Category Archives: Uncategorized

Building a real log cabin – part 5 – stone extension and ground floor entry way

by

0

Now for the next larger extension – a semi-circular entryway and upstairs bedroom / bathroom.

Starting with the slab

Slab with cellar

 

Large stones form the 45 cm thick base wall

 

 

We’ll use smaller stones higher up!

 

 

And one of our trusty workhorse wheelbarrows.

 

Inside wall

 

 

Its a real building site at times with the stones delivered as close as possible

 

The style of this outer wall contrasting with the interior wall behind

 

Willard is still ‘burning stones’

 

Joining the previous bathroom extension

 

Raising the wall

 

Window frames

 

 

Mr Sidney – carpenter

 

More carpenter pictures to keep them happy too

 

Nearly complete ground floor

 

Our other work horse for stone delivery and a hundred other things!

Building a real log cabin – part 4 – modifications begin

by

0

Having hauled up the roofing sheets the over hung roof was added and the basic ‘box’ was completed – below:

 

 

A new doorway was subtracted using the chain saw – only slightly nerve wracking!

Cutting a doorway in a log cabin

 

Now for the start of something big – the first stonework extension to encompass a bathroom downstairs and extra room upstairs:

 

Starting the stone work extension

 

 

Mr Titius – builder and stone mason

 

 

Mr Titus on the wall

 

 

 

Supports included for the floor joists in the next extension

 

 

Willard burning rocks to create our building materials

 

Scaffolding below the upper level doorway

 

 

Corbels built into the new wall to support floor joists.

 

Meanwhile the carpenters create new square entryways connecting the upper levels.

 

The completed stonework of the bathroom extension

 

 

Our local vet and school children

 

Memorial service and all night ‘pungwe’ at the Mabvira homestead, Nyatate

by

0

One year since grandfather – Sekuru Bowden – passed away. He was remembered during this memorial service held all night in his honour:

 

Here we are about 40 km on the dust road north of Nyanga:

 

From the homestead looking North

 

Looking back over the homestead

 

Pungwe: speeches

 

Reading during the night

 

Singers during the night

 

One of the wabvuwi

 

Singer from Rusape

 

Service the next morning

 

150 lining up for food after the service

 

and there’s always washing up – nice location though!

 

In honour of Bowden Mabvira

The Boxing Day Space Shuttle Re-Build

by

0

 

First tear down the existing Shuttle

 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go!

 

 

Meals were provided during the 4h 45min marathon build

 

 

Construction of the ET (External Tank) backbone containing liquid Oxygen, and liquid Hydrogen

 

Looking good with the addition of the two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB)

 

The nervous driver takes a wrong turn

 

Astronaut

 

You better read this warning!

 

 

 

 

 

Turning Bacon into (Parma) Ham

by

1

Almost by accident …. this bacon joint has hung in the tack room for the last 2 months (along with the soon to be real Parma Ham … in another 9 months) and low and behold on Christmas Day we could slice it and enjoy it raw as ham.

 

Bacon joint dried into ham

 

Bacon joint dried into ham

 

 

Bacon joint dried into ham