Finally we could rest from the render and get creative. Ron put the coloured bottle pattern into our hands because he said he didn’t have an artistic bone in his body. It was a bit daunting at first having heard stories of Mike Reynolds jack-hammering out work he didn’t like. Bottles stretched out before me in all directions, so many colours and shapes. In the end I just went for it lining up pattern of colours rainbowing from brown the blue and I was pretty happy with the result. Clear bottle halves were taped on the other side of colours to let more light in and were positioned so the coloured light from the south would shine through and illuminate the clear north side (I think I’m finally getting this northern hemisphere thing).

Inside they began staining the concrete floors with ferrous sulphate, a fertiliser, to give it a green tinge. They use to use some heavy duty chemicals that were expensive and extremely toxic, the stuff they use now is only $7 a bag and it does give a nice motley finish. In the other room slabs kept being poured, bottle walls were grouted and windows fitted.

Jerry and I only got the first row of bottled before the weather began to turn, it looked like it might actually rain so we covered everything with tarps. On the western plains huge sheets of sand were being whipped up and were coming towards us, we ran for home before the storm hit.

In the towers we could here the wind whistling in a mysterious cavity in the wall and lighting illuminated the dark bedrooms. Then the rain hit and began drip drip dripping in the outer greenhouse. We were snug and warm in the inner courtyard, sharing beers and snacks with our Tower neighbours we enjoyed the novelty of the wild night outside.