Can we freakin' get beyond the whole square footage argument. The footprint is about 12'X12'. Period. It's a tiny house and the video is not about the square footage of air space in the house. It's about living in a small space and enjoying it. You sound like a child, get over it.
I would love to have a place like this as a vacation home, but I don't think I could live in it full time. I'd go stir crazy without my computer and Internet access, lol. But this house looks like an ideal escape from modern life - be it full-time or just for a weekend.
kirstendirksen why do you think people get so worked up about the issue of small homes? The posts here are suprisingly agressive. I have encountered people from many walks of life in the small house or simple life movment from new age to christian republican to democrat. There dosen't seem to be a reason for a movment with such a diverse group of people in it to elisit such a response.
@kirstendirksen Your math is wrong 6 feet times six feet is twelve square feet not one-hundred forty-four square feet. Twelve feet times Twelve feet is one-hundred fourty-four square feet. Twelve square feet is the size of the average bathroom.
@highcountrytimber You're right, it's a question of semantics. She said 12 feet square which isn't normally how people talk about home size. It's much more common to say 144 square feet, but you're saying the same thing by saying 12 feet square.
@kirstendirksen No 144 square feet does not mean the same as 12 square feet. 12 square feet means 6' X 6' not 12' X12'. If tell me your home is 12 square feet it means 6'X6',Square feet is how we in the building trades tell the size of the structure. If you ever go to look at home real-estate is list in square feet in the US.
@highcountrytimber Why is this so hard for people to understand? The house is about 12 feet long and 12 feet wide, or, 12 feet square (NOT 12 square feet.) for a floor area of about 144 square feet. If you add the porch and loft, the useful area is somewhat larger. A 12 square foot house would be 2x6 or 1x12 or 3x4 or something. (About the size of a doghouse.)
WIKIPEDIA: According to Rudolf Otto in his influential book (The Idea of the Holy, 1923), the numinous experience has two aspects: mysterium tremendum, which is the tendency to invoke fear and trembling; and mysterium fascinans, the tendency to attract, fascinate and compel. The numinous experience also has a personal quality to it, in that the person feels to be in communion with a WHOLLY OTHER.
Does anyone else find something.. off.. about this house? Reading some of Diana's writing and now hearing her speak and observing her mannerisms only seems to enforce this. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what bothers me, but I can't. One side of me thinks this is among the most beautiful houses I have seen, while the other side is exceptionally put off by something, and it certainly isn't the rustic living.
I think this is more performance art than an actual lifestyle. Don't worry too much about the nuts and bolts because I don't think this couple actually lives anything like full-time lives in this house without input of significant off-site resources and significant time elsewhere. Like other art forms, we should look at this performance and see what it can do to teach us and inspire us in our own search for a better life.
Beautiful! Diana Lorence said that everything in the house is carefully chosen to meet her husband's need for completeness while satisfying her need for emptiness. Every book has undergone a rigorous 30 year selection process... they have no more than they need and no less, which sets them free to engage in the great conversation, and to engage in life. I love the beauty of each part of the house, from the shelf supports in the study to the water pitcher!
This is beautiful, but perhaps a bit too perfect, too still. If I'd been cast out of my father's castle by an evil step-mother and was lost in the wood I would ask for shelter at any of the other houses in the series, but I'd give this one I'd give a wide berth.
I am a Falun Gong practitioner. Falun Dafa is a cultivation system in the Buddha School based on the principles of the Universe: 真 Truthfulness 善 Compassion 忍 Forbearance.
Since 1999 it has been brutally persecuted by the CCP in China. People are being killed, tortured, put into concentration camps and have organs harvested from live people, simply because of their belief. More than 3400 Falun Gong practitioners have died at the hands of CCP in the past 12 years.
envious in a way that people can live like this...my life is busy, stressful and I am always looking forward to that big vacation I get once a year...not sure I cold do this but it's nice to know it's an option for some
To answer questions about water and firewood. The Lorences have running water because they share pipes with a working orchard, though they are without running water for about 8 weeks a year while the trees are being irrigated. During that time they use water they have stored in barrels.
As for the wood they use, it is waste wood from the orchard that would be burned by the farmers anyway.
This one was a little too extreme for me, usually the people in these videos live in small houses because they're practical, but this one seemed more like a crazy hermit type of thing. I didn't like the way she spoke; it was almost cult-like.
It's all very charming, but then you realize it is so simple and pretty and tidy and small because they can go into town and buy organic vegetables and firewood.
What does her bank account look like? I'd bet she has plenty of money. It's one thing to be forced to live like this as opposed to choosing to live this.
@jimjim Maybe - we don't know and it really isn't germane for the life she is living. It is possible that she and her husband have lots of money because they don't spend it on all the toys and associated costs to "own" the toys that our consumerist society expects of all good citizens.
Or it is possible they have found the balance where the costs of their lives don't exceed their means.
And, it doesn't appear that she feels forced - or is suffering - to live this way.
So very polished a presentation. Such elegance in this sweet simplicity. This piece leaves me with a contentment I haven't felt since Charles Kuralt. He didn't just show me. He allowed me to walk along beside him. Thank you Kirsten for taking me on this trip with you.
There is a part of me that longs to be in that 'mind-set' in a 'zen' type living style where ones thoughts can be collected and arranged. I love the whole thing, it is pure serenity. Thank you for the video.
What most people don't realise is that if all people started using fireplaces again, for heating, cooking, we'd soon have the same problems before having electrical heating. It maybe a nice way to live, but it's not efficient, not environmental friendly.
