Posts tagged:off the grid

Things for the Ginger Shack

things for GSMy dad was just in town for a visit. We started to talk about the actual building of the Ginger Shack. I realized that the only thing I had planned lately was my salt and pepper shakers. I have been stuck in the design/decorating part of this project. No surprise as that is my comfort zone/knowledge base. I have made a promise to myself that 2 times a month (or more if needed) I will be in a Home Depot, Home building, Fireplace type store.

My dad will be back in town for the first two weeks of August to help me build it. Meet the first of my family I have recruited. 3 more to go.

dad5

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Day of Thanks for March 1st

dreamers postcardLeo Jul 23 | Aug 22 It seems you’ve slipped into a time warp. Is that bad? I don’t think so. Your adventures there may twist and tweak a warped part of your psyche in such a way that it gets healed. At the very least, I bet your visit to the time warp will reverse the effects of an old folly and correct a problem caused by your past sins. (By the way, when I use the word “sin,” I mean “being lax about following your dreams.”) There’s only one potential problem that could come out of all this: some people in your life could misinterpret what’s happening. To prevent that, communicate crisply every step of the way.

 

My dad was just here visiting. He is coming back for 2 weeks in August to build my home with me. From talking to him over 3 days I realized how much I still need to learn. Time to get a move on!!! I need to have this plan well laid out so my house goes up smoothly and my design is correct and easy to follow.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Priority Number 2.

When I am living up on my land this summer, my first priority is to cut down about 50 trees.  I need sunlight in there so the all the years of organic rot that make up the forest floor can start to dry up.

Second priority, an outhouse.

My friends seem to think this is something a person would have built right away but, to be honest, I really enjoyed the Farley Mowat peeing out my territory game.

outdoor toiletInteresting but I am not interested in cleaning it.

outdoor toilet2

 

 

 

 

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

A Room With A View

Summer in the woods, you can feel very cozy and isolated. In winter you realize how incredibly close you are building to your neighbour and the main road. I have 23 acres and am probably 200 meters from my neighbour. WFT?!? Sorry Jeff, it was just the lay of the land.

I drew out the deck and the Ginger Shack in the snow and took stock of the winter view/exposure from the windows. I liked what I saw.

View from the Living Room. View from the Living Room. View from the Kitchen. View from the Kitchen. View going up the Stairs. View going up the Stairs.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Day of Thanks for February 9

Leo Jul 23 | Aug 22 “What happens to a dream deferred?” asked Langston Hughes in his poem Harlem. “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore – And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over – like a syrupy sweet?” As your soul’s cheerleader and coach, Leo, I hope you won’t explore the answer to Hughes’ questions. If you have a dream, don’t defer it. If you have been deferring your dream, take at least one dramatic step to stop deferring it.

I am sure these horoscopes could be trying to give me insight into a number of avenues of my life but the truth be told the only thing that I am concentrating on right now is moving from Toronto to Carnarvon. I don’t really have any other dreams at the moment and I definitely have not been deferring anything in regards to this one. Personally, I think that each week Rob is reconfirming that everything I am doing and the direction I am moving in, is the right one for me!

Yesterday I went up North to remove more snow and dig out my tent. It was like being back in grade 5 in Brandon and I loved every minute.

me up north

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Final Draft…

ginger s - floor planRight now this is what I am building.

A 320 square foot deck – 20 long by 16 wide.

A  100 square foot home – 81 square foot main floor and a 49 square foot loft.

Right now I am feeling pretty solid in my progress of understanding how my home should look.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

81 is not 100

81 sq feet

I have starting to research how to actually build the the Ginger Shack now that the layout pretty much sorted.

I will need to use 2 X 6 boards for the walls. You can use 2 X 4s but you won’t be as energy efficient.

2 X 6 means I am losing half a foot on each wall. 100 square feet just became 81 square feet.

If you think 100 square feet sounded small it is amazing what losing 19 feet just did.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Day of Thanks for January 26

JB9Leo Jul 23 | Aug 22 In the early 1300s, the people of the Mexica tribe had no homeland. They had wandered for centuries through the northern parts of what we now call Mesoamerica. According to legend, that changed in 1323, when their priests received a vision of an eagle eating a snake while perched at the top of a prickly pear cactus. They declared that this was the location of the tribe’s future power spot. Two years later, the prophecy was fulfilled. On an island in the middle of a lake, scouts spied the eagle, snake and cactus. And that was where the tribe built the town of Tenochtitlan, which ultimately became the centre of an empire. Today that place is called Mexico City. Have you had an equivalent vision, Leo? If you haven’t yet, I bet you will soon. Go in search of it. Be alert.

 

I think I have already found where “an eagle eating a snake while perched…”

I don’t think it needs to get the size of Mexico City but I would like to think it could become the centre of something.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.
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