2010 HGTV Green Home Giveaway....Only 3 More Days Left. Enter Now!

The HGTV Green Home Giveaway wraps up this week, Friday, June 4th. The start date of this sweepstakes was on April 16th which seems like it was just yesterday to me. Wow, how time flies. Here is just a quick rundown to remind all of you what is at stake: 



What can you win?



One HGTV Green Home Giveaway grand prize winner will receive an eco-friendly prize package consisting of:

• A custom-built, eco-friendly cottage in Plymouth, Mass.


• $100,000 cash


• An all-new GMC® Terrain


• Gorgeous high-style furniture and accessories, energy efficient appliances and eco-friendly flooring

The total value of the 2010 HGTV Green Home prize package is over $800,000!

2010 HGTV Green Home Giveaway....Only 3 More Days Left. Enter Now!

The HGTV Green Home Giveaway wraps up this week, Friday, June 4th. The start date of this sweepstakes was on April 16th which seems like it was just yesterday to me. Wow, how time flies. Here is just a quick rundown to remind all of you what is at stake: 



What can you win?



One HGTV Green Home Giveaway grand prize winner will receive an eco-friendly prize package consisting of:

• A custom-built, eco-friendly cottage in Plymouth, Mass.


• $100,000 cash


• An all-new GMC® Terrain


• Gorgeous high-style furniture and accessories, energy efficient appliances and eco-friendly flooring

The total value of the 2010 HGTV Green Home prize package is over $800,000!

Enough with the Fluff!!

OK.  So the last several posts have been on the fluffy side and it's high time I try to put that engineering degree to some use (my parents will be so proud).  I know many of you have been wanting more details on the mechanicals and I have been holding off writing about the performance until we had a few good months of operation under our belts, so to speak.  

Here's an overview...we have solar thermal collectors for hot water generation.  The heated glycol from the collectors goes to a 80 gallon Steibel-Eltron tank, that has dual heat exchanger coils.  The bottom coil is for the closed solar loop and the top coil is for the backup heat (also a closed loop), which is provided by a Takagi on-demand water heater.  Hot water in the tank supplies domestic hot water to the house and hot water for the radiant heat system (after going through mixing valves to cool the water prior to entering the PEX water lines).  This system is called an "open system" because drinking water is going through our radiant lines.  The radiant system consists of three loops in our concrete slab on the first floor and "staple-up" radiant tubing on the second floor.  The slab thermostat is a floor sensor that keeps the floor around 69 degrees and the second floor radiant is controlled by a typical thermostat.  We have a third set of radiant loops located deep within the three-foot earthbox under the slab.  The purpose of this set of tubing is two-fold.  First, in the transition months (Spring and Fall) when plenty of sun is available (and thus excess hot water is produced) we send hot water into the earthbox radiant loops, essentially "storing" that heat in the mass where it will passively help to heat the house.  This Spring we found this greatly reduced the amount of time the slab radiant heat turned on (and thus reduced the use of propane).  The second purpose of the earthbox radiant is simply as a heat dump for the system when the tank gets to hot.  Minimum temp for the tank is set at 120 degrees and the max temp is 165 degrees.  We have found that the heat dump will occur once on a really sunny day and only when I'm not using a bunch of hot water (i.e. laundry day).  The dump results in heat going to the earthbox for approximately 20 minutes.   We have NOT seen an increase in the slab temperature (or interior house temperature) more than 1 or 2 degrees due to this, even this week when we had two days over 90 degrees.  This can be attributed to several factors; first, the huge thermal mass of the earthbox and slab, and its ability to absorb the extra heat.  Secondly, we positioned the solar panels to optimize the winter sun (they receive more shading in the summer than winter due to their position next to the house), thus reducing the solar gain and heat generation in the summer.  Lastly, like photovoltaic panels, evacuated tube solar collectors are more efficient in cooler temperatures.  Radiant Floor Company designed the system and calculated the energy loads.  They also supplied all the parts and we hired a heating contractor, Paul Martin, to install the system and the solar collectors.  We did not take advantage of the CT solar thermal rebate program, because we already had a relationship with Paul and did not want to switch to a CT "approved" installer to get the rebate.   Paul is a distributor of  SunMaxx Solar thermal systems.  The evacuated tube solar collectors (hot water generation) were installed in January and it took about 6 weeks to get the control settings and sensors placed properly and get the system running optimally.  Until then, we were burning through an uncomfortable amount of propane.  By the middle of Feb. we were seeing excellent results.  We used about $145 worth of propane in Feb and $90 worth of propane in March, and the last propane fill up was on April 19th for $79.  Since then the propane system has only run briefly on one rainy cold day.  Keep in mind that propane is our backup energy source for hot water for BOTH domestic hot water and space heating in our radiant systems.  We are a family of four.  In a typical year, we would likely use more propane, but it has been unseasonably warm this spring.  All in all we are thrilled with the performance of the house and mechanical/solar systems.  I hope to include some graphics/tables of our energy use in future posts.

