The internet has really been bumming me out lately so I've been avoiding it. Instead, I have made a lot of art and music. I almost quit writing the blog, but I was convinced by friends that that was a preposterous idea. I'll just have to keep on trucking.
This entry will be filled with both house and life, since it's been so long, and we've been living in such a vivacious style. Rewind to late April when we took a trip into space. My favorite place on earth, which is a few hours drive away. Unless you get lost on back roads, and then it will take about eight hours to get there, and your horn will eventually vibrate out from underneath the hood and onto the washboard gravel road.
We took a field trip to the Ghost Ranch to learn about the dinosaurs who used to claim these lands as their local stomping ground. We collected dinosaur bones that were scattered all over the ground. A bit of enchantment is actually a constant out here. Luckily for my mother, a friend was with us and he took some pictures of me. Here you go, Mom. Thank you, Joshua.
We were attacked by gremlins in late May. This is why the blog never got updated. They ate my hard drive and ransacked our house! I knew we shouldn't have fed them after midnight but Dain wouldn't listen to me. We won the fight, but I'll spare you the gory details.
Here is the front of our house one month ago, and two months ago, which will help you understand that we have been doing something out here...
(This is actually February, when Nora visited, but you get the picture.)
One month ago:
Earlier today (it's actually even more done now):
The western wall of our attic is still made out of the good old fashioned plastic/carpet/rope combination. This is a challenge that we are going to have to live with for quite a while longer. We made a tarp that can be raised during rain storms. It has a real nice boat feel to it. The boat aesthetic is one we have been enjoying and are planning to continue to incorporate it into our decor.
We have been busy, closing in the entire front, in order to get our gutters up and our water catchment started. Here are some up-to-date pictures. It's been frustrating and slow. We somehow managed to get every last pane of glass for free. The frame of this greenhouse is made out of redwood, and it's turning out beautifully. You may notice the two little windows that still have to be put in, we did that earlier today, but this picture was from this morning. Damn it! It's already out of date!
The bottom of the house is now closed off with cement. It will be buried with dirt up to the bottom of the cement. All of those cans will eventually be HIDDEN FOR ETERNITY. You can see the mosaic we made in the front of our house with broken ceramics we've collected over the past two years.
Finishing up the cement and mosaic:
Cans flattened and used for siding (work in progress/we need to get more cans/eat more coconut milk):
We've also been able to use as much power as we want. We are rich in power. We've been able to make music, digital art, non-digital art under BRIGHT LIGHTS, watch movies on a huge old completely energy inefficient tube TV, and use the sewing machine that was Dain's Great Grandmother's. After some re-wiring this old Singer has been godly. I'm just now learning how to use it, but I'm not lying when I say: IT HASN'T JAMMED ON ME ONCE! It is amazing. I am in love.
Here is a dress I made: My 2012 summer look is a synthesis of comic book attire, post apocalyptic dress wear, and the desert discomfort.
Inspirational look.
Making art, playing music...
Our band, Single Moms, will have recordings available soon.
We have been at it for two years on July 4th. You can rewind like a archeologist and click back to the first entry, July 4th 2010 and check out of "ground breaking" explosion.
A new thing we are trying out is something called... what is it? How does it go? Is it called... taking it easy? I can't really remember what that is.. but the vague memory of it sounds so appealing.. it gives me a warm bubbly feeling inside.. I'll let you know how that works out for us when it comes into action.
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ReplyDeleteDain & Amanda = #1 Cool Dream Combo
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Hell yeah that's smooth...........xo J.
Amazing progress!! So glad you are continuing the blog - I understand internet depression, but your blog is one piece of internet that really uplifts me. Thank you. And that sewing machine rocks.
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