We have found active termites on the property. We had been waiting to get started with a professional termite treatment until we had completed certain renovations. Now we need to do something immediately. Please donate.    

As we have set out to restore the historic buildings on the new property, many questions have arisen about the older building techniques used in the past. Historical buildings present many unique construction challenges and special building materials and techniques are required to repair damage to historic buildings. Whenever design or building questions have arisen, we have visited Williamsburg and asked questions to the historic interpreters there. For answers about building materials and techniques, and for inspiration for finishing touches, decorating, and landscaping, they have provided a wealth of knowledge. Many thanks to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and their efforts to spread information about historic living. Without their efforts, our work here would not have been possible. Here are some photos taken during our most recent trip to study historic trim and moldings.     

The house where we are all living as we complete renovations to the main house is the old detached kitchen. In addition to the severe termite damage to the building, years of water damage have compromised the foundation. The brick foundation wall which lines the underground root cellar is bowing inward and will collapse in time if this is not repaired. We have already installed gutters to help prevent ongoing water damage, but the foundation wall must also be repaired. Though we are doing much of the work here ourselves, this is a case where is it best to hire professional brick masons. We have selected a a brick mason who specializes in historical renovation, to help preserve this historic building. Our goal is to raise $6,000 by June, 2016 to repair and re-point the foundation. Please help us preserve this historic structure.  Please donate today.  

As we are renovating the buildings on the new property, we are conducting daily recitation of the Shakambhari Devi Gayatri Mantra. We are praying for the Goddesses blessings to help us get the puja room ready to do a daily puja. Though we cannot invite the public to attend pujas until we get the needed approvals of the county and community, we intend to broadcast our daily puja live online so that people can participate distantly.  Here is an audio clip from our daily chanting on 5-3-16. Please chant with us for successful completion of our puja room.    

We have recently finished the hardscaping for the first of several formal gardens planed for the property. Formal gardens will help beauty the property for visitors and provide a place to grow and teach about herbs. We plan to plant 108 healing herbs in the garden and to create hedges around and inside the garden. We have planted many herbs seeds and will post updates as to our progress. Please donate to help us buy plants for hedges. 

We got a large riding mower to help us maintain the 5 acre field on the property. Here is a photo of Swamiji operating the mower. Yard maintenance is a massive task.  Please contact us if you are interested in helping. info@somamatha.org   

While we are renovating the main house, we are all living and cooking out of the old kitchen building. We noticed some damage to the sill under the door, so we examined it more closely. Removing a little wood revealed a large amount of termite damage. The frame is severely damaged, and the building is structurally unsound.  Yet this is where we must live and cook at the moment.   We are slowly repairing the damage, but need donations and volunteers to help with the work. It is a massive task which will take much time and money to complete.  We have finished one small piece of the house, as shown in the photos. There is much work still to be done.  Please donate today. 

Moisture had been seeping into the basement through the foundation of the house. In addition to having modern gutters added to the rear of the house, we have cleared the ground-level, brick gutters in the front. We hope we may be able to use these gutters and preserve the historic look of the facade. We intend to remove soil mounded around the house to cause the grading to slope away from the house. We may also install French drains in several spots.  

On the new property, there are many fascinating historic structures. One of the most stunning and impressive is the old well built in the early 1800's just which is located East of the old kitchen building. The well has a bit of overgrowth around it, but is in wonderful condition. The well house needs to be repainted and re-roofed, but is structurally sound. It is difficult to take photos which really do it justice. The well goes down an impressive 50 or 75 feet and its walls are lined with brick. Digging must have been a formidable task to accomplish without modern tools and machines. We hope to eventually restore the old well to preserve it for the future as an impressive example of historic engineering.