@manoman0 Perhaps that is true but you could never get 'all' the people in the world to do anything, let alone cook & heat by wood fire. I have many friends who never use their fireplaces because they require too much work and they are messy and dirty.
@LibertyTreeBud Yes, you do. We actually lived that way not too long ago. Then we realised to use technology to improve our quality of living with less resources (efficiency). By the way, I am completely not criticising that woman's lifestyle, absolutely not. In contrary, I like this kind of lifestyle.
@manoman0 There's serious acreage for sustainability. How much wood do you need yearly? Your woodlot needs to start with at least 12 years' worth of mature "firewood" trees, (erosion control and forest viability), and that's with good luck. Double that if your buildings and fences come off the land. Double it again to hedge against drought, blight, and fire, and perhaps, enjoy a little game meat. You need a 48 year forest for just a small family, and that's just for bare sufficiency.
@manoman0 You are right - all the coal and hydro and nuclear power plants are much friendlier and less polluting than a handful of dead tree limbs found in the woods. Not to mention the coal mines and eco destruction to flood areas behind dams or the accumulating radioactive waste consumed to power hot tubs, plasma TVs, computers, etc. Unless, of course, you don't have anything that consumes electricity.
@JunkMale57 LOL per capita particulate emissions would go through the roof if everyone lived like her. Learn some science. Yes power plants ARE cleaner than everyone burning crap would be. That doesn't mean we should stop striving for cleaner power but the fact you think the world would be cleaner if hundreds of millions of people burned wood every day is hilarious.
@JunkMale57 You're comparing "all the coal and hydro and nuclear power plants" to a "handful of dead tree limbs found in the woods". Referring to "all coal, hydro, nuclear power plants" suggest to deliver energy to a whole city. You're bringing things out of reasonable perspective. That is manipulation. And I haven't even gone into your substantial claims you state.
I would love to see a follow up video on this. I would like to see how the infrastructure works;, water pump, septic, tools for house repair, wood fuel preparation, gardening etc.When I was a kid I lived just outside of Colonial Williamsburg Virginia and saw how they lived like these folks. I was wondering if this couple adopted some of the techniques used by that era. Thank you again for a wonderful video.
I think the wording of "12 foot square" is misleading, as the phrasing generally used is "square foot" not the other way round. This home is presumably 12 x 12, which is 144 square feet. If the home were actually 12 square feet it would be 3 x 4. Which even tiny home dwellers would have to admit might be a bit cramped!
In the video was a question about Luddites. From history, what I remember is Luddites were against machines (re: businesses) displacing handcrafted goods and putting a lot of people out of work. Ultimately, I think it led to corporations being granted personhood rights... Efficiency, outsourcing...corporations prime directive of existing to produce a profit... but not necessarily nurture life or sustainability first, is what the Luddites feared. Kirsten, am I way off on the historical synopsis?
I loved this video. And all of your other videos I have watched. I love when I watch your videos it is like I get to travel to all these great places.
I live a pretty complicated, busy, hectic, stressful life. Watching these recordings is relaxing and thought-provoking. I like the material; I particularly liked the narration of this one.
@gloverintl Do you think you actually like materialism or do you think you are taught into liking materialism? What symbol(s) does materialism hold? Does it symbolize happiness, success, wealth, etc.? How do you define happiness, success, or wealth?
@TheSuwai -The draw of materialism is convenience. To enjoy those things we desire to do, we must first attend to the necessities which distract us and the challenges that place stress on us. We disdain the discipline honed through lack or adversity, we abhor the discomfort of not having planned. To gain a thing to meet the necessity, to find a thing to accomplish need, to purchase that which requires little effort and to bask in the calm of preparation...these are the promises of wanted THINGS.
@TempestasAurum It’s her dress. Its period style evokes either nostalgia for days gone by or memories of horror movie scenes where horrible things happen to wayfaring strangers in remote locations by people that time has forgot. I however think it’s elegant and classic. I don’t watch to many horror flicks.
There is a French saying that goes "pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés". I am very happy though that you got to film their home for us and I think it is ironic (and a bit sad) a lot of responses to this video are so judgmental. I like their home; I can almost feel the calmth of their household. It is not my dream to live like that, but I just like it.
Okay, Maybe I'm wrong, but I did not see any water recipient on top of the roof, so, if there is no electricity for a water pump and no falling water... How do they have running water and a toilet?
I strive to remember what it was like to live in the christian monastic (or even domestic - for married couples) tradition, in prayer and contemplation and simple involvement with life. I try explaining it to others and more often than not, its an alien concept. This is not quite the same, but it reminds me of vacation or retreat for renewal, not removal from the world. btw... the total structure appears to be more than 3x4 feet or 12 square feet..
@c33r0k33 In the description the house is list as 12ft square home meaning it is 12 x12 home, I don't think the porch,shed or loft is count in that space.
@thedailydigestorg Not really, in context I find her to seem to be putting on airs and her devotion to aesthetic to be just as vein as those that flaunt excess via wealth displays. The books on the bookcase arranged symmetrically by color, and probably chosen for their looks over there content for example. But maybe it's just because she is weird and gives me the willies. Either way I don't need a dictionary.
@jeep6242 All your comments about her and her home are really revelations about you. I did not get the impression she wanted to convince you that she was right and you are wrong. I suspect she would not be judgmental and critical regarding your chosen life.
