Little did I know, but just down the road a bit in our nation's capital, the Solar Decathlon was going on.  What is that, you ask?  Yeah me too....
Turns out the SD is a yearly competition for Architecture and Engineering students, who are tasked with creating an 800 square foot house that runs on solar power, but is in concert with today's lifestyle.  The resulting entries were amazing!  

We took Lani to see the houses and tour through them, and we were delighted to discover how innovative and appealing the designs were.  Even though they were 'cozy' compared to our cape cod, they all had a wonderful feeling of spaciousness.  The use of space, light, and flow was really topnotch.  Most gave me the feeling of being on a large boat--everything was pared down, and very organized but still comfy and livable. 

The kitchen pictured here is from the Louisiana entry...it's quite a bit larger than mine and very functional.

Though we only got to tour 4 of the houses entered in the competition, we took the opportunity to gather information from all the houses.   I'm determined to incorporate as many of the systems and ideas we saw as possible in my current house, and hopefully in the near future succeed at my goal of living off the grid.

Oktoberfest! Maryland style...

Or at least MD Ren Faire style!   We may not have a Burgermeister, but we sure try our best to give Munich a run for the money in the festing department.

Saturday found Lani and I on our way down to Crownsville,  to get our fill of Oompah music, Oktoberfest bier and merriment.   Any day at Faire is always a good day, but somehow Oktoberfest weekend just seems happier.  Maybe it's the men in lederhosen and the ladies in Dirndl.  Or it could be the crisper weather and those glorious blue skies.   Whatever it is, the crowds (which were plentiful) seemed a bit less stressful than a usual Saturday, and laughter rang out among the trees.

As usual, we spent the majority of the day wandering about, saying hello to friends, catching a few shows, eating drinking and people watching.  It's amusing to watch the Mall mentality take over so many patrons...that is, they fall into the shopping mode and miss the joy of just BEING there.  But I would imagine the vendors don't share my opinion!

Saturday night we switched gears and went to an Irish Ceili.  Our usual first Saturday activity is to attend the Emerald Isle Ceili in Parkville.  This month was the first time back since last May, and seeing old friends was terrific.

Sunday, we attended the newly reorganized All Seasons Hafla, now held at Kitchen of India just on the edge of Parkville.   I was worried the attendance would be light because of the change in venue, new management and the break in scheduling.  I could not have been more wrong!  We nearly got turned away at the door!!!!   Seems EVERYONE was there for the start of the new season.  Congratulations to Tydirah for a job well done organizing this event.

After such an international weekend, today we kept it low-key.  Just some housekeeping chores, a dance lesson and that's about it.  D.  arrives on Wednesday for a visit, so I'm sure we'll have lots to keep us busy.

October's Bright Blue Skies

Mmmm, I can smell the wood-smoke in the air!  October is without a doubt, my favorite month.  It's the month of wine festivals, and Oktoberfest; the first crisp nights and those gloriously bright and clear days.  I love the way it sounds and smells and looks.  But most of all I love the flavors of October.  The summer squash are disappearing and the first winter squashes are arriving in the farmer's markets.   Apples are being pressed into cider, made into pies, and cooked into sauces.  Pears are here, and pomegranates too!  And it's cool enough to start making delicious, hearty soups and stews for dinner;  foods that pair well with the season's heavier beers and bigger wines.

Of course it is also the month that our Irish dancing season really kicks off...and that means Saturday nights spent with good friends kicking up our heels and having a bit of good craic.  Summers in Baltimore are too hot and humid to enjoy the frenzy of movement that is a ceili.  We'd all be dead from the heat!  But Fall and Winter are perfect.  Nothing like a cold evening spent dancing to traditional Irish Music, raising a pint (or 2 or 6) and catching up on all the news from everyone.

This weekend will find me and Lani up in Baltimore attending the Emerald Isle Club ceili, and hopefully the Oktoberfest celebration at MDRF.  Then Sunday will be all about Middle Eastern dance as we go to the NEW All Season's Hafla at Kitchen of India.  Whew, we'll need a week to recover!  Should get some great pictures to post though...stay tuned!