The Good Banter Thread

[Big Lou]

Call the Midwife was another favorite.

 

[callingcolleen1]

JW, that's just one big gigantic greenhouse! They could make an indoor tropical community for people to live in year round too! I see houses in there for goodness sake!! Water front property, can you imagine having several city blocks in one big greenhouse!! That must be one big heating bill too!!

 

[sissy]

solar gain colleen ,have you ever seen some of the big botanical gardens they build .They are huge .I have visited several and amazing it can be 15 degrees outside and 90 degrees inside .Some of the botanical gardens will show you how there systems work at the end of the tour if you want to stay and see ,most people leave after the tour but how it works is really the most interesting part to me .The misters all run off recycled water and temps are kept warm by underground piping and cooling in the summer heat is done by the automatic windows that open and close with out electric .Heat opens and closes them .Google some of the botanical gardens and they not only show you the tour but how it all works .Amazing also how they can go from humid and arid conditions for tropical plants .

 

[Event Horizon]

Do you remember the Biosphere 2 project back in the 80’s / 90's? I took a tour of it about 6 years ago. It was sealed air tight. The two separate domes you see in the photo are actually massive diaphragms. During the heating during the day the expanded air would travel through tunnels to the diaphragms, which would expand and raise, otherwise the windows would have blown out.

 

[sissy]

I saw tv show they had of it and how they had to restore it and make it functional again .I remember the people restoring it are growing veggies and stuff in it .There was mention of bad air and all kind of design flaws that they were correcting .People that were living in it were getting sick .They also showed one smaller that was built in the 60's and 70's .

 

[Event Horizon]

From what I remember it started with the concrete on the floor. From that it was technically breached and they lost control of the plants. They ended up with high carbon dioxide levels, and they all got cranky in there. Lol (might be time for me to watch a special and refresh my memory .lol). Still a very interesting building.

 

[sissy]

very true and they had it on PBS here and you can see it on you tube also .I understand by the PBS one last year they found more and more design flaws and are correcting them to make it a full working place again .They said there is so much new technology that they want to use .The over heating they were talking about was a problem they were trying to resolve .Seems that the air flow was not enough during the hotter months and the windows would steam up and cause even more problems by reflecting the sun more ,they talked about a mirror affect from it .It was interesting to see how much they have gotten done from the first show on it .I also love to watch the glass garden shows .

 

[sissy]

have you ever seen chihuly gardens done .He know has his studio near Seattle Washington .I went to one of his garden glass art shows and it was amazing .Everyone should see one of his shows .Truly amazing

 

[Event Horizon]

I have never seen that, just did a quick google and it looks interesting. I have always been interested in glasswork.

 

[sissy]

If you ever see his garden shows you will never forget it .He has video's on you tube of several of his water garden glass shows .Floating orbs, glass flowers and a lighted glass tree .Abstract of course .But he has amazing shows .I saw one and waiting to see if he does another one .I was so upset as my camera broke that day while I was there .Got to meet him also .Amazing man really amazing to talk to .He talks glass and he has some really fantastic ideas but like he said just has to figure out the logistics of them .I would love to go to his studio .I have a small piece of his hand blown glass

 

[j.w]

If I could come up w/ a way to make one of those giant green houses that would solve my rainy Fall,Winter, Spring and sometimes even Summer doldrums...............alas just another crazy dream of year round warmth and sunshine...................woe is me!

 

[sissy]

your neighbors would have a fit .Gotta just move to warmer state jw .But then to hot and to dry and you will be watering everything to keep it alive ..Seems the economy is better where you are at and sure with your views and nice house you would sell it fast .But you would miss the grandbabies ,I'm sure .I know here it is just going down the tubes faster than ever .House down the road from me sold 7 years ago 15 acres for 194 thousand and is now down to 139 and it won't sell at that price either ,they will be lucky to get a hundred thousand .Nice house but small at 1395 sq. ft. but they wanted the house and builder would not budge and then they bought the lots on either side of them so he could not build near them . .Stupid they combined them instead of letting them separate and taxes are higher .I pay only 35 dollars for my other 2 lots and the one the house is on is less than a thousand but total for all 3 adds up to just around a thousand dollars a year .I could at least sell the other 2 lots if I wanted and then sell the house or could tell the people either or all

 

[CountryEscape]

My sister and brother in law in Phoenix bought house 7 years ago, put about $240,000 into it in remodeling. I think she's crazy (my sister) with the money she spent on remodeling. She said part of it was that it was in a historic district, and to keep it that way, they had to leave lots of the old, and redo old with new that looked old, or something like that. Anyhow, now they have something like $760K into the house, and have it listed for sale (her husband's job was eliminated, and to stay with the same company, they are moving back to WI), for like $450K, and she is a realtor! She says the company will buy it from them if it doesn't sell in 3 months, but they won't even pay what they are asking. Other realtors say they need to drop the price to $425K, if doesn't sell in 2 weeks, down to $400K. I just cannot imagine losing that much on a house! Wow!!! I'm sure glad I bought when housing was very low, and my house has increased in price about $13K in the 3 years I have owned it, although I've put in about $8,000 but still more than I have paid out. That does NOT include my ponds or landscaping either. My sister, being a realtor, sure is not very smart in buying and what is added to it! But, they bought before they sold in WI, then had 2 payments for 1.5 years, that didn't help, then house in WI sold for about $250K less than what it would have sold for 6 months before they listed it. They fell into the rut on both ends, and now are going to get really hurt with a huge loss.
I would love to visit a place like those dome 'cities', but would not want to live in one year round. They sure would be fantastic to visit for a vacation, though. JW, perfect place for you to go for your sunny fix!

 

[sissy]

gosh glad I sold before the economy dumped .I got 500 thousand and only owed If I remember correctly 5o thousand on it and I got it for 174 thousand 10 years before and put 100 thousand down on it .Had to keep a mortgage to get money back or would have to pay taxes every year .It was a fixer upper but it was my blood sweat and tears ,just like the first house I bought .I think I would break even on this house maybe .Sell the lots separate .Sad what it has come down too .I put my money where I could not touch it and live off our pension from ford .Thats more than enough for us .

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, the dog that showed up here on Sat., kind of worked himself into my heart (no surprise there), and even though I would never have kept him, I was very sad when I got home tonight after work, after picking up tape worm pills from the vet, that he was not here. If I knew he left on his own, wandering farther in his travels, I would be ok with that. I worry, though, that someone drove by and spotted him and took him, or worse ... as my neighbors to the N of me are pretty crazy. I'm pretty sure they shot the "Big Red Dog" that showed up here 3 years ago. He was a gentle giant, very lovable, didn't jump or have any bad habits, just a big dog. Hung out with my Golden Retrievers, fit right in. Well they mentioned that he came over there and scared their dog. Come on, Jack Russell dogs are not afraid, that dog just barked a lot! Anyhow, after being here a week, he suddenly was gone, vanished, no neighbors saw him at all. I think the next neighbor shot him and got rid of him. Ticked me off. I never knew for sure, didn't ask, as they would have lied, they are that type. So, now this Bull Terrier is gone, vanished. It's very possible, I know, that he was wandering, looking for a girlfriend, as he was still "intact", but when they hang out for 2 days, stay on your back deck, sleep with your dogs in the barn, always with them, it seems impossible that he would have left this haven for the unknown world out there. And, he would have had to go a mile or more in any direction to the get out of the wind and to the next house. Ho hum ... maybe he will be back by morning, I can hope. Just wanted to see him fattened and slicked up, so someone could adopt him that wanted that type of dog. Praying he's safe, and warm, and happy!