We were fortunate enough to be invited into someone's home and share a discussion - albeit vicariously - and should enjoy the time spent and be glad that our hostess finds happiness and fulfillment in the life she has built.
@JunkMale57 It's curious that of all the comments that say the same thing more or less mine are the only ones that are 'revelations' about me. I also find it revelatory that each person that is so personally wounded by my opinion somehow looks past the giant amount of hypocrisy it takes to then try to wound me back telling me what a horrible person I must be for saying something negative. Why does your zen attitude not apply to yourself? If judgement is so bad why judge me?
@tomperanteau Why the buthurt? Just expressing an opinion but it's nice to know you care enough to 'sleuth' my page.' By the way that wheatgrass video is smokin'!
@jeep6242 I just don't like it when people insult others just because they are different. Reminds me of racism and prejudice. It's hurtful and nasty when someone has put their life out there and someone else has created a video of it.
@tomperanteau I'm not here to insult for random pleasure. Just making a comment with my opinion. But talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Pretty hypocritical to just insult me and call me a wannabe just because I have a different opinion than you.
@jeep6242 You are hurtful to others and I pointed it out. Don't like it? Don't be hurtful to others. The only thing worse is when you won't admit that you have done wrong.
Go ahead. Continue to insult and hide behind "just my opinion" to try to make it okay. And when someone points out that you are being nasty, accuse them of being hypocritical. LOL!
@tomperanteau Unlike you I don't have a problem with you saying what you want. It's what your are supposed to do on a comment section and while critical my comment was perfectly normal. But your crying wolf over insults (not even directed at you) while insulting is pretty stupid and self aggrandizing. By the way do you realize how silly it is to be concerned that a person with no power and water is going to be watching a youtube video and will take offense to my comments? LOL
@jeep6242 You're supposed to insult others and their creations? How about the women that created these videos? Are you serious? That really speaks to your character and how you were raised. Hurt others just because you have a selfish need to do so. I guess you get something out of insulting others or you wouldn't do it, but I'm not like that do I don't understand that.
You really have issues, but I guess you won't understand that until you grow up a bit. Bet your friends love you. LOL!
@tomperanteau I like the women that make these videos. That's why I subscribed to this channel. That doesn't mean I like the subjects of all their videos however. Dumbest straw man argument ever. Speaking of having issues and growing up I believe you are projecting. Clearly you are a little overly emotional or are having a bad day. Hope it goes better for you.
@jeep6242 Dumb when you insult the creators? They picked this content and they created it. Why do you insult the creator, too?
You seem to have some real problems with taking responsibly for your actions. Are you so childish that you can insult others and then pretend that you didn't? Guess so.
I think I understand her clothing choice. She probably doesn't have much wardrobe, and chose this dress because it is the most practical thing she can wear most of the time. Long-sleeved and high-necked for warmth. Black to hide stains. Long flowing skirt for comfort and beauty, and again, warmth.
The simplicity of her life is charming. I would like to live like her.
Thank you for this video! I'd read about this house before and seen some pictures, but it seemed kind of unreal to me. Seeing it on video helped me put it all into context. I love the attention to detail - every little thing in that house is well-made and aesthetically pleasing. It's definitely not for everyone, as it's specifically designed for this couple's lifestyle and might not meet other people's needs (mine for example), but I do like looking at it.
Do they own the land, have a sewer tank. Something is kind of odd with this lady. Where s the husband. If we see him maybe we can figure out the puzzle here. Her clothing choice was strange. I think she is a very religious woman wanting to go back in time.
This is a very sketchy house. Either she was born in the 17th century and doesnt grow old or shes a witch or she s really religous. This house creeps me out. Even her word choice of answers, they were very vague
You and your family document these awesome ways of living but you never really detail just why you're doing it. Have you considered telling your own story?
like "mulberrytoast" said below, this seems so pretentious...not so much kirsten's video though, but Diana, the subject thereof...everything seemed carefully placed as if she was preparing for a magazine shoot...i mean the store-bought veggies in the basket?...rly?...more power to Diana if playing little house on the prairie helps her focus on her inner life, but this all seems very forced...:/
@nynekats I agree. I'm getting crucified for having the same opinion by commentors for some reason. To me it just seemed more contrived than organic. Very rigid and forced.
@nynekats haha, oh god. It's only when someone quotes me as 'mulberrytoast' that I seriously want to hit myself for choosing that as a username :D Anyway, I completely agree with you. Especially about it feeling really forced.
Beautiful home -- it's like a church. I like the narration and the emphasis you placed on what it is like for these people to live simply in the home and their inner life.
@jeep6242 you're right! Obviously I need to buckle down and read a dictionary, because I was pretty sure the definition of pretentious was something along the lines of 'trying to appear more important/intelligent than you really are in order to impress others'. Or in this case pretending to have more depth of emotion because you haven't got a floor lamp. Honestly I usually love these videos, but this one was just ... ugh. I can't even ... just, ugh. Hopefully there won't be a follow up anyway!
@mulberrytoast Hmmm Comment disappeared but yeah I totally agree with you. You don't need to be driving a Benz to be come off as pretentious. The perfectly arranged color coordinated books just for the look of perfectly arranged books in a house that has zero space to waste on such things drives me nuts!
Lot's of people still live this way, doesn't make it any less admirable but what was most fascinating was the way she spoke. She sounds so calm and genuine, I could have listened for hours.
