Metaphysical Roller Coasters and Modern Day Pioneers

The ongoing recession accompanied by the Swine Flu outbreak has really shaken me up. I am sure I am not the only one and maybe it is because my husband is a current unemployment statistic, but it has really made me rethink a lot of things.

One of which is waste. I waste so many things; food, space, time... I started to look at ways to live a simpler life. What would it be like to wake up and not have to spend 10 hours away from home... What do I really want out of life? What kind of environment do I want my kids to grow up in?

On this metaphysical roller coaster, I stumbled upon some interesting things one of which was housing.

I thought there was only one way to look at housing and that was the traditional 30 year mortgage. But there is a whole movement dedicated to sustainable living. To living on your own terms in your own way. To being free from waste and making the planet a better place. Having recently read Walden, I have begun to ask myself is this worth my life? Is this fill in the blank worth the time it took to make the money for it? Is 30 years of my life worth a 3 bedroom adobe in the suburbs.

Take a look at some of the cool unconventional housing I found...

So, this is the first installment of what will be a closer look at real alternative housing...

Tipis or teepees

Tipis served as homes for native Americans for thousands of years. The flawless engineering that provides instant shelter and comfort for not a lot of time or work really got me thinking. Could my 21st century family really live in one of these things? I think the answer is yes.

Photos from Earthworks Tipis

Can you believe this is the INSIDE of the tipi?


Hook up my high speed internet and I am there!

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Square Foot Gardening

We are planting our first garden this year. I have always loved the idea of gardening... It just isn't something that comes naturally and noone really taught me how to grow vegetables or plant flowers...

Well, during one of my intraweb expeditions, I stumbled upon Square Foot Gardening. It really makes it look doable...

So, my husband built a raised bed and now all we have to do is plant, water, pray, and repeat...

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My aching back and a tomos scooter...

I hurt my back this weekend while I was cleaning out the garage. It pretty much left me bed ridden for a couple of days, so I am just now starting to bounce back. But I have a cleaned out garage!!! A couple of week ago I bought my husband a moped. I think cleaning out the garage was a nesting reflex... The moped needed a clean and tidy home...

Mr. S has been begging for a moped for ages. I happened upon one on one of my thrifting adventures and bought it. It made him quite the happy camper. I think he looks a little silly... He is quite a big fellow and seeing him on the tiny moped brings a smile to my face. You really can't look at him on the thing and not crack a smile.

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Strawberry Shortcake

My youngest loves Calliou and watches it over and over... (there is a reward waiting for me in the world to come...) In one of the episodes from one of her DVDs Calliou goes strawberry picking. Of course, Hannah immediately wanted to go pick strawberries. We had trouble finding a place to let her pick, so I took her a to a huge roadside stand and let her "pick" the strawberries and put them in her own basket.

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Writers Almanac

Today's Writer's Almanac brought a smile to my face...

Letter of Resignation
by William Baer

Dear [blank]: After much deliberation,
without qualm, scruple, or further delay,
I hereby tender my formal resignation
as your lover and future fiancé.
The job provides too little satisfaction:
too many hours of unneeded duress,
a paucity of productive interaction,
uncertain working conditions, and endless stress.
Pay-wise, I'm undervalued and disenchanted:
advancement's slow, the bonus is routine,
my "on-call" overtime is taken for granted,
and benefits are few and far between.
This document, I'm hopeful, underscores
my deep regret. I'm very truly yours....

"Letter of Resignation" by William Baer from Bocage and Other Sonnets. © Texas Review Press, 2008. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)

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Project Gutenberg

Having long been a fan of Project Gutenburg I know that there are tons of FREE books to download and read. It was only recently I learned that they have free audio books too.

I downloaded Walden. I have been listening to it at work.

It should be required reading during this insane economic time.

My favorite Thoreau quote:

"The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run."

Henry David Thoreau

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Mountain Time

We live at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It only takes a 30 minute drive from our house to reach some of the most beautiful places in the world. This weekend we took a little road trip to Chimney Rock and Hendersonville, and had a grand time. Every time I go to the mountains, it makes me want to sell all my possessions, pitch a tent, and live a simple life of creating and living off the land.

We stopped at this cute little shop in Chimney Rock. They had a back porch that overlooked this bubbling brook. On the porch were a couple of rocking chairs and binoculars. Of course, Hannah went straight for the binoculars.

Oliver found a caterpillar on the ground. He decided to transport the cute little thing to safer ground and his new little friend didn't want to leave the safety of his hand.

We met up with my cousin, who I haven't seen in forever in Hendersonville. She is the daughter of my Aunt who died rather young. I miss my aunt, she was a great woman. I know she would be proud of her now grown beautiful daughter.

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