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Under the low winter sun, the town receives the day without haste. Snow-covered roads and quiet rooftops reflect a golden light that arrives as part of a larger cycle—steady, unhurried, and indifferent to urgency. The landscape holds its place, shaped by time measured in seasons, not moments.
Under the low winter sun, the town receives the day without haste. Snow-covered roads and quiet rooftops reflect a golden light that arrives as part of a larger cycle—steady, unhurried, and indifferent to urgency. The landscape holds its place, shaped by time measured in seasons, not moments.
photo rights reserved by Ben
Farmers in the Kazbegi region in Georgia lead a simple yet challenging life. The climate is harsh, with severe winters and short summers. Due to the rocky soil and mountainous terrain, agriculture is difficult, so most farmers focus on livestock breeding, mainly sheep and cattle. They also cultivate cold-resistant crops such as potatoes and barley. Many locals combine traditional farming with tourism. With the growing interest in the Kazbegi region, some farmers rent out rooms to travelers or sell local products such as honey, cheese, and handmade woolen clothing. Near the farmhouse, close to the village of Arsha, lies the Arsha Waterfall, about five kilometers from Stepantsminda Kazbegi. The hike to the waterfall is considered easy and typically takes three to four hours. The trail is unpaved but well-trodden, surrounded by lush meadows, and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The waterfall is one of the lesser-known natural attractions in the area, contributing to its untouched and serene atmosphere. A bit further lies the Toti Waterfall, accessible via a steep trail that passes above the Arsha Waterfall. This waterfall offers spectacular panoramic views and is an ideal spot for a picnic. Visitors can enjoy the tranquility, the breathtaking nature, and even take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear water. For adventure seekers, it is possible to continue the hike to the nearby Gergeti Glacier, making the journey a full-day excursion.
The image depicts a farmhouse in a mountainous landscape near the Arsha Waterfall, close to the town of Arsha in Georgia's Kazbegi region. This area is renowned for its rugged wilderness, towering mountains, and traditional villages.
Boeren in de Kazbegi-regio in Georgië leiden een eenvoudig maar zwaar bestaan. Het klimaat is ruw, met strenge winters en korte zomers. Door de rotsachtige bodem en het bergachtige terrein is landbouw uitdagend, waardoor de meeste boeren zich richten op veeteelt, zoals schapen en koeien. Daarnaast verbouwen ze gewassen die bestand zijn tegen de kou, zoals aardappelen en gerst. Veel inwoners combineren traditionele landbouw met toerisme. Door de toenemende interesse in het Kazbegi-gebied verhuren sommige boeren kamers aan reizigers of verkopen ze lokale producten zoals honing, kaas en handgemaakte wollen kleding. Vlak bij de boerderij, nabij het dorp Arsha, ligt de Arsha-waterval, op ongeveer vijf kilometer van Stepantsminda Kazbegi. De wandeling naar de waterval wordt als eenvoudig beschouwd en duurt doorgaans drie tot vier uur. Het pad is ongebaand maar goed begaanbaar, omringd door weelderige weiden en biedt prachtige uitzichten op de omliggende bergen. De waterval is een van de minder bekende natuurlijke attracties in het gebied, wat bijdraagt aan de ongerepte en serene sfeer. Nog iets verder ligt de Toti-waterval, bereikbaar via een steil pad dat bovenlangs de Arsha-waterval loopt. Deze waterval biedt spectaculaire panoramische uitzichten en is een ideale plek voor een picknick. Bezoekers kunnen hier genieten van de rust, de natuur en zelfs een verfrissende duik nemen in het heldere water. Voor avonturiers is het mogelijk om verder te trekken naar de nabijgelegen Gergeti-gletsjer, wat de wandeling tot een dagvullende activiteit maakt.
Wild flowers growing amongst the Oak woodland in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Pretty bokeh provided by the Canon 50mm lens at f/3.2.
Blogging and Photography in Wales
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The house (foreground) is built inside a drained pit and is inspired by earthship architecture , but adapted to the British climate. The log cabin, which was home for a while, but is now a work shop, is built with vertical logs, and also more suited to the damp climate. I have written more about the buildings on my website
The solar panels are connected to the same system so in the summer the solar heats the water.
