These little cookie cutter neighborhoods have been sprouting up all over this place - looking eerily like the subdivisions devouring rapidly the diminishing open spaces between our town and the shopping center we frequent the next city over. A week ago, I found THIS printable worksheet and its been, More, mommy, please! More houses! ever since. Mary just likes to cut them out. Priscilla and Ben find textured surfaces, like our antique furnace covers and heavily plastered walls, that make interesting patterns when paper is laid over them and rubbed with a crayon. I like these homemade ones better because at least they vary in color and I can gather them in a pile to put away and bring back out whenever the children and I feel like it. They aren't rooted by concrete to our fields and farm land, encouraging our addiction to excess with their insane amount of square footage, cathedral ceilings and three car garages. They can't bury us in debt, can't separate so severely the haves from have nots. I appreciate their accessibility, and heart windows.
Cookies
1 week ago
5 comments:
This is something that actually saddens me as well. You might be interested in reading a bit about vernacular architecture, permaculture, or the wonderful book called "Shelter" which is one of my favorites.
It's sad that we have lost so much of our ability to perform basic living skills... growing our own food, building our own homes, etc. Now we leave it up to "experts" who often use unsustainable methods and materials and leave us with buildings (and even foods) that are more a result of a speedy process instead of a reflection of our personal style and the climate/culture of where we live.
Stephanie
I love my 106 year old house but at times I long for a home that is new, fresh, has lots of space and an attached garage.
I am also torn, Ingrid, between old and new! Especially when everywhere I turn in my old beloved home there are repairs needed! I think what I feel uncomfortable with, however, are the huge, and I mean mammoth houses being built all close together on plots of open land, isolated from any and everyone outside of a certain income bracket. Stephanie, you wrote that:
"Now we leave it up to "experts" who often use unsustainable methods and materials and leave us with buildings (and even foods) that are more a result of a speedy process instead of a reflection of our personal style and the climate/culture of where we live."
I am only beginning to sense the danger - that we are losing our self-sufficiency and our sense of "regional style". I would love to be able to pick your brain for awhile on that subject!
A subject that nerves us here too...GOSH! I miss my old fixer-upper in an old-run-down-town! :D
This topic is much of what Rod Dreher posts about in his blog writings
Molly, Have you read Crunchy Con?
I would love to talk about these issues with you any time, Molly. These are some of the things about which I am passionate about. (I'm on facebook if you ever want to "chat.")
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