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Baskets

September 13, 2020 at 3:30 am
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This is a page from a two-volume set titled Everybody’s Enquire Within, a profusely illustrated wonder of the world (compiled in the mid-30s) with tons of interesting stuff. It’s not organized in any logical manner (yahoo!), just 1000s of intriguing facts one after the other. I’m gonna put up a few of the pages with pen and ink (There’s one copy of the set on Amazon for $83.)

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Driftwood Sculptures

September 1, 2020 at 2:00 pm
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Driftwood sculptures at Native Plant Nursery in Mill Valley, Calif. You can enter it through Hook Fish, the v. cool local fish restaurant at the Shoreline intersection in MV (open for biz, socially distant outdoor tables). A great nursery, with a good selection of organic vegetable seedlings. The sculptures run about (gulp) $10K each.

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Rollin’ Again

August 27, 2020 at 12:53 pm
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I gave up skateboarding after a fractured arm a year and a half ago. Mature decision.

But I still had the fever. On the Waldo Approach, I’d fantasize no cars and being able to carve across 5 lanes. Each time I saw smooth and/or fresh pavement with the right downslope, I’d get excited.

Yesterday I got out of the dentist’s and was looking at the smooth pavement, and thought, Why not? Got on my board for the first time in a year, felt a bit creaky, but started rolling and the feeling came back. It was so much fun! I decided to start skating again. Bunny slopes. Not pushing it any more. Better to skate carefully than to suffer the spills that go with the thrills of more aggressive skating.

I must be one of the least-accomplished skaters around, but I love it.

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GIMME SHELTER – August, 2020

August 18, 2020 at 2:42 am

If you’re not signed up on the list to receive it, you can sign up for email delivery of the Gimme Shelter newsletter here.

Our Brothers and Sisters in France

Our friend Paula, who lives in a houseboat in Amsterdam, once said to us that France was “the California of Europe.” There do seem to be many French people who share the concepts in our books (which I believe reflect the California lifestyle) in building, gardening, and the spectrum of DIY. The French translation of our book Home Work sold over 10,000 copies.

Our French friend and carpenter Yogan and his creations have appeared in a number of our books. He was hiking in the Pyrenees recently and came across this beautiful little home. He recognized it from Home Work, where it was featured in a section on countercultural builders in France, and shot this photo. It was built by Jeanne-Marie; she based the design on the old stone barns of the region, but used wood rather than stone. It’s one of my favorite little homes.

Epiphyllum Oxipetalum, Brahma Kamalam night-blooming flower(Home Work, published in 2004, is the sequel to Shelter. Many of the homes in Home Work were inspired by the builders and buildings in Shelter.)

Epiphyllum Oxipetalum, Queen of the Night Cactus

The flowers bloom only at night. This one is in our greenhouse. Lesley has been checking it every night and last night, voila! In India, it’s called Brahma Kamalam, named after the Hindu god of creation. In Japan, it is called “Beauty under the Moon.” It is very fragrant, may bloom once a year. And then — in exquisite restraint — for only one night.

truck camper

On the Road

We’re starting to gather material for another book on rolling homes. A lot has happened since 2014, when our book Tiny Homes on the Move was published. For one thing, there’s been an explosive interest in vans, as evidenced by Foster Huntington’s Van Life: Your Home on the Road, which has sold 75,000 copies. People are taking off for vacations in vans, and as well, some people who have been laid off and can’t pay their rent due to the coronavirus, are looking at nomadic living as an option.

We’re looking for the new generation of road homes, circa 2020 and beyond — different from the vehicles (or trailers) shown in present books. What’s new out there?

If you know of any unique units, please contact me:
Send Submission Email.

Charlie Winton, Musician

Those of you who know Charlie from the publishing world (founder of Publishers Group West, the Avalon Publishing Group, and Counterpoint LLC); well, surprise! When he retired from publishing, he picked up his guitar and started writing songs. He’s just come out with his first album — Hold On Tight — and it’s great — rock and roll!

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Louie Frazier and the Connection Between Our Books Shelter and Home Work

August 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm
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I was photographing Jack Williams’ house in Point Arena, Calif. in 2000, and he said, “There’s someone up here who wants to meet you.”

We drove about 5 miles out of town, down into a riverfront valley, and I saw this beautiful little building. The two doors were open, and this guy, who I’d never seen before came out with an old tattered copy of Shelter, and he told me to crouch down in the doorway and look at the building’s framing. See this? He said? I built it from this painting (of a Mandan earth lodge) in Shelter.

Wow I thought, If Shelter inspired something like this, it’s time to do a sequel.

So Home Work, published in 2004 was born, and it featured lots of buildings inspired by Shelter.

BTW, the other day Louie said that back in the day, the saying was: “Turn on, tune in, drop out, and read Shelter.”

Note: With a 30% discount for 2 or more books, you can now get both Shelter and Home Work for $41 with free shipping: www.shelterpub.com

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