August:         At the end of August, the 305 project was first discussed in class. 

                               During this time I thought about the various options from which I

                               had to choose for a project.  My original idea had been to do

                               some sort of rainwater catchment system.  However, after hearing

                               about the work that was needing to be done on the cob bench, I

                               decided that this would be the better choice.  In a class I took the

                               previous semester, I had a chance to work with cob and

                               thoroughly enjoyed it.  I knew that it would be fun and enriching

                               to continue this type of work, and a cob bench project would be a

                               great opportunity to learn more about natural building.    

     

  September: Project proposal and project budgets were turned in during

                                the beginning of the month.  In mid September I first talked with

                                the CCAT Co-director about the bench.  They were a great help

                                and resource; they helped me to get started on the project and

                                gave tips on where I could go to collect supplies and materials.  I

                                did some background research about building with cob and

                                collected supplies and materials in the community.  Sand bought 

                                at this time cost $20 and glass cost $5.  At the end of

                                September I started making my first batches of cob and applying

                                them to the bench.  Towards the end of September was also

                                when the actual 305 class got a chance to spend a lab day

                                working on the bench. 

 

 

  October:       All of this month was spent making and applying cob.  I 

                                also began to incorporate bottles into the bench.  Volunteers

                                also came and helped me to make cob on a few occasions.  They

                                were both students and community members interested in

                                natural building.  Sadly, a few days were very rainy and I had

                                to postpone making cob.  The project update was turned in at

                                this time.     

 

 

  November: This month was also spent making cob and applying it.  I also

                                 spent a great deal of time making adjustments to parts of the

                                 bench, such as the back.  I also began and completed the middle

                                 arch of the bench and put in the two windows.  First work

                                 on the web page also began.

 

 

  December:  During December the web page was worked on with a rigorous 

                                and sometimes apprehensive pace.  Also, this time was spent in

                                search of lime plaster that could be used in the spring by other

                                students, who could finish the bench and plaster it.  I also put all

                                the mirror, glass, and seashells together in a central location at

                                CCAT for use when the plaster is put on.  And, of course, finally

                                I cleaned up a semester's worth of mess from the project.  This

                                included putting excess sand in storage, cleaning muddy traps,

                                and sweeping.  This final web page project was also turned in on

                                December 10th.