That waspne of the most beautiful videos you've done, yet. Thank you for posting it -- it makes me ache with how much I would love to do thensame in my life, but Canadian winters are a little harsher than NorCal's for sure ^_^
Glad the tiny home captured the past times and not the current one otherwise bombs and gaga concerts would be blasting a few feet from the front door.
No electric refrigeration? that doesn't have to mean no meat. For Pickling to Dry Curing, Smoking or Salting, people were preserving meat long before they had refrigeration. Even Fresh Meat can keep in a cool box for a day or so.
Good for them for living the way they want to. They must spend a fortune on candles though, if they use any amount of artificial light. I wonder why none are in mirrored lanterns? Much more efficient as a light source.
@TheBoyFromNorfolk The candles caught my eye too. That's definitely an aesthetic choice over a green/efficient one. The particulate load in that house with the candles is probably worse than sitting in diesel exhaust all day.
Loo dite LOL!!!! Its pronounced laa dite. Yes Im English and as far as I can remember my history it was about the use of the mechanical loom to make cloth.
I love the house and yep thats pretty small, one of our rooms at home is 12 x 12 so I can imagine that.
The luddites didn't oppose technology... just technology that took away their jobs, and made their lives worse, as the mechanised mills replaced skilled crafts people.
I think what they are looking for (emptiness/completeness) is to be found anywhere really. The house itself seems almost comically kitch in the way that everything appears to have been selected for its exact appearance and "fit". The way she dresses is kinda creepy too. What does a black robe have to do with one's inner life? They seem to be really into zen, but Zen isn't about appearances. It's like one pursuit taken to the extreme and missing the point. IMHO.
@fuaburisu meh, black is easy to keep clean. when I first went to my architecture classes my friends and I giggled at all of our proffesors with their gray and black suits and pants and turtlenecks. 2 years later half our class wore mostly black, it hides the ink/stains/blood well, a white shirt doesn't last an all nighter.
@MrNum3r5 It's not 12 square feet. It's 12 feet square, meaning it's 12' on each side, or a footprint of 144 square feet (12' x 12'). With the loft, I'd guess the total would be around 200 sq. ft. A lot of people confuse square feet with feet square, but they are different.
Can we freakin' get beyond the whole square footage argument. The footprint is about 12'X12'. Period. It's a tiny house and the video is not about the square footage of air space in the house. It's about living in a small space and enjoying it. You sound like a child, get over it.
salembrewer 2 days ago
I would love to have a place like this as a vacation home, but I don't think I could live in it full time. I'd go stir crazy without my computer and Internet access, lol. But this house looks like an ideal escape from modern life - be it full-time or just for a weekend.
StarchildMagic 5 days ago
kirstendirksen why do you think people get so worked up about the issue of small homes? The posts here are suprisingly agressive. I have encountered people from many walks of life in the small house or simple life movment from new age to christian republican to democrat. There dosen't seem to be a reason for a movment with such a diverse group of people in it to elisit such a response.
starfinder79 5 days ago in playlist Uploaded videos
I can see the attraction. Personally, the isolation would do my head in. But good on them!
ukoono 1 week ago
You have your facts way off,there is no way to fit all of this house in twelve square feet! Twentyfour square feet maybe not twelve square feet.
highcountrytimber 1 week ago
@highcountrytimber It's 12 feet square or 144 square feet.
kirstendirksen 1 week ago
@kirstendirksen Your math is wrong 6 feet times six feet is twelve square feet not one-hundred forty-four square feet. Twelve feet times Twelve feet is one-hundred fourty-four square feet. Twelve square feet is the size of the average bathroom.
highcountrytimber 1 week ago
@highcountrytimber You're right, it's a question of semantics. She said 12 feet square which isn't normally how people talk about home size. It's much more common to say 144 square feet, but you're saying the same thing by saying 12 feet square.
kirstendirksen 1 week ago
@kirstendirksen No 144 square feet does not mean the same as 12 square feet. 12 square feet means 6' X 6' not 12' X12'. If tell me your home is 12 square feet it means 6'X6',Square feet is how we in the building trades tell the size of the structure. If you ever go to look at home real-estate is list in square feet in the US.
highcountrytimber 1 week ago
@highcountrytimber Why is this so hard for people to understand? The house is about 12 feet long and 12 feet wide, or, 12 feet square (NOT 12 square feet.) for a floor area of about 144 square feet. If you add the porch and loft, the useful area is somewhat larger. A 12 square foot house would be 2x6 or 1x12 or 3x4 or something. (About the size of a doghouse.)
almollitor 1 week ago
@highcountrytimber 6 x 6 would be 36 square feet; 6 x 2 or 3 x 4 would be 12 square feet
anthroclass 3 days ago
@highcountrytimber 6 feet times 6 feet is 36 square feet.
anthroclass 9 hours ago
WIKIPEDIA: According to Rudolf Otto in his influential book (The Idea of the Holy, 1923), the numinous experience has two aspects: mysterium tremendum, which is the tendency to invoke fear and trembling; and mysterium fascinans, the tendency to attract, fascinate and compel. The numinous experience also has a personal quality to it, in that the person feels to be in communion with a WHOLLY OTHER.
kcnighttrace 1 week ago
Comment removed
Philominx 1 week ago
Does anyone else find something.. off.. about this house? Reading some of Diana's writing and now hearing her speak and observing her mannerisms only seems to enforce this. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what bothers me, but I can't. One side of me thinks this is among the most beautiful houses I have seen, while the other side is exceptionally put off by something, and it certainly isn't the rustic living.
