BettsBerm

DINOS

2012-01-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

Not every dog loves everyone - be respectful.

Grind - Bake - Enjoy!

2012-01-17T18:29:00.001-05:00

David has long baked bread using a "peasant" method of baking in a dutch oven. He has always wondered what would change if he milled his own grain.

Hence, the new grain mill (Country Living Grain Mill) from Lehman's Hardware. He was given fresh grains at the holidays (interesting gifts come in 40 pound bags).Today, was the first test - seems to work fine.Now it is part of a Peasant's Hearty Rye - can't wait to try it out.

Happy Holidays and Rutsch into 2012

2011-12-21T12:06:00.001-05:00

Overall, it will not be bad to see 2011 end - politics and weather have made it a tedious (being kind) year. I (Sharon) did retire at the beginning of December which is taking some getting used to - and our youngest son had a marvelous wedding - so there were great times, too.
We continue to enjoy the benefits of a bermed home - the pond is frozen and full - the new pond the same - our new drive is working very well - and we have our health. Bring it on.

Leo Friends around the World

2011-11-29T19:09:00.001-05:00

Haven't posted much - Dave did use his new truck and snowplow once which probably deserves a picture. But, this is just to mark many of my leonberger friends around the world. http://www.zeemaps.com/world_leos

>

Grouse in the House?

2011-11-13T11:24:00.001-05:00

Testing out my iBird app on the iPad - Milos was roused from his pending nap as he was sure it had got in the house. There is nothing he like better than cleaning the lot of all birds larger than his Phoebes - which he seems to protect when then nest in his old dog shelter :)

We have had some beautiful Fall weather - temps in the 50's!

A new Daughter in Law

2011-09-27T20:16:00.001-04:00

Micah and Amanda's wedding - September 24, 2011 - Priceless

Early Fall Walk

2011-09-11T11:32:00.001-04:00

Beautiful day - 38 degrees this morning and now sunny and crisp. Love September in Maine.
Took a nice walk with Milos - ending with a quick swim. As you can see the rains from Hurricane remnants have filed the pond.

Elderberries for winter

2011-09-11T10:15:00.001-04:00

Last winter, I made a point of adding elderberry sauce and/or juice to my diet. I don't know if it was the reason, but I seemed to have escaped all the bugs traveling around the office. Not one to tempt fate - picked, cleaned and frozen for winter 2011-12:

Worth remembering

2011-09-10T15:56:00.001-04:00

Summer 2011 List

2011-07-31T11:25:00.000-04:00

The summer lists are always long (and the Maine summers short). Three of our top priorities are checked off for this year -

1 - Take a vacation - had a great trip with friends to Montreal. We discovered that once we leave our drive there is only one big-town between us and Montreal (Sherbrooke, Quebec) - guess I never looked at the map, ha. Next time it is Quebec City - nothing between us and them and that is the way we love to travel.

2 - Clean up the old animal watering hole near the road end of the driveway. It ended up being a lot deeper than we thought as the bottom was full of dropped limbs, trees and weeds. All cleaned up and evened out. And the good news - the frogs have moved back in already.

3 - remove the stone retaining wall and make a short-cut drive between our house and the back garage. The snow-removal equipment is all stored back there. When we have a couple of feet of new snow, it is a real bear trying to get around the present driveway. This should "ease the pain".

4 - Enjoy the sunsets

Let's see --- what's next..............

Milos - nearly 6.5

2011-05-30T20:22:00.000-04:00

Gave Milos a Memorial Day bath today - he ended up all fluffy, but clean.. At least it smells a lot better.

Whip into shape

2011-05-14T15:02:00.000-04:00

Dave got a new weed whip and it seems to do the job well. The only question is that it doesn't clip close to the ground and we need to watch to ensure Milos doesn't have issues with the stubble.

Truck home and decked out

2011-04-30T15:23:00.000-04:00

Dave's new 3500 is home with a new dump bed and a snow plow. Nothing should get in the way of work now..
Pictures tell the story.

Leonbergers Hit Westminster

2011-02-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

It is great to know nearly everyone that is showing - hope it stays that way.

Technorati Tags: leonberger westminster

Splashing the SOTU...

2011-01-26T14:05:00.002-05:00

Last evening was the 2011 State of the Union Address, give by President Barack Obama.
It was followed by two rebuttals - the regular response from the main party not in power and one by a representative of the Tea Party.
I thought it would be interesting to analyze their thoughts through their words - make your own conclusions.

The State of the Union

The GOP response, Congressman Paul Ryan from Janesville, Wisconsin

The Tea Party Response, Michele Bachmann from Minnesota's 6th District

Technorati Tags: SOTU, Obama, Bachmann, Paul_Ryan

Bring on the Snow

2011-01-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

Other than the snow in the face when it is windy - either need a cab or "not blow in the wind" - this is a better winter for snow removal.

We have had several storms and they are saying temps below 0 the next few days. Another storm forecast for mid-week. The blower in action:

We do have a truck being delivered soon - and will put a plow on it for next winter (probably). Stay tuned.

Difficult early winter

2010-12-19T19:36:00.000-05:00

Trimmed the tree today - and made the obligatory Chex-mix for munching. Now, the Tulikivi is burning (as are the lights on the tree), and it is cozy and festive.

We accidentally left the stove open last night (dampers that is) and it really cooled off which reminded me what a difficult early winter it has been to keep the house in the 70's. The problem has been lack of any sunshine! If we can get even a few hours of sun every couple of days, things warm up nicely - but we have had many consecutive days of "drear". Our solution has been to run the radiant heat in the bathroom zone a couple of hours a day (in the evening so that it is comfortable for my morning shower). On the days that we had stiff winds and temps in the teens (and lower), we also ran the portable electric radiator in our bedroom. This combination works well for everyone except Milos - he spends the nights trying to find the coldest tile to sleep on and gets quite aggravated with warm floors.

We could probably survive without the extra degrees - but just getting too old and like my temps to be at least 67-70.

Today, we had sun! and the house came right up to near 80. Hoping that trend continues.

Wish they would, Fear they won't

2010-11-03T15:52:00.003-04:00

Elections are over for this mid-term debacle. I am happy to no longer get those D*(#$ robo-calls and no longer watch the lies broadcast via "ads" on TV from nameless money-wells. But, I have lots of wishes and even more fears with the results.

I wish they would, fear the won't:

Pass the DISCLOSE Act -
End the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans
Reverse the Citizens United decision
Establish and defend net neutrality
Do away with lifetime tenure for committee chairs in the Senate
Repeal Defense of Marriage Act,
Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell,
Stop the wars
Strengthen and defend the EPA for the good of the environment
The Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service investigate the political organizations set up to launder millions of dollars in secret cash
Expand Voter Registration
Stop partisan bickering

Alas.............

Technorati Tags: midterm_2010

Hallloween - Snow

2010-10-31T17:51:00.000-04:00

This morning, we woke to snow on October 31st. I checked my pictures and the last ones I had of new whiteness were taken on April 17th. So, this year we only had 5 months without snow - whew.

We have snow, we have wood-fire, we have football - winter seems to be here. I took some pictures on the morning walk. They are posted here on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=252727&id=806763755&l=db669bbd65

At least Milos is happy.

Fall Chipping

2010-09-25T12:11:00.000-04:00

Although Dave has used the chipper numerous times, this was the first day that I was home and able to see it in action.

He has a Wallenstein - 6 inch - unit which does the job for us. I hate to move brush (a long time family "joke"). But, I may give in a actually shove those ugly branches into this baby. The grinding sound gives me great satisfaction.

wallenstein
chippers

Book Review - One Good Dog

2010-09-09T19:42:00.000-04:00

Book Review

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson

first printed in March 2010

This is another of those audio books that kept me in the parking lots before work - bringing me late to my desk. From the clever twist at the beginning to the predictable but satisfying last sentence, I was hooked. The alternating readers (from the human view and then from the dog) may seem cheezy - but, it the effect brings deeper meaning into the bond that grows between these two as they struggle for a better life. It touched my heart.

