We have been thinking of going solar for sometime and now we are happy to say we have finally done it. In 1986 we built a tiny passive solar home. It worked well  and was a very comfortable home. Family emergencies moved us north to live with Dean’s father and we missed our little home.
After a few years we were on our own again and we dreamed of building another passive solar home but doing a full passive solar house just didn’t work out. We did incorporate many passive solar designs to take advantage of as much of the sun’s energy as we could afford at the time. Since we have a large south facing roof, it is a perfect set up for a solar photvolactic system. So now in addition to our super insulated house and solar gain through the windows, we have a 10kW photovoltaic-solar system on the roof to making electricity.  This will supply all of our electrical needs with a capacity to convert our hot water over to electric which we plan to do in the near future.  We use a lot of hot water here at Alabu.Â
My view from my window has changed significantly.  While part of me is saddened, there is a part that is very happy.  For lots of different reasons, we have been considering finding a new home for my mare Fascination (Fasci) for some time. I was using her less and less, especially since our neighbors moved away and I no longer had my helpers come every morning to help me with chores. But I refused to part with her unless I could find her a good home and I did. A young girl contacted me and came to visit and she just fell in love with Fasci. She sends me pictures and tells me tales of their adventures together ( I never knew Fasci liked to swim!). It seems like they have both found their best friend and I think Fasci is happier with all the attention and spoiling, that only a young girl knows how to do. Her new owner is better than I had hoped and this story definitely has a happy ending.
