The Minimalist Lifestyle

Summer used to be my favorite season. Spring took its place some years ago. Now, fall is my favorite time of year. You can smell it in the air, even feel it coming, segueing into porches with mums and window boxes full of petunias. Feel the excitement of carnivals coming where the people gather, and see the colors of oranges and browns take center stage…

But, I digress. I love all seasons; however, you can bet the house, the other house, and all the vehicles you own that winter will never be my favorite time of year. Brrr! Being born twenty miles from the coast of South Carolina, water is in my blood. I love it! Water is life to me, not only in the basic way, but in a spiritual way. It’s the element of peace and serenity for me.

I’ve been hearing rumblings online about folks being fed up with the cold weather, and I join them in the complaint. So today, let’s warm ourselves up with some pix of swimming pools!

The Neptune pool at Hearst Castle is always a nice view.

This infinity pool would get me as close to swimming with the sharks as I ever want to be.

Ready to take a dive right about now?

Does this look like a pool? It is. The largest in the world. At San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo. Created by Crystal Lagoons.

And how about the deepest pool in the world? Belgium’s Nemo 33 for divers. Would you venture down to its 108-foot bottom?

Well y’all that’s a look at pools for today…

No, wait! Check out the world’s oldest swimming pool. The Great Bath was built in Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan around 2600 BCE. Didn’t run across any public photographs, but you can learn a lot here if you’re interested. I start you out there at photograph #23; click the right arrow through #30 for the Great Bath images. And stay longer if you want. It’s an interesting place.

Well, this “is” it for swimming pools. I hope you are feeling extra warm now.

Shady pool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leozaza/ / CC BY 2.0
Hearst’s Neptune: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mscaprikell/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
Infinity Pool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cloudzilla/ / CC BY 2.0
Pool At Night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stage88/ / CC BY 2.0
Largest Pool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wehren/ / CC BY 2.0
Nemo 33: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stojadinovicp/ / CC BY 2.0

From the beginning, my hope has been that my small houses would inspire others to live more simply and, perhaps, design their own small dwellings. —Jay Shafer

The average size of an American home is over 2300 square feet. That’s a lot of house to keep up with. And it’s enough to make you fantasize about downsizing when you are tired and still have another bathroom and the kitchen to clean.

Well, let’s do fantasize. Let’s take a look at Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

I like these homes so much that I have affiliated with them. One day, I hope to buy one myself. Not as a permanent home, though that would be super fantastic if hubby would agree (coming in sizes from 70 to 770 square feet, I am sure to find one just right for us), but as a way to travel more.

They can be built on flat-bed trailers ready for the road and complete with built-in utilities. I fantasize that I will have my home away from home as I go visit family and friends. I also fantasize that I’ll use it at home as an outdoor office or just a place to get away and think.

What I like most about these homes, though, is that they are a way for more folks to afford to actually have a home. No, it’s not a solution for the homeless problem, but it’s a solution that lets in people who can afford something, just not the cost of a regular-sized home. And the designs, according to Jay, are with “adherence to the laws of sacred geometry,” as well as, with other design and organizing principles.

This is a cool little company. Jay is the founder; Steve is the business and tech guy. I can really appreciate what they are doing. And there’s so much more to it than I’ve mentioned here. You’ll find their website easy to navigate and to learn from. And there’s lots to learn.

Who knows, maybe one day, you’ll write to tell me that you have a Tumbleweed home. I’ll certainly write to tell you when I do!

Click here to visit Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

At one point in time, my front door was a dark red color. It contrasted nicely with our gray siding and dark gray shutters. And boy, I should have listened to my father-in-law when he told us to go with brick instead of cedar siding; I had never even heard of carpenter bees until they found our house.

Anyway, contrast is what you want in a front door. It needs to stand out and be a beacon to your guests.

Right now, and for the past several years, my favorite door color is hunter green. It gives a nice contrast, and the statement I make with it is that we like to be stylish, but we aren’t too showy, and we love natural colors. The red door was screaming a little too loudly for my taste, and since I figured this out, I have been very happy with hunter green. There was a time when I noticed lots of red doors, and it just goes to show that what you admire in other houses just may not be right for your own house.

To paint a front door, some folks take the door down and remove all of the hardware before painting the door, but you can use masking tape if you’re good with your hands. Wrap everything you don’t want to paint. I place tape over the hinges, then cut around the tape with a utility knife in order to have only the hinges covered. The door knob is a little tricky, but the key is patience. Once you have done your prep work, use a mini roller brush to paint it so you won’t have brush strokes.

Use a paint like this, which is latex for easy clean up, but doesn’t stick windows and doors. Load the roller; apply a thin, even coat. Allow to dry. If the door looks like the painted door you dreamed of, you are done. If you don’t have a thick enamel look like you want, apply coats as needed, but allow the paint to dry between coats (this helps the latex’s ability to not be a sticking problem). Once dry, the door will be smooth and glossy.

With a shiny new door, it will not only look beautiful, but its smooth surface will be so easy to clean! And don’t forget your kick plate.