I went on the West Side Walk today, a little of it, making myself homesick for a city I haven't left yet. I went to Bale Dave's, particularly, to see the living roof that he installed on his garage - like the one he will be installing on my new one. It was awesome - and everyone else thought so, even WBFO showed up to interview him about it while people swarmed around ooing and ahing. It was deeply cool to be there, seeing him reap that - when I met him last year, he was still hesitant around the edges of it, totally into it and yet kind of aware that maybe people would think he's a loonie. I mean, roofs made of plants and houses made of straw, right? But these really are legitimate environmentally sound building techniques, older than the ones we've been using in the last century basically, and more and more people are becoming aware of not only how righteous the techniques are but also what incredibly beautiful living spaces they create. It was (bitter)sweet somehow. Sitting amongst their friends, all out with their gardens showing, filled with weeds reclaimed as flowers and found-object sculptures. It might have been my world, but it just wasn't.
Welp, so I'm making a change, cz though I really hate having my feathers ruffled, sometimes ya gotta do it so ya don't get moldy. And I am psyched about The House, and the projects awaiting me there. These aren't pics of BD's roof, bc he's a techno idiot and his website is a front page that's "Hi I'm Dave" (eyeroll) but these will give you an idea of how it looks/works (I especially like the part where they produce more oxygen in a year than a family uses in that same time).
Mine will be even better than BD's because it's attached to the house and has a door off what will be the boys' bedroom, so that the living roof will be actually living space with a railing and then the copper flashing all around. I love copper. If Whiteyton doesn't show up with a building inspector to have a heart attack, when we're done I'll take pics and send them to local publications. His is going to be featured in Cottage Living Magazine soon . . . I told him he'll be basically helping me flush out the other hippies in Whiteyton, if there are any, so we'll run a couple of workshops on how to do it yourself (his idea). "This is how I make all my friends," he says. And I like his friends.
