January '06-July
 

Desert Rain's Dormitory:
Renovation has begun on a 6-bedroom/2-kitchen/2-bathroom building that was generously donated to us by our neighbor. Originally, this building was the top floor of an Army housing quadruplex built sometime in the 1930s or 40s. It has spent the last decade or so in our neighbor's field waiting for a new life. We're excited to "redeem" an old house rather than build a new structure. We began work on the "slat" and cinderblock foundation which is not unlike the ones used for mobile homes. We then removed the outer panels and large planks to insert insulation. We replaced the planks and tacked up roofing/stucco paper and chicken wire to prepare for Southwest style stucco. A professional crew has already installed the electrical and plumbing components including coolers, heaters, and large septic tanks. We  patched up the roof and the drywall in the house. We also completed installing all but two windows as well as the doors. We finished the interior paint and exterior stucco along with tiling the bathrooms and kitchen. All we have left to do at this point is to install appliances, buff the wood floors, and paint the exterior trim.

Laying the Foundation (December 2005)

 

The Arrival of the Building (January 2006)

The House is placed on the foundation

Papered and Wired with Doors and Windows (May 2006)

Doors, Wood Floor, and Patched Drywall

Our First Guests on Retreat

Mixing and Pouring the Batter (July)

Applying Stucco (Cement, Sand, and Lime)

Waiting for Cake Frosting

Adobe Dye Spayed on--Last of Three Coats

Last Stage: Restoring the Wood Floors (It's Beer-Thirty)

The desert springs alive: Yucca stalks are rising (April 06)

...and flowers appear on porches

Summer of Love 2006

First Torrential Rain (July)

Streams in the Desert (July)