I was able to return to my homestead on April 15th. There was still plenty of snow, but the trusty Subaru made it.
Closest in the pic is the original 70 year old log house. There is not a single doorway I can walk through upright. Unfortunately, it was not built well enough to save, or I most certainly would. Despite its “shortcomings.” I live in it now, until my tiny house is complete. It is somewhat rustic with no running water and only wood heat.
My first weeks were spent on the yard, garden, and small greenhouse.
The greenhouse I attached to the old main house and incorporated a small kitchen, well, half-kitchen. This gave me a place with running cold water from a garden hose connected to a pump in the well, and a place to do dishes and take a bath. It might be of interest to some readers that most of the wells in the country are hand dug, and lined with 1meter diameter concrete pipe sections. Mine is also like this, but very shallow, only about 3 meters deep. This gave me some concerns for the water quality so I had tests performed and was quite glad to find out that the water was completely free of bacteria and with nitrate levels so low they almost could not be measured. The gals at the testing lab told me it was better than most bottled waters. So that was a major relief this spring.
Here you see my rather un-dramatic well. The water is clean, I can live with it.
I also re-installed the furry mouse eliminators.
After quality of life issues were addressed and the garden was growing I restarted my work on the tiny house. Wiring was the first task, followed by insulation.
After installing the rockwool I covered everything with a fiberglass mesh reinforced plastic membrane with a reflective surface on one side.
This was followed by 1×2 furring to create an airspace, then drywall. I post here the wall section. Although thermally very nice, it is a lot of hard labor. (Pic wall section) Interior pics)
Next of course was drywall, for which I enlisted some help. Yes I am sure I COULD have done it alone, like the rest, but life is short, and that would take too much of it. After that was done, I did a single layer of filling and taping, and then I turned my attention to preparing the place for the wood stove. The wall I did with 2×2 honed travertine, the floor with Granite tiles.
After that I started on the plaster, 3mm of perlited gypsum plaster. I don’t like drywall as a finish surface. The plaster not only makes a much more durable wall, it reduces air infiltration, and it changes the acoustics in what I consider to be a favorable way. I use a fairly heavy texture as I like the look of a hand-made wall.
The plaster was followed by a layer of the best acrylic primer /sealer I could find. I was delighted when I walked into an obscure out of the way paint store in VIlnius and found Benjamin Moore products, all made in the USA. Paint here can be a very iffy thing to buy. Next came the stairs. Not wanting to waste any space I made the landing into an insulated container for potatoes and such, the floor of the landing lifts.
A little stain and varnish for the stair, and then I installed the stove and gave it a successful trial run accompanied by a bottle of red wine.
Then, I started on the airlock entry. In this country it is standard in 99% of homes, and for very good reason. I think after anyone has experienced how much heat they save, they would miss one if they didn’t have it.
A little fancy trim on the airlock is mandatory in Lithuania. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them.
Wood stained, glass in place, a temporary door to keep out the snow this winter…
It is now close to time to leave. It seems to me like I get almost nothing accomplished, but each day when living in such conditions so much time is taken up by so many other tasks. If I want a bath, it must be planned hours in advance. If I want to simply go to the toilet its a 30 yard walk to the outhouse.
Cooking is a constant shuffle in to the kitchen and out to the greenhouse where the water is. A fire is a daily chore in all but perhaps 6 weeks of the summer hence firewood must be made. The garden is constantly calling for attention. The grass grows relentlessly and needs to be cut.
I am also working on tearing down the old buildings that were here, but unrestorable. Sometimes I even make the bed in the mornings. Then of course the apple trees, the currant bushes, the garden, all start producing and there is canning and harvesting and etc.
A long day on the house is 4 hours, the balance with all the necessary chores. So next summer, perhaps, I will have my tiny house to the point of habitation.
I don’t complain, it is a good life. It keeps me from getting fat…