Your emotions will run the gambit - from chuckles to tears. This is a great listen for anyone. I give it a 5.
In addition, you might want to read the short blurb by the author: How, in Writing One Goood dog, I Inadvertently Became a Pit Bull Advocate.

Technorati Tags: one-good-dog,susan_wilson

Labor Day - get ready for winter

2010-09-06T19:23:00.001-04:00

The 3 day weekend is almost over and we used it to relax, but still get ready for the winter. The weather was beautiful with temperatures finally dropping into the 70's and nice breezes. We all three took a long walk on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Sunday was a little rough as we tramped around the woods looking for a new path to extend our trails.

Today, I baked the first apple-crisp of the season while Dave worked clearing some brush around an area we may use to extend a "water-hole". He also brought in the pumpkins and all the firewood is ready for the first fire.

I see that the trees are just starting to turn - hope it is a good year for leaf-peeping.

Canine alternative medicine

2010-08-29T18:03:00.001-04:00

Milos heading down the berry path.

From early spring until they are in full bloom and dry, Milos devours goldenrod leaves. He can smell them from a distance and zone in on the first green sprouts as the snow melts. I used to worry that he ate so much, but it never seems to harm him. He also like to leave a steady trail of markings all along our paths - and we have quite a few in our 140 acres.

GoldenRod

Today, I discovered that he is a genius - goldenrod leaves increase urine flow! The tasty solution to running out before reaching the end of each walk :) While not yet popular in the United States or approved for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), goldenrod is used widely in Europe to treat urinary tract infections and help eliminate kidney or bladder stones. It is used to flush the bladder and prevent infection.

That's my boy!

Elderberry weekend

2010-08-29T17:52:00.000-04:00

This weekend we spent working on the wild elderberries on the lot. Its been two years since we last preserved these tasty fruits. It has been a great year for all sorts of berries and the tiny elders are no exception. Saturday, David trekked to the bush - and brought home lots of snipped clusters.

We spent all afternoon removing the tiny berries from the tender vines and sorting them into 2 pound bags. In the end, there were 17 pounds of fruit. I stored 4 pounds in the fridge for Sunday and put the other 13 into the freezer for this winter.

After breakfast on Sunday, I transferred the fruit into elderberry syrup (recipe on my RecipeBoxMemory Blog).

This was our first attempt at using the press - and it extracted every last bit of liquid from the softened berries.

Technorati Tags: elderberries

August 2010 update

2010-08-17T19:53:00.000-04:00

The beds are full of flowers and tomatoes. There is still a couple of onions and one cabbage to eat also. The upper garden has been wonderful this year with lots of beans, corn, beets (not enough for me), carrots, and there are many pumpkins turning orange.

I say - year one of raised beds a success.

2010 - Berry Berry Full Summer

2010-08-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

As I munched on yet another bowl of luscious blackberry and black rasberry mix, I realized just how abundant the summer fruit this has been.
How to rate the summer?
Here are the top 8 ways to know it is a good berry year:

You ignore those less than an inch long
Your dog ignores those less than an inch long
You pick you breakfast every day
All the animal droppings are full of seed and have a tint of purple
You have to quit freezing them so you have a corner left for some corn
You have scratches all over your hands and arms
Your walks take you three times as long as usual
You chuckle everytime you drive by the $4 / pint signs on your way home

And today I noticed the elderberries are getting ripe.

4th of July 2010

2010-07-05T11:21:00.001-04:00

Great weekend

just grilling - cooking -(our pickled beets&eggs)

watering and watching the garden grow...

Third flows the charm

2010-06-12T17:43:00.001-04:00

We have had to repair our overflow to the pond 3 times now. Previously, we used the pipe in the dam method, but ice flows and heavy rains caused it to lift / fail twice. this time, we went with the stone spillway / overflow method and I like the look. Now if it just makes it through the next Maine winter...

Raised and Planted

2010-05-31T12:33:00.002-04:00

We had been planning some raised beds on the southern side of the house for several years. This year, we decided to go back to a completely natural (read no-mow) landscape and constructed our first two beds. Memorial Day weekend, we filled them (peat, garden soil, Maine sea-compost, lime, packaged growing soil) and planted. The sea-compost is composed of the "remains" from the seafood industry here in Maine - lobsters, crabs, scallops, etc. I am thrilled to be able to use it to produce more food instead of seeing it in the landfills.

The bed nearest the house has tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, several varieties of lettuce, onions, and spinach. The other is mainly flowers with some additional tomatoes. They look great - now if we could just get some rain since we are several inches behind this year, they should furnish us goodies as well as beauty.

check them out:

Technorati Tags: raised beds, Maine

Big Boy Toys

2010-04-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung in Maine and thoughts are on gardens and woods! The first starts are up in the back garage (love those south windows) and I had fresh asparagus on my salad yesterday! Sure hope the weather is better this year than last and we get more from the garden.

We have been busy filling the garage with more tools (or Big Boy Toys as I call them). After you live on a piece of land for a few years, it becomes evident some of the things that really would help in maintaining your investment. Where there are trees, there is always windfalls - and when you make firewood, there are branches. Since I hate to "move brush" and sawing everything is really tedious as well as hard on David's back - we have invested in both a lift and a shredder. The lift is in action today moving some old trees, so I took an action shot. The shredder has yet to be "taken to the woods". But when it is, I will get some shots of it also.

In the middle of the winter each year, we talk about an easier (and better) method for moving snow. When the sun shines, the freezing winds and icy hands are forgotten - but this year we took the plunge. A new snow blower sits in the garage also. Obviously, there won't be any action pics of that for awhile (quite awhile, we hope).

The Perfect Start to Spring Break

2010-04-17T17:11:00.001-04:00

First day of Spring Break and we woke to a fresh coating of wet snow. Yesterday, everyone left work with travel on their minds - one off to London, another to visit sunny Acapulco. Did it disappoint me to not be off with my colleagues to places sunny and warm? Let me consider...
Headlines today:

London: Ash may hover for days over uncertain Europe
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/16/volcano-spews-ash-spawns-wider-flight-chaos/

Acapulco: the scene of a war in recent months between gunmen from ...
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/16/mexico.calderon.juarez/index.html?iref=allsearch

Here:

You be the judge.

Technorati Tags: maine, leonberger

Walkable Winter

2010-03-28T15:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, March 27, 2010 - I woke up to 9 degrees F. and sunny skies. This was a perfect day for a Spring hike as the remaining snow piles (which are always blocking the open paths) would be frozen solid. Today, it was low 20's, cloudy and windy - not as pleasant but quite "walkable".

The frost is slowly coming out of the ground with tiny mountains of needle ice crystals being crushed under your feet (see image). You still need to watch for the collapse of a frost heave along the trail. In the middle of my hike with Milos, I realized that this was one of the best winters for getting outside in years.

We had early snow which was never too deep for dogs, nor too powdery for snowshoes. The lows were always bearable and the wind mild. I can only think of 2 weekends that kept me totally in the house. I declare the winter of 2009-2010 walkable!

Wonder what mud season will bring?

Slush Puppy Spring

2010-03-07T16:13:00.000-05:00

Last week I was in Phoenix, AZ for 4 days - what a difference from the northeast. The daily highs were in the 70's and the nightly lows dropped to the mid-50's. It was nice to step out the door without a coat - and the warmth of the sun certainly felt great. But, this morning I hiked with Milos in the slush puppy season of Maine and decided it was much better!

Definition of Slush-Puppy Season.
When the top several inches of the snow pack turns into a crystaline icing which "slushes" as you shuffle along on your snowshoes.

Every morning the trails from the night before evaporate in the sun leaving a pristine covering of sparkling white. Each new hike is like the first following a snowfall, but you don't need your hat and gloves, just a light jacket will do. The birds are singing (Phoebes were literally shouting from the trees) and the breeze has the feel of Spring. Mud season has not yet got its slimy grip on the world. It is perfect!

And one of the many reasons I love living in Maine.

Not Spring - Not Wiinter

2010-02-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

This winter has avoided Maine for the most part - the heavy storms have all gone out to sea after playing havok with our neighbors to the south. I have read commentary about "this is global warming" in heavily sarcastic tones from the residents of the Atlantic coast. I just reply, yep - it is climate change.

