Continuing my thoughts about Havilah House, I have this notion that it would be wonderful to have a few cabins as well as an outside kitchen and shower and a long drop toilet, not literally but in appearance, and connected to the septic tank system.

The Outdoor Shower 

This is something I have often wished for, a hot water shower out in the open, sheltered of course from view, but with a starry sky above, it would be particularly inviting during the long summers, and if located near the pool it can double up as a change room.  While we do have a large house I am reluctant to open that up to guests whom I don’t know very well or would not want roaming about my house unattended. The outdoor shower would solve this problem.

The shower is also a bathroom, connected to hot water with good water pressure, guests staying in the Music Cottage or in the Guest Cabin would be welcome to use the outside bathroom 

In summary, it’s a camp bathroom, it has the essentials and is easy to maintain. It has hot water.

The Nakamal (Camp Kitchen) 

The camp kitchen is easily described as a sheltered outside bathroom, with a little relaxing space, my friend Bert build one to enable him to entertain his guests more easily and it was a wonderful creation, and ever since I have hoped to make one myself   

“A nakamal (a Bislama word from vernacular terms such as Raga gamali) is a traditional meeting place in Vanuatu. It is used for gatherings, ceremonies and the drinking of kava. A nakamal is found in every significant Vanuatu community, but the design of the nakamal and the traditions surrounding it vary between areas”.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakamal

The Dunny (long drop), 

A typical Australian outside toilet, I’m sure the UK had them as well, It would fit in quite nicely in our garden and I have the septic tank close by, about 3 or 4 meters away so I could easily connect that. 

Havilah House

I have kind of woken up to the fact that this old house in Beerwah may be home for the rest of our lives and it’s not so bad having land on which I can do some much and don’t feel locked up. 

The Swimming Pool

My pool has not been that great since I drained it,  and it now is a third full and filled with tadpoles, we thought they were toads, but it turns out the lovely green frogs so I have been rescuing them putting them where I think they will be happy,  in the hedges, and down by the creek. 

The Music Room 

The music room has been a success, it’s not decorated, it needs pictures and art and guitar hooks, but it is used every day by the family, for sleepovers, and chill sessions and watch TV etc. Julian has been working down there on Zoom during the school lockdown. See Havilah House Music Room and  Notes for Kars the Architect

The Cabin,  

I have made some progress, or let’s say that the base is very nearly complete, and I expect to have the sides and roof structure up this weekend,  ready for the cladding and roof.  If I say so myself it’s pretty well constructed so I reckon I could make another more easily and quicker.  I am being careful to do it as inexpensively as possible but still maintain the quality, also been careful to modularise it. So things, like buying 6m bearers and then cutting them in half, saved some cash and using standard sizes.

Check out our complete cabin here  Building a Small Cabin 2020

Planting Seeds

Yesterday I planted another hundred black bean seeds on the other side of the creek, it will form a think wall of foliage in a few years time. Folks are going to wonder where all these trees came from?  Black bean trees grow tall and in the shape of an oval if they are in the open but they seem to grow extra tall  in the rain forest and amongst other trees, with foliage all the way up the trunk, like the leaning tower of pizza, which is the effect I am hoping for I did some reading on back bean trees and they have anti carcinogenic  HIV properties,  I intend to look into this a bit more. 

The Black Bean is also found in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. … This is a handsome tree with glossy dark green pinnate leaves and low … and it contains alkaloids which have been shown to have anti-HIV and anti –cancer properties. https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/castanospermum-australe.html

The Boma

One of these days I’ll get round to making a Boma and the best example I have of a Boma is Scotty’s Boma, Preparing to build a Boma (Outdoor Fire Pit) I’m sure you will like it.

A boma is a livestock enclosure, community enclosure, stockade, corral, small fort or a district government office and community used in many parts of the African Great Lakes region, as well as Central and Southern Africa. It is particularly associated with community decision making. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boma_(enclosure)

A Braai or BBQ?

Mann … so many of the good times I have enjoyed throughout my life have been alongside or close to a BBQ,  in South Africa, this is referred to as a Braai.   While these are very similar the are quite different.

A Braai is done on charcoal, a BBQ can be both on coals or on a gas bbq.  – quite different flavours

I have fallen in love with my home and property again, after living here for 17 years this October 2020. The home is full of laughter and friends. It has been a difficult, long journey and I’m ashamed at myself for complaining so often about this home.

We bought this home because it had potential, but till recently we’ve not really and for various reasons, have been unable to realise it’s potential.

So looking forward, and forgetting what lays behind us, let’s press on and continue exercising dominion over our lands and possessions using all that we are and all that we have for the glory of our God.

So thinking forward, nothing is certain except the promises of God. I hope though to write a series of short notes about this property.

Projects and Distractions

I’ve various projects on the go at any one time from mundane tasks like weeding, spraying, mowing, pruning the hedges and fenceline and whipper snipping the edges to fixing the pool, building a small cabin 3.0m x 3.6m or building an outside shower and bathroom.

The weather in Autumn is often a very comfortable temperature in the Queensland year, it’s the twilight zone between a warm summer and cool winter, and you can get on top of the garden and make it look pleasant. 

I have been cleaning and clearing the creek,  returning it to it’s native habitat,  you can almost walk up to the edge now from any part of the lower garden.

Congratulation to this young family who built and moved into a Tiny House in South Australia.  (It’s great to have your space on you parents property to settle on.)

Their concept this is quite similar to what I imagine an Elastic Home to be like, (except that the modular elastic homes I’ve been thinking about are somewhat larger than Tiny Home, however, the principles are much the same.

This is a great example of an MVP – Minimum Viable Product, and its certainly a lot easier to relocate that the modular homes I’ve been imagining.

I have always imagined my family, children and parents living on the same property, this video helps me imagine and visualise what I’ve been trying to put together regarding Homes which grow with you.  Have a look at my ideas in Elastic Homes and Living.

I’m quite fortunate to live on 2 acres, this home has so much potential, I am pleased the I cleared out much of the garden and made it easier to manage however I do regret cutting and clearing some of the trees and shrubs, most notable the frangipani tree. and the agapanthus, the tree ferns which unfortunately died of their own accord, possibly due to old age or because they were exposed.

The nicest part of the land is the flat patch directly in front of where I am standing to take this photograph, although the land extends down to right, past the trees and to Coochin Creek, which would have been a very peaceful relaxing area until the traffic increased on Peachester Road on the other side of the creek.

Havilah House – December 2011