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We’ve all been asked the question, “What would you do if you had a million dollars?”
What would your answer be? Would you be philanthropic with your money? Would you invest it in your future? Would you put your kids through college? Would you simply start by catching up on bills and debts?
The dark days of winter lead me to odd contemplations, to mental meanderings, to vivid daydreams as I gaze out the frost-painted windows onto the cold, white landscape.
One of those meanderings has been to revisit that old question. What would I do with a million dollars?
Oh, portions of the answer that runs through my mind include all of the above, of course. The animals of New York Wildlife Rescue Center and Northeast Llama Rescue, and the Salukis of STOLA, for instance, would see their needs met a little easier, and with some less of the back-breaking work for the dear humans who run the rescues. My kids would be able to move forth without having to worry about paying for college loans or a future with financial worries.
During these winter days, however, asking that question, or any related, tends to lead me to daydreams about my hobbit hole.
For decades, I have dreamed of an underground home. I’d include an above-ground atrium area to the north, but with a slanted roof facing south and covered with translucent solar panels. The front, south-facing section would be round, like the beautiful hobbit homes created in New Zealand for The Lord of the Rings. I’d have gardens planted all around, for my daylilies and flowers, and a prolific vegetable garden. The house would be fully insulated by Mother Earth, so the only heating it would need would be easily provided by a nice outdoor wood furnace. Since the earth completely isolates the house, we’d probably only need to run the furnace for a little while each day.
The solar panels on the atrium roof would supply all our electric needs. I might even patch back into the grid, so the electric company would owe me money indefinitely.
Wandering outside the above-ground portion of the home front would be some nice fat laying hens. I think I’d like to get Orpingtons or Cochins; hearty, cold-resistant breeds that would do well in our northern climate and provide me with plenty of rich brown eggs. The veggie gardens would be done in the Square Foot Gardening style, easy to care for, and would provide beautiful fresh vegetables that I could freeze or can for the winter months.
Inside, my hobbit hole would be warm and friendly. Dark wood beams would support the roof and walls, which would be of a soft stucco off-white. The kitchen/dining area would sport a big butcher-block deep-brown table around which friends would always be welcome. There would always be bread baking in the mornings, and the coffee pot would be forever on.
My favorite part of the house would be the atrium area. It would be so light and pleasant, that indoor gardens would grow all year long. My desk would be tucked into one bright corner, and the cats and dogs would have roosts and lounging spots scattered throughout, to keep me company as I worked.
The more our world progresses along its current course, the more I wonder if the survival trend of the future will be toward self-sufficiency. As a society, I believe we are moving to a place where we need to depend less on the fragile economy around us, and more on creating our own abundance. To me, one way to do that is to look to the earth and her Creator to provide.
An earth-sheltered home, home-grown vegetables, home-raised eggs, the sun providing power and a natural source of warmth…. The majority of our family’s needs would be taken care of by nature and a good supply of elbow grease.
If I had that million dollars, that is….
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section:
- What would you do with your million?
- What would your dream home be like?
Links of Interest:
- NY Wildlife Rescue Center/Northeast Llama Rescue
- STOLA Saluki Rescue
- The Hobbit Holes of Hobbiton (Google Images)
- Lord of the Rings Tours (origin of above photo), New Zealand
- An Underground Homes dealer site, complete with sample plans
- Breeds of Backyard Chickens
- Square Foot Gardening
Love it – I think I will be your neighbour. I need to work out how to link to this article from my pages – the what is the exact URL to this page?
Lin´s last blog ..Picture of the week
I see you figured it out, thank you so much for the link!
Yes, we can dig a tunnel between our hobbit holes so we can visit in the winter without having to walk through the snow. LOL
Everyone, you MUST click on Lin’s most recent blog post link and see her gorgeous photo of the lion! It makes you just want to pet him … tho’ I’m guessing that probably wouldn’t be the smartest idea, huh?
Well, Dear Friend – my list about a place to live and be self-sustaining would be almost identical to yours, but that comes as no surprise. I’d love that little in-ground burrow to hide away in during the long cold winter. I’d want a wooded area near-by … and I’d have to have a place for my dogs … you know that I’d love to have puppies occasionally
If I didn’t need to worry about “survival” (and I think we do) I’d like to have some kind of RV or camper – whatever is low maintenance and reasonable on fuel efficiency, because you know that I’ve got this wanderlust thing that I have to deal with – besides, I have the sneaking suspicion that a moving target is harder to hit. Just have to remember to zig-zag don’t you know.
AND, guess what? In the near future there will be a plant near Muncie that builds the rotors or for the wind turbine machines … maybe I’ll be able to buy one or two (or three) at a discount … One for you, one for me, … Oh wait, we’ll need four!
Your dreams sound lovely, my friend! I’m still on the fence about the windmills, though … there has been quite a bit of evidence that they decimate local bat populations.