With only thirty days, I committed to building a simple earthen shelter deep in the woods. Days 1-5: cleared a level site and gathered timber for the sturdy A-frame ribs. Days 6-15: meticulously wove flexible branches between the ribs (wattle), then layered thick clay-rich mud over it (daub). Days 16-25: constructed a compacted earth floor and built a stone-and-clay hearth for warmth and cooking. Days 26-30: thatched a thick, waterproof roof from gathered reeds and sealed gaps with more daub. By day 30, I had a snug, earth-integrated refuge – cool in summer, holding heat in winter, and utterly silent except for the whispering trees. My hands were raw, but my spirit, sheltered.
