tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89794775704831266472024-11-01T03:29:44.341-07:00A mans home is his CASTLE A Kings Castle is his HOMESocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979477570483126647.post-18369914117011851272010-03-08T18:11:00.000-08:002010-03-08T18:15:06.212-08:00The Foundation for the 1st tower has been excavated!<br /> <br /> Now its steel and concrete for the Pad then start laying up stone<br /> <br /> Concept:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBcJqaDpLNV9Vym7mnK339xdyNa-6QQY7MmydUx-hOfoVSzObszBoJHAC_BVpQJUaZ3hmISrP-Nom8FQikozThgY9FRhRfyvIUcW-X44rcWfQlsvF9MfMmSrxr0ALHBLPe7vaynwSykQ/s1600-h/exterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBcJqaDpLNV9Vym7mnK339xdyNa-6QQY7MmydUx-hOfoVSzObszBoJHAC_BVpQJUaZ3hmISrP-Nom8FQikozThgY9FRhRfyvIUcW-X44rcWfQlsvF9MfMmSrxr0ALHBLPe7vaynwSykQ/s320/exterior.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBcJqaDpLNV9Vym7mnK339xdyNa-6QQY7MmydUx-hOfoVSzObszBoJHAC_BVpQJUaZ3hmISrP-Nom8FQikozThgY9FRhRfyvIUcW-X44rcWfQlsvF9MfMmSrxr0ALHBLPe7vaynwSykQ/s1600-h/exterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBcJqaDpLNV9Vym7mnK339xdyNa-6QQY7MmydUx-hOfoVSzObszBoJHAC_BVpQJUaZ3hmISrP-Nom8FQikozThgY9FRhRfyvIUcW-X44rcWfQlsvF9MfMmSrxr0ALHBLPe7vaynwSykQ/s1600-h/exterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> This actually Doesn't show the windows on the other 2 visible towers, but&nbsp;they will be there!<br /> <br /> Here's an overhead look:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CBlfzVdIEUyQQ-AmeGsHQmqJ4IaAqgjeeECfVK0bQ1B4vOt8U7skpNbzYYHhjpEwDHQO7NXbqABC7ccsZ-0D1geeSu23viiVpQYUwwStlSNRsjWfpEKT3lfFW0eWxBzSe_65DOLFAZI/s1600-h/interior.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CBlfzVdIEUyQQ-AmeGsHQmqJ4IaAqgjeeECfVK0bQ1B4vOt8U7skpNbzYYHhjpEwDHQO7NXbqABC7ccsZ-0D1geeSu23viiVpQYUwwStlSNRsjWfpEKT3lfFW0eWxBzSe_65DOLFAZI/s320/interior.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The Spiral Stairway is in the northeastern Tower<br /> <br /> Here are some of the raw materials...<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArvlzknKHwsy6w29WvpEo90UzrrINy5_eFF4aYJFAoQtp-u6hONnUWjMcm5YGVAZrOuw58Y-kuQZIqhL1K1u9bx6ww2-pUalxZlxQ4RinbzwLPtvxCxzGaDFtM-TSxm4a0bjumXA4QOU/s1600-h/S6300140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArvlzknKHwsy6w29WvpEo90UzrrINy5_eFF4aYJFAoQtp-u6hONnUWjMcm5YGVAZrOuw58Y-kuQZIqhL1K1u9bx6ww2-pUalxZlxQ4RinbzwLPtvxCxzGaDFtM-TSxm4a0bjumXA4QOU/s320/S6300140.JPG" /></a></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> All Hand loaded!<br /> Who needs a membership at the gym?!SocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979477570483126647.post-1616916219972636602010-02-01T06:03:00.000-08:002010-02-01T06:03:25.011-08:00So, from the last two posts, you may get the idea I'm digging a big hole in the yard... ;-)<br /> <br /> Why hand dig? the benefits are 3-fold:<br /> <br /> <br /> <ol><li>Its very precise - no overdig, nice smooth edges, etc, etc</li> <li>Its keeping me from ballooning up to 250#, and keeps SOME muscle tone</li> <li>Its cheap...if NOT too entertaining...</li> </ol>If I were in a hurry, I'd rent a mini-excavator and do it in a day or two - but speed's not the criteria here.