Monthly Archives: August 2012

Forest Light

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Laura

For those readers who are photographers, you probably shutter… at my photos because of my total lack of skill in this department… and because I always blame my crappy camera.  It turns out the problems are all mine.  Apparently, my camera is not as crappy as I have been telling you!  Sorry!  I am just a terrible photographer!

Up on the narrows a few nights ago I was telling George that I cannot get good photos of the forest light because of my terrible camera.  He explained to me that my camera is a pretty decent one… Illusions shattered!   I showed him the photo I took a few weeks ago which is the only forest light photo that I have been happy with.  George, it turns out, is a man who is seemingly made of light.  He knew what to do!  He told me about the half way button on my camera which sets the light.  I have had this camera for about 6 years and had no idea!

George told me that if I point it at a slightly darker place, set the light by pushing the button half way in and then point where I want the picture to be, then click all the way in, that I should be able to capture the light better.

My current project is to experiment with this technique.

 

Categories: Art, Forest, Magical, Nature, View | 2 Comments

KBOO.fm

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Laura

I just got a note from the wonderful Rabia who interviewed me for her radio show on KBOO.fm in Portland.

It was a very cool experience and the opportunity to share was pretty awesome.   Rabia made this really easy on me so despite my nerves I don’t believe that I sound like a total idiot.  Thanks Rabia!  Too, I have to say that I totally agree with you when you say that this interview adds so much.   You give Tiny House Ontario a voice!  Thank you!

I decided just to copy and paste her email to me so that you can check out not just my interview but also her other links because she is an interesting person and I am sure that her shows are great.  I hope that I can catch a bit when I am on grid for more than a few minutes at a time.

A Tiny heads up: The interview is about 45 minutes in length so don’t start listening until you get comfy.

>>>>>>>

Hi Laura,

I think I sent this but I didn’t see it on your blog so here is the link to the audio interview.

http://www.kboo.com/node/48967

I’m certain your readers will love hearing your voice and the story. It adds so much.

Also here is a link for your ears to the show I do every Sunday night at Midnight called The Confessional. I’m pretty sure you will enjoy it. People listen around the world, even to the archive?? It’s the MOST fun thing I do. Happy Tuesday!

http://snd.sc/OrywQH, or try this if the link doesn’t work, both “should.”

http://soundcloud.com/contessa-1/confessional-august-13-2012

Categories: Building code, Environmentalism, Magical, Materialism, Readers, Tiny House Ontario, View | Leave a comment

The Lightbulb Above My Head

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Laura

So, I finally started the hooking up of the solar system.  The battery is hooked up to the panels and hopefully charging/charged. After reading about solar systems a quite a bit, I decided to put in a full 12 volt system into THO and use 12V LED lights and install only a single outlet for the inverter which I can use when I wish to charge my phone, computer, or run a small vacuum – whatever.  I decided to go this way because then I do not waste energy on adapting to a different form unless it is in use.  This, I decided on a long time ago but I found that finding LED lights was something that was nearly impossible to do.  The on line companies that I looked at seem confusing and really meant more for cars than off grid situations.

Yesterday when I was putting the battery into the yacht battery box (to keep it dry) the lightbulb went off in my little head!  Marine supply!  Of course!

I promptly called the good people at Vandervoort Hardware in Kingston because they carry a good deal of marine supply and spoke to the man who runs this section.  He said, yes, we have them.  We carry lots of LED lightbulbs, and a couple of lights, basically you come in and order what you want and in three or four business days they arrive.

This morning I arrived at Vandervoort’s just as they opened and he pulled out the catalogue.  Turns out that THE marine supply store in Canada is called Brewer’s, and they are located near one of my favourite cafe’s on Guise Street in Hamilton, Ontario.  Oh the irony!  This is just a few blocks from my house there.  The guy said, you might as well go there because there you can touch them, look at them and also see the price tag.  Gotta love a small business man who sends you somewhere else when they know you can do better there.  He also said that there are three distinctive types of LED lights so I should be mindful when I select them because it will make installation easier.   So, I guess I will take a trip to Hamilton next week!   It will also give me the opportunity to look a the Dickenson marine stoves too and since I want to see my niece and nephew off to Germany, it works well.

 

Categories: Environmentalism, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Stuff, Tiny House Ontario | 3 Comments

Kitchen Update

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Laura

Yesterday Tiny House Ontario had the kitchen removed by yours truly.  There are a bunch of reasons why I this needed doing.  One is that the floor is not level so I needed to level under the cupboards.  I also wanted to get the counter tops in their permanent location despite the fact that the two existing cupboards are not staying forever.  The next reason I did this is I think that by raising the base of the cupboards two inches (plus the amount needed to level them – another half inch).  I believe that this will give enough clearance for the drawers when I eventually install the permanent floors, because the cupboards will not have legs. I sawed off the base of the current cupboards too  because I want to have some room under the counter top for a few things.  In this space I will, eventually install the sink, and a two burner propane unit. I will also do as my grandpa did when he build his kitchen which is to install a pull out cutting board.  This will allow for a little extra counter space that can be pulled out when I want it, just like a drawer.

The job is not done, but at minimum it is in a more completed state of transition. I was one board short to fix up the top and also when I took it apart I realized that I am a very crappy painter… sigh.

I thought it would take a half hour but it took three hours.  Still it looks pretty tidy now, so it is awesome!  I am glad to have it behind me.  Well, most of it anyway.

I got things put in there and as soon as I did, The Bad Little Wolf went sniffing at the cooler… I thought it was a pretty funny reaction when I asked him what he was doing!  So I include this image as well.

Categories: Dog, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

George LED

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Laura

It is not easy to take a photo of an LED light at night.  I took about 50 of them to try to get a good one of the LED light that George (the Kayaker) gifted to me when we met by chance up on 14 highway on the day of the odyssey.

It casts a great light and actually runs all night long every night so I now have a night light which is really very cool.

The chance meeting with sweet George provided me with enough information about how these lights work that I feel pretty comfortable taking them apart now.  I also started to put together the solar panels that I purchased a few weeks ago.  A little at a time and very cautiously…

Here is the best of all the bad photos.  Where can I find a good photographer when I need one?

Thanks again George it is a great gift for a Tiny House woman like myself.  

Categories: Art, Friendship, Off Grid, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment