Hello, I have added some pictures. For the most part they speak for themselves. I will add more to give a more complete view of the project.....Rusty

John made me do it

My name is Daniel Mason Chapman. aka Rusty. I met John Wells at Betty's Grub Shack. I am working on a place a few miles out in the desert, as is John. When I checked out his blog, TheFieldLab.org I became inspired to try one of my own. One thing I have noticed about people, ...Texans,... Texas people that live in the Big Bend, is that there is no shortage of viable opinions... We proceed... I will post some pictures and discuss the planning and methods used to build this place. John and I, plus many many more are solving similar problems every day. And as they say "there are many paths to the top of the mountain." So maybe, as people look for ideas for sustainable living, it will be easier to select one that works best for you. I built a large percent of this place without a helper (not in the budget) but had weeks of help from friends and family to boost the project ahead by leaps and bounds. I guess I started in March of 2006 and had an idea in my head that I would have the main part of the building done within two years. I was able to do that, under budget, but paid the pound of flesh. I guess when you bite off more than you can chew.....all you can do is chew! I dedicate this project to my wife Karol who is the one I am building this for. (anyone who knows me knows I am too lazy to do this for myself) I start this blog near the final stages of construction. I am heading back to the project in a few days. I do not have a computer in the desert so the updates will come in a month. Unless I can get my wife to maintain the blog.