I used to be addicted to herbs. Then, I found a remedy on an obscure website that has cured my addiction. It is composed of several rare and unusual herbs that took much time and money to procure from the far reaches of the planet. Most of the names I cannot pronounce. Some have been banned by various, unenlightened government agencies in different countries around the globe, and as a result several packages arrived in plain, brown wrapping. After planting everything in the dark on a moonless night and after months of fervent cultivation, I harvested my first crop. Careful measurement and combination of the ingredients, many of which are fatal in doses slightly above the recipe quantities, resulted in an elixir best described as green. It cured me. Of course, over time my tolerance has increased and, consequently, so has my dosage. Now, I am growing the herbs in the remedy on several acres of land, and it takes about 18 hours a day to care for them, harvest them and process them into the remedy. I quit my day job and work on the herbs every waking moment. But, at least I'm not addicted to herbs anymore. I have to go now and drink another gallon of the remedy, since it has been 15 minutes since my last dose. Then, I must return to the fields and weed the herb plants. They call to me, nay, they summon me. narcnh

Yes - you're right. When you pull off the grid, you first use up your credits. Then you either buy additional power from the electric company. Or, if you generate more power than you use, you get paid for the excess by the electric company. I'd have to check my notes - I think it may be annually. If you think about it - the days are longer in summer, so you will generate more power. Days are shorter in winter, you generate less power. So you most likely will pull more power off the grid in winter, pull less power in summer. So things would even out over a year. The SRECs are completely different. And I still don't have my head completely wrapped around them. They are Solar Renewable Energy Credits. The utility companies are required by law to generate a certain portion of their electricity by solar. They buy these SRECs to comply with this requirement. If they don't have enough SRECs they are fined. From srectrade.com In SREC states, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electricity suppliers to secure a portion of their electricity from solar generators. The SREC program provides a means for Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) to be created for every megawatt-hour of solar electricity created. 1 SREC = 1,000 kWh of solar electricity = 1 MWh of solar electricity 10 kW solar capacity = ~12 SRECs per year The SREC is sold separately from the electricity and represents the "solar" aspect of the electricity that was produced. The value of an SREC is determined by the market subject to supply and demand constraints. SRECs can be sold to electricity suppliers needing to meet their solar RPS requirement. The market is typically capped by a fine or solar alternative compliance payment (SACP) paid by any electricity suppliers for every SREC they fall short of the requirement. The sale of SRECs is intended to promote the growth of distributed solar by shortening the time it takes to earn a return on the investment. Once the installation of a solar system is complete, the system must then be certified by the state(s) in which it is eligible to sell SRECs and then must create an account with the tracking platform used by that state. Once registered, every month, the tracking platform will issue SRECs based on the generation of your system. In some states, estimated generation is used for systems under 10kW, while all other systems are required to submit generation on a monthly basis. One SREC is created for every 1000kWh of electricity created. For example, a 10kW system can generate approximately 1 SREC per month. However, it is up to the solar installation owner to decide how to manage the SRECs that are produced. Some states will certify solar electric systems from out-of-state and allow the SRECs from those facilities to count towards the RPS. The map above shows what state individuals can sell their SRECs into. Here is a link that might be useful: srec trade dot com

I really need to get an album done and on line.Here is one of the online pics from the magazine shoot at the house a couple of years ago.It has filled out quite a bit since this was taken.We finally figured out part of our problem with the slow take off this year, the dang wild turkeys!!!Last year it was very full when it was filmed for worlds greenest homes.I believe they also have a good picture in their you tube think it is here..It shows the majority of the roof and the designs incorporated. http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/2008-03-01/LaudHome.aspx Here is a link that might be useful: Natural homes

Now why would anyone want a ten step program for fabriholics? I ask you, WHY? If nothing else we are keeping the economy from falling! It's like our Mom's and Grandmom's collection of buttons. It's just something we do. Like breathing. The day I stop buying farbic will be the day I die. Years ago my hubby bought me four heavy duty metal shelving units which we placed two deep and set side by side. Then we bought 16 large clean plastic containers that set two on a shelf and pull out like drawers (with lids) for viewing. Yes, I said viewing. Like any collection, fabric begs to be looked at. At least that's what I think I hear calling to me from the basement. As time went by I had them all over flowing with fabric and had to purchase four more large ones to set on top of the four on the top shelf. Later it was twelve shorter ones, but with the same footprint, to slip in on top of the twelve on the lower shelves. If I could find at least two more of shelves this exact size I'd buy them. But for now the over flow is in two armoires and an old wood cabinet. These, in the old wood cabinet, are fabrics that I'm currenting using. Yes, shock of all shocks I'm actually sewing. I've made close to twenty five pillow slips. Otherwise known as pillow cases to the masses. For some reason my family called the ones my Grammy made for us pillow SLIPS, so that's what I call them. I'm in the process of making pillow covers for down pillows in our Gentlemen's Parlor. Well, when I'm not online writing about my fabric that is. Fabric isn't my only obsession. I have a number of them, but it is one of my two favorites. Guess you could call me a fabri-choco-holic. Now if I could just find fabric made from chocolate it could solve one problem.....STORAGE! 8D