This latest wave has made one ugly mess out of the foothills. Many are without power due to the rain laden snow and others just slogging through the slush. The mountains have received many inches (feet) though which is great for the skiers and snowboarders. :)

We have been through about 7 inches of snow - followed by a couple inches of slush - then just a little rain - back to a couple more inches of snow overnight - then into the rain/sleet - and on - and on - and on. Here was the look this morning - sheets of ice on our roof - and dirty snow around the mailbox.

Technorati Tags: Maine,sharonbetts,winter

Just takes some training and LOVE

2010-02-05T13:33:00.001-05:00

If this one doesn't touch you -

Technorati Tags: docchat, therapydog

January 2010 tracking

2010-01-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

A beautiful day in Maine foothills. I snowshoed out with Milos and we had a great time investigating all the snowy tracks. The forecast is for ugly rain - hope we luck out! I know what creature made the tracks - do you? Love your comments.

maine
wildlife tracks
sharonbetts

UP America

2010-01-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

Great advise in three minutes from Kimberly Alyn -

Technorati Tags: kimberlyalyn, up_time

Mixing Pretzels

2010-01-18T16:07:00.001-05:00

Dave got a new KitchenAid Professional 600™ Series | Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer | Flour Power™ Rating - 14 Cup stand mixer for Christmas and today it was babtized.

A couple of weeks ago, Robyn posted a recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzels on DogNamedBanjo that really sounded good. So, we downloaded the recipe and today Dave took the plunge.

The mixer worked like a dream (sorry for the last few seconds):

and the pretzels are delicious.

So, today we made a new RecipeBoxMemory for ourselves.

softpretzels
dognamedbanjo
sharonbetts
recipeboxmemories

The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See

2010-01-13T15:49:00.001-05:00

What's the worst that can happen?

First post on RecipeBoxMemories

2010-01-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

The new blog is off and running with a post from my Great Grandmother's favorite cookies. If you are interested in honey cookies from days gone by, see it at Recipe Box Memories.

Recipe Box Memories

2010-01-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

I decided to start another blog for my 2010 challenge. Visit Recipe Box Memories and add your thoughts and reflections prompted by "food from your past".

2010 New Year Storm

2010-01-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

The blizzard level winds made this one memorable. Today it is in the low 30s are everything is so heavy. Even the dogs are relaxing inside. It seems that it even adds insulation to the house - quite warm inside even without sun.
A few shots:

Technorati Tags: maine, snow, sharonbetts

Thought on food

2010-01-02T14:04:00.001-05:00

The kids suggested that I blog some of my family's older recipes. Should I add them here or start a special blog? I start tomorrow.

Christmas 2009 Reflections

2009-12-29T16:57:00.004-05:00

The house is quiet again - the wind howling the only disturbance. It was so much fun having the kids here this year. Everyone enjoyed the food, gifts and company. For the first time, we had the sounds of small feet in the hallway, too.
Here are some pictures of the party - I think the quilt and mixer were the biggest hits!

Finally enough seats

2009-12-23T19:47:00.005-05:00

With 2 days to spare - we finally have enough seats for the family! For the last few years (since we moved and started to build our passive solar house), we have had to use the lawn chairs when family came. And we were always one bed short.

As of Monday this week, we have a new sofa couch and recliner. I am sure the younger generation will be pleased.

Technorati Tags:
lazyboy, sharonbetts

What if Climate is a Big Hoax

2009-12-18T12:11:00.003-05:00

This Joel Pett cartoon is what I have been trying to say for YEARS - from USA Today!

Technorati Tags: joelpett, climatechange, usatoday, sharonbetts

Behind the Red Doors

2009-11-15T08:53:00.001-05:00

There used to be a song - "Behind the Green Door", but in our house it is "Behind the Red Door". We decided to liven up the bedroom and bathrooms by painting the doors a shade of red. I like it, especially with the wood walls. Here are a couple of pictures which show how much difference the background can make. (ignore the odd door stop in the bedroom, ha)

Now, Dave is just finishing up the final woodwork and we are having a built-in utility sink made for the odd corner in the back hallway. It should be done by the first week in December. If our couch and chair actually show-up in time, we will be "finished" for Christmas. What a present!Technorati Tags: bermed, doors, sharonbetts

October Glamour

2009-10-18T15:17:00.003-04:00

A chill is in the air which means that the snow piles are not far behind. The garden is finished and just wasn't very productive with all the wet and cold weather.

Sophie and Milos are looking forward to cooler days and colder nights.

Even with the thought of short days, it is hard to not be impressed with Mother Nature in Maine. Whether on a walk or driving to work, the scenery is unbelievable.

More pictures from this week.

maine
sharonbetts

Cabinets nearly done

2009-10-18T15:09:00.004-04:00

We have been planning for our built-ins since we designed the house. Finally this summer, we got the designs to our cabinet maker, MidMaineFurniture. I posted when he set the pantry - which is now fully in use. This week, we finished the built-in bookcase, computer table and bathroom cabinet.
More pictures.

We only have one more "corner" to fill - the utility sink is now under construction!
The bedroom and bathroom doors can now be finished as well as the woodwork that abuts the cabinets.

midmainefurniture
sharonbetts

Blended stone

2009-09-13T20:50:00.003-04:00

Our front door has needed an entry for a long time. Not for guests (usually come through the garage or the study door), but for the dogs to rest, ha.

We decided that it was too difficult to make an even area with all natural stone. So, purchased some concrete patio stones in a natural color. Dave used a bed of sand - can't do much in that area since it is over the styrofoam around the foundation - but that same styrofoam keeps it from freezing and heaving in the winter anyway.

We did use natural stone to finish it off and hope to continue some work in this front with raised beds - maybe next Spring.
There are pictures in our Gallery - check here.

sharonbetts
patiostones

September already?

2009-09-13T20:25:00.001-04:00

I just took a quick look at the blog and discovered that it has been two months since our last post. We have been busy with the garden and outside chores, but are now slowing down as Fall approaches. It was a bad year for gardening - very very wet early and cool most of the months. The corn is small and just today we discovered the borers are starting to take their share. The tomatoes managed to contract the blight that has been infesting potato fields in northern Maine as well as tomatoes around us. They rot as they ripen and there will be no juice or sauce made from this poor crop. Dave planted pumpkins and they seem to be doing well - now, what to do with them to save for the winter?

Inside we did make continued progress with only some baseboard and trim to finish before saying, "Done!" The bathroom towel cabinet and end of hall bookcases are nearing completion. That will leave the table in the study and a utility sink at the back entrance. Who would have thought it would take this long to really finish this place?

We are thinking about ways to use renewables to supplement our hot water. Propane is our one fossil fuel use and it would be great to see it at least dwindle. Stay tuned.

I think I have some pictures on the camera and will see if anything is worth posting - hopefully, I can get back to this more regularly.
Technorati Tags: passivesolar, sharonbetts, tomatoblight

Pantry - day 2

2009-07-12T13:19:00.006-04:00

Larry, the cabinet guru, arrived around 8 am and set to work on the pantry. It isn't easy to get everything level and mounted in a concrete house. But, he did a marvelous job. From the first placement of an upper cabinet for measurement through mounting the doors and finally the hardware, it all went smoothly.

The glass inserts in the top doors came out even better than we anticipated. You can see what is behind them, but it is not as obvious as clear panes would be - just subtle hints of the goodies that lie behind.

We used the same hardware as is in the kitchen which, along with the hickory, ties the two together nicely.

The two end cabinets (wine rack, waste-can and dogfood bin) will have slate tops to match the counter in the kitchen. Those will need to be ordered now that we can make the templates.

Day 3 - finish the regular kitchen (faux top covering the rangehood pipe and trim around the hanging wall). I'll post final pictures then.

midmainefurniture
pantry
sharonbetts

from blank to pantry

2009-07-11T09:13:00.003-04:00

Although we have been happily (and environmentally consciously) living in our bermed house for a couple of years, there are a couple of things that have been on hold. The largest of these finalizing projects was our back hallway pantry.

