If you’re a Northern California builder, I highly recommend you stop in at Heritage Salvage in Petaluma. They have tons of used wood, hardwood slabs, and all manner of recycled and soulful building materials.

Shown here is a walnut slab that is 8′ 3″ long, and 60″ at one end and 43″ at the other. Think of the walnut tree that this came from.

“Gordon Hempton. Fort Warden, Washington 2012. ‘For my most important work and the best times of my life, I take the VW bus. The journey is not just about getting there. The trip starts now. Slow down and enjoy what’s going on immediately around you. I didn’t want to start my journey to success in life with the suspicions of others, so I ripped out the key and put in a push button starter. Just push that button and off you go. It begins with trust, it begins with happiness, and what you get back is joy.'”

Photo: Andrew Waits

https://www.hcn.org/articles/boondocks

Sent in by Anonymous

“Chand Baori in Abhaneri village in eastern Rajasthan, India, is one of the most overlooked landmarks in the country. It is one of the oldest stepwell in Rajasthan, and is considered to be among the biggest in the world. Chand Baori looks like anything but a well. This incredible square structure is 13 stories deep, and lined along the walls on three sides are double flight of steps. 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry descends to the bottom of the well 20 meters deep to a murky green puddle of water. Built during the 8th and 9th century by King Chanda of Nikumbha Dynasty, provided the surrounding areas with a dependable water source for centuries before modern water delivery systems were introduced. As the green water at the base attests, the well is no longer in use, but it makes for an interesting stop-over to an architecturally impressive structure that is over 1000 years old. There’s also a temple adjoining the well for visitors to explore.…”

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/10/chand-baori-step-well-in-rajasthan-india.html#at_pco=smlrebh-1.0&at_si=5542f55438c58759&at_ab=per-2&at_pos=2&at_tot=5

Sent by Anonymous

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/location-location-location-see-the-12-foot-wide-vancouver-home-sold-for-1-35m-1.2349807

From Anonymous

In Sunday’s NYTimes, an op-ed by Mark Lynas, on GMO’s: he touts a genetically modified eggplant that has been bred to resist pests on its own, not requiring pesticides. Hmm.…Also in the Times, a coyote is captured in Manhattan…We just received our shipment of Stretching – Pocket Book Edition — and it is actually sensational; stretching in the 21st century, it actually fits in a pocket…On May 15 I’m going to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops in San Francisco, then that weekend is the Maker Faire in San Mateo, where we’ll have a booth, be giving away our mini books and selling building books, and I’ll be doing a presentation Saturday titled “50 Years of Natural Building”…May 23rd I’m going to NYC for the big book convention and to hang out for a week…On June 5-7 is The Mother Earth News Fair in Albany, Oregon (near Corvallis) and I’m doing a presentation on Tiny Homes on the Move and another titled “50 Years of Natural Building.” Mother Earth editor Cheryl Long suggested the latter and I’m pretty excited about putting together a summary of all these years of shooting photos of buildings…been listening to the “girl groups” of the 50-60s. the Ronettes, Shirelles, Chantelles, McGuire Sisters, the Chiffons, the Dixie Cups — wonderful vocal harmonies…musical factoid: Little Eva, who did “The Loco-motion,” was a babysitter for Carol King and her husband Gerry Goffin; Carole and Gerry talked Eva into doing a demo, and a bit of musical history was made.

https://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=the%20locomotion