New and Old

As I said yesterday, Dave and I really enjoyed seeing the demonstration Earthship and seeing the whole community here in New Mexico.  These homes are built with natural and recycled materials (tires, bottles, recycled wood, mud, straw, etc.), employ thermal/solar heating and cooling, water harvesting, contained sewage treatment, solar and wind electricity and food production.

Even though the site we visited was their "world headquarters" it was still an active construction site.

the detail in these pictures are glass bottles of varying sizes and colors.  They sparkle in the sun.

entrance to the demonstration earthship

the glass sections enclose the greenhouse areas used for growing vegetables and cleansing  water.

Dave on the roof, checking out some of the systems.  Solar, water, wind , ventilation, etc.

view of some of the homes in the "Greater World Earthship Community".  This sustainable subdivision covers over 630 acres north of Taos.

And the Old....we visited the Mission Church of San Francisco de Asis.  It was built about 1710. Recently,  the parishioners have undertaken restoration of the structure, but have done so in the traditional fashion.  Its simplicity is stunning.

View of the rear of the church housing the altar.

The way the light played on the smooth, soft looking surfaces was fascinating

One of only two windows in the entire church

The Mission church sits in the center of a square and is surrounded with historic buildings in various states of restoration.

This structure is just beginning to be restored.  See the straw pile used  in making traditional adobe?

close-up of the straw/mud mixture

some buildings and homes in the church square have been lovingly restored  and are beautiful examples of  a very old building style still being used today.

I wanted to go through this door in the wall and  sit in the beautiful blue garden.