We designed the cabinets and went back to Mid-Maine Furniture to build and install them. They will match the hickory in the kitchen and include some etched glass in the upper units. Hopefully, the glass will keep it from looking to massive and dark. Today, the transformation program began. Out went the open plastic shelves to open up the area .

Since the concrete floor and walls are not exact, it took most of the day to level and place the plinth.

Then we set the bottom units on for the night.

Stay tuned - tomorrow we continue.
passivesolar
bermed
pantry
sharonbetts

K9 Tribute on July 4th

2009-07-04T13:12:00.001-04:00

A video tribute to the Working Dog. Dogs have been by man's side in every major conflict since the Seminole Wars.
composed by datransitcop

Technorati Tags: k9tribute, 4thofJuly

New Adventures for an Old Dog

2009-05-31T18:07:00.005-04:00

Today Sophie decided that 10 was not too old for a Leonberger Lady to have a new adventure and make new friends. I just wish her new friend had not been so prickly and that she had not made such a close friendship so quickly.

Yes, the Princess got a snout full of quills - and I got an emergency trip to the 24 hour pet clinic (which is over an hour away - sometimes living in the hills of Maine has pitfalls). I was so upset that I forgot to take a picture - and I hope there isn't a next time.

We were walking with Milos on leash and Sophie moseying along behind when the boy went into full alert and the lady headed for the woods over my direct command! It only lasted a minute until she was back on the path with a full nose of quills. Of course, she had no collar and Milos was going crazy and she wouldn't walk and when I yelled noone heard me and.....

I managed to get her back to the house. We got most of them removed (needle nose plyers - a must have) before I headed down the road. So she was not in much discomfort on the way - but nevertheless............

I worried as she has laryngeal paralysis symptoms and I feared they would need to sedate her, but luckily that was not the case. We managed without - and she is presently resting after a good dinner.

Just another day in the life of a big dog on a big lot with big plans. And I am exhausted!

porcupine
sharonbetts
leonberger

In the Swing

2009-05-25T15:15:00.001-04:00

The swinging grill is back in operation! There is just nothing like grilled meat done over an open fire on a real swinging grill! We started the tradition learning from our friends in the Hunsruck of Germany - and have "carried the pole" ever since.

Memorial Day 2009 marked our first swinging meal at the solar homestead.
A beautiful day and a great meal. See the chef in action:

Springing into Action

2009-05-17T11:57:00.003-04:00

Wow - almost 6 weeks without a post. Things have been very hectic here in Maine as we move from winter to Spring, Mud and Summer - the black flies have appeared already.
Since the house is nearing completion - still some window trim and doors to install, there isn't as much to report or document. Our pantry is under construction - I'll post some shots when it is finished (goal of July).

Dave did get our oldest son involved with cleaning some brush - one of his first back-hoe experiences.

The latest project is a swinging grill pit - we have missed it so much since we moved. There is absolutely nothing like chicken marinated and then grilled on a wood fire while resting on a swing grill. We have the basics ready:

The other big project we are starting this summer is some "beautification" of the front yard. The plan is to install raised beds for small veggies and flowers, a picket fence and a small patio and entry way (natural stone or some man-made stone). We need to take care in design with the piles of snow in the winter. The material for raised beds is causing some consternation - what is best (natural, of course) but durable?

Any suggestions?
raised_beds
sharonbetts
swinging_grill

Earth Hour

2009-03-26T11:48:00.002-04:00

Switch off your lights for Earth Hour on Sunday March 28 8:30pm

http://www.earthhour.org/about/

Join the world in "voting" for energy policies and a future for the earth.
Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming

8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Saturday 28 March 2009

Technorati Tags: earthhour, sharonbetts, environment

Covered to the final corner

2009-02-28T16:14:00.001-05:00

The last tile is down!

There is still final sealing and grouting to take place - but Dave has managed to tile the entire house laying the final tile this afternoon. It seems a looong time ago that he started at the other end in the study. It certainly turned into a knee bruising challenge.

Everything looks great - we are anxious to get our room completely finished and start sleeping in our bed again.

The documented last tile:

slate
sharonbetts
passivesolar

Warm stove - blowing snow - enjoying bermed home

2009-02-23T12:15:00.001-05:00

Over 2 feet of blowing snow made a tunnel out of the front lawn. It has even overwhelmed the "snow-monster Milos".

Dave has been on the tractor for over 3 hours clearning the drive and now I hear him pushing snow off the roof. Obviously, no school today which expanded our winter vacation (due to snow, ha).
The Tulikivi is warm and the cocoa hot - things could be worse.

Technorati Tags: tulikivi, maine, snow, sharonbetts

Wonderful World

2009-02-13T14:13:00.000-05:00

To make my Friday the 13th end on a fabulous note - and usher in Valentines Day for all loves in our world. Here is a video to make you smile:

Thank you: http://www.youtube.com/user/saks61Technorati Tags: louis_armstrong, saks61, sharonbetts

Another bedroom floored

2009-02-09T19:23:00.005-05:00

It has been a long time since we have posted another step toward completion. But, today we move to only one room with concrete floors. The 2nd bedroom has been tiled - we used a grey slate which I think Dave did a great job laying. I am sure our guests will appreciate not waking up to concrete during their next visit.

One more bedroom (ours) and then window and door trim - it is getting close.

slate
sharonbetts
passivesolar

2 Leonbergers -more than twice the fun

2009-02-08T11:21:00.001-05:00

A dog post.
Tomorrow, my female leonberger turns 10! See Sophie's page.

Why is this important? Because giant breed dogs age quickly - she is in her mid-70's human years according to many "experts". I brought her home in the cabin of a United flight from Cleveland, OH to Portland, ME ten years ago. She was so quiet in her carrier (all 18 pounds of her), that many didn't even know there was a puppy on the plane. Since that day, she has stolen our hearts (see tribute on above page). Just wanted to say "Happy Birthday".

We also have a 4 year old male - Milos's page.
He is a lover and takes very good care of his "Queen". We celebrated his birthday at the end of December.

If you have pets, give them hugs tonight and remember they depend on you!

Technorati Tags: leonbergers, sharonbetts

Visual comparison

2009-01-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

Signing the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003

Signing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

Removing the countdown

2009-01-20T19:52:00.004-05:00

Today America experienced an event that made history. The inauguration of our first African American President. A man who is friendly to the environment and education, Barak H. Obama. The future will be difficult, but I have hope again.

image from http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com

Holiday Video 2008

2008-12-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

A short video to share our holidays with family and friends. If you are unable to view this, the pictures are also in our Gallery.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-23T09:28:00.000-05:00

from a cold blustery Maine - happy holidays to all

Computers and Energy

2008-12-12T14:43:00.002-05:00

I podcast this on my school blog and since it relates to energy - a main topic in this blog - I thought I would cross post here. Why don't we turn all our computers off in my school district?

energystar
sharonbetts

When is 62 degrees F not cold inside?

2008-12-08T11:44:00.003-05:00

When you wake up to 0 degrees F - no furnace running and one firing of the Tulikivi the night before - the wind howled all night (gusts to 40 mph according to weather men). This is when 62 degrees is really not cold!

Today the sun is to shine - although temps are to stay below 20 degrees. Oh well, sun means warmth in our house! Still loving the passive solar solution.

And the garage - also bermed but only on 1/5 sides - no heat at all was 45 degrees at 7 am. This can be the solution to a huge portion of our energy crisis.

Technorati Tags: sharonbetts passivesolar bermed Tulikivi

Pond in the Maine Woods

2008-11-23T09:31:00.002-05:00

As we approach the completion of our passive-solar bermed home (although a home is never complete), we have decided to concentrate on another goal - a pond.

Our hope is to have a medium sized pond (1/2 acre or less) close enough to the house to enjoy but far enough away for wildlife to feel comfortable. Our first choice of location was not possible when we had an inspection completed and discovered it was "wetland". Maine has many regulations about working in a wetland and we were not so set on the location that we wanted to start the 'process'.