thelimefurnace 2 weeks ago
BeautifuL.
trustingbirth 2 weeks ago
I think this is more performance art than an actual lifestyle. Don't worry too much about the nuts and bolts because I don't think this couple actually lives anything like full-time lives in this house without input of significant off-site resources and significant time elsewhere. Like other art forms, we should look at this performance and see what it can do to teach us and inspire us in our own search for a better life.
almollitor 2 weeks ago
Beautiful! Diana Lorence said that everything in the house is carefully chosen to meet her husband's need for completeness while satisfying her need for emptiness. Every book has undergone a rigorous 30 year selection process... they have no more than they need and no less, which sets them free to engage in the great conversation, and to engage in life. I love the beauty of each part of the house, from the shelf supports in the study to the water pitcher!
anthroclass 3 weeks ago 2
How do you get around the planning authority regulations, surely they dont let folks just build anywhere they want? Nice location.
wheelnutt 4 weeks ago
This is beautiful, but perhaps a bit too perfect, too still. If I'd been cast out of my father's castle by an evil step-mother and was lost in the wood I would ask for shelter at any of the other houses in the series, but I'd give this one I'd give a wide berth.
tomfool43 4 weeks ago
Comment removed
statikonic8 4 weeks ago
Very California - I'm sure these are special people, but all I hear in this video is affectation.
renter6 1 month ago
@renter6 Yes sir, I am totally with you.
mrstrick24 1 month ago in playlist More videos from kirstendirksen
they are what we call foot washing baptists
myepicface 1 month ago
Very thought provoking. Thank you for sharing.
NWBushman 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I am a Falun Gong practitioner. Falun Dafa is a cultivation system in the Buddha School based on the principles of the Universe: 真 Truthfulness 善 Compassion 忍 Forbearance.
Since 1999 it has been brutally persecuted by the CCP in China. People are being killed, tortured, put into concentration camps and have organs harvested from live people, simply because of their belief. More than 3400 Falun Gong practitioners have died at the hands of CCP in the past 12 years.
faluninfo(.)net
kobi2187 1 month ago
envious in a way that people can live like this...my life is busy, stressful and I am always looking forward to that big vacation I get once a year...not sure I cold do this but it's nice to know it's an option for some
lsoph9 1 month ago
I would get sick of eating pot-o-veggies everyday.
Foseman 1 month ago 5
Really quite fascinating. Thanks for sharing their story, Kirsten. It is such an odd mix of feelings and thoughts.
danielbillingsley74 1 month ago
To answer questions about water and firewood. The Lorences have running water because they share pipes with a working orchard, though they are without running water for about 8 weeks a year while the trees are being irrigated. During that time they use water they have stored in barrels.
As for the wood they use, it is waste wood from the orchard that would be burned by the farmers anyway.
kirstendirksen 1 month ago
will they sell the floor plans of their house?
fernandojoelcortes 1 month ago
Although I find the woman herself to be a bit bizarre, I commend her style and design of this beautiful house.
packofhounds 1 month ago
This one was a little too extreme for me, usually the people in these videos live in small houses because they're practical, but this one seemed more like a crazy hermit type of thing. I didn't like the way she spoke; it was almost cult-like.
plattawabbe 1 month ago
It's all very charming, but then you realize it is so simple and pretty and tidy and small because they can go into town and buy organic vegetables and firewood.
BooGooNFlowoo4Evoo 1 month ago
Great job on this one. Really captures what I have going on inside.
djkenny 1 month ago
It's got running water. I'm hardly impressed.
arbonac 1 month ago
@arbonac Did you actually listen to and understand the words spoken in the video? There is no goal, no need, no desire to impress you or anyone....
JunkMale57 1 month ago
What does her bank account look like? I'd bet she has plenty of money. It's one thing to be forced to live like this as opposed to choosing to live this.
jimjim 1 month ago
@jimjim Maybe - we don't know and it really isn't germane for the life she is living. It is possible that she and her husband have lots of money because they don't spend it on all the toys and associated costs to "own" the toys that our consumerist society expects of all good citizens.
Or it is possible they have found the balance where the costs of their lives don't exceed their means.
And, it doesn't appear that she feels forced - or is suffering - to live this way.
JunkMale57 1 month ago
So very polished a presentation. Such elegance in this sweet simplicity. This piece leaves me with a contentment I haven't felt since Charles Kuralt. He didn't just show me. He allowed me to walk along beside him. Thank you Kirsten for taking me on this trip with you.
dnaas42 1 month ago
Fascinating, thank you, Kirstendirsen.
You tube been playing up a bit, so really looking forward to watching your other films.
Thanks again CX
rhubarbrhub 1 month ago
There is a part of me that longs to be in that 'mind-set' in a 'zen' type living style where ones thoughts can be collected and arranged. I love the whole thing, it is pure serenity. Thank you for the video.
LibertyTreeBud 1 month ago
What most people don't realise is that if all people started using fireplaces again, for heating, cooking, we'd soon have the same problems before having electrical heating. It maybe a nice way to live, but it's not efficient, not environmental friendly.
manoman0 1 month ago
@manoman0 Perhaps that is true but you could never get 'all' the people in the world to do anything, let alone cook & heat by wood fire. I have many friends who never use their fireplaces because they require too much work and they are messy and dirty.
