Hi Roby. There is something so satisfying about working directly with your hands and not just our brains, isn’t there? And like Sharon says there’s something complementary about building something, that hand’s-on, brain-engaged, touchable result to it all.

Annie, I often wonder if you guys in the field get more enjoyment than we do in the office. Sure I get to go out and stomp around in boots and take notes, but it’s not every day. But every day is progress! Some days more than others certainly. And gardening. Same thing.

Angie, you guys sure have bitten off a lot of building/rebuilding. We didn’t “have” to unless you count the coop, greenhouses and now the outdoor oven. It’s all rather satisfying, though…and it gets us through the week until we get out there again!

Stefani, you think you had it worse, you mean, that you’d drop out and garden? Hah. Maybe… Though when I was in school gardening was the furthest thing from my mind. That was my problem, frankly.

Mike, I am telling you I think computers completely suck our lives out, one keystroke at a time…at least, I think this most of the time. I learn from them too so it’s a bit of a conundrum. But indeed having the power to plan and carry through something is so immensely personally satisfying. One must remember to stop and look back and note one’s accomplishments, though.

Ah Sharon that everpresent quest for balance! You’re quite fortunate to be able to use your computer as a tool that complements the other activities of your life. I get into this pattern where I resent the computer (the blog, really) for things like my cooking: cooking, gardening, living, etc. is so much deeper than a damned blog post. But as an organizational tool, indeed, blogs/computers can help a person out a lot. And: I completely get what the attraction is for Leo in working with those old canoes. People definitely need outlets like that or we’d all be a bit crazy.

Kate! I have now spilled. Nah, a hoop house wouldn’t have taken me this long to build: they go up in a weekend, easily.

Ali, weren’t you helping some friends build one, too?

Paula, you win the gold star! I am hoping this project rounds out a lot of things to our lives, even simplifying a lot of it…that might be a lot to ask but it’ll be fun seeing if it can. And yes, that bookcase. Indeed a relief, but wow, what a great improvement to your environment! (I’ll have you know that we had to reinforce parts of our first floor to actually carry the weight of all our books.)

Dennis, don’t forget it’s a good feeling you can EAT. Wow, how handy is that!! We should all have avocations as unselfishly fulfilling as a garden. I am of the opinion that individual teachers (any kind) are mostly the nudge, not necessarily the producers of well-educated students. Motivation, clarity, and enthusiasm: if a teacher can get this out of a student, it’ll help that student get it out of him/herself. (You see I come from a long line of teachers, both secondary and college-level.)

Baking AND gardening, MC, exactly. Edible payoff too! Can’t eat my oven, but…it’ll help what I grow and eat. But I agree, it would be a downer if one’s living were counting on what we grow and cook.

EJ, I do a computer-free Sunday, have been for years, and it helps: I get out of my inbox, which truly helps my peace of mind. Mondays then become complete hell. Sigh. Sisyphus!

Ah Amanda I am so sorry: here you were, trying to come off the high of a birth, and I am messing with your poor eyes! And I am quite sure that one of the things you tell every one of your moms-to-be is watch out for floating text and seeing stars. My apologies

But building a garden, or a hoop house, or a cold frame: there you have to plan the structure (cerebration) and then go do it and you can see your final product, for better or worse. And I feel it in the soreness of my muscles. It’s a good feeling.

building something leaves physical evidence of hours spent at it. it gives you a sense of accomplishment. I can also get a sense of accomplishment when I clean the garage, but I know that it won’t stay that way (clean) whereas the wall-long bookcase I built in the living room will stay there until we move into the old folks home or the house burns down.

That one took so long I also felt a sense of relief, in addition to accomplishment.

I’ve got to get this winter monkey off my back. Freezing temps don’t mesh well with curing mortar…nor does heating something with my tightwad self…

I do agree with every word, but to leave us dangling in such a way, El. Really, now….

This rainy summer has made me lazy and my garden a wrack, and my computer time increased with nothing really to show for it except for atrophy — of both mind and muscle, not even to mention zucchini.

I agree with your thoughts on computer time and have also been thinking about that a lot of late. I’m very curious to hear more about what you are building.:)

I’m off to partake in some manual labor, good luck with the project.

I remember telling a professor all I wanted to do was garden, and he said all his students went through that. It was a way to escape the relentless cerebralization of our lives. Of course, since I ended up dropping out and now garden, maybe it was worse. Who knows?

What are you building?