Finished back-filling around the cistern and built an access box around the outlet. Put in an overflow from the cistern--more about that too. Fixed/strengthened my gutters. Finished the insulation and boxed in an exit for the stovepipe for the woodstove I'll be bringing back with me. Got a cord of wood delivered and had my brother stack it at the door. Filled holes and patched some exterior mud. Cleaned up all around my house for the first time. Turned the pallets and scrap wood into kindling. Ate zucchini and watermelon from my unwatered plants. Ate the first egg from my chickens. Drained my plumbing, turned off the propane, and disconnected the electric. Thank god for the second trimester!