Spirit Archives - Page 12 of 26 - Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself

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Happy Fathers Day

Today is a bittersweet day for me, it’s Fathers Day AND it’s my mother’s birthday, both of my parents are deceased, my mother many years ago, she never got to see my life as I live it now but I know she’d be proud. My dad however did get to see the first few years of our off-grid life, he contributed to it as well, bringing lots of goodies each summer when he would come for his annual visit.

My father and I had the dream of going off-grid long before off-grid was a “thing”, I can remember as a little girl, my dad and I planning on moving to Alaska, building a cabin and living off the land, he was an amazing man, he could do anything, much like my PB does today.

Unfortunately like a lot of us, my dad wasn’t able to really live his dream, he had a family to raise, he worked in and retired from building aircraft (civilian then military), he waited too long and had too many ties to the city by the time he retired. He did live vicariously through us though, with his yearly visits, he would spend a good month out here, enjoying the quiet and fresh air, I also believe it helped his health, in his latter years, he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, coming up to our altitude, it was hard for him to breathe, and that was before hiking up the hill to get to the SkyCastle.

We would set up a couple of “rest stations” along the way so he could sit down and catch his breath before beginning the trip uphill. By the time the final week of his visit, he would be able to go all the way from the road to the SkyCastle in one go without having to stop or rest, I know he felt like a million bucks by the time a month had passed and he went back down in altitude.

I know he loved what we are doing here, I sincerely hope all you fathers out there have a great Fathers Day, I also sincerely hope you have a great relationship with your family (parents, kids…), if you don’t, maybe it’s time to re-examine that relationship, we are here but a short time, yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn’t promised, you have now to take care of business :)

Here are a few pictures of my dad and family.

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June 21, 2015 No Comments

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June 16, 2015 No Comments

Summer is (almost) officially here

I say almost because it doesn’t officially begin until the 21st of this month, and the fact that I am sitting here with thermal pants on, it’s cold! Well not really COLD, but cool, too chilly for shorts that’s for sure! I love living in the high desert of far west Texas, no where else in Texas is it this cool in mid June!

That being said, it’s still hot during the day, OK it’s nothing like it was when I lived between Dallas and Fort Worth, but after being here for 8 years, I’m spoilt, our rainy season is just starting and this is our hottest part of the year, we don’t have air conditioning (electric or swamp coolers), we rely on opening all the windows and using fans, we also have a few places around the property that are cooler, under the trees and under the SkyCastle too.

I found this article on how to keep cool in the heat of summer, let me know if you use any of these and how they work for you, AND if you have any improvements on these or other ideas for keeping cool.

Sweat beads up on your forehead and then all over your body. The heat becomes heavy and you can barely breathe in the hazy conditions. As summer gets closer in Charlotte, we’re already on the verge of breaking records. Use these Pinterest search results to ease the pain.

Soda slushy!

To be fair we haven’t tried this one so test it with caution. Per this Tumblr account, shake an unsealed bottle of soda and pop it in the freezer for about three hours. Loosen the cap to release pressure, then flip the bottle upside down to get out the goodness.

Freeze aloe for sunburns

Pop it in an ice cube tray, then chill before gliding over your scorched skin.

WordPress

Lighten your locks

When chlorine turns it green, freshen up your hair with olive oil. Put it on before swimming.

Build a homemade air conditioner

Thrillist

If you don’t want to run you the bill, get a bucket, a fan and a few more items to make your own ventilation. See how here.

Beach belongings

Clean out a sunscreen bottle and put your car keys or cell phone inside to trick a thief.

Pickup truck pool, anyone?

When the real version is out of reach, grab a tarp and make your own “cold” tub.

Frozen food

If you like your wine chilled but sun is warming it up too quickly, lower the temp by dropping in some frozen grapes.

Chill a beverage in minutes

Don’t worry if your forgot to put your drinks in the refrigerator. Wrap them in a wet paper towel and stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Voila!

Always have ice cold water

Fill your water bottle …

June 13, 2015 No Comments

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Shade in the desert, priceless

Our rainy season is about to start, but before it does, it gets warm, some might call it hot, I call it mildly uncomfortable. It only lasts a month or less, and it’s not terrible, not compared to when I lived in the DFW area in Texas, where it was hot and humid, a nasty combination.

One of the ways we live on the cheap, with a small solar system, is by living in the high desert, I’m sure you have heard the phrase “dry heat”, well that sums it up quite nicely. And if you can drum up some shade, especially in a breezy locale, then even those mildly uncomfortable days are quite bearable.

Over the years, we have put up tarp shade in the front and back yard, mainly when our friends and family come to visit in the summer. It works great, but it only lasts one season, our sun and wind really destroy the tarps. So this year, PB decided to use up some scrap aluminum sheeting we scavenged from an old mobile home being torn down, it’s the same mobile home where we got the frame that PB turned into a bridge.