Explication et photos de notre système pour chauffer l'eau en français :
I reduced seven kilos of tomatoes with one bucket of corn husks and had enough hot water for a bath afterwards !
Our house is orientated to let as much sun into the house in winter as possible. The sun heats the floor, the furniture and is a real tonic for the spirit on cold winter days.
With the back boiler in the caldron we heat our water (Tied in with the solar system which uses the same plumbing) and two radiators upstairs. The system works by the fact that hot water rises, so we don't need a pump for it to operate.
With very little wood, we can have a shower and a toasty warm bedroom in about half an hour from lighting the fire.
The hearth stays warm for a long time because it's packed with stone to form a thermal mass which leads to a narrow chimney which bends at just the right angle to retain the heat in the drying cupboard upstairs.
...and reducing tomatoes for sterilising in bottles at the same time. I put the metal plate on upside down by mistake (The corrugated side should be in contact with the flames and the pot should be on a flat surface for better heat contact.) but it was too hot and the pot too heavy to move before I realised my mistake.
I discovered this book at a store in Portland; the one that impressed me so much with its boutique style display of tools and work aprons. After a brief perusal I bought the book because it appealed to me on so many levels. Not only is the book a worthy object in itself possessing a type of binding that allows the pages to lay flat and being full of hand drawn illustrations, charts and photos, but it is written by a tool wielding young woman after my own DIY heart. Part graphic how-to book, part recipe book it is also a compelling story of how she and her partner Mikey journey from their professional lives working in Manhattan to off grid, gift economy living in the desert of the Southwest. The philosophical explorations she gives to their story emphasizes how you must first unlearn the traditional middle class success story to arrive at your own interpretation of living in integrity with your values which in her case includes concerns for the diminishing resources of the planet in this capitalistic system of exploitation.
But unlike most attempts to adopt lifestyle changes for the greater good of the planet she doesn't outline a set of rules to live by and then spend a year restricting herself to say living without plastic or without electricity; that sort of story ends up being judgmental and impractical. Nor is it a fear based collapse of civilization shunning of industrial dependence favored by the post apocalyptic. She and Mikey set off to build and live a holistic vision that gets at the underlying structure of modern life systems. It starts with addressing the materials that can be mined from the waste stream. She conceives the idea of the Swap-O-Rama-Rama to recycle clothing. It is such a success that she is almost swallowed back by the system with offers to franchise her creation, but she sticks to her guns and continues with her trajectory of staying free of encumbrances.
This not an attempt to mitigate the impact of mainstream living. It is an overhaul of everything about their previous lives in order to discover how to actually live a non consumer life of making the things they need and supporting a community by sharing. Her story interweaves principles of the gift economy learned at Burning Man and practical skills she acquired such as wielding. She also addresses the economic side of her journey from a graphic artist marketing career to a homesteading product based approach of selling whatever you have extra after making what you need for yourself. And being adaptable and appreciative of what is discovered rather than dogmatic and rigid about it. It is a spiritual approach rather than a political one. Hers is based in sufism.
Her husband is also a maker of things coupled with a charming humor and his electronic skills complement her tool wielding skills. They learn all the usual arts of gardening and preserving discovering the medicinal properties of local plants. They also build shelter (from fero cement and papercrete), operate electric vehicles on junk batteries and solar panels, organize their fellow online, off grid friends while staying connected to the internet to give back what they are learning through blogging and sharing of skills. This hybrid use of technology in line with their sharing principles gives this story a very realistic and accessible interactive base for community building a movement. She also writes a helpful chapter on how to go about learning things you have no clue how to do.
The suspense of the book lies in their journey and self discoveries and makes a good read, but their story also invites the reader to become part of the movement. Indeed no sooner did I read the book then I experienced a Swap-O-Rama-Rama connection that made me feel I had stepped right into the thick of things. The under-the-wire living breathing manifestation of a new way of living informed by a politically savvy and socially aware generation fired up by the joy of creating.