SEMI-RURAL WITH CITY WATER AND SEWER. LET'S TAKE A WALK AROUND THE OUTSIDE AND THEN WE'LL GO INSIDE FOR A TOUR.

The home is in a mixed cultural neighborhood with mountain views from living room and office. I've worked from home as a freelance writer for newspapers and Internet blogs and as a photographer, columnist and author. I'm an adventure travel companion for seniors and teach photography, video, website construction and build and maintain websites for others. I spend a lot of time walking, running and staying in shape but I also sit in front of a computer for hours on end at times. The strawbale construction answers the low maintenance, little spare time problem and also keeps both my wife and me from getting chilled or overheated during long periods on the computers. My wife teaches fitness, Yoga, Pilates and T'ai Chi at home in our large living room and at a fitness center. We've taught in the Western US and Canada and want to pursue that further. We have high-speed DSL Internet in both the house and rental unit. This view is from the northeast.

THE WEATHER HERE IS GREAT.
	We want to be able to spend the winters in the general area, unless working out of the country. We also have many good friends in the area who we want to come back and see. The property has year-round gardens, established trees and good neighbors. This view is from the northwest

LOW COST OF LIVING.

The taxes are low and our utility bills are too. We heat with passive solar collected in our southern solarium and auxiliary wood heat. In the summer the house is cooled with flow through ventilation at night. We have a small evaporative cooler in the office where our computers are, but none in the house or casita (small house in Spanish). The house is in Columbus, New Mexico, three miles from the Mexican border, Deming, New Mexico is 30 miles north and El Paso, Texas is 60 miles east. We were caregivers for my mother the last ten years of her life, and now we're ready to travel again. This view is from the southwest.

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE AND SOLAR HEATING FROM THE GREENHOUSE.
	Our heating bills are very low. House and rental unit propane runs less than $25.00 a month, and that includes the propane tank rental. Of course, prices are subject to change depending on the price of oil, etc. Electric bills for both for 2008 were less than $40.00 a month. This greenhouse/solarium view is from the southeast.

EXTERIOR OF HOME
	We start our summer garden plants in the greenhouse, that gives us a head start and longer harvests for tomatoes and other non-cold crops. We have cold crop gardens all winter long. You can access my articles that show the winter gardens on the Internet at www.associatecontent.com or www.groundreport.com under "Simple Winter Hoop Garden" and "Follow Up Simple Winter Hoop Garden."