This fall has brought lots of excitement from the nature spirits. Three major storms have swept through the Ecovillage already this season. The winds in the area were clocked at 90 – 110 km/hr. The rainfall levels have been huge. The Ecovillage has been standing up well to all of this so far with only minor damage at this point, still dramatic enough. All the streams and small water falls have grown to major flows all around the Ecovillage. So far none of our roads have washed out. Our drainage systems seem to be standing up well.
The Ecovillage crew was small this time, just Scott and Eric and as it turned out their work was cut out for them. Our temporary extremely steep road connection to the subdivision next door was essentially a small stream and Troopy was pushing the envelope but by the third try made it to the top. As we turned onto the Ecovillage at Maple Valley Road the next obstacle was apparent. A 50 year old cedar tree was blown over by the high winds knocking down a alder tree which landed on Maple Valley Road.
We walked to the interim-community house, gassed up the chainsaw and returned clearing the road with not much trouble.
The normally dry drainage system paralleling Maple Valley Road was a briskly flowing stream in these conditions. It was doing it’s job well and Maple Valley Road was not washed out.
The extreme conditions created a few leaks in the interim-community house to be dealt with. Eric is attempting to keep the electrics dry.
The extreme winds picked up the several hundred pound cob house temporary tarp system / roof and moved it over about 10 feet ripping out two of the tarp’s creating several leaks into the construction site. Scott and Eric spent most of the day rebuilding the structure keeping the cob dry.
Eric and Scott were working in the extreme elements and were completely soaked by the time lunch rolled around. They predicted this and had started a fire in the stove at the interim-community house and warmed up nicely in the comfy community house. Both commenting about on how much they were enjoying the day.
Even in the extremes the Ecovillage is warm and comforting.