So, we went to plan B -
The pond will be behind the detached garage and down the grade (to keep it lower than any house drainage). Of course, this ended up being one of the wettest Falls ever and it has been a muddy challenge to get it shaped in. But, it is presently in good shape for Spring. We hired the digging after David dropped the trees himself.
I will get a few more pictures as the surrounding area gets cleared (still this month if the weather cooperates) and then we will wait for the Spring thaw and keep our fingers and paws crossed for a full basin.
The full sized pictures are in the Gallery. Here is a slide show of the progress.

sharonbetts
ponds
maine
passivesolar

Election day - any questions

2008-11-04T08:22:00.002-05:00

Election 2008 Voting Information

Today, November 4th, is Election Day! Remember to vote

Where and when do I vote?

Find your polling place, voting times, and other important information by checking out these sites and the hotline below. These resources are good, but not perfect. To be doubly sure, you can also contact your local elections office
<https://vote411.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/eod.htm>.

* Obama's VoteForChange site: voteforchange.com
<http://www.voteforchange.com>
* League of Women Voters' site: vote411.org/pollfinder.php
<http://vote411.org/pollfinder.php>
* Obama's voter hotline: 877-US4-OBAMA (877-874-6226)

What should I do before I go?

* After you've entered your address on either Vote For Change
<http://www.voteforchange.com> or Vote411
<http://www.vote411.org/bystate.php>, read the voting instructions
and special rules for your state.
* Voting ID laws vary from state to state, but if you have ID, bring
it.
* Check out all the voting myths and misinformation to look out for:
http://truth.voteforchange.com/

What if something goes wrong?

* Not on the voter list? Make sure you're at the right polling
place, then demand a provisional ballot.
* If you're voting on an electronic machine with a paper record,
verify that the record is accurate.
* Need legal help? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
* If you encounter a problem, try to videotape the situation and
submit it to VideoTheVote.org <http://www.videothevote.org/>

Now, everybody go vote!!!

Election nears end

2008-11-03T06:09:00.001-05:00

It is incredible how everyone can become part of every inch of this election. I am ready!

Ready to burn

2008-09-28T14:41:00.003-04:00

It's done - we have the wood ready for this winter and next (actually starting the stock for 2010-11.
There is this winters pile - about 2 cords split and stacked in the attached garage - ready to burn in the Tulikivi (thank goodness for it, and its clean wood-saving burn).
We should make it through the winter with this - way less than 2 cords - and no furnace. We only supplement the back shower room with a boost from the electric heater occasionally before morning showers.

Stored in the back garage to finish drying over this winter. Dave built two woodbins that sit by the south facing windows. Using the solar design as a winter drying facility. Yet another use for the sun and our berms.

And outside is the beginning of the next pile - quite a system.

sharonbetts
tulikivi
passivesolar

Why I'm voting Obama

2008-09-20T16:54:00.001-04:00

Why I, as a friend of the environment and a bermed home owning, blackberry gathering, educator, will not vote for any ticket with a member like Sarah Palin.
Because she:

supported the Alaska Department of Fish and Game policy allowing Alaska state biologists to hunt wolves from helicopters
disagrees with strengthening the protection status of the beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska
objects to the listing of polar bears amid fears that it would hurt oil and gas development in the bears' habitat off Alaska's northern and northwestern coasts
ran on a "build the bridge" (to nowhere) and kept the money when finally cancelling it
does not support the right to choose
does not have enough experience to lead the country and would be sitting behind the oldest president in history
does not attribute man in any way with climate change
supports ruination of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
has absolutely no foreign experiences
tends to be too militaristic and does not have any diplomacy
gets her health insurance through government, but opposes helping more than 45 million uninsured Americans get affordable health care
wants to control what our kids learn in school about sex and about science - actually want to have more control over what our kids learn than any other time in history.
does not believe in spousal benefits for same-sex couples
believes that schools should teach creationism and intelligent design

Why wouldn't I support McCain / Palin - because they are NOT the right choice for this country.

Adding to the Harvest

2008-09-14T18:18:00.002-04:00

The last several years we were working on our garden, which is still a work in progress. And Dave has been mowing strips through the berry areas on the lot to help propogate more harvest. Well, this year it is beginning to pay off. We had fresh veggies to eat most of the summer (carrots, lettuce, spinach, beets etc.) We also were able to fill the freezers with beans, corn and berries.

Not only were the blackberries great, but for the first time our elderberries also gave us a sweet crop. I made elderberry sauce, juice and jam - hope the healing properties are as good as advertised. Only one minor accident which "tinted" both Dave and my tees.

http://www.elderberries.com/

I had forgotten (from my growing-up years) how messy cutting of corn can be. Dave picked up a cutter - which worked pretty well, but we still had kernels all over the kitchen. But, in the end, we will be enjoying fresh corn this winter along with the beans. The cost and additives in grocery store food is going to make it more and more important that we go "back to the soil".

sharonbetts
elderberry
harvest

Friends, Family and Bedbugs

2008-07-19T09:53:00.002-04:00

As you saw from the last post, we made a trip from Maine to Indiana for a family reunion. Stuck the dogs in the kennel and took off on a Wednesday morning. Since we moved to the foothills, this trip has extended another 2 hours and now averages about 16 on the road (to Ohio - base). The journey down was pretty uneventful with Dave and I taking driving turns. We landed at Mom's around midnight and after some greetings headed to bed. Spent Thursday and Friday gabbing and enjoying a look at the "old home-grounds" - I made a trip to the cemetery where my parents are buried.

Then Saturday - off to Indiana and the big day. Of course, the sky was black and stormy with some rain as we started out. Now one of the reasons I really don't want to move back to the midwest is the hurricane season - which Dave reminded me was now. Ugh.
But, wonders of wonders, we managed to escape the rain - just had to wade through a moat around the camp shelter for a couple of hours. We celebrated at Pokagon State Park in Indiana - a very nice place with shelters, hikes, horseback riding, nature trails and a medium sized lake. If you are in the area, check it out.

We left around 9 pm and started the trek northeast - stopped in Mentor at Motel 8 - where I slept deep and warm with the bedbugs. Really! Discovered a line of bites on my legs and one on my arm the next morning. Just a minute while I continue to scratch - never had anything itch so much unless it is our famous Maine black flies. I had read about hotels having trouble, but never thought...... Oh well, I survived and guess it could have been worse. We got back to our house late on Sunday and picked up the dogs the next morning.

Long drives - but great reunioning. I have posted the pictures that were used in the slide show on the Gallery.

Enjoy
sharonbetts
bedbugs
pokagon

Reunion 2008

2008-07-18T22:00:00.005-04:00

It was a long trip to Indiana - but we sure enjoyed the family.
I will also post the pictures in the Gallery (tomorrow). The Direct Link to slides.

sharonbetts
pokagon

Snakes in the Grass

2008-07-05T10:26:00.003-04:00

Nice day yesterday - exactly the "way life ought-to-be"! Sunny with a breeze and temps in the high 70s. Since there haven't been many of these this summer, it seemed like a great day to bring in some wood for the winter to come. Dave has an plan for getting it much of it out of the weather - he has built several bins in the back garage (enough to hold a winters worth - which for us is less than 2 cords!). That will be for the next year. There is enough space in the attached garage for the coming year. Anything outside (usually on a tarp and a slant for drainage) is for 2 years down the calendar. Should be a good plan. But the cycle is just beginning - so, this was to bring seasoned wood into the attached garage. As the first bucket (using the tractor bucket) was being loaded, a resident made him(her)self noticed. A small snake (2 feet or so) slithered around the pile from section to section as the wood was being removed. Now, this was kind of interesting and even a bit funny to watch. However, on the second load - it slid into the bucket with the wood and took a ride to the garage. Luckily, Dave noticed and unloaded while I stood guard with the broom just in case it escaped (the plan was for me to then scoot it out the door). That wasn't necessary though as we saw it hiding and drove the tractor back outside, lowered the bucket and got it into the grass. Problem solved. Back for another load - oops, another snake! Process starts all over again. Soon - snake number three (or the one we had rescued found the way back home). Anyway, it was like playing hide and seek. Trying to load the bucket, keep them out but not injure either one. Seemed really strange that they didn't just crawl away with all the disturbances. Finally, the pile was gone and we were down to the planks which had been used to keep the wood off the ground. Dave lifted a plank - and there they were, the rest of the family. It really was a reptile home. Slowly lowered the board over the 5 or so "teenagers" and mom and dad to give them time to move away before actually removing the roof from over their heads. Later in the afternoon, we went back and got the boards. Only one youngsters was to be seen, but both parents were all over the grass. After Dave hauled away the remaining planks, I waited around with the camera and managed a couple of shots of mom and dad. Two of the young came up out of holes in the ground, but I was unable to catch them before the hurried into the grass. Sure hope they found a new condo............

