"A pleasant retreat in all seasons." Socrates advocated passive solar architecture design and even taught a class on it, according to this Mother Earth News article. Classic.
Want to experiment with alternative do-it-yourself home construction materials? Build a cob oven like the one described in this Forest Voices post. Click on each photo, then scroll over the bottom of the photo to reveal the caption. First an oven, then a house, then a chapel!
Understanding leeks--their history and how to grow them, is the subject of this Organic Gardening article. The last page of the article has a most helpful guide to leek varieties--when they should be planted, and how long it takes them to mature. So what to do with your leeks? Few things are homier than a pot of homemade soup simmering on the back of the stove. Here's a traditional leek and potato soup recipe. And here's a gluten and dairy free version.
