The last time I posted about the land and cabin the foundation had just been completed. We’ve come a long way since then.

Currently, the cabin is ready for decking, spray foam insulation and sheetrock. The construction process has been slower than anticipated, but it is moving at a steady pace. Our contractor said it should be finished sometime in October. This is actually good timing in my opinion as the holiday will be fast approaching and my plan is to use the cabin as a retreat space.

One thing that has not been going to plan is the water situation. We put in our application back in June and the wait should’ve been 6-8 weeks but there has still been no progress despite repeated attempts at communicating with the county. We are hoping they get moving sooner rather than later. Otherwise, we are stuck with a water system that uses filtered pond water (can’t drink it).

Yes, we have a well, but the water quality is such that we opted to go with county water. The price is about the same for install. County water costs a monthly fee but there is no maintenance and the water will stay on when the electricity goes out. Other advantages are the clarity and smell of the water will be at a higher standard than the well water. Well water in this part of Texas tends to smell like rotten eggs (Sulphur) and wells can go dry during periods of extended drought. The well we have is quite shallow and we’ve gotten mixed opinions on its quality with one expert saying the water is fine and another saying he wouldn’t even help us with it because of the poor quality.

If the water isn’t hooked up by completion then my stays at the cabin will be limited. The filtered pond water is not ideal for long-term stays because the filters clog up quickly and the water can smell during periods of pond turnover.

Regardless, even short periods in the cabin surrounded by nature is better than none!

Below are some pictures of the progress since July. The top five pictures are from this weekend.

Land

We have not been able to do much clearing on the property because of the intense summer heat and intermittent rain storms (unusual for this time of year). We have only recently started clearing around the pond, specifically focusing on the left.

This weekend we cleared a path on the left side of the pond. My boys and I fished the pond during breaks and managed to catch some fish. In the past we were unable to catch any. I’m not sure why. So, we had been fishing in the neighbor’s pond with great success. However, now the neighbor’s pond has gone dead and ours seems to be alive with fish. It is super satisfying to finally catch fish in our own pond!

Below are some pics of the pond and the land. I’ve had various encounters with insects, specifically walking sticks and dragonflies. In fact, one day while sitting on the back porch looking at the pond, a dragonfly landed on my outstretched hand when I invited him to. It was amazing!