Kate

The first step in building my home was buying an empty cargo van that I could outfit with materials to which I didn’t react, so I would have a safe way to travel to look for property. It took approximately two years to research the type of van I wanted, find a fragrance-free dealer who […]

Five years after I moved into my house I finally installed my first shelf. There are five (possibly six) areas in my house that require shelving. I told the project manager I wanted to build the shelves myself because I have been interested carpentry since I was a young girl, helping my father with home

Building a nontoxic house that is safe for a chemically sensitive person is not the same thing as building a home from sustainable, green materials. My house is made of concrete, metal, and glass, because those are materials to which I don’t react, but concrete comes at a high environmental cost. I did not want

The garage passed its final inspection yesterday. At last! The building permit was issued in 2018. This concludes the permitted construction phase of my retirement. I still need to install tiles and shelves in the house, but it feels great to complete all of the structural work. I told the project manager not to install

My new pump house equipment was installed this week. For the past four years I have been using a temporary system installed in a prefab garden shed. That system had a 10 gallon reserve, but this one has a 500 gallon BPA-free water storage tank. I feel much better prepared for the next extended power

In the photo below I am getting ready to mask up for Day #2 spray painting the garage interior. Rather than finish the garage interior with drywall, I am using tinted mineral paint that will bond with the concrete in the Faswall blocks. See the Silacote info sheet, below. Being able to do this was

The ICF blocks I ordered in April of last year were delivered in March, and the construction crew returned. They have built the garage walls and are now working on the roof. Meanwhile, the price of construction materials has increased since I signed a time and materials contract last year. To pay for my garage

I managed to assemble ten raised garden beds before the first snowfall, but then I ran into another pandemic supply chain problem. The nursery ran out of the soil I was using and does not expect another shipment until Spring. Nonetheless, I was able to put in my first winter crop — garlic. The green

The garage foundation was finally poured a few weeks ago. It will now sit until next Spring, when Faswall ICF blocks for the walls will be delivered. While waiting for the foundation pour to happen I arranged to have a small metal frame greenhouse delivered and assembled. I am now busy making raised planting beds

Moving on from identifying plants and fungi, I am now examining the birds’ nests that have fallen to the ground at the end of summer. Some of them are too pretty not to save, at least for a while, and it turns out I have many egg shaped items that I can put in the