I have a little spot under a patch of oak trees that keeps me cool as well, it’s my art nook and nap place. Here are some pictures of the metal covering, oh I should tell you about what these are mounted on. A few years back, a friend from across the neighborhood gave us a bunch of sucker rod from a well, it’s made of fiberglass and can be bent pretty far, just don’t slide your hands across it unless you want itchy hands. I believe they are about 30 feet long each. Since putting them up, we have not had a major wind storm, but we have had some weather, it is holding up quite nicely, barely moving in the light gusty winds we have had so far.

There is one more picture, it’s the semi-enclosed deck area between the bedroom and the laundryroom/closet/junkroom… we still don’t know exactly what to do with that space, turn it into another bedroom, or make it an outdoor kitchen, or even just a place to sit outside but be protected from most of the elements…

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June 7, 2015 No Comments

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Living in small camper vans

I am learning more and more about people who live nomadic lives, driving and living in smaller camper vans rather than buying into the larger campers and such. The nice thing about these smaller camper vans is they can park in more places, they have less problems with stealth camping in town, they are unobtrusive, low profile and fit in just about anywhere.

I think the hardest thing (for me at least) would be not having so much stuff, though honestly that would probably be a good thing. These 2 videos show a couple and a single guy, it probably wouldn’t work so well with kids, but for the singles or couples, younger and empty nesters, it would be a doable thing.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5u3thpouPM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRX9kRQy2P0

Could you live this way? Do you live this way? What do you think? Be sure to comment below :)

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May 30, 2015 No Comments

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Why be debt free?

Why is it so important to be debt free when you go off-grid? I can answer that because I’m living it and reaping the benefits of being debt free, it means that you can live on so much less, when you are in debt, you are a slave to whoever you owe money. Often debt is a big hole that is nearly impossible to dig yourself out of, especially if you are living paycheck to paycheck and paying the minimums on your debt.

Before moving off-grid, my hubby and I worked our behinds off to earn and save money, we lived on the cheap even then, preferring to live in an old single wide mobile home (paid for), we only had the lot rent, we didn’t do credit cards, we didn’t spend excessively, we ate at home most of the time, we didn’t have cable or satellite TV, we chose to live a simple life so it was all the easier to transfer our lives and lifestyle when we did move off-grid.

We looked for and found cheap land in an area that has few rules and building codes so we could do more ourselves like build the house (sky castle), cheap land meant we didn’t have to go into debt to buy it, nor did we have to go into debt to build on it. We started out small, a 16×16 room was our whole house, little by little we added on, building the rooms we needed and wanted as we could.

We got to know our neighbors, letting them know we would take most anything they were throwing away that could be reused, materials from buildings being remodeled or torn down, left over building materials from new projects, over the years we have ended up with quite a few old metal water tanks, they make great storage, think a big closet if they don’t hold water anymore.

I can’t impress upon you enough, get out of debt, don’t go further into debt, do what it takes to get yourself free from credit cards, car notes and the such, do this even if you don’t plan on living off-grid, do it for your own security. I am speaking from experience here, I’ve been in debt, I’ve had mega credit card debt, I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck, it’s not a good place to be, I am much happier living like I do now.

Here is a video I found this evening, it is about how this family went off-grid while being debt free, it is from a Christian point of view (I’m a Christian so that doesn’t bother me), just letting you know before you click play. :) There is a lot of good info here.

https://youtu.be/AQeo5mcWelQ
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May 24, 2015 No Comments

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Tiny home, big amenities

This tiny home on wheels packs real stairs, not a ladder, 2 lofts and a tub bath, things you don’t normally find in a tiny home. I am surprised at having a real set of stairs in this small space, I see that they have made them steep to conserve room, I also appreciate the storage under the stairs. I like the opening sky light, it’s situated next to the solar panel on the roof so you can easily access the solar panel to clean it. I wouldn’t want or need the tub, give me a shower that encompasses the entire room (it can still be small) with a drain in the floor and I’m happy. Another thing I’d want different is the fridge, I know that those front opening fridge designs are poorly insulated AND they lose all their cool air every time you open the door, I’d want a top opening fridge, a freezer-fridge conversion would work much better. Other than those 2 things, this is a great design, I would love o see it with furniture, enjoy the video.

link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ7JINuGT2Y

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May 10, 2015 No Comments

Friends in small places

Welcome To “Bestie Row”: Lifelong Friends Build Row Of Tiny Houses In The Middle Of Nowhere.

Some friendships last forever. You hear of lifelong friends often living in the same towns just so they can socialize whenever they wish, be a part of each other’s family lives, and finally grow to be the grey-haired besties who rock on the porch and talk about the “good ol’ days”.

Four couples who had been best friends for 20 years decided they were going to trump living in the same town. No way were they going to let the business of life keep them from enjoying that special connection that they’d grown to love. So they decided to literally create their own “Bestie Row.” They all were fans of the tiny house movement, and decided to build their own little compound based around that idea.

Because when you can say, “We’re going to be grey-haired friends,” you know you’ve found a bond that can only strengthen.

They employed the assistance of architect Matt Garcia to make their dream come true.
They purchased land along the Llano River, just outside of Austin, Texas.

