• Bob H.
  September 1, 2021, 6:29 am

  Perfect retreat !!!!!

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• Mike
  January 10, 2022, 10:54 am

  Natalie,
  I enjoy this website, the small homes featured, and the accompanying articles but please take just a moment to edit your prose.
  You write: “This little cabin is partially off-grid with electricity and heat, but no running water.” If it has electricity, and that electricity is not being supplied by an on-site generator, then it is “on the grid”.
  You write: “Enjoy the water views inside from the many windows or out on the deck or firepit area.” I doubt very much that the water views are inside. Perhaps the “water views” are outside and can be viewed from inside through the referenced windows? Also, I believe it is a ‘fire pit’, two words not one.
  And, why tell the world where the key to the door is kept?

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  • James D.
    January 10, 2022, 3:20 pm

    Well, partial is partial… Electricity is only one utility but there’s no running water, so it’s not completely on-grid… Water, sewer, gas… There’s typically more for what is considered fully on-grid and it’s not all or nothing between being on-grid and off-grid if any of the regular utilities are provided one way or the other…

    While, both firepit and fire pit are valid spellings. It’s one of those word combinations that can be spelled either way and you’ll find it that way in the dictionary…

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    • Mike
      January 10, 2022, 3:50 pm

      James,
      Many homes in my county are not connected to the counties sewer system (no county planner or engineer would refer to it as a ‘sewer grid’), nor their water system (no county planner or engineer would refer to it as a ‘water grid’), and there is no county-wide gas line, yet no one would refer to these homes as being ‘off the grid’ or even as being ‘partially off the grid’. Any realtor would have a fit if someone in their office described one of these as such.
      Most common usage, at least among the builders, engineers, designers, and farmers that I hang with, refers to ‘the grid’ as being the interconnection of all the various suppliers of electrical power in these United States that facilitates the delivery of that power from plant to final user.
      Regarding fire pit, firepit: I’ll not quibble. Really, I should not have even mentioned it because, as you point out, it is often seen both ways.
      I do enjoy this website, and the innovative designs exhibited. Keep up the good work of keeping us entertained and informed!

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      • James D.
        January 10, 2022, 5:46 pm

        I’ll point this out because it’s a fairly common misconception but the Definition of Off-Grid is…

        Urban Dictionary, “Living without using the services of public or private utility companies such as electric, gas, or water, by generating and providing for one’s needs such as by using solar power, etc.”…

        Merriam-Webster dictionary, “not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (such as electricity, gas, or water)”

        Something to understand is there are many words that can change meaning when used in a different context, even when many otherwise agree on its meaning or common usage doesn’t mean there can be no other meanings or usage. In this case you’re just missing the generic usage, which just doesn’t exclude the other utilities…

        Electricity is just the most common utility, and will be what most think of when thinking of the grid, but it isn’t the only utility and that’s the point. Off-grid living means being autonomous but you can’t truly be autonomous if you’re not fully self sufficient and that’s when “partial” becomes the correct way to refer to it… Especially, when referring to living as people can’t live on electricity alone!

        Not to single out this conversation as people can argue even about things like whether or not using propane qualifies or not as being off-grid. Even if there is no service provider or connection to the provider, which are actually required to consider it on-grid…

        Besides, there are even more variables that partial can apply. Like a hybrid power system that uses both onsite power and on-grid power, or a system in an area with less than reliable grid power can supplement with backup power to get through rolling blackouts, etc.

        Not everything is either/or but can be levels of gradation or mixture of many things. A lot just depends on the context and application…

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      • Natalie C. McKee
        January 11, 2022, 9:11 am

        Thanks James! I intentionally didn’t respond yet because I knew you would give a lovely and in-depth explanation!

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• Mike
  January 10, 2022, 12:08 pm

  lmfao . an electric fireplace .

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  • James D.
    January 10, 2022, 3:31 pm

    Well, with AirBNB’s you do have to worry about liability and the likelihood of some random guest doing something they really shouldn’t with a wood stove… Especially, in remote locations where the owner isn’t nearby and no other help for many miles…

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