Willows growing by my parent's village house were calling to me, together with a desire to have some place of our own there. I read once that two adults can build such willow house in two afternoons. However, two adults and one mama with two babies ain't the same thing. It was worth the time though.
Začala som so 63 prútmi. Každý z nich bol približne 3 metre dlhý a hrubý ako prst. Zapichla som ich do kruhu v trojiciach, len priestor na dvere som nechala prázdny. Ten som potom neskôr spevnila ďalšími 6 prútmi. Na obe strany vchodu som pridala 2 prúty ku prvej trojici, a 1 prút ku druhej trojici na obidvoch stranách.
I started with 63 willow rods long about 3 meters and thick as an adult finger. I stuck them in the ground always by three about one feet apart, leaving just the entrance open. Later I found out this was not enough and added 6 rods around the entrance, 2 of them to both of the first triplets and another 1 to the next triplets on both sides of the entrance.
Prostredné prúty zo všetkých trojíc som v strede vo vzduchu zviazala.
I then collected the central 21 rods, leaving the other two of the triplets free. I tied the 21 rods up in the air, above the center of the house-to-be.
Z ostatných 42 prútov som postupne začala zväzovať sieť tvoriacu steny budúceho domčeka. Mašličky som musela viazať dvojité, pretože mi ich Inka jednu po druhej rozväzovala. Lump.
Then I took the left and the right rods and started tying them together, creating a network all over the house. I had to double tie all of the cords, as Inka decided to undo them one by one.
Jedno poschodie za druhým... aj jar prišla. Aj Inka zaspala.
I continued with next layers of the network. The spring came. Inka fell asleep.
Veľmi som chcela domčeku spraviť rovný vrch, aby bol v tvare polgule. To sa mi však ani po viacerých pokusoch nepodarilo. Ukončila som ho teda postupným zužovaním do špicu. Približne v mojej výške som začala zväzovať stále viac a viac prútov, najprv 6 namiesto pôvodných 3, potom 12, potom 18, až kým nebol vrch zviazaný spolu. Z toho sa potešil náš Dede, ktorý sa v domčeku TAKMER dokáže postaviť. Že vraj sa mu tam s deťmi takto bude lepšie hrať :).
The process of finishing the top was a bit frustrating. I wanted to make it round. I wasn't able to do this however although I tried several different times an ways. I finished the house by tying more and more rods together with every layer. 6 insted of 3, then 12, then 18 and all of them together. The final house resembles teepee. My dad is glad as he can ALMOST stand up in the center. He wouldn't be able to do this if the "roof" was flat (round describes it better I think). He says playing with kids will be easier this way :).
And so it is done. I can't wait for the leaves. I already know there are some rods that will need to be replaced as they seem dry. Maybe next spring.