At first they considered one large house. However, they realized that personal space is necessary for even the closest of friends.

Still, they wanted a space to commune together. So they built a 1,500 sq. ft. community building with a kitchen, dining area, and space for guests and activities.

Their individual homes are 400 sq. ft. cabins, running around $40,000 each.

Their community, dubbed “Llano Exit Strategy,” was designed to handle the harsh, arid Texas climate.

These buildings were designed for low environmental impact, and sustainability.

The solar heat is dramatically reduced by galvanized metal siding and spray foam insulation, which also helps keep heat in during the winter.

The roofs are sloped to angle rainwater runoff into water catchment tanks. In this kind of climate, every drop counts!

The “Hill Country” terrain is a beautiful place for raising families.

The interiors of the homes are designed to look like a cross between modern and rustic. The corrugated sheathing gives the modern feel.

The rustic, cozy feeling comes from barely treated wood which shows off all it the grainy details.

The 400 sq. ft. cabins have no trouble containing the needed living space and bathroom. A little creative space management goes a long way in making a tiny home comfortable.

After seeing a “Bestie Row” like this, I won’t be surprised to see more popping up in the near future!

Images Via Alexander Stross

Source https://lightersideofrealestate.com/real-estate-life/cool-stuff/tiny-house-bestie-row

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May 9, 2015 1 Comment

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Do what you love, love what you do…

I love my life, it wasn’t always that way though, I used to live like most people in the middle-lower echelons of working and living, I did pretty well, but worked ALL the time for not very good wages, in fact I worked 2 jobs most of the time, and on rare occasions, I worked 3 jobs. I did all of this just to keep myself in a mediocre apartment, driving a mediocre vehicle. I didn’t hate my jobs, I was thankful to have them, but I wasn’t going anywhere and had little prospects.

So what changed? My life, it was time to make a change, to give up everything I had, my home, my jobs, my location, I traded it all in for 5.75 acres of high desert, unimproved, raw property on the side of a mountain. We moved some 500 miles away from everything we knew, including family and friends to make a fresh start. PB built a small box on stilts, it was 16×16, that was our new home, with a few solar panels, no running water, no flush toilet or shower, we did have heat, which was a good thing since it was about 14 degrees F on our first night.

One of the reasons we are able to live like we do is because everything is paid for, we have few bills and those are tiny bills, we live well below the poverty level, but we live very well considering. It’s been 8 years now, we have a bit more of a house around us, the Sky Castle, our bills are still few and small, absolutely no credit cards or loans, no debt.

Last year I started working a job as a merchandiser, I had done it for 10 years at a big box electronics store, but never dreamed I’d be able to do that kind of work again out here in far west Texas. Turns out that there are merchandising companies, some are rather large, servicing many large companies nation wide, I absolutely LOVE doing this work, it’s hard work sometimes, but often it’s pretty easy, I do come home with bruises and exhausted from long days and a LOT of driving around, but it’s the kind of work I love doing and feel so very fortunate to get to do it again.

I wondered how these stores could afford to pay what they must pay to have us come in and work, especially when their own employees often make minimum wage or just a bit more, I finally came to the conclusion that even though they pay US more, they don’t have to pay the other expenses involved in having employees, from insurance, to liability, unemployment and such, it’s really a bargain for them, they pay us to come in and do specific jobs, we are able to do the work with little …

May 3, 2015 No Comments

Community

Snowboarder plus tiny home equals cool!

Each time I see a new tiny home, I think it’s the coolest one I’ve seen yet, and this is no exception, pro-snowboarder, Mike Basich, shows us his version of his tiny home, one he built himself in the middle of his 40 acre, snow covered mountain playground near Truckee CA.

I love his touches, the rock work, the beautiful woodwork, the oven, his running water from one of the two creeks that run through the property. It’s very primitive, no real plumbing (aka bathroom), I did see a few solar panels mounted outside so he does have electricity.

Basich is a very talented and creative person who clearly loves nature, he feels that he is closer to nature living this way.

Watch and enjoy!

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March 16, 2015 1 Comment

Community

Fantasy castle on wheels

When I first saw this, I wondered how interesting this might be, then I watched the video, I’m blown away, so is PB, he was even impressed, and that’s no easy task.…

February 4, 2015 4 Comments

Community

Deep winter for the Sky Castle

This is our 8th year living out here, we have fallen into a comfortable routine, the summers have its advantages, longer days, warm weather (cool nights for sleeping), getting more done during the longer daylight hours, but there are downsides, such as the critters, bugs, spiders and other creepy crawlies that are active in the warmer weather.…

January 7, 2015 No Comments

All you need to go off-grid

Spirit

Happy Fathers Day

Join our Crowdfunding campaign

Summer is (almost) officially here

Shade in the desert, priceless

Living in small camper vans

Why be debt free?

Tiny home, big amenities

Friends in small places

Do what you love, love what you do…

Snowboarder plus tiny home equals cool!

Fantasy castle on wheels

Deep winter for the Sky Castle

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