LibertyTreeBud 1 month ago
@LibertyTreeBud Yes, you do. We actually lived that way not too long ago. Then we realised to use technology to improve our quality of living with less resources (efficiency). By the way, I am completely not criticising that woman's lifestyle, absolutely not. In contrary, I like this kind of lifestyle.
manoman0 1 month ago
@manoman0 There's serious acreage for sustainability. How much wood do you need yearly? Your woodlot needs to start with at least 12 years' worth of mature "firewood" trees, (erosion control and forest viability), and that's with good luck. Double that if your buildings and fences come off the land. Double it again to hedge against drought, blight, and fire, and perhaps, enjoy a little game meat. You need a 48 year forest for just a small family, and that's just for bare sufficiency.
BooGooNFlowoo4Evoo 1 month ago
@BooGooNFlowoo4Evoo Thanks, you put things into perspective. Some won't like to hear that though.
manoman0 1 month ago
@BooGooNFlowoo4Evoo I think they collect off cuts of wood from a near-by apple orchard rather than collecting from the forest.
renesby 1 month ago
@manoman0 You are right - all the coal and hydro and nuclear power plants are much friendlier and less polluting than a handful of dead tree limbs found in the woods. Not to mention the coal mines and eco destruction to flood areas behind dams or the accumulating radioactive waste consumed to power hot tubs, plasma TVs, computers, etc. Unless, of course, you don't have anything that consumes electricity.
JunkMale57 1 month ago
@JunkMale57 LOL per capita particulate emissions would go through the roof if everyone lived like her. Learn some science. Yes power plants ARE cleaner than everyone burning crap would be. That doesn't mean we should stop striving for cleaner power but the fact you think the world would be cleaner if hundreds of millions of people burned wood every day is hilarious.
jeep6242 1 month ago
@JunkMale57 You're comparing "all the coal and hydro and nuclear power plants" to a "handful of dead tree limbs found in the woods". Referring to "all coal, hydro, nuclear power plants" suggest to deliver energy to a whole city. You're bringing things out of reasonable perspective. That is manipulation. And I haven't even gone into your substantial claims you state.
manoman0 1 month ago
I'm an EE student, it just wouldn't be right to try to live without electricity :-0
paytontech 1 month ago
Beautiful videos :) however they are too high quality for me to watch without having to wait for the video to buffer. Sorry
5botball 1 month ago
how about you go back to showing cool houses?
diduhear 1 month ago
Well-build house. Very good work. Exactly what you need.
kppteam 1 month ago
I would love to see a follow up video on this. I would like to see how the infrastructure works;, water pump, septic, tools for house repair, wood fuel preparation, gardening etc.When I was a kid I lived just outside of Colonial Williamsburg Virginia and saw how they lived like these folks. I was wondering if this couple adopted some of the techniques used by that era. Thank you again for a wonderful video.
sshort1205 1 month ago
I think the wording of "12 foot square" is misleading, as the phrasing generally used is "square foot" not the other way round. This home is presumably 12 x 12, which is 144 square feet. If the home were actually 12 square feet it would be 3 x 4. Which even tiny home dwellers would have to admit might be a bit cramped!
Churumbelita 1 month ago
Beautiful.
fredalan 1 month ago
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. You have a beautiful home, and a beautiful, intentional, life.
320squarefoothome 1 month ago
woderful video, thank you !!!!!!
intagxxx 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
In the video was a question about Luddites. From history, what I remember is Luddites were against machines (re: businesses) displacing handcrafted goods and putting a lot of people out of work. Ultimately, I think it led to corporations being granted personhood rights... Efficiency, outsourcing...corporations prime directive of existing to produce a profit... but not necessarily nurture life or sustainability first, is what the Luddites feared. Kirsten, am I way off on the historical synopsis?
c33r0k33 1 month ago
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c33r0k33 1 month ago
When you can make your environment look so elegant, pretty and refined who needs the trappings of modernity.
MrAnthonyRizzo 1 month ago
I'm not sure I could live this way 24/7 but would sure love to have something like it to go to for a couple of months each year.
cocolulu221 1 month ago
I loved this video. And all of your other videos I have watched. I love when I watch your videos it is like I get to travel to all these great places.
MoneySaverMN 1 month ago
I live a pretty complicated, busy, hectic, stressful life. Watching these recordings is relaxing and thought-provoking. I like the material; I particularly liked the narration of this one.
gloverintl 1 month ago 23
@gloverintl Do you think you actually like materialism or do you think you are taught into liking materialism? What symbol(s) does materialism hold? Does it symbolize happiness, success, wealth, etc.? How do you define happiness, success, or wealth?
TheSuwai 1 month ago 7
@TheSuwai -The draw of materialism is convenience. To enjoy those things we desire to do, we must first attend to the necessities which distract us and the challenges that place stress on us. We disdain the discipline honed through lack or adversity, we abhor the discomfort of not having planned. To gain a thing to meet the necessity, to find a thing to accomplish need, to purchase that which requires little effort and to bask in the calm of preparation...these are the promises of wanted THINGS.
ETHIOLOGIST1 1 month ago
@ETHIOLOGIST1
lolwut?
LifeWithKnowledge 1 month ago
@LifeWithKnowledge - Waxing poetic...
ETHIOLOGIST1 1 month ago
wow i luv this home is so peaceful, she seems so calm and in peace i luv it
lmmb17 1 month ago
I wish this lady would write a book for us.
reflexpoint 1 month ago
I agree with Jeep6242, while his comments are blunt their is something off about it that feels weird and or creepy.
