1-19-10

JEN BOMBARDED BY 3 OF THE
5 COWEETA HERITAGE CENTER
DOGS (SHEP, ARIEL, & SUNSHINE)







LARA SPORTING HER CHICKEN
FEATHER HAT




We've talked before about the stream we must cross to enter and exit Coweeta Heritage Center, but now let's talk business. The stream supplies the hydro-electric dam with the power that creates the energy we use. This energy is enough to provide two houses with a lot of lights, appliances, power tools, and also it powers an electric car. Hence, this is a good amount of energy from a powerful stream...this is not your typical little babbling brook. This stream carries much force with it; crossing the steam with the car is seriously worrisome. Paul has said in jest that it only gets bad when the water starts coming in through your doors. We don't think the folks at Honda would be too pleased with water damage on the interior of the car.

It rained the other day and as a result the water level in the stream rose and the passing was more treacherous than usual. It was so potentially unpassable, Paul decided we needed some human influence over this force of nature. The wisest decision would have been to erect a bridge to make this crossing much easier. Instead, Mallory, Paul, Jen, and Aaron put on galoshes (some with holes) and braved the frigid rapids to move some rocks around. The rocks allegedly act as a reinforcement to prevent the water build up over the driveway from reaching too high a level. We walked around like morons in the waters for nearly an hour picking up rocks from one part of the stream and dropping them down in another part. Then we hammered some rebar into the rocky stream bottom to "secure" these newly positions rocks. As we hammered the rebar, using a sledge, we often the missed the target and instead created sparks due to sledge-on-rock contact. Needless to say, Mother Nature wins again. We all left the stream soaking wet and freezing, yet the change was hard to detect in the stream. So hard, one could say it was impossible to detect a difference! We're thrilled we only have to make this crossing three more times before we leave. Hopefully River Jumper is up for the task.

The work here is becoming old hat. We have managed to fall into the trap of routine. We left our jobs to get out of the routines of work, and yet here we are again. Apparently, that is how things go. Don't misinterpret, we enjoyed getting into a rhythm here as it made us feel like we are not just tourists, but we are also excited to move on and learn a new skill set at a new place. Jen and Mallory finished work on the chicken coop today and Aaron cleared more fallen trees. Aaron has increased his strength and ability of splitting wood significantly. Paul cut down a Poplar tree today and Aaron had to split it's trunk. It had by far the hardest and most gnarly wood of any tree he's had to split yet. Even with his improved coordination of hitting the desired target and enhanced strength, it took him roughly 5 to 10 axe swings to split each piece of wood. With Birch, he can guarantee splitting it usually in one swing, two at most. Neither of us had any idea that wood had such a huge range of hardness. Jen and Mallory also started digging a 4 foot hole today. This will be used to secure the base of the solar panel. We both had our fill of manual labor today and we're pretty beat.