Passive Solar Greenhouse Pecha Kucha Video

This summer I was invited to present my Passive Solar Greenhouse project at a local, outdoor  Pecha Kucha event. The theme of the event was “Luz es Vida – Light is Life,” so you will see this concept woven in to the following video.

Pecha Kucha is Japanese for “chit chat” and was developed as a succinct presentation format: 20 slides with 20 seconds of presentation time per slide with total time just 6 minutes 40 seconds. Enjoy!

Cathy Hope Pecha Kucha Night Taos Volume 17 from pechakuchataos on Vimeo.

Why haven’t you heard from me in awhile?

Back in the beginning of this year I had decided to start-up my blog again because four projects were incubating.

Well. What actually happened was a bad auto accidents on March 23rd in which a semi hit my little Honda on I 25. My car was spun across three lanes of traffic and ended up jammed into an embankment. The subsequent whiplash (yes I was wearing my seatbelt) broke my neck and sternum and bruised all my right side ribs.

Me with my neck brace

Me after neck brace was removed

So. After ten and a half weeks of being in a neck brace 24/7 I am now rebuilding mobility and strength and am launched upon this unexpected learning journey. Because I was in excellent health before the accident, my progress in the words of my neurosurgeon is “cautiously optimistic.” I have received a stupendous amount of help, food, prayers, support and love from numerous friends, neighbors and readers and I am deeply grateful to be alive. Who I was before the accident is not who I am becoming…the journey’s path unfolds before me…

Now about these four projects:

Two of them involving my greenhouse and garden are continuing in a very reduced  manner as I heal. Hopefully with excellent help, they will manifest sometime next year.

The other two are Iris Herbal Projects; one involves pain relief and the second is a set of oils that are based upon Chinese Five Element Theory. My hope is to manifest these in the next year or so as well. Because I experienced some mild to moderate traumatic brain injury from the accident, I am now more dependent upon others in running my business. Where before I had almost boundless energy and drive, I now experience the steep learning curve of patience, persistence and delight in small steps.