Enough with the Fluff!!

OK.  So the last several posts have been on the fluffy side and it's high time I try to put that engineering degree to some use (my parents will be so proud).  I know many of you have been wanting more details on the mechanicals and I have been holding off writing about the performance until we had a few good months of operation under our belts, so to speak.  

Here's an overview...we have solar thermal collectors for hot water generation.  The heated glycol from the collectors goes to a 80 gallon Steibel-Eltron tank, that has dual heat exchanger coils.  The bottom coil is for the closed solar loop and the top coil is for the backup heat (also a closed loop), which is provided by a Takagi on-demand water heater.  Hot water in the tank supplies domestic hot water to the house and hot water for the radiant heat system (after going through mixing valves to cool the water prior to entering the PEX water lines).  This system is called an "open system" because drinking water is going through our radiant lines.  The radiant system consists of three loops in our concrete slab on the first floor and "staple-up" radiant tubing on the second floor.  The slab thermostat is a floor sensor that keeps the floor around 69 degrees and the second floor radiant is controlled by a typical thermostat.  We have a third set of radiant loops located deep within the three-foot earthbox under the slab.  The purpose of this set of tubing is two-fold.  First, in the transition months (Spring and Fall) when plenty of sun is available (and thus excess hot water is produced) we send hot water into the earthbox radiant loops, essentially "storing" that heat in the mass where it will passively help to heat the house.  This Spring we found this greatly reduced the amount of time the slab radiant heat turned on (and thus reduced the use of propane).  The second purpose of the earthbox radiant is simply as a heat dump for the system when the tank gets to hot.  Minimum temp for the tank is set at 120 degrees and the max temp is 165 degrees.  We have found that the heat dump will occur once on a really sunny day and only when I'm not using a bunch of hot water (i.e. laundry day).  The dump results in heat going to the earthbox for approximately 20 minutes.   We have NOT seen an increase in the slab temperature (or interior house temperature) more than 1 or 2 degrees due to this, even this week when we had two days over 90 degrees.  This can be attributed to several factors; first, the huge thermal mass of the earthbox and slab, and its ability to absorb the extra heat.  Secondly, we positioned the solar panels to optimize the winter sun (they receive more shading in the summer than winter due to their position next to the house), thus reducing the solar gain and heat generation in the summer.  Lastly, like photovoltaic panels, evacuated tube solar collectors are more efficient in cooler temperatures.  Radiant Floor Company designed the system and calculated the energy loads.  They also supplied all the parts and we hired a heating contractor, Paul Martin, to install the system and the solar collectors.  We did not take advantage of the CT solar thermal rebate program, because we already had a relationship with Paul and did not want to switch to a CT "approved" installer to get the rebate.   Paul is a distributor of  SunMaxx Solar thermal systems.  The evacuated tube solar collectors (hot water generation) were installed in January and it took about 6 weeks to get the control settings and sensors placed properly and get the system running optimally.  Until then, we were burning through an uncomfortable amount of propane.  By the middle of Feb. we were seeing excellent results.  We used about $145 worth of propane in Feb and $90 worth of propane in March, and the last propane fill up was on April 19th for $79.  Since then the propane system has only run briefly on one rainy cold day.  Keep in mind that propane is our backup energy source for hot water for BOTH domestic hot water and space heating in our radiant systems.  We are a family of four.  In a typical year, we would likely use more propane, but it has been unseasonably warm this spring.  All in all we are thrilled with the performance of the house and mechanical/solar systems.  I hope to include some graphics/tables of our energy use in future posts.

