These guys looked somehow alive in this light.

In the ’70s, Lesley and I went to England, where she was born. I had friends, 3 brothers from Southern California, who had rented an old brick house in Mapledurham, a small village along the Thames, near Redding. One night my friend Michael took us over to a visit a small family in a nearby house. It was a cold night.

It turned out to be a thatched cottage, not your picture-perfect variety (like this one here), but still something authentic. The doorway was low — a 6-footer would have to duck to get in. Inside, there was a fire burning in the fireplace, which was just part of the floor, casting orange shadows on the walls. The ceiling was really low, with whitewashed horizontal beams holding up the loft above.

I felt a hit, as if I’d stepped back into a past life. The warmth, the coziness, the feeling of protection — the same qualities that I believe our ancestors created and treasured — it felt familiar. (My mom’s family is from Wales.)

I’ll have feelings once in a while in different homes.when everything feels right, everything is working in unison: what you see, what you smell, what you touch, what you feel…

And if you’ll pardon the whoo-whoo factor here, I think that we have memories in our genes, and that once in a while — via meditation, or enhanced consciousness, or just the right mood — we tap into these cellular memories. We get a feeling that doesn’t come from conscious memories. Hey, I’ve been here before…

Rob Thallon was a contributor to our book Shelter II in 1978, and has gone on to produce this great guide to wood frame construction. It’s got 100s of clear drawings, from foundations to roofs. Another book on the subject which has received good reviews is Ultimate Guide to House Framing: Plan, Design, Build, by John D. Wagner.

“Windows are very frequently a source of lost heat in your home. Older homes may suffer from only having single-paned windows, which lose a large amount of heat, and even newer double-paned insulated windows lack enough insulation against cold winter temperatures and wind. However, you can save home heating costs and easily bulk up the insulation around your windows by making your own inexpensive thermal curtains.

Thermal curtains are energy-efficient window shades* that insulate against the cold around your windows. They are a thick and heavy buffer and can significantly decrease the money you spend on energy to heat your house. If you are handy with a sewing machine or know someone who is, there’s not much more you need than some old blankets or comforters, fabric, and a fair amount of time.”

Instructions: https://blog.sustainablog.org/energy-saving-cheap-thermal-curtains/

Boy is this beautiful!

Be sure to click on the 4 little arrows at lower right side of screen to enlarge. This is just magnificent.

Discovered by Lew Lewandowski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HiUMlOz4UQ