<br /> <br /> Here's the state of things as of January 2010: (ignore the camera's date - its off, and I got tired of correcting it after each battery change)<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSh5flSCbeyBa5AFPnrv0ZXKRViV9WshDG_wjNIkYFj1tHzokhdIykugiShn8aaDXuYp6M6CQU25aFL8Lr8nOTKt195T71QdblQWJ5ALgZQ14WTvCaHfLWrJ5UDoKoScfL7o2K31NkDo/s1600-h/01152010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSh5flSCbeyBa5AFPnrv0ZXKRViV9WshDG_wjNIkYFj1tHzokhdIykugiShn8aaDXuYp6M6CQU25aFL8Lr8nOTKt195T71QdblQWJ5ALgZQ14WTvCaHfLWrJ5UDoKoScfL7o2K31NkDo/s640/01152010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>SocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979477570483126647.post-9639965784999374672010-02-01T05:32:00.000-08:002010-02-01T05:44:15.919-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLSImhLd-Qcc-6mQwgHZSpnlpSp8HJTUN2DWLD9gsiCo5b79SLIOtpVVq7BSHK0POHyX0vOCNRA213E8WAD8gdttEOgeqbBQQl3ZPsXNE1M6T96F4WgARzsulBtiXb6i_1zixEA7xtbY/s1600-h/08242008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLSImhLd-Qcc-6mQwgHZSpnlpSp8HJTUN2DWLD9gsiCo5b79SLIOtpVVq7BSHK0POHyX0vOCNRA213E8WAD8gdttEOgeqbBQQl3ZPsXNE1M6T96F4WgARzsulBtiXb6i_1zixEA7xtbY/s200/08242008.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <br /> The Ole Swimmin' Hole<br /> August 2008<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtxOB2xQRK0q8G1Jqwz8wIdZ7w0jfeF36Xowq0PM8I7_OZkYGOfvMcMPNcpy9hFtnRv5-sEJMIFpWB2EXtnCHQhV_5AWPhn1VUvYd1saVWkls3DZFL7-rE75Bxvq8sefcEeXfN5Ii0fE/s1600-h/01062008_SM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtxOB2xQRK0q8G1Jqwz8wIdZ7w0jfeF36Xowq0PM8I7_OZkYGOfvMcMPNcpy9hFtnRv5-sEJMIFpWB2EXtnCHQhV_5AWPhn1VUvYd1saVWkls3DZFL7-rE75Bxvq8sefcEeXfN5Ii0fE/s200/01062008_SM.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <br /> Damn its Hot!<br /> June 2008 (around 90F)<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTumxZhCRzAtZ8m6sFglm_I12Yye7z73jVgcrTDsuRzwE145sAfPUBAEqJBoMPf0GNOrAaeTYhRTdwHXcrKWOLYng_Vw-eziC0uzNrdcevQKqFvM0qZxgqrzBTcVoBNAWC2iubKhK4bc/s1600-h/01202008_SM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTumxZhCRzAtZ8m6sFglm_I12Yye7z73jVgcrTDsuRzwE145sAfPUBAEqJBoMPf0GNOrAaeTYhRTdwHXcrKWOLYng_Vw-eziC0uzNrdcevQKqFvM0qZxgqrzBTcVoBNAWC2iubKhK4bc/s200/01202008_SM.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTumxZhCRzAtZ8m6sFglm_I12Yye7z73jVgcrTDsuRzwE145sAfPUBAEqJBoMPf0GNOrAaeTYhRTdwHXcrKWOLYng_Vw-eziC0uzNrdcevQKqFvM0qZxgqrzBTcVoBNAWC2iubKhK4bc/s1600-h/01202008_SM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></a></div>SocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979477570483126647.post-71639535223973187982010-01-24T12:12:00.000-08:002010-02-01T05:39:17.832-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqsOyCTn87_owo_OPT9v93pIGnQWy-yixoLqpZbRgu3lzmNpFWHXpG87vsm0YuShwwRDT4L6Zq8x7FCtorZyYcuB4ew4TmBzLcf8yCM0-Zf6nH_5kRc7ela3sDysGVHTd-EaO40AuBBs/s1600/Hole_sm12092007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqsOyCTn87_owo_OPT9v93pIGnQWy-yixoLqpZbRgu3lzmNpFWHXpG87vsm0YuShwwRDT4L6Zq8x7FCtorZyYcuB4ew4TmBzLcf8yCM0-Zf6nH_5kRc7ela3sDysGVHTd-EaO40AuBBs/s200/Hole_sm12092007.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqsOyCTn87_owo_OPT9v93pIGnQWy-yixoLqpZbRgu3lzmNpFWHXpG87vsm0YuShwwRDT4L6Zq8x7FCtorZyYcuB4ew4TmBzLcf8yCM0-Zf6nH_5kRc7ela3sDysGVHTd-EaO40AuBBs/s1600/Hole_sm12092007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> <div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Tenners is in my Hole!!!