A Beach House as Blue as the Ocean

Enjoy this beautiful Southampton beach house awash in colors that say sea, sky, and nature. Interior design by KIM COLEMAN & MICHELE GREEN.













Read the interview by Bob Morris at http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/home-makeovers/blue-beach-house-0310


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A Beach House as Blue as the Ocean

Enjoy this beautiful Southampton beach house awash in colors that say sea, sky, and nature. Interior design by KIM COLEMAN & MICHELE GREEN.













Read the interview by Bob Morris at http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/home-makeovers/blue-beach-house-0310


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Honey Walnut Shrimp

this was a seriously yummy recipe! even my 3 year old gobbled it up. i've got one more honey walnut shrimp recipe to try to compare, i'll let you know which one is better, but for now this one was great!

Honey Walnut Shrimp

recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 4 egg whites
• 2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour) (I used cornstarch instead)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions
1. Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
2. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.
*Can cook walnuts in 2 Tbsp. butter and 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

*Served over rice

*Suggested side dishes: broccoli , pineapple

Honey Walnut Shrimp

this was a seriously yummy recipe! even my 3 year old gobbled it up. i've got one more honey walnut shrimp recipe to try to compare, i'll let you know which one is better, but for now this one was great!

Honey Walnut Shrimp

recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 4 egg whites
• 2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour) (I used cornstarch instead)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions
1. Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
2. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.
*Can cook walnuts in 2 Tbsp. butter and 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

*Served over rice

*Suggested side dishes: broccoli , pineapple

Pistachio Cake

this would be a fun cake for st. patrick's day. it was extremely moist!

Pistachio Cake III
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 7 drops green food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, water, oil, almond extract and green food coloring. Blend ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
3. Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

*Some suggested adding sour cream ½ c. and used 2 eggs instead
*Frosting: pistachio pudding mix + cool whip
Or almond glaze: powdered sugar, milk and almond extract

Pistachio Cake

this would be a fun cake for st. patrick's day. it was extremely moist!

Pistachio Cake III
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 7 drops green food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, water, oil, almond extract and green food coloring. Blend ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
3. Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

*Some suggested adding sour cream ½ c. and used 2 eggs instead
*Frosting: pistachio pudding mix + cool whip
Or almond glaze: powdered sugar, milk and almond extract

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche Recipe
recipe found at taste of home

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and rubbed sage

Directions:

• Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations. Spread with mustard; set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust.
• Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 8 servings.

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche Recipe
recipe found at taste of home

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and rubbed sage

Directions:

• Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations. Spread with mustard; set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust.
• Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 8 servings.

Needle and Thread, a finish.

Its been a hot few days and I do NOT do well with the heat. After a month of rain, this heat brings on the humidity. Most people take advantage of the nice weather to get outside. I use this heat as an excuse to stay inside. (Okay, so I went out and played softball with my Granddaughter on Sunday then hurried back inside.)

I think I mentioned on my last post that I was in the process of working on Little House Needlework's Needle and Thread, and that the fob stitching was finished. It's all done, and I'm now looking for a box to top with the main stitched piece. The fob has been finished into a scissor fob. I did not stitch this fob on the fabric Diane chose for it. I used the 32 count fabric, color unknown, that I used for the main piece. I think it made a very acceptable size. I filled the fob with plastic pellets for weight.

Last weekend I pulled all the DMC for Little House Neighborhood and got started on that. It's coming along nicely. I have two houses nearly finished. I'm stitching it on 32 count R & R Cotton and doing it as a SAL with a friend in Scotland.

Thank you for all the encouraging comments you left on my last post. It was a very difficult time for me, and you all helped more than you know. I have heard from that person since then. Isn't it crazy how close you can feel to someone you have never met? I think blogging does that for us. Allows us to meet and get to know so many different kinds of people. And we are all as varied as the designs we like to stitch. Thank you, all of you, for being my friend, for visiting my blog and leaving comments. YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Needle and Thread, a finish.

