Sponges are everything

Short build day today because our tools were not doing the job. I was able to get the porthole dog ear cubbies plastered and looking good and the small dome pretty much sealed with the exception of some touch up work and fill some tight spots. (like the back of a Volkswagen)

Raquel stayed in the big dome, covering a decent amount with only 2 bags worth of stucco. We decided to call it a day when the sponges gave out and had zero structure, disintegrating and sticking to the wall as it simultaneously was pulling off stucco. We will get back at it next week with solid tools and materials. I'll finish the small dome and join Raquel in the big dome to crush it. I think we may even need another, bigger ladder! But it was a stormy wonderful day and the god rays were out like crazy! Even a bad build day is a good day in the desert. It was nice to spend the day with Raquel.

Just another day in the Mojave Desert XD

Digital clouds not convincing

Plastering upside down is not easy, neither is chiseling upside down.

Just wait... 

Then you clean it.

Epic doorway view

Dog ear recess established.

 Close up of porthole dog ear.

Extreme close up of porthole dog ear.

Matching stucco ladder

Plaster Elf 

Almost impossible to capture the Mojave Plaster Elf in action.

Indeed we are fortunate to witness this. 

The Tree.

Bob Ross in Heavan

Stucco Gangstas

Well the 8 ft dome apse is too small for both Raquel and I to stucco the upper rows, so I was relegated to the small dome while Raquel spread her wings back in the 10 foot main dome. Stucco is a strange animal that frustrates you one second and makes you feel like a true artist the next. Stickier and drier is better for upside down stuccoing. Then it is key to make sure you come back to it before it gets too firm and shape it. You can sponge it to conform to the bag rows. It seems like it looks crappy, but then I look at the pictures and it looks okay. Oh, it rained today, sort-of. There were rainstorms all around Landers. Pioneer Town, Yucca, JT and 29 palms all had dark clouds, and a few drops hit my face. I still had stucco all over it and may look like Freddy Kruger tomorrow if I don't wash it off.

Not a super-predator

Organic insanity

Wide angle make it look crazy

I like that window.

Who wouldn't want to sleep in a coon dome like this?

My neighbors are so jelly!

Taking pictures is not the same as mixing.....

Stormy Goat

Stormy Weathers

Just starting to get stucco around the porthole. The latch is gonna be tricky but I gots a plan.

Upper rows in Stucco!

Focusing solely on the small 8 ft apse dome, we have been flingin' and shapin' and cussin' and grinnin' as we find our groove with this sticky La Habra 100 stuff. Before we know it this dome will be covered inside, maybe next week! I started to cover the entrance between the 2 domes, but I don't think I got a pic of that from the right angle. Next week when it's dry we'll take a look. So far it's been an excellent adventure.

Nothing has changed about the exterior, I just like having a pic from this angle accessible when I am explaining superadobe or showing it to people. So I take a pic from here every week.

Yes, this is a real Proceedings of the College of Universal Wisdom 1976 aka Integratron! The TRUTH is out there!

Vote YES on PROP 64 November 8th in California. It's Time. 

Plaster Master at work.

Look at that sexy leg!

Wide angle shows you what its like to be in here!

Large Dome is on hold while we get our technique down in the practice dome!

Wide Angle makes dome look more badass than Goat Mountain... its just an opinion ;D No offense Goat.

Close the hatch, One Ping Only! 

I thought this would be an interesting photo.

Goat S. Mountain, Esq.

Joshua Theodore Trees

Rufus 

Grill Time!

Magic Hour

Hunter's Moon rising behind Ryan's casa. Film would be better than a phone.

Thanks again to everyone for viewing this blog. If you have a free minute, please go back to the top and check out some of our links, like the L.A. Guinea Pig Rescue or Cal-Earth or The Inner Space Station. :)

Small dome stucco

We saw an owl! On our way back, a few blocks from the dome, a giant fluffy owl flew overhead illuminated by the headlights. The only bird with such an impressive stature out after dark would be our owl friend. My first night on the property, actually the very first time setting foot on it, just to look at it, I saw an owl as I drove up, perched on a very large Joshua Tree. His impressive wingspan was on display as he took flight out of the glare of my high beams. Tonight was only the second time seeing an owl out there and spotting one inspires feelings of gratitude, fortune and peace that can only be experience first hand.

At the dome, we stuck to the small 8 ft apse dome, stuccoing up over the bags meant to be left "row shaped". I decided that the lower walls would be flat and somewhat smooth, but the upper rows would maintain the bag shape, allowing anyone to still see the bag forms under the lime plaster stucco. This was really the first day of getting into the upper rows. I tried a row last week, but this week we tried to cover more area and really get a technique down. Throwing it up in clumps, fully covering an area, letting it set to a firm putty, and then working it into place around the bag row, showing of the form underneath. 

HDRI on :) 

Sponge worthy!

Raquel did an amazing job on this window!!!!!

This porthole was sticking out really far but its a good start covering it.

Covering the bags, starting to have consistency.  

Imperfection always looks more interesting. I just keep telling myself that.

When it is dry it looks and feels great. 

Scopin'

Nice looking apse niche. What are these words thou doth speak?

Pure Magic 

Out of the blue, literally, the sky just did this!

Is this a sailor's delight situation?