Hello Everyone!
Squeezing in writing time, Finally some rain, Focusing on new land options & Pondering winter shelter strategies!
Alright, it has been downright tricky to squeeze in some time for my writing routine... but alas here I am. The sun will be high enough above the treeline soon enough that it will begin heating the tent up... so I best get to spelling out whatever I can... while I can.
It has been raining off and on the last several days... but there has not been anymore of those super intense thunderstorms rolling through... like I wrote about in my last entry. Even though, I have been able to harvest a small amount of rainwater... it really has not been raining enough to get all my containers topped off... nor fill the holding tank for the gravity-fed system.
On the bright side, it has been just enough rain to soften the ground up for digging... in case I decide to fill in the end of the earthen bridge. That project has been on hold of late... but I have been quite impressed with how well that the bridge (and all the cover material) have been holding up to the harsher weather.
I am still rather up in the air on what my future might hold... but I am in active negotiations for the sale of the place that I am currently at. All of which (of course) means that I have also been spending a good bit of time looking at new properties... that mayhaps will not break the proverbial 'bank' if and when the sale of this place goes through.
There have been several projects that I have been postponing starting on due to things being 'up in the air' here... and by and large I have been focusing on hanging out with my elder dog, the land search... and making lists for future projects. I have somehow even managed to get into the routine of going out for a hike when I just need to clear my head... and although the hikes are often tiring I have been enjoying taking them.
Anyways, I have yet to formulate much of a backup plan in case the sale of this place falls through... and I wind up being stuck here this winter. What I have come up with so far... is that I should at the bare minimum... fell a bunch of small poplars, gather up some cedar posts... and be prepared to build a shelter with them if need be.
Unlike my other shelters over the years, I want to build this (hypothetical) one as far underground as I can... without it being a subterranean dwelling. Basically, I keep picturing something with the sides (and the rear) of the structure built into the side of a hill... and the roof and front wall being the only fully exposed portions.
Honestly, if things get 'too close to the wire' with the arrival of winter (and me not figuring anything else out by then) I have been tinkering with the idea of doing a bushcraft dwelling that has straw bale walls. It assuredly would not make for a very long term shelter... but something like that could get me through the winter... and not stress my financial scenario any more than it already is.
Well, I think that I am going to call this entry good enough and get on with the editing and posting... because whoa the tent is heating up fast. I hope that everyone is doing well. Ciao for now.
Wes & Grindan