Its been a hot few days and I do NOT do well with the heat. After a month of rain, this heat brings on the humidity. Most people take advantage of the nice weather to get outside. I use this heat as an excuse to stay inside. (Okay, so I went out and played softball with my Granddaughter on Sunday then hurried back inside.)

I think I mentioned on my last post that I was in the process of working on Little House Needlework's Needle and Thread, and that the fob stitching was finished. It's all done, and I'm now looking for a box to top with the main stitched piece. The fob has been finished into a scissor fob. I did not stitch this fob on the fabric Diane chose for it. I used the 32 count fabric, color unknown, that I used for the main piece. I think it made a very acceptable size. I filled the fob with plastic pellets for weight.

Last weekend I pulled all the DMC for Little House Neighborhood and got started on that. It's coming along nicely. I have two houses nearly finished. I'm stitching it on 32 count R & R Cotton and doing it as a SAL with a friend in Scotland.

Thank you for all the encouraging comments you left on my last post. It was a very difficult time for me, and you all helped more than you know. I have heard from that person since then. Isn't it crazy how close you can feel to someone you have never met? I think blogging does that for us. Allows us to meet and get to know so many different kinds of people. And we are all as varied as the designs we like to stitch. Thank you, all of you, for being my friend, for visiting my blog and leaving comments. YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 4 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
• 1 onion, chopped (I used ½ an onion)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8X8 dish.
2. In a large bowl mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, muffin mix, salt and pepper. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese. Spread this mixture into a greased 8x8 dish; top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 4 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
• 1 onion, chopped (I used ½ an onion)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8X8 dish.
2. In a large bowl mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, muffin mix, salt and pepper. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese. Spread this mixture into a greased 8x8 dish; top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Summertime at The McCharles House & Gardens

The lovely McCharles House in Old Town Tustin is kicking off their summertime AMERICANA "SOMEDAY GET-TOGETHERS" - a series of events being offered in the day and early evenings on select days, offering delicious fare, great conversation and a wonderful time.

The McCharles House is a historic 1885 Queen Anne Victorian, painted in vibrant colors, and situated in an idyllic garden setting.  It has been featured in a number of shelter publications, and offers great inspiration and ideas for old-home lovers and the like.

For more information and for reservations, click HERE. 

Good Home Construction, CA Lic. #852240 333 El Camino Real, #101, Tustin, CA 92780 714-743-5053 info@goodhomeconstruction.com www.goodhomeconstruction.com

Summertime at The McCharles House & Gardens

The lovely McCharles House in Old Town Tustin is kicking off their summertime AMERICANA "SOMEDAY GET-TOGETHERS" - a series of events being offered in the day and early evenings on select days, offering delicious fare, great conversation and a wonderful time.

The McCharles House is a historic 1885 Queen Anne Victorian, painted in vibrant colors, and situated in an idyllic garden setting.  It has been featured in a number of shelter publications, and offers great inspiration and ideas for old-home lovers and the like.

For more information and for reservations, click HERE. 

Good Home Construction, CA Lic. #852240 333 El Camino Real, #101, Tustin, CA 92780 714-743-5053 info@goodhomeconstruction.com www.goodhomeconstruction.com

Freimann

HOPELESS POKUS 1

(Café Calme)

Genre: Rock/Pop/Art Rock

Duration/Laufzeit: 1:08:59 min

Price/Preis: 6.45 $ / 5.00 €

Scroll down to listen to sound snippets

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Become Man (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

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I Miss You (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

As Long (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Sailors (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Warriors (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Time To Learn (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Hopeless Pokus (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

State Of Mind (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Sneak Peak: Listen to sound snippets from the album:

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Freimann

HOPELESS POKUS 1

(Café Calme)

Genre: Rock/Pop/Art Rock

Duration/Laufzeit: 1:08:59 min

Price/Preis: 6.45 $ / 5.00 €

Scroll down to listen to sound snippets

---

---

Become Man (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

I Miss You (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

As Long (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Sailors (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Warriors (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Time To Learn (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Hopeless Pokus (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

State Of Mind (0.55 € / 0.71 $)

---

Sneak Peak: Listen to sound snippets from the album:

---