Tile - down to two

2008-06-14T12:42:00.002-04:00

The only concrete floors remaining are the two bedrooms - and we have the slate in the garage! I highly recommend all tile floors for passive solar homes -

and for anyone owning large dogs in the hills of Maine! Several people have asked to see the final combination in the dining / living / kitchen / hall - we have

tried to blend patterns in a comfortable way. As you can see, our dogs love the coolness in the summer. The only issue is the blowing hair when we turn on the

fans - no carpet to grab it as it goes by.

Here is a short video of the above areas - hope you enjoy.

sharonbetts
tile
passivesolar

Lights, Gardens and Dogs

2008-05-25T11:19:00.004-04:00

Memorial Day weekend 2008 - the weather is great and we are spending some time outside before starting up the grill. The boys are coming later in the week for a couple of days, but the weekend is just us (and the dogs). As you can see, we got some bales of hay, manure and also loam to help boost our gardening. Dave is busy putting it all together.

Inside we now have the tile all finished in the living/dining area and the lights and fan are installed. So, it can get dark and warm - ha.
There are more shots of Hubbardton Forge lights in the Gallery (Industry / Lighting)

The dogs are also enjoying this great weather - except for the black flies which are battling even the strong breeze today. It is hard to believe they are 9 and 3 already. Took a couple of shots.
Sophie in her Regal Lady album and Milos under Year Four.

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend - and during this time of war, remembers its real meanings.

sharonbetts
passivesolar
maine
leonbergers
HubbardtonForge

Passive Solar Works - Build a Fire!

2008-05-04T09:08:00.002-04:00

Its a rainy Spring day in Maine! The temperature is 30 degrees higher than the sunny day I blogged about no heat last January. What little sun we have today only comes into the house about a foot inside the southern windows. Due to the height of the sun, the berming and the depth of the overhang, it all works to keep summer heat out. Last winter, we had rays bouncing off the back living room wall (18 feet into the room). Being a fringe season (Spring, Fall and Mud), we are cool and actually started a fire in the Tulikivi. Not a problem, as we didn't use as much wood as we had estimated and there is still some stacked in the attached garage. Rather burn it than have to carry it back outside. That will keep the house around 70 - very comfy.

Another success is the tile flooring. It is nearing completion, too. Not only do they serve as heat storage during the winter and remain cool to the touch throughout the summer, during these rainy days it is easy to mop the puddles left by 245 pounds of wet double coated dogs! Doesn't do much for the perfume of wet fur - but is certainly easy to sop up.
I highly recommend it to anyone with 4 legged pets.

sharonbetts
passive+solar
tulikivi

Spring Tails and Trails

2008-04-15T10:55:00.000-04:00

The snow is finally melting and temperatures are forecast for the 60s in the next couple of days. The waiting is nearly over (see pic) and everyone is feeling Springish including the dogs. Tracks are appearing in the shallow snow and mud - this makes for very interesting walks. The latest: squirrels, skunks, chipmunks, deer, fox and a mystery animal which we think could be a bobcat. As the snow melts, the mice tracks become evident in the damp ground - this is a cause for major digging and massive mud-feet. Sophie has spent 9 years trying to rid Maine of those troublesome chipmunks and Milos is certain that he can clear the skies of all flying objects. Unfortunately, there are some crows that seem to taunt him daily.

Can't believe it has been over 9 years since Sophie came into our home. She is doing extremely well and still gives Milos a run for his money in the nightly battles. Milos was 3 on December 20th. He has filled out and although not a large leonberger, weighing around 130 pounds, he has a beautiful coat and is the most loving big-boy. It has been quite different to raise a male for me. I have (and still am) working on understanding his spirit. He looks at me with those beautiful brown eyes and reads my every thought - his word recognition is also quite admirable. We find that we can pretty much carry on conversations with both of them. Call us crazy!

I would like to get back to therapy work with Sophie when I retire in a few more years. I am back in class with Milos once a week now - we are working on some of Brenda Aloff's "Get Connected" protocols on canine body language which are really fun. It is great to watch him try to figure out what will make the clicker click and the bananas fall. Finally, we can get out for our walks again, too. I still can't trust him off leash when we are in the woods as we are not "connected enough" for me to be more interesting than the track-makers. That is a goal which I hope to reach someday. I remember thinking that we would never be able to hike with Sophie off leash, but it happened. Maine in the Spring is a joy to experience.

Technorati Tags: sharonbetts bobcat maine leonbergers

Top to Bottom

2008-04-13T09:46:00.002-04:00

Ceilings are done - as posted earlier (still a little trim to go). So, down to the final floors with the dining - living next. The border has been done for a long while and we planned on filling in the main portion with that same tile. A polished brown separates the border from the floor. Last week we painted with a dark blue - this week the tile is taking shape.

Don't know if I blogged about our TV's mishap. While working in the living room a couple of weeks ago, the TV slid off its stand and didn't survive. Yesterday we joined the new generation and purchased a new LCD HDTV - went with Samsung 650 model. Had to add a Blue-Ray player and rush home to plug it in. We need to trim the wall and then mount. Such a great idea to have all the cords inside the TV wall.

The April snow is going away slowly - Spring must be coming (immediately after mud-season).

sharonbetts
tulikivi
samsung

Videos - Leos and Morning

2008-03-29T10:52:00.003-04:00

The dogs love to watch the morning arrive across the hills - just waiting for the sun to warm their backs while they sleep on mother nature's largest cool-pads.

And Milos takes his morning snow bath - each day after breakfast. What will he do if it ever melts (this was taken on March 29th!)

sharonbetts
leonbergers
maine
Turbo Tagger

Study has furnishings

2008-03-29T10:23:00.005-04:00

Well, the "pumpkin room" as Dave calls it - the "morning bright" as I think of it is nearly finished. Just a the windows to go. All the windows will be done nearly last. I took some short video clips and put some pictures in the gallery (check out the last editions at the bottom).

sharonbetts
passivesolar
Turbo Tagger

Building further south?

2008-03-27T06:44:00.003-04:00

So long between posts - guess this long winter is getting to my enthusiasm. But, finally some of the over 100 inches of snow are melting.

We had another request for some info - but way south of Maine:

I live in Spartanburg, SC where most of the time it's in the 40's & 50's during the winter days and in the 30's at night. It does dip in the mid to upper 20's at night but not very often. I would really like to build an earth shelter. My plans are similar to yours except my front garage corner will not angle away from the front but will angle towards the front, giving me a workshop inside against the back wall. Planning on 3 bedroom, 2 bath. It'll come in somewhere around 2700 sq.ft. not including garage/shop. Plenty of south facing windows where the bedrooms & living room will be. Also planning on radiant floor heating to the bathrooms, kitchen & TV room using Thermomax. What's the square footage of yours & how much heat is generated thru the windows? Winter? Summer? Are all those windows a big source of heat leakage? Do you have any sort of ventilator installed or mainly rely on opening the windows?

