Sunday, November 15, 2009

ONE IN A MILLION...

This post is a tribute to one of the most committed and unique young men I've ever met. His name is Khalif Williams and he lives in Maine with his wife and two young children. Many years ago, he lived with us at the farm for awhile (his Mom and Gary have been friends since kindergarten). At the time, he was a vegan and the entire time he was here, if we were together for a meal it was vegan. What an education that was for me. When we visited a local bakery, we found one thing that he could eat that had no dairy products in the mix...molasses cookies. Khalif was a great cook, a musician...I'm sure he was strongly influenced by his father (who was a jazz musician and Professor of Music at Allegheny College in Pa.) and he was also interested in protecting the rights of animals and people. After he was married, he and his wife moved to Maine, and they continue to live in a way that seems so pure to me. I will have to give you more information tomorrow, about the work he is doing today.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago.

With the help of their friends, they built this house...NO ELECTRICITY, NO RUNNING WATER OTHER THAN A SISTERN, AND NOT THE KIND OF INDOOR PLUMBING WE ARE USED TO. They have solar panels that produce enough energy to support 5 or 6 lights and are now
vegetarians growing much of their own food. Their second child was born in here 3 weeks after they moved in. The CD player and radio are run with batteries....until recently, they stored the fresh food in a large cooler. They are off the grid.

The family pooch....

The kids have a playhouse....

And this!!!!! is their newest addition. A real bath house that includes a woodburning stove and a sauna. I want one! In my dreams, I could not have imagined Khalif being able to do this. How many people in their 30s would even consider it? It has been such a pleasure knowing someone with this kind of humility, creativity, integrity and TALENT in all directions. Salute!!!!

I will have more on this topic...

7 comments:

  1. That is awesome!!! Living the simple and amazing life.

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  2. These people will save the earth. I have friends (oldies) who live in a mud rick house and have solar power and tank water.

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  3. Nice Photos and nicely written! Awaiting the after pictures of the house :-)

    - Pixellicious Photos

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  4. That's amazing. You really have to be committed to live like that.
    Good for him and his family.

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  5. They live an amazing and resourceful lifestyle and his construction skills are topnotch. I have to ask, though, how do they earn the money they need...even off the grid? Does he or both of them produce things for sale, or his music, or...

    I, too, am jealous of their ability to really go off and live as they do. FANTASTIC house and bath house/sauna. Plus the setting looks perfect. Wow, thank you for sharing about him and his family.

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  6. Way to go. I love the bathhouse, boy could I use that down at the greenhouse.

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  7. I admire people who manage to live like that. I like the simple life but could not do without high speed internet access.

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