PROGRESS

 After our initial success growing potatoes last year, Kaoutar, Kareem and I built a potato tower a few weeks ago. Less than three weeks later, we have potatoes sprouting! Some of the slaoui gourd plants are dying now, but I harvested again today, and I think by the time we harvest olives, the plants will still be overtaking the tree.

After a frustrating 10 day period when we could not get the workers back, they finally reappeared today and began work on the mix of white dirt, straw, lime and a pigment that will be the "mud" that covers the walls, inside and out. Here, they came, dug through my spare wood pile and constructed this screen to sift the white dirt.

When all of the dry ingredients except the pigment were mixed in a big pile on the front porch, the guys formed a basin in the middle and started filling it with water. I learned that the "dough" had to have a rising time.

View of the great room from the east porch.The kitchen will be off to the left of the doorway in the background, a dining area near the wheelbarrow, then an office nook and living area in the foreground. The second half of the building is to the left and will also include storage and bathroom areas, and the bedroom.