Wow, with those temps, there are times I think we should head south.... Here is the answer - most of the items were mentioned in a blog post during construction.
Your questions are all good ones. Our house is around 1900 sq. ft. Two bedrooms, two baths and a study in the 'kink'. We wanted to get our house size down to something easy to maintain and clean, etc. The ten large, fixed windows are 46"X72" each. They are a commodity item used in sliders and commercial store fronts. We paid around $125 per window, which is way less expensive than a ready to hang window unit. These come with just a rubber or butyl liner around the edge, you have to build your own jams. So, how much they leak sort of depends on how well that is done. Mine aren't done yet, just some caulking most of the way around them. I think we most notice the radiant losses at night, like standing next to any large window. Thermal drapes would stop a lot of that, but I don't know if we will get those. We also have four casement windows for ventilation and fire escape code. The large window glass is clear with no inert gas between the panes. That may not be the correct thing for your climate. I chose clear due to the higher light transmission compared to low-E coatings. A really important aspect of windows is your overhang width. 26"-28" is considered optimal for this latitude - just under 45 degrees. Yours would be different. You definitely want to keep direct summer sun out of your rooms. The heat gain in winter is phenomenal, if anything, it can be too much on a crystal clear day in Jan.-Feb. We have some roll-up bamboo blinds we lower once in a while. The house will go up to 80 degrees no matter the temperature outside on a clear inter day. We crack a few windows open as needed. The temperature drops back to low to mid 70's by early evening. We have only lived here one summer, we did use fans to stir the air during warm spells. I suspect there is a fair amount of radiant heat gain through the windows in summer even though they are shaded by the overhang. Of course, heat in Maine is relative. We get so used to moderate temps that 85 deg. is a scorcher here. It rarely hits ninety, maybe 6 days per summer, sometimes it never hits 90 all summer. In any case, summer is short here, so we just put up with it. Based on our experience and trying to guess about your climate, I think you would make different choices on windows. We optimize for winter here. I wish I had a more technical answer. It pays to read up and talk to people in your local area. We were able to visit three homes of this style before committing to the design, that really helped to frame our expectations. Ventilation in these homes is very important. For the first 6-12 months they are loaded with residual moisture in the concrete. We have interior plaster and it also takes a while to really dry out. For ventilation we have an outside air inlet for the wood burner, a high capacity kitchen range hood fan than vents to the outside and four fans in the ceiling that exhaust into the attic space. There are attic exhaust fans at each gable end of the house that are controlled by a thermostat switch. The four ceiling exhaust fans are on individual switches. The attic exhaust fans turn on around early afternoon on hot summer days. They pull air through the soffit vents to cool the attic space. The four ceiling exhaust fans are used only in summer. We open windows in the evening and let them pull fresh, cooler air into the house. That air pressurizes the attic space and pushes air out through the soffit vents. With so little air infiltration through exterior walls, getting air in is really something to plan for. Are you planning on air conditioning? I think it would be a good idea just to control summer humidity. You don't want to have moisture build up through condensation, which will happen in rooms that are on the 'back' side of the house. The earth berm will keep those walls and floor pretty cool compared to the outside temperature. For heat, we have a radiant heat system installed that rarely gets used - thank goodness, given the price of propane. I ran a couple zones for about 4 hours twice this winter during an extended cloudy period. We burn just under two cords of wood in the fireplace stove. It is a Tulikivi soap stone masonry type stove. There are over three tons of soap stone in it, once it is warm, it radiates heat for the next 20 hours or so. We usually burn it once per day but skip a day now and then depending on sunshine. For the bedrooms and bathroom in the far end of the house, which don't receive much heat from the wood burner, we use electric heaters to take the chill off during cloudy spells. That is less expensive than running the radiant heat - go figure. I really think our house would never go below the mid-fifties with no added heat, just the sun. I haven't tested it since sitting around in a house that is in the low sixty range isn't comfortable. A regular framed house around here will freeze up solid in about 2 days with no heat. Given the cost of a radiant heat system and your climate, it must be hard to choose. I think our radiant heat was really not a good use of the money, it works just fine, but is not really needed. When you consider we can go for weeks at a time here where our high temperature for the day is well below freezing, and we hardly use the radiant heat, your climate may not need any sort of central heat in a solar house. Maybe electric heat combined with an air conditioning system would be better in SC? Our water heater is a zone on the boiler, someday I might get into a solar pre-heat set up. We have a propane range/electric oven combination. For hot tap water and stovetop cooking we use about four and one-half gallons of propane per week. A flow through on demand water heater might save a little, but our tank is well insulated and the boiler hardly ever runs unless someone is using hot water. One thing that takes getting used to is how earth sheltered homes don't fluctuate in temperature very much and certainly not quickly. We can go to bed after being too lazy to make a fire in the Tulikivi with a temperature of 68 or 69 degrees; it will be 64-66 degrees the next morning with no heat on anywhere. That's with an outside temperature in the low teens. It really demonstrates what thermal mass does. Well, I hope I answered your questions helpfully. Good luck with your project. We really like our house, and the higher fuel goes, the more we like it! I would be glad to answer other questions you may have. Have you considered earth sheltered roofs? I have never been sure which is better - bermed walls and regular roof or go all the way and have an earth covered house with just the southern side exposed. While I was cleaning the record amounts of snow and ice off my roof this winter, I was sure the sod roof would have been the way to go - Ha! Regards

Several items - Shower Vanity and Living Room Ceiling

2008-02-24T09:59:00.005-05:00

A quick catch up on interior work. We have finished all the tongue and groove! Wasn't sure that I would ever be able to type those words. We have tongue and groove on nearly all the wood framed walls and most of the ceilings now. Some still needs polyurethane - but it is up. Took a break from the tiling to install a vanity in the shower bathroom. Our cabinet maker, MidMaine Furniture (did such a fabulous job on the Hickory kitchen) is extremely busy and won't be able to get to our final work until summer. We can wait for the pantry, towel closet and dressing table - but really needed a sink in this bathroom. So, here it is - he is going to match it as well as possible. It is a good brand, but I can certainly see the difference in this and his products.

The last few days have seen Dave back outside - he discovered that he needed to take some of the winter build-up off the roof (I'll blog that separately). We have had some ice and that makes the driveway a skating rink - slid down it using the piles of snow as bumpers last week. So, he is working to try to get some traction somehow - next year we are going to get a pile of sand to use when this happens. Having sun today and yesterday - brought the house temp up to around 80 and helped a little.

The study floor is filling in - having a non-square room is not conducive to quick tiling. The den is where the jog in the floorplan appears - lots of triangles....
We now have the fan and wall lights ready to mount in there - that may be the first completely finished room! It will be good to get my corner cabinet and the computer back into that room and out of the garage and dining areas.

Looking at a Vermont company, Hubbardton Forge, for the lights in the dining and living room - Love their products and like the idea of purchasing from a US company (especially one in the NE).

sharon+betts
bermed
Maine
HubbardtonForge

Piles of snow and lots of clouds

2008-02-14T18:21:00.003-05:00

This has been a very snowy and cloudy 2008. Last year, I was complaining that I coudn't get away from the scalding sun and the house was always heading above 80 during the days. So, we worked on some bamboo shades for this year, and have used them some very successfully. But, we really haven't had much need to drop them. Snow - snow - clouds - rain - snow - clouds have led to a real test of our bermed concept. We found that if we add nothing except the Tulikivi and get no sun for 3 or more days, the temps in the back bedroom drop a little too much for me. When it hit 62 degrees, I flipped on our portable electric heater - cheaper than using propane to run the radiant heat. That worked like a charm.

Today, the sun came out - the house warmed and we are all cosy watching the mountains of snow outside the windows.
click on the picture to enlarge it -----------------
You can see more pictures of this winter at the Gallery.

sharon+betts
bermed
Maine

Bold but Covered

2008-02-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

The last tongue and groove is being stained as I type! There is a lot of concrete in this house - and now there is also a lot of tongue and groove. A long time ago, we decided that we really disliked any form of wallboard. So, we have covered as much of our walls and ceilings as possible with wood. Using stain and bold colors for some walls, we hope this makes it both warm and easy to maintain. But, it is a challenge. There are some pictures of other ceilings and walls in the Gallery. The weather isn't being passive-solar friendly today. Warmish (around freezing) and cloudy. The last storm was messy ending with fine rain which froze to a crust on the pretty snow. Not hard enough to hold even the dogs, it is miserable and we can no long hike through the woods on the logging paths. That is really discouraging. We will see what the next weeks bring. The Ford Sport Trac is doing quite well on any slush and snow - I recommend it to anyone who must have a winter vehicle although it is only getting around 20 mpg. I look forward to going back to the Civic and doubling that in the Spring. So, the fire is burning in the Tulikivi and I am about to settle down for the Super Bowl - not usually a football fan, but this year....

sharon+betts
bermed
Maine

Updates on Perfect Passive Solar Day

2008-01-20T13:39:00.000-05:00

Since the berm construction is pretty well complete for the house and the detached garage only needs a ceiling and insulation, I haven't posted much lately. But today is just too good to pass up. It is 12 degrees outside with the sun shining - our house is around 75-78 inside with no heat . smile.