</div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">&nbsp;December 2007</div></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeKLTiIXxIHRfvQ5V6JvUjRfx5WL4EMxt8UxsPA9b9A0lFv28c4sc5EKb5dw6-YTdcDje4DJeTVbPQHttyzRkhpKwIB3e5OhaQQOuMobVlZurjr-TNMh91ruVWdmNz-Li8qbr0-43_Lo/s1600-h/10272007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeKLTiIXxIHRfvQ5V6JvUjRfx5WL4EMxt8UxsPA9b9A0lFv28c4sc5EKb5dw6-YTdcDje4DJeTVbPQHttyzRkhpKwIB3e5OhaQQOuMobVlZurjr-TNMh91ruVWdmNz-Li8qbr0-43_Lo/s200/10272007.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk70OCNrPzwZZUNfHFdpHXopw9PcjJwZ1hduXLmJRkuYqNHl7N8NUkJWkCk44W2C3gzMnUocUvMOcQwI3ajFXKiO2kMN5F-MFdlXKr2_vTMP2DYOlYuVo3HnCfoSnr6NiL4c_BRwbVUc/s1600/Hole_sm09302007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk70OCNrPzwZZUNfHFdpHXopw9PcjJwZ1hduXLmJRkuYqNHl7N8NUkJWkCk44W2C3gzMnUocUvMOcQwI3ajFXKiO2kMN5F-MFdlXKr2_vTMP2DYOlYuVo3HnCfoSnr6NiL4c_BRwbVUc/s200/Hole_sm09302007.JPG" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk70OCNrPzwZZUNfHFdpHXopw9PcjJwZ1hduXLmJRkuYqNHl7N8NUkJWkCk44W2C3gzMnUocUvMOcQwI3ajFXKiO2kMN5F-MFdlXKr2_vTMP2DYOlYuVo3HnCfoSnr6NiL4c_BRwbVUc/s1600/Hole_sm09302007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></a></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;">The Work Continues...<br /> October 2007</div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> <br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0BV6tOqF7Yps9ZxhcNPb2vjtOMrbheFDMBWInUBdVDta6hHUp6hiFMii9uM0PpLzU9cvW9X-Cgq0HDG7FpN7vNGjZ81EfMdVxvs8aFXG1cXtPCivWEa0yQSKjpZ9cZTeD-pLP1dUDE/s1600/Hole_sm07232007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0BV6tOqF7Yps9ZxhcNPb2vjtOMrbheFDMBWInUBdVDta6hHUp6hiFMii9uM0PpLzU9cvW9X-Cgq0HDG7FpN7vNGjZ81EfMdVxvs8aFXG1cXtPCivWEa0yQSKjpZ9cZTeD-pLP1dUDE/s200/Hole_sm07232007.JPG" width="200" /></a>Titan claims this land for spain!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: auto;">September 2007</div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: auto;">Mud hole July 2007</div><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0BV6tOqF7Yps9ZxhcNPb2vjtOMrbheFDMBWInUBdVDta6hHUp6hiFMii9uM0PpLzU9cvW9X-Cgq0HDG7FpN7vNGjZ81EfMdVxvs8aFXG1cXtPCivWEa0yQSKjpZ9cZTeD-pLP1dUDE/s1600-h/Hole_sm07232007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0BV6tOqF7Yps9ZxhcNPb2vjtOMrbheFDMBWInUBdVDta6hHUp6hiFMii9uM0PpLzU9cvW9X-Cgq0HDG7FpN7vNGjZ81EfMdVxvs8aFXG1cXtPCivWEa0yQSKjpZ9cZTeD-pLP1dUDE/s1600-h/Hole_sm07232007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqsOyCTn87_owo_OPT9v93pIGnQWy-yixoLqpZbRgu3lzmNpFWHXpG87vsm0YuShwwRDT4L6Zq8x7FCtorZyYcuB4ew4TmBzLcf8yCM0-Zf6nH_5kRc7ela3sDysGVHTd-EaO40AuBBs/s1600-h/Hole_sm12092007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqsOyCTn87_owo_OPT9v93pIGnQWy-yixoLqpZbRgu3lzmNpFWHXpG87vsm0YuShwwRDT4L6Zq8x7FCtorZyYcuB4ew4TmBzLcf8yCM0-Zf6nH_5kRc7ela3sDysGVHTd-EaO40AuBBs/s1600-h/Hole_sm12092007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"></span>SocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979477570483126647.post-59889883262544217362009-11-19T13:03:00.000-08:002009-11-19T13:03:15.403-08:00I posted a brief mention of this project on another blog, and after some favorable comments, decided to give the project its own space here.<br /> <br /> As you may guess from the title it has something to do with a stone tower, and in fact, I'm attempting to build one - due to the unimaginably hot summers here in San Antonio TX, I have not been making much progress during the summer months.<br /> <br /> I'll be adding several Renderings and a few pictures in the next post...SocialCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15305579721646445258noreply@blogger.com0