A note about transformation

Latest Construction Photos

Our "lower level" is coming along nicely - check it out!  After a delay due to stone availability and summer vacation schedules, we've started back in full swing and the masonry was finished today.  Next week, the FSC certified engineered flooring is installed.  And after that, we wait again for FSC wood availability to make the cabinets.  Fingers crossed it is finished mid-August!

main space 

fireplace 

wine cellar 

entertainment 

bar 

exercise room 

Biomimicry Inspired Art Exhibits!

Amy wrote a blog post for Biomimicry Chicago describing new biomimicry inspired art exhibits in Chicago.  Head over to the Biomimicry Chicago blog for more information!

What would cause ants to swarm this gnome?

Interesting...

Basement Construction Photos!

Oh, this project has completely taken over my life - and I'm loving it.  For this basement renovation, we sprayed 1" of Icynene insulation directly to the concrete wall and then offset the framing inside of it.  This detail will act as a vapor retarder, eliminate thermal bridging between the studs and the concrete and give us a R19 insulation value- well exceeding energy code.  The Building Science Corporation has great information on this and other high performance wall details. The mechanical ductwork is in and framing is almost complete.  Electrical and lighting started today and we're moving along so quickly.

Before: Main Space

Now: Main Space

Before: Game Area

Now: Game Area

Before: Entertainment Center

Now: Entertainment Center

Before: Bar Area

Now: Bar Area

Before: Exercise Room

Now: Exercise Room

Planting Edible Landscaping at Millennium Park!

Attractive (with a bit more water) and edible urban agriculture! I wonder what they'll do with the harvest?

My Failures in Composting

I've been keeping a compost pile going on six years now and I don't think I've ever had a good batch that I can use in my garden.  I'm so frustrated I'm about to give up.  I just had the last straw when I went to go turn over my (spinning drum style) composter and saw that I have an entire ecosystem of fruit flies flying around it.  Gladly, it's in an out of the way part of my yard, but it's a nuisance and a reminder that composting is an art, not a science.

Composting experts will tell you to have a 50/50 ration of "dry or brown" to "wet or green" ingredients. I tend to put more green ingredients, my kitchen and garden scraps, and forget to put in more brown ingredients, such as shredded bills, newspaper or leaves.  The result is an anaerobic mess that never quite cures and attracts pests.

But as much as I want to, I'm not giving up.  In fact, I'm doubling down and getting a cute little crock that will sit on my counter when I have kitchen scraps (instead of a plastic bag out the back) and I'm going to go dump a bunch of leaves in the composter.  Then I'll cross my fingers and hope that history does not repeat itself and I have usable compost by the time planting season begins.

An idea for entrepreneurs out there - start a composting service.  Green minded folks with no ability to compost (me) will sign up.  You can pick up our kitchen scraps once or twice a week, compost it, and then sell us back our waste in the form of local, organic garden soil.  I know the awesome community Prairie Crossing has a similar service in Gray's Lake, Illinois.  Someone needs to start one in my town.  But for all the reasons mentioned above, it won't be me.