Work on the interior is progressing also. We are finishing the ceilings followed by the woodwork. Nearly all of the ceilings are tongue and groove - which means some sanding, staining and poly before putting them up. Since I am still working, the actually hammering is only on weekends. Even at that, we finished the study and are now working on the dining room.
Floors will break the monotony of ceilings. There are still quite a few concrete floors - which although utilitarian, are not very attractive. The tile is ordered for the study and should arrive in the next week or so. We have picked all the others out -some slate and some tile.

I plan on posting more information about "rural Maine living" as Spring approaches - and promise more updates on the finishing touches of the house.
More pictures of everything at our Gallery.
sharon+betts
bermed
Maine

Reflections posted

2007-12-28T18:43:00.000-05:00

I was in the process of posting some reflections on our home when I asked my husband for some references. He promptly jumped in and wrote his thoughts which I have published on the right. Just click on the Scribd to enlarge. I think he said it all - at least from the "construction" side.

passivesolar
bermed
sharonbetts

Supplementing the Sun

2007-12-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

There are so many factors involved in the amount of supplemental (or central) heat necessary for any passive solar home - especially one of bermed construction that I wouldn't even consider trying to recommend any. However, here are my thoughts after being in our house for a year.
1 - Design We opted for a modified design (usually for full passive value, you would build in modules with all rooms open to the sun and each other). You can see from our design that we placed baths and laundry behind a hallway as a personal preference. The shower bath therefore is the coolest location in the house and I like to supplement it for those early morning showers.
2 - Building style - insulation, amount of thermal mass concrete, amount of windows, sides bermed, preparation of the slab (see previous posts during construction).
All of these add to the retained heat .
3 - Window treatments - we do not yet have any insulated window treatments to withhold the heat during the night. We may add these later.
4 - Resale - it can be very difficult to get a mortgage for a house without central heat. We never use our radiant heating system though and at times feel it was wasted money.
5 - Type of wood stove. We chose a Tulikivi (because I fell in love at first site). It gives a slow radiant heat - no major hot spots and is great for our living area. We could have also installed a small wood stove in the back of the house and probably only supplemented with wood.

So, in our situation, we do need our Tulikivi. Only for the times that we have more than one day without sun. If during those dreary weeks we wish to have the bedroom and shower room above 64 or so, we also need additional heat at the west side of the house. Do we need or use the radiant heating system - no.

68 - possible?

2007-12-27T19:14:00.000-05:00

Had a question from a reader yesterday that I would like to answer here:
I live in NH and would like to know if it is possible to have a bermed home that stays around 68 degrees with simple supplemental heat.

My thoughts after living in ours for a year:
Yes, of course it depends on two things - the amount of sun and your interpretation of supplemental heat. We find that if we get even two hours of sun in a day, the temp will remain a comfortable mid-sixties through the nights with no additional heat. We may even be a bit over-glazed and it will get up to the 80s until we open the windows (regardless of the outside temps - have had them open with single digits), Our supplemental heat sources consist of the soapstone Tulikivi and stand alone electric heater. Although we have radiant istalled, it is much cheaper to run electric for several hours than to pay for propane.

There is so much more to this answer - it could be a thesis. I would appreciate any further questions or comments.

Christmas Cookies

2007-12-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

David is the winter cook this year. I posted about his dutch oven heritage bread last week. Well today, he was into cookies (while the storm swirled outside). We now have Ginger Snaps and Oatmeal Raisin -- ymmm.

sharonbetts
bermed
Maine

Snowing in New England

2007-12-16T13:26:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to show the start of our snowstorm. The tractor was actually from the last storm, but seemed to fit here as well. I put up a tree today and Dave is baking cookies - I'll post some pics of that later. Enjoy:

sharonbetts
snow
maine
leonbergers

Trashing the earth?

2007-12-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

I just watched a great video around our use of STUFF - I suggest you take a look and pass on this resource.
credits: http://storyofstuff.com/credits.html

interactive site: http://storyofstuff.com/

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

How can you help?
http://www.storyofstuff.com/anotherway.html

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Technorati Tags: sharonbetts storyofstuff

Conversation with interested reader

2007-12-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

1. Have you continued to have a good experience with the house? Absolutely - I would never live in a "standard" house again!
2. Have you found that you are using significantly less fuel to heat your home while still remaining comfortable (of course, I can use significantly less fuel in my 190 year old house, but I have been VERY cold!)? We only use wood and a few hours of an electric space heater in the back bathroom. And the Tulikivi only needs to be fired once or twice a day which cuts way down on the amount of wood (and time).
3. Have you resolved the condensation issue? It is much better this winter - the only condensation we have had so far is a small amount on the windows if someone showers at night. No longer an issue.
4. Have you had any problems with leaking? No
5. Do you find that the windows drain a lot of heat at night during cold weather? And do you feel that you need to remedy this with insulated blinds or drapes? Are the windows double-glazed or triple-glazed? The windows are single - actually they are replacement panes for sliding doors. They obviously cool at night, but the concrete holds so much heat that we haven't seen much. We have installed some bamboo blinds for the intense sun on sunny days which makes it nearly impossible to read or work on the computer.
6. How comfortable is the house in the summer? Its fine. Did it get very hot? Not really - we have two attic fans during the day. At night we run the exhaust fans installed periodically through the house to bring in the cool air. Living in the foothills - there was only 1 night that I can recall last summer being overly warm at night.
7. Who was your contractor? A local builder - individual, not a firm. Did he have experience with building this type of home? None Who designed your house? We did.
8. Are you considering including your house in one of the solar home tours? Perhaps when it is finished.
9. And finally, would you do it all over again? Absolutely If so, what would you do differently? That's a hard one as we really love it. Ask me in another year or so.

Technorati Tags: sharonbetts bermed passive_solar

The First Loaf

2007-11-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

David has been reading about baking bread. Ever since we returned from Germany, we have missed the artisan breads that are available in every town there. You just can't find the whole grains and crusty delights here.
Until today! Today, he tried a recipe he got from Mother Earth News for baking crusty bread in a dutch oven. And is it good. Probably won't do much for the Thanksgiving to Christmas diet, but really - who cares?
sharonbetts
bread

Passive Solar 1; Propane 0

2007-11-02T18:32:00.001-04:00

Its November. The leaves have all dropped and we still have not needed any heat - as a matter of fact, I have had to open the window at night.

We have had nights below freezing, but enough sun during the day to warm everything up above 75 degrees. Dave did cut enough wood for the winter (it is in the garage) and the pile for next year is started too. But, so far no need. I am actually getting the urge to light the Tulikivi - but it has been too warm in here. Gotta love the sun.

With these shorter days comes thoughts of starting inside house finishing again. First on the agenda -- wood ceilings in the study and living / dining room. I also want to get that final kitchen cabinet made and hung now that we have a design. Then a little paint - and on to the tile floors that are still concrete. Time changes tomorrow night - that makes it dark during the evening news (or before). Ugh.

sharon+betts
passive+solar
Tulikivi

A great loss

2007-10-08T16:19:00.000-04:00

This posting is for Sharon's mother, who we lost on September 18th. She would have celebrated her 81st birthday this December. There are no words for the hole in our lives left by this kind, gracious, generous, loving and downright impressive lady. Her loves in life were many with her family leading the way. She was so excited to see the postings of our home and the flowers in Maine. This last slide show is for her - she was able to see most of these plants in person when visiting us last.