Winter Wonderland

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Boy what an advantage to start at ground level and plan your attack with time on your side.
The ideas are endless ,maybe just as simple as a window facing the sun ,or maybe a shop with a second floor.

Absolutely, with energy costs and pollution becoming hot topics it's smart to look at all the options out there. For example there were some break thru's in solar recently that are going to reduce the initial investment costs MASSIVELY for electrical generation, from what I saw that should start going into mass production in 1 to 2 years. With that you generate more electricity than you consume during the day and back feed the excess into the main power grid (your meter actually runs backwards), then at night you draw back off of the main grid and your meter runs forward again. Careful planning in how much solar capacity you install will make it so your electrical bill is insignificant or you may even get a check from the power company if you overproduce.

The house their building is a 2 story with about 1/2 of the basement exposed, of course that's mainly on the south side of the house. Passive solar is free, simple planning and incorporation of certain things pay big dividends in the long run. The majority of the South facing side of the house is covered with energy efficient windows, the rooms with those windows have different forms of solar absorption materials. Concrete, field stone, dense woods and dark colors are used to absorb the warmth of the sun during the day in the winter and continue to radiate that warmth during the night for free. To counteract that effect in the summer there are fixed overhangs over the windows which shade the windows from the intense summer sun's rays, it's rather convenient that in the winter the sun is lower in the sky so the light reaches into the house whereas in the summer the sun is much more overhead and the rays are blocked by the overhangs.

And to go along with the Winter Wonderland topic, this house is located on 48 acres of wooded land they own that is more like a wildlife habitat.

[barb_arah]

I almost forgot what snow looked like.  I think it's pretty, but I certainly don't like driving in it.  I'm certainly going to freeze when I get back.

[Jeff]

I'm with you Gordy...  I can't move away from this shit fast enough...

[weggieman]

Unfortunate part is I won't be moving away from it. Not entirely anyway. With two daughters getting married soon and I'm sure grand kids on the way shortly after, we'll be staying around this area. But........we will be taking some serious trips from November through March after we retire.

We're looking at moving just west a ways. Like in the SW part opf WI or NW Illinois. Illinois looks good because they don't have any state tax on retirement income, property taxes are lower and housing over there is fairly reasonable.

We'll start seriously looking for property in about 2 years. Twenty + acres would be nice. Maybe more because I'm not against it being real hilly and rough. It would make for great wildlife and good off road trails.

[resurection]

That is a nice air ea the chain of lakes or lake Geneva lots of nice roads in the kettle murrain .And nice neighbors to

[weggieman]

Not to mention the great back roads to ride.