Should We Rebuild?

The title of this New York Times op-ed article, We Need to Retreat From the Beach captured my attention because I've been ruminating over three recent conversations:

1. "This line shows where your property will be in a few years. Underwater." ~ my husband talking to a friend after marking a measurement showing the rising sea level on the wooden planks leading up from the ocean to his beautiful beach home on Martha's Vineyard

2. "There's lots happening and none of it is good. We're homeless, but we're starting to rebuild." ~ a phone call from my cousin after Superstorm Sandy devastated her Long Beach home, wrecked two cars and washed away a lifetime of memories

3."They shouldn't give those poor folks a cent to rebuild. No one should be living so close to the ocean anymore." ~ my mother's friend at a Mahjong game last week

We've now seen and experienced the edge of the ocean spilling into our homes...our lives, and as my friend, Judith Ross writes, "We are at a fork in the road." 

The NYTimes piece agrees, "As sea levels continue to rise, the surges of these future storms will be higher and even more deadly. We can’t stop these powerful storms. But we can reduce the deaths and damage they cause."

Solutions?

There's been talk of constructing 25 miles of coastal protection...to build a $15 billion seawall. This is the "cheapest solution." But would "the side effects" of such a barrier with its impact on inland estuaries and coastal marshes...and might I add, an eyesore to those who choose to afford a water view, be feasible given the "complex and overlapping regulatory structure that involves multiple local, state and federal agencies?"

Then there's the issue of insurance costs and outlays...yours, mine and ours. In some cases, should insurance money slated for rebuilding be redirected toward relocation and resettlement? Wouldn't it be even worse to lose a home again...and possibly a life?

These are heart-wrenching questions. I would love to know your thoughts about rebuilding in the face of our climate crisis.

Photo used with permission: Ben Scott for Bluerock Design

Inside Out

Every once in a while, an image captures your attention and you can’t let it go. After dreaming about this photograph last night, I thought I’d throw it up here and see what you have to say about this "down to earth" home.

“The idea of having a sand floor was to bring the outside in, to live naturally. It’s very calming, which is what my wife Andreia, and I wanted in a beach house. We picked Comporta in Portugal, an hour south of Lisbon, with its wild beaches full of birds and dolphins but very few people. The original inhabitants fished and grew rice. They picked straw at river’s edge, and built small houses with compacted earth floors. This was the tradition; you cannot build anything new. Our architects at Aires Mateus could only rebuild what was there, because it’s a preserve. When our kids, Joao and Maria, go into the house, they play like they are on the beach, with shovels and buckets. A cleaning lady comes in; she goes over the sand with a big rake. And no, you don’t need to wear shoes. There is a heated concrete floor underneath, so even in winter, the sand is warm.” ~ Joao Rodrigues, Coastal Living

For more information, visit CasaNaAreia.

Credit: Gaelle Le Boulicaut

Set Adrift: Driftwood Projects For The Nest

There’s something nostalgic about driftwood. It’s already lived a whole other life before it was uprooted from the ground and set adrift to sea. The sand, wind, water and waves have a way of uniquely weathering the patina of fallen wood like no manmade finish can do. Driftwood Rack

The DIY Driftwood Rack from Sunset is simple, beautiful and free. It’s the same idea as this coat rack.

Driftwood Headboard

This rustic handcrafted headboard lined up next to the linen bedding, created by artisan Trisha Rose, sets a calming bedroom mood. Doesn’t it?

Driftwood Table

This one-of-kind table made from a piece of driftwood we found along the shores of the Hudson River (see, you thought I was only partial to the ocean), sports a slab top of black walnut from a downed tree found on our property. Here’s a tutorial for making driftwood tables. We left out the polyurethane and used Gorilla Glue, which is non-toxic after it dries.

Driftwood Wall Art

My Uncle Danny was a master of reuse. His renditions of eco-art could be found all over the nooks and crannies of his seaside home that my cousin, Amy and her family now live in. He created this piece in the 1960’s, and it is still displayed on an outside wall of the home.

Note: Before you head out beachcombing for driftwood, check your local state beach authority for regulations about collecting scavenged wood.

Credits: All Driftwood Furniture, Sunset, Cabin On The Water

More beach-inspired projects: Beachcombing With a Purpose: 2 DIY Shell Projects DIY Decorating With Nautical Knots What The Sea Left Behind Sun Senses: Beach Inspired Home Decor

Is A Lake House A Beach House?

My husband and I have been having this debate for years. It goes like this: Ted: "When I was a kid, I spent my summers at our beach house." Ronnie: "That's not a beach house because it's on a lake." Ted: "Well, it's got a sandy beach, waves, and as far as you can see there's water." Ronnie: "But, I grew up near the ocean and beach houses are situated near ocean beaches, not lakes."

We could go on and on, but I think you get my drift.

A few years ago we rented a boathouse on Lake Rosseau in the Muskoka region of Canada. I fell in love with the area. In many ways, it's similar to the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. The natural beauty of the landscape is highlighted by Muskoka's culture of pristine lakeside living. There's no mention of beach houses in Muskoka. The folks call their homes "cottages" (like the one above).

Maybe you can help settle this friendly marital debate. Is a lake house a beach house?

Main credit: Domino