Hot and Cold and Just Right in Taos

October 29th landed us in Taos, NM, for a long-planned visit with Liz’s childhood friend, Sally Margolin, who generously cleared her schedule to spend time showing us around. Except for the cold air covering us in rain and wind and snow, it was a hoot. Sally and Liz had not seen each other for about 45 years. There was a lot to talk about. Here is Sally coming to fetch us in her trusty 1960 Beetle, “Black Bart”. 

The amazing part of the visit was seeing Sally’s home, an “earthship,” one of several near the world headquarters of the sustainable biotecture community made famous by Michael Reynolds. Rising out of the sage brush of the high mesa are these bizarre and strangely beautiful creations of earth, aluminum cans, bottles, old tires and other recycled materials. Facing into the dessert sun the thick u-shaped walls capture the heat during the day and radiate it back during the cold nights. All the heating, water and electrical systems are self-contained within the structures. Water catchment is filtered for drinking water; gray water is filtered for watering gardens and flushing toilets; human waste is either composted or treated in on-site septic systems. The walls are made of cans, bottles, and/or old tires packed with earth, and all of this is covered over with gracefully stained stucco.  

Sally’s house is beautiful. High up off the ground, she showers in the sun, using water that was caught from the last rainfall. Above is a newer earthship structure, under development at the Center for Sustainable Biotecture.




In Taos we encountered the first precipitation in the form of rain, then snow, since leaving Western Washington.  Yikes!

After two nights of sub-freezing weather we hightailed it southward, stopping long enough to “take the waters” at the world famous hot springs of Ojo Caliente. This place was highly recommended by both Janet Thomas and Liz’ sister Maliki Tara…and we concur! Here's Janna in the "arsenic pool" enjoying the warm water and the sun.

Headed east!!