Cob: Very succulent free shed

[TICKLETOWN at aol.com]

 I've been reading this list for a while now - I asked my daughter whose 
computer I use to switch here from the strawbale list, which I enjoyed but 
wasn't into as much as cob. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about 
building sustainably using onsite materials. I've read a few books (thank 
goddess for inter-library loans) and tried a little tiny cobbing. 
 After three years of tenting on site in the summer while we worked, I 
finally moved into my cosy little half-underground home this fall. When I 
planned my home I knew nothing about cob or I definately would have gone in 
that direction. I opted for a very small, dug out of a southern slope 
u-shaped room with glass on the south and west. We had a horrible time with 
the roof since I had insisted on free form curved walls made using Scott & 
Helen Nearings' stone building techniques. I finally had to give in and go 
with a (somewhat) conventional timber framed living roof. My home is very 
lovely but I feel bad about the portland I used in the walls and some of the 
other non-sustainable downright nasty materials (waterproof roofing material, 
nails, even the small bulldozer and back-hoe). Seems that as I started 
building I started learning and the more I read about natural building 
methods the more radical I became. I've been fantasizing about an all natural 
little cob house for quite a while and imagine my surprise when I actually 
SAW it. Thanks Shannon. I'm totally empowered and motivated to finish my own 
little burrow now and REALLY get into some dirt! And sticks and stones and 
grasses. I'm eager to see how your roof turns out - I didn't feel able to do 
thatch (thought you had to have the right grasses and tons of know-how)  but 
now I'm wondering. What about cattails? Also your jar windows were neat. In 
fact the whole little shed looks downright SUCCULENT. Keep us posted,
                                                                              
                      Lois