Mindful Living - April Newsletter

Website Update!

Have you been to our website lately?

We have added a new page on our website for Commercial Structures. This page gives several examples of how our structures can be used as Cabins, Schools, Resorts and Office Buildings.

Earth Day - Make A Difference!

Earth Day is on April 22nd. Want to know how you can help? Here are a few tips:

Change out your incandescent light bulbs for compact flourescent bulbs. Look for energy star labels, which means it's been tested for quality and efficiency.
Drive your car differently. Every year Americans increase the number of miles they drive. Stop the trend!

Your Home - not too hot, not too cold. 42% of your household energy goes towards things like heating and cooling. Tune up your heating system. Buy a programmable thermostat.
Hot Water Heater - turn the hot water heater down to 120 degrees, or turn on the "energy conservation" setting.
Dishwasher - don't pre-rinse dishes, most detergents now can handle the job.
Washer/Dryer - wash clothes in warm water, not hot. Ninety Percent of the energy used in operating a washing machine goes toward heating the water that washes and rinses the clothes. Don't over-dry your clothes!

Want to read more about Earth Day?

Spotlight on Agisa De Sieyes' Home

Agisa, her husband and family moved to Oregon from Canada in 1979. She bought a piece of property on the McKenzie River and had a small house built during the summer of 1980. She still lives there. She worked for the State of Oregon, Dept. of Human Services, retiring from there in 2003 to care for her ailing husband who passed away in 2004. During the past 3 years she has volunteered as a driver for DHS, taking people to medical appointments and children to parental visits. Working does not leave much time for hobbies, although she always found time for knitting and her pets. She currently lives with six cats and two dogs.

"We always summered at our home in Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario. The place had been built by my parents-in-law and was large by today's standard cottages. In 1994 it was destroyed by fire caused by a lightning strike on a nearby tree. The house was a total loss within one hour. We all loved the place. I always hoped to retire and again spend the summers there. But the fire destroyed that dream. For the next 10 years, I only made the occasional visit to the lake, always staying with friends for a week or so and watching the property getting more and more overgrown, the dock rotting and the boathouse, the only survivor of the flames, begin to lean. I longed to be able to restore the place to its former self. An inheritance gave me the opportunity in 2007."

Agisa decided to purchase a 29' diameter structure from Mindful Living. She says, "I love the open feeling. I particularly love the skylight in the center of the roof, which made the place feel larger than it was. This is still the feature I love best about my place. When I have company, I can be in the kitchen and still be a part of the conversation and fun. My place is still not quite finished, but now only the floor has to be finished."

When asked how her home handles the climate, her response was "When you hear the weather man talking about extreme cold weather in the mid-section of the nation, he mentions International Falls, Minnesota, where the thermometer often sinks to 40 degrees below zero Fehrenheit. Well, my place is located about sixty miles to the north-west of there. It was built during February and March of 2008, because it was cheaper to truck the materials out to the island over the ice."

"Everyone is quite impressed with the building. I have observed people slowing their boats as they go by to have a look at the house. Friends have asked to bring relatives and friends over to have a look."

"I am glad to be back and can finally enjoy my summers again."