|
Western Oregon | We have owned the place 14 years. It was our summer cabin for years, sits on an old state forestry property. It was originally a scale house for scaling logs, later used as a fish hatchery and we still have the tanks here to use, although they are not on the 1 acre we own. We later added the entry and bed/bath. We have gravity fed spring water from 1200' up the hill. We have 2 solar panels and a small micro hydro generator with 4 big storage batteries. The original "shed" was 12'x20', we added 10'x20' bed/bath leanto on north side. The airlock entry is on the south side, 8'x11', has a big S. facing window on 11' side, storage cabinets on east 8' wall, north wall, made from hollow concrete blocks, backs to an old wood cook stove and the original front door. Wall warms, warm air rises to flood entry, where warm air is collected at ceiling. The rest of this 8' leanto is a sunroom/greenhouse right off the living area. The East wall of living area is an 8'slider looking out to creek 6' beyond an 8'x12' deck. Timber land all around. We have lived here 4 years, since I retired, although last winter we stayed at our beach cottage as it has all electric heat. I had ankle/foot surgery and couldn't manage the wood stove. My wife is not in great health and didn't want her having to keep the stove. We live very frugally, we can and put up 99% of our food. This summer we put in a tiny heating coil in the damper box above the tray ceiling. It makes heat when the batteries are charged to burn off energy from the micro hydro generator. It makes heat at night as needed. Being so well insulated and small it doesn't take much heat. If I build a fire in the morning to heat water in the coil in the fire box it can get pretty warm in here.
It is 50 degrees today. I built a fire to take showers. I had to open the door for a bit. I only used 3 2"x4" pieces of scrap lumber, 1 split into kindling and 1 4" piece of Douglas Fir wood and then let the fire go out. I made breakfast, heated the chickens feed and baked a batch of banana nut muffins in the oven....James | |
|
Vaulted Ceilings
