Update on the Craig's List Screen House

Today we spent the day "up north" on our 40 acres, working on the Craig's List Screen House (I've posted about my husband's screen house project using lots of free and very cheap things from Craig's List).  Here's a shot of our 40 acres from high above.

The green dot is where our cabin will be, eventually.  The trails are well worn dirt bike tracks from all three of my kids' dirt bikes.  The clearing with tiny buildings is where the shed, outhouse and soon to be finished screen house will be.  Prior to the construction of the screen house, when we spent time up there - overnight - we sleep in the loft in the shed and were using a pop up camper as a kind of porch.  Somewhere with tables and seating so we could get out of the weather during the day if need be.

I was sad to see the camper go but excited about a permanent structure that would allow for a couch, chairs, a kitchen table and an inside shower.  Taking a solar shower out in the open can be rather embarrassing if your neighbors choose that time to visit!

So the construction began on the screen house last fall.  My husband, his brother and our oldest son spent a few weekends putting in the floor and plumbing......

the framing - walls and roof (the large 3 foot overhang will allow us to keep the windows wide open even when it's raining)......

Next came the shingles and an opening for a door.

This spring, the windows and door were added (the door was free from Craig's List and the windows were $150 total).

My husband added battons and then caulked around all of them, around the windows and on any screws to make it more weather proof.

My husband added venting on his last trip.

Today, my daughter and I started priming the exterior.  It was her job to sweep the dirt off of the wood first, then she painted around all of the edges of the battons.

We only primed up to the bottom of the windows as some more caulking needed to be done.

I was able to prime the entire backside, after it stopped raining, because the kitchen window had already been completely caulked and ready to go.

The last work of the day was the installation of the screen door.  This was a free find on Craig's List.  My husband took out the original window and screen and made a wooden frame with a new screen.  His next project - attaching the solar panel to the roof so we can have some electricity.  Enough to power lights, a fan, charge cell phones, run a small TV/DVD player and a radio.  I'm constantly amazed at what he can do!

The weather turned stormy and the mosquitoes were very blood thirsty so we came home early.  But not before my daughter got in a few rides on the four wheeler......

and her older brother got to test the new commercial weed whip!

Once the screen house is finished, we're hoping to have guests come and visit.  You must be able to "do your business" in an outhouse; take a shower without running water (we're going to be equipped for an indoor solar shower in a real bathtub); take walks through the woods; trap shoot; ride a dirt bike or four wheeler; enjoy a roaring bonfire - we have plenty of wood in the wood shed;

play games (my husband's favorite is PIT); count the stars; enjoy grilled food; take naps in the middle of the afternoon (just because); watch for wildlife (we do have a resident bear and lots of coyote, deer and an owl); play polish golf and yard darts; and listen to Diana Krall (my favorite jazz artist).  Just look for our property sign!

"Relaxing, experiencing nature and laughing are what rejuvenate me and make me feel happy, that's when I look beautiful!  I make a point of laughing out loud every single day."  -Sui He