June 16, 2003
Here is the (almost) finished mikveh. Ian has placed a wooden band around the edge of the pool. He will later install a handrail. The screen that you see behind the pool hides a filter-heater system that sits on a wheeled cart. When we wish to heat or clean the water we move the cart to the edge of the pool, drop intake and outflow hoses into the water, and turn on the pump. Ordinarily, the pool is covered by a plastic sheet (not shown here) that floats on the surface of the water. The cover reduces heat loss and evaporation considerably. There is no plumbing built into the pools, nor are there any drains. Water can be pumped out when necessary with an ordinary garden pond pump and hose. To the immediate right of the immersion pool you can see part of the hatch that covers the bor.
The yurt's flooring is vinyl. We briefly considered installing a wooden floor but opted for vinyl, which is more practical in a wet environment, as well as less expensive. As you can see, this particular pattern is quite attractive and complements the wooden lattice wall of the yurt.