To: strawbale list <strawbale@crest.org>
Subject: Build Here Now
From: Rodney G—
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000

 Dear Mikal and all,

I attended Build Here Now, and looked to meet you. Sorry you didn't make it. Here's a short report on what it was like for me.

Monday: Earthbags with Doni Kiffmeyer and Kaki Hunter from Moab. What an animated and exciting pair in action! I got to do a casein wash with Carole Crews, another wonderful teacher. Then a Timberframe tour with Mark Giorgetti. There were at least a dozen different things going on. The energy was high, as the altitude, so we were all a little light-headed! And the food was terrific.

Tuesday, started stacking straw bales on the earthbags at the New Residence. Good crew of really interesting people, all ages, willing and eager to learn. Steve Kemble and Carol Escott were great teachers, working hard to bring us along on the journey. Several talks/demos on plasters that day, more on timberframing, permaculture, design, myth, solar electric., etc. Always loads to do and great fellowship and fun. Met some great people each day, meditated in morns, enjoyed the "to die for" view and the coming rains.

Wednesday: I got into mud up to my armpits (have a pic to prove it) while starting to put a slip coat on the NR. Loved the way Cedar Rose helped us through the process! Each teacher brought SO much joy and love of their work to us, and a most generous spirit. It was really fantastic. More on forest gardens, adobe floors, bamboo wattle & daub, cisterns, spirit, permaculture, etc. And great food, which after hours of mudding, was snarfed up greedily!

Thursday: Add to all from before - electric wiring in strawbale, trombe walls, and afternoon tour(s) of perm-constructed wetlands and Taos Pueblo, and a great dinner with new friends in Taos. A very special day building relationships for me!

Friday: Fun with lime plasters and painting with natural clays Kaki Hunter collected around Moab. Also straw-clay mixing, native plants, roofing, composting toilets, lime plastering, earth plastering, trusses, etc. Food! Fun!

Saturday: a big day of plastering for me. I was feeling stronger and really wanted to see some results! Living roof with Catherine Wanek (what a terrific job she and her crew and Lama did!). I missed so many things that day with my hands up to here in mud! And you wouldn't believe the evening drumming and dancing. I was dead from working so I just sat and chuckled all evening at how much fun all those great people were having! I get tears just remembering it.

AND every morning we got together after breakfast for announcements, clearing our heads, dancing, and preparing for the day. In the evenings we saw fascinating slide shows, heard great talks, sang, danced, celebrated, and slept well (at least I did!)

We had a couple great rains which really made the mountains dance and sing! The smell of rain up on that mountain was sweet, sweet music to my senses.

So, d'ya think I had a great time? Damn tootin', and I hope you'll all go next year! I've had a hell of a time returning to my 'normal' life. Lama is a very special place, with very special people. The teachers were delightfully 'present' and generous to the extreme. The participants were eager, open, and exciting to be with. It was a real 'high' for most people, and the final celebration party and dance almost blew off the dome roof! Sorry if you missed it, but in spirit I think we all included everyone who couldn't be there.

And... the musicians even played for us while we worked one day. That was such a gas. I advocate live music at all work sites!

Rod, from Massachusetts