TempestasAurum 1 month ago
@TempestasAurum It’s her dress. Its period style evokes either nostalgia for days gone by or memories of horror movie scenes where horrible things happen to wayfaring strangers in remote locations by people that time has forgot. I however think it’s elegant and classic. I don’t watch to many horror flicks.
MrAnthonyRizzo 1 month ago
I appreciate the simplicity of it all. My friend and her family built one similar to this, but didn't have enough space for all those books.
Polarbear34 1 month ago
There is a French saying that goes "pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés". I am very happy though that you got to film their home for us and I think it is ironic (and a bit sad) a lot of responses to this video are so judgmental. I like their home; I can almost feel the calmth of their household. It is not my dream to live like that, but I just like it.
Ninzip 1 month ago in playlist Uploaded videos 3
Maybe trying to recreate a past-life, lurking in the subconscious.
StephieMcCarthy 1 month ago
Thanks for your inventation to visit your home.
KhafidIbrahim 1 month ago
Okay, Maybe I'm wrong, but I did not see any water recipient on top of the roof, so, if there is no electricity for a water pump and no falling water... How do they have running water and a toilet?
capricorntm 1 month ago
No technology. what is she? Amish?
InvestWebbot 1 month ago in playlist Uploaded videos
@InvestWebbot I think she is a human being who has chosen a life that fits her needs.
JunkMale57 1 month ago
I strive to remember what it was like to live in the christian monastic (or even domestic - for married couples) tradition, in prayer and contemplation and simple involvement with life. I try explaining it to others and more often than not, its an alien concept. This is not quite the same, but it reminds me of vacation or retreat for renewal, not removal from the world. btw... the total structure appears to be more than 3x4 feet or 12 square feet..
c33r0k33 1 month ago
@c33r0k33 In the description the house is list as 12ft square home meaning it is 12 x12 home, I don't think the porch,shed or loft is count in that space.
jgviolet 1 month ago
Kinda cool but unbearably pretentious and creepy as well.
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 Why do you think it's pretentious?
summerpeachpie 1 month ago
@jeep6242 Pretentious? LOL! Someone needs a dictionary!
thedailydigestorg 1 month ago
@thedailydigestorg Not really, in context I find her to seem to be putting on airs and her devotion to aesthetic to be just as vein as those that flaunt excess via wealth displays. The books on the bookcase arranged symmetrically by color, and probably chosen for their looks over there content for example. But maybe it's just because she is weird and gives me the willies. Either way I don't need a dictionary.
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 All your comments about her and her home are really revelations about you. I did not get the impression she wanted to convince you that she was right and you are wrong. I suspect she would not be judgmental and critical regarding your chosen life.
We were fortunate enough to be invited into someone's home and share a discussion - albeit vicariously - and should enjoy the time spent and be glad that our hostess finds happiness and fulfillment in the life she has built.
JunkMale57 1 month ago
@JunkMale57 It's curious that of all the comments that say the same thing more or less mine are the only ones that are 'revelations' about me. I also find it revelatory that each person that is so personally wounded by my opinion somehow looks past the giant amount of hypocrisy it takes to then try to wound me back telling me what a horrible person I must be for saying something negative. Why does your zen attitude not apply to yourself? If judgement is so bad why judge me?
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 Talk about pretentious. I had a look at your page and the wannabe videos. LOL! Looks like you do a lot of pretending.
tomperanteau 1 month ago
@tomperanteau Why the buthurt? Just expressing an opinion but it's nice to know you care enough to 'sleuth' my page.' By the way that wheatgrass video is smokin'!
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 I just don't like it when people insult others just because they are different. Reminds me of racism and prejudice. It's hurtful and nasty when someone has put their life out there and someone else has created a video of it.
tomperanteau 1 month ago
@tomperanteau I'm not here to insult for random pleasure. Just making a comment with my opinion. But talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Pretty hypocritical to just insult me and call me a wannabe just because I have a different opinion than you.
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 You are hurtful to others and I pointed it out. Don't like it? Don't be hurtful to others. The only thing worse is when you won't admit that you have done wrong.
Go ahead. Continue to insult and hide behind "just my opinion" to try to make it okay. And when someone points out that you are being nasty, accuse them of being hypocritical. LOL!
tomperanteau 1 month ago
@tomperanteau Unlike you I don't have a problem with you saying what you want. It's what your are supposed to do on a comment section and while critical my comment was perfectly normal. But your crying wolf over insults (not even directed at you) while insulting is pretty stupid and self aggrandizing. By the way do you realize how silly it is to be concerned that a person with no power and water is going to be watching a youtube video and will take offense to my comments? LOL
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 You're supposed to insult others and their creations? How about the women that created these videos? Are you serious? That really speaks to your character and how you were raised. Hurt others just because you have a selfish need to do so. I guess you get something out of insulting others or you wouldn't do it, but I'm not like that do I don't understand that.
You really have issues, but I guess you won't understand that until you grow up a bit. Bet your friends love you. LOL!
tomperanteau 1 month ago
@tomperanteau I like the women that make these videos. That's why I subscribed to this channel. That doesn't mean I like the subjects of all their videos however. Dumbest straw man argument ever. Speaking of having issues and growing up I believe you are projecting. Clearly you are a little overly emotional or are having a bad day. Hope it goes better for you.
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 Dumb when you insult the creators? They picked this content and they created it. Why do you insult the creator, too?
You seem to have some real problems with taking responsibly for your actions. Are you so childish that you can insult others and then pretend that you didn't? Guess so.
tomperanteau 1 month ago
bravo. thanks for sharing.
fckuvrymch 1 month ago
This is beautiful. It almost has a Shaker sense of beauty and simplicity.
I completely understand the subjects' desire for privacy, too many respond to the 'different' with hostility, and who wants that.
Piskychic 1 month ago
youtubes videos simply wont play correctly.
uratrick 1 month ago
candles and fireplace is too much. Effective wood stove and LED lighting is a much better solution.
marlukcz 1 month ago
I think I understand her clothing choice. She probably doesn't have much wardrobe, and chose this dress because it is the most practical thing she can wear most of the time. Long-sleeved and high-necked for warmth. Black to hide stains. Long flowing skirt for comfort and beauty, and again, warmth.
The simplicity of her life is charming. I would like to live like her.
Crunchy68 1 month ago 23
That's cool, but god damn she's weird.
impulse120291 1 month ago
Thank you for this video! I'd read about this house before and seen some pictures, but it seemed kind of unreal to me. Seeing it on video helped me put it all into context. I love the attention to detail - every little thing in that house is well-made and aesthetically pleasing. It's definitely not for everyone, as it's specifically designed for this couple's lifestyle and might not meet other people's needs (mine for example), but I do like looking at it.
Kathilisi 1 month ago
Do they own the land, have a sewer tank. Something is kind of odd with this lady. Where s the husband. If we see him maybe we can figure out the puzzle here. Her clothing choice was strange. I think she is a very religious woman wanting to go back in time.
photobart1 1 month ago
What is the source of their water pressure? Gravity?
If they don't raise their own subsistence, they are still very much connected to the grid.
NHindividualist 1 month ago
Also, I was surprised at how modern the interior was! I was expecting it to be old fashioned and log cabin-like.
cosmosanddemos 1 month ago
I would love to know what the Lorences do for a living and where they get their food from if they don't grow it.
cosmosanddemos 1 month ago
Sometimes you got to go backwards to find out what forwards means...
Namdor2012 1 month ago
I think you've hit upon the crux towards the end. It's less about the house but about a way of being and dwelling in that sacred space.
TheCelticwaters 1 month ago
Can't imagine my life without electricity. They are so brave!
HapooDog 1 month ago
This is a very sketchy house. Either she was born in the 17th century and doesnt grow old or shes a witch or she s really religous. This house creeps me out. Even her word choice of answers, they were very vague
thecaprisun1 1 month ago
@thecaprisun1 - or is it your hunger for more that makes her answers seem vague?
steve51704000 1 month ago
@thecaprisun1 Glad I'm not the only one she creeped out.
jeep6242 1 month ago
That was awesome. I like the narration as well.
You and your family document these awesome ways of living but you never really detail just why you're doing it. Have you considered telling your own story?
vention4wh 1 month ago
Very interesting woman.
moe4u2love 1 month ago
this video made me want to re read my Walden.
mrhulot101 1 month ago
Homey Zen...........Clean, neat, orderly, disciplined, freeeeeeeeeeee!
TheKindergardener 1 month ago
this home does not feel like a lived in home, it feels like a weekend cabin.....
TheDudeRulez09 1 month ago
cool. not sure what's up with the old-style clothing though.
craniumdesigns 1 month ago
I want to do that for at least 2 years. Just away from all of the commotion, and only indulge in the simple things.
R13L1001 1 month ago
very nice house. dunno why but slightly freaked me out though???
200FuckingPonies 1 month ago
Perfectly calibrated...mindful living at its best, and it's palpable in Diana's energy. :)
masakomasako 1 month ago
like "mulberrytoast" said below, this seems so pretentious...not so much kirsten's video though, but Diana, the subject thereof...everything seemed carefully placed as if she was preparing for a magazine shoot...i mean the store-bought veggies in the basket?...rly?...more power to Diana if playing little house on the prairie helps her focus on her inner life, but this all seems very forced...:/
nynekats 1 month ago
@nynekats I agree. I'm getting crucified for having the same opinion by commentors for some reason. To me it just seemed more contrived than organic. Very rigid and forced.
jeep6242 1 month ago 2
@nynekats haha, oh god. It's only when someone quotes me as 'mulberrytoast' that I seriously want to hit myself for choosing that as a username :D Anyway, I completely agree with you. Especially about it feeling really forced.
mulberrytoast 1 month ago
beautiful...
cmays637 1 month ago
Beautiful. Any chance she's writing a book about her experiences there? I would love to read that.
ccbgraphics 1 month ago
My goal is to live as close to that as I can
mawacal 1 month ago
Beautiful home -- it's like a church. I like the narration and the emphasis you placed on what it is like for these people to live simply in the home and their inner life.
N89J00X 1 month ago
God, this is so pretentious. I usually love these videos but what's with the overly dramatic editing?
mulberrytoast 1 month ago 2
Comment removed
jeep6242 1 month ago
@jeep6242 you're right! Obviously I need to buckle down and read a dictionary, because I was pretty sure the definition of pretentious was something along the lines of 'trying to appear more important/intelligent than you really are in order to impress others'. Or in this case pretending to have more depth of emotion because you haven't got a floor lamp. Honestly I usually love these videos, but this one was just ... ugh. I can't even ... just, ugh. Hopefully there won't be a follow up anyway!
mulberrytoast 1 month ago 2
@mulberrytoast Hmmm Comment disappeared but