Our move to Daylesford was made in September last year. We nestled into our guest house accommodation and decorated its floors with boxes upon boxes full of our belongings. The shed too was filled with fridge and couch and bedding frames.

Since then we have been at work to create a home.

I am  at my best when organised. I don’t like looking for this nor for that. I like to move like a dancer moves, slinking past kitchen, billowing skirt, toes pirouetting pointed and taught. And when I’m asked where something is, I simply extend from below the knee, a leg, an arm, a finger, a wrist, and daintily grab that which I need.

For the moment a dancer I am not, I look at the boxes, and all the projects yet to be done, I hunt for underwear, I chase for books, I stalk for space on a desk much shared. I drown a little, my toes down deep, then rise again, then look again. This time I stare. I focus in on just one thing, one project done. It shines, it’s polished! It’s clean, its ready, it’s made to look so very steady.

Oh Dr Seuss come in I say, enjoy a cup of tea, it’s ready made! I made it just for you my dear, with finished shears I bought not dear. And in the study you shall see one desk for me, one desk for thee, no! one desk for me and one desk for Ralf, one shelf for books one shelf for elves. Desks wooden, varnished and to be installed, shelves wooden smooth with books to bear. One white, two white, three white up there. Above my hair so brown and fair, luscious, long and near Times Square.

There are a lot of projects yet to do, some to be done by me and some to be done by you.

But all is well. All is good. Flight of the Conchords are in the Hood. So just for now, with winters rain our wetland is full once again.

At the beginning I shall start and end with a photo of our home as it is right now. Our 15 acres of land is beautiful but when we bought it, it did not host a single tree and no habitat at all for birds, for frogs. As Ralf and I had worked for a wetland revegetation company we had fallen in love with the beauty and ecology of wetlands and set out to build our own. This picture shows the initial excavation works where our wetland now sits.

At the beginning I shall start and end with a photo of our home as it is right now. Our 15 acres of land is beautiful but when we bought it, it did not host a single tree and no habitat at all for birds, for frogs. As Ralf and I had worked for a wetland revegetation company we had fallen in love with the beauty and ecology of wetlands and set out to build our own. This picture shows the initial excavation works where our wetland now sits.

For Now (2 of 42)

The guest house was the first light-earth building to be constructed. Here Ralf is removing the form work (wooden boards) that hold the straw/clay/water in place. Once the straw has settled in, sometimes just a few hours on a warm day, longer on a cold day, the boards are removed. 

One building drying in the sun.

One building drying in the sun.

Some of the walls sprouted mushrooms. At the time I had no idea what species they were but now just maybe I can at least say that they look like Lawyers Wigs (Coprinus comatus) and that they are likely to be in the Coprinoid genus. 

Some of the walls sprouted mushrooms. At the time I had no idea what species they were but now just maybe I can at least say that they look like Lawyers Wigs (Coprinus comatus) and that they are likely to be in the Coprinoid genus.

Rendered wall of guest house. A final render of lime will be added.

Rendered wall of guest house. A final render of lime will be added.

In between the building works there is time for joy.

In between the building works there is time for joy.

And times for nurture.

And time for nurture.

Our doors and windows arrive from Germany where high quality double glazing units are affordable. The market in Australia is rapidly maturing and as demand for double glazed units increases the price will drop. We have bought Australian made double glazing from Paarhammer in the past which were excellent,  but could not afford them for this build.

Our doors and windows arrive from Germany where high quality double glazed units are affordable. The market in Australia is rapidly maturing and as demand for double glazed units increases the price will drop. We have bought Australian made double glazing from Paarhammer in the past which were excellent,  but could not afford them for this build.

The wetland establishes itself with plants growing and creating a wonderful habitat for us all.

The wetland establishes itself with plants growing and creating a wonderful habitat for us all.

A bike ride in the afternoon sun and in the background the framing of our home goes up. 

A bike ride in the afternoon sun and in the background the framing of our home goes up.

Ralf sieves straw to produce a fine internal render.

Ralf sieves straw to produce a fine internal render.

Toni and other local builders come and help to speed up the building over summer.

Toni and other local builders come and help to speed up the building over summer.

Friends from Adelaide come and visit and build straw homes of their own.

Friends from Adelaide come and visit and build straw homes of their own.

West wall stage one complete.

West wall stage one complete.

Second storey needs to be light earthed. This will be heavy work and a lifting mechanism as well as scaffolding is needed.

Second storey needs to be light earthed. This will be heavy work and a lifting mechanism as well as scaffolding is needed.

In the meanwhile the wetland plants are looking very beautiful and they bring me much joy.

In the meanwhile the wetland plants are looking very beautiful and they bring me much joy.

A sleep before thunder.

A sleep before thunder.

Light earth and render completed for second storey.

Light earth and render completed for second storey.

Painting internal walls with low VOC paints.

Painting internal walls with low VOC paints.

Lights with LED's and Fan for summer cooling.

Lights with LED’s and Fan for summer cooling.

Lintels look golden and fantastic against the white lime washed walls.

Lintels look golden and fantastic against the white lime washed walls.

Bannister made for the staircase filters light through its decorative circles.

Bannister made for the staircase filters light through its decorative circles.

Learning to make a concrete bench top.

Learning to make a concrete bench top.

Greenhouse is finished and will provide warmth in summer.

Greenhouse is finished and will provide warmth in winter.

One room is looking comfortable for a brief moment when some of the building clutter is temporarily moved for this photo.

One room is looking comfortable for a brief moment when some of the building clutter is temporarily moved for this photo.

From the top of our attic bedrooms a view of the courtyard.

From the top of our attic bedrooms a view of the courtyard.

A study wall in deep yellow.

A study wall in deep yellow.

A moment to socialise with beautiful friends newly made.

A moment to socialise with beautiful friends newly made.

A room with a bed and too many toys, one lonely set of draws with more to be made.

A room with a bed and too many toys, one lonely set of draws with more to be made.

A dining table made from leftover floor boards.

A dining table made from leftover floor boards.

A larder is made with a cooling underground vent.

A larder is made with a cooling underground vent.

A kitchen is made and Ralf has worked soo hard to make it and yet more is to be done. An island bench large enough for a party of ten keen to knead dough and to learn to make bread.

A kitchen is made and Ralf has worked soo hard to make it and yet more is to be done. An island bench large enough for a party of ten keen to knead dough and to learn to make bread.

A room temporarily uncluttered with a yellow wall that needs to be lime washed white and a ceiling fan that spins all winter to  push warm air down from the ceiling height. 

A room temporarily uncluttered with a yellow wall that needs to be lime washed white and a ceiling fan that spins all winter to  push warm air down from the ceiling height.

A picture drawn.

A picture drawn.

A flue that sends warm air into our bathroom.

A flue that sends warm air into our bathroom.

A house on its way to being a home.

A house on its way to being a home.

16 Comments

  1. Andrew

    Brilliant, Mara! Would love to come and see you all some time.

    Reply
    • Mara

      yes pleeeeeeaaaaaaaseeee, dear Andrew I would love to see you and family, yes yes yes!.

      Reply
  2. Ruth

    Such a lovely story of the creation of your home, both in words and pictures.

    Reply
    • Mara

      Oh you are always so lovely! Thank you soooo very very much for your delicious words.

      Reply
  3. Joel

    This is amazing! Love watching your dreams unfold.

    Reply
    • Mara

      Thank you Joel, thank you heaps for your message.

      Reply
  4. isi

    wosa… amazing transformation. i’ d love to come and visit soon. xx

    Reply
    • Mara

      I’d love to see you, I’ll try and text you.

      Reply
  5. Kirti

    Oh YAAAYYY!

    Reply
    • Mara

      Hello dear Kirti.

      Reply
  6. Tom Littledeer

    Thank you for posting your process. Kudos on your progress!

    Reply
    • Mara

      Thank you Tom Littledeer, always nice to hear from you.

      Reply
  7. Che

    Hello Mara, it’s looking amazing! So much done since I last checked in. Miss having you in the Resa hood, but looks like things are coming on beautifully. Love to come see you out there sometime. Che (from round the corner in Resa who works at Council).

    Reply
    • Mara

      Thank you kindly for your message and good wishes. That would be lovely! I hope you are really, really well.

      Reply
  8. Mary Zenthon

    Mara and Ralph this amazing .I picked up a post on FB that Wendy had liked and then Googled you and found your wonderful blog ,Village Dreaming .I feel privileged to have been to your housein it’s earlier stages and shared your hospitality.What a wonderful home you have both made .I wonder whether I shall ever get the opportunity to get to Victoria to see Martin ,Diane Larissa and Sam and their families again and have the chance to Visit you once more to see what you have achieved in such a short space of time .Good luck with yourcItalian Festival events .I just wish I could come and see it all .I have just spent an hour reading your blog and looking at all your wonderful photos .I shall now keep watching .
    Love to you both and your beautiful girls
    Mary Z

    Reply
    • Mara

      What a delight to receive your email, how very, very lovely of you to write! We are really enjoying our home and are so pleased that our first winter here has been really comfortable and warm despite the cold weather, the house is performing brilliantly.

      How are you lovely Mary? And yes how lovely that you were able to see the beginning of our project. If you do make it back to Victoria then most definitely come and have tea with us.

      I am really enjoying writing my blog post, it keeps me on my toes and allows me to practice my writing. There are so many stories to tell…much love to you and thank you for your hello, baci, mara

      Reply

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