I have found an activity on the farm that rivals boxing for using every muscle group in your body. Pounding tires. There's a house being built right now, and the walls, at least the inside of them, is built of used tired that are packed full of dirt/crushed rock. "Pounding tires" is the name given to the task of packing the tired with the dirt/crushed rock. It sounds simple and easy, no? Well, while relatively simple, it is anything *but* easy. Probably 15 or more 5 gallon buckets of dirt can fit into one of the big mac-truck tires. it has to be absolutely packed tight, and this involves shoving the dirt in by hand, shoveling dirt into buckets and hauling them up the wall, shoving the dirt into the wall? of the tire with wooden wedges, with long polls, pry baring the tire more open to pack more in, and eventually slamming more in with a sledge-hammer.
All in the sun.
OMG.
I may be getting muscles in places I didn't know there were any. Ha!
The other night was the full moon. A bunch of people at the farm stayed up late, had a fire, drank, and had a little full-moon party. But, since I'm a stick in the mud and needed to be up to do breakfast the next day, I went to sleep at my customary time. However, when I woke up to use the bathroom around 11pm, I saw how wonderful the moonlight was, and I decided to celebrate in my own way, and stripped off and took a naked dip in our pool. :-) It was magical, floating on my back in the water, I felt like I was made of moonlight.
In other amusing and fun farm news, we had a short photo shoot with most all the women at the farm the other day. A few weeks ago I mentioned the idea of making a sexy calendar of the farm girls to sell to raise money for the farm, and Maiju fell in love with the notion, and we we've begun putting it in action. The cover and the last month are going to be group shots, which is what we shot the other day. One photo will be the women in shorts and like bikini tops at the tire wall mentioned above, all dirty and posing with tools. Other shot is in the river, all in white shirts and shorts or underwear or bikini bottoms. Was a very fun time doing the shoot, and I'll post pictures when they get to me. And I get to bring a calendar home!
Anyway, I'm at the beach in a town called Dominical right now. I'll post more about this trip when I get back to the farm. :-)
Love everyone!
OMG!!!! You're gonna come back strong as Atlas!! And in great shape!! Envy!
ReplyDeleteLove you
mom
Love you too. Check your email. i wrote you a few days ago. :-)
DeleteWhen I was living in Northern NM, "Earthships" were all the rave with sustainable living types. Homes built into the south-facing sides of hills using packed tires. Great for passively modulating temperature, hell on your back and arms. I don't envy you that chore.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're getting a nice break from the labor though :)
That's great. I am putting in a rock wall this summer and needed someone to help. Now that I know there is skilled labor within the family, I can cancel the union workers.
ReplyDeleteThat is not the thing I would be wanting to do in that heat!
L&K, Dad
Oooh, sounds like an awesome calendar. You are going to be so incredibly fit by the end of things.
ReplyDelete