An ARK for Mr Noah’s

At the end of January, work began on a second barn for storage purposes. The construction was similar to the one built two years ago, but it was to have the floor made from pallet wood.

By February, it was left incomplete but usable by virtue of a tarp covering the roof to keep out most of the water. The only photos are incidental – ones taken of the whole plat from a drone.

Work recommenced in August, and the priority was to get the roof felted. A deluge of rain had been forecast following months of drought. So once the tarp was off, there was an urgency about the task.

The rains came, and satisfyingly, when every container was overflowing, the water ran off the roof to perfection.

It was time to tidy up the roof, pay a little attention to details and get the straw bale walls sorted.

After nearly two years of attempting to handle paperwork out in the elements, we have added to the structures one last building for an office.

There was excitement when a lorry struggled down the track to deliver the summerhouse for self assembly. So much was the interest that one little chap made a model of the vehicle.

Then the structure began to go up, bit by bit…

..until, eventually, the building began to look reasonably complete.

There was help on hand to remove the masking tape used during painting the building, and any number of essential tasks.

Now we are organised.

There are signs and labels everywhere. Whoever said that you would not have labels on things in the outdoor environment? Here is an example. And notice the decorative squirrel – it is a red squirrel, of course.

Twelve months ago, we had gone from the wettest October on record to a winter of named storms. The result was the destruction of tents and wallowing in mud on the plat. Last January, told the story of replacing the marquee with a yurt. Now we turn our attention to the surface on which we walk.

Winds battered the marquee, and the bark intended to protect from the mire failed. We were walking in slime.

So along with upgrading from tents, there came a project to construct decking and a variety of walkways.

We began at the rear of the plat and continued in front of the yurt. Then we started a completely different style at the main entrance to the enclosure.

Between the decking and the logs, the project has been completed with a surface constructed with pallet wood laid diagonally. The practical benefit is enormous, and it looks good into the bargain.

Last October the rains fell seriously and the year was a very wet one. One of the results was a very slippery path to the woods. We decided to create a new surface with boot gripping ebony chips.

Children were involved in it all. Now they will use the new access to the woods with a sense of pride in what they have achieved.

The children missed the popular mud kitchen for a fortnight. The wait was worth it, though: the whole thing has been refitted with everything you could ask to have in your kitchen.

There is a French dresser, a hood over the solid fuelled oven and even a microwave.

A great benefit is that all is under cover.

And there is more still.

Next door to the kitchen is a new Toy Room. So now, effectively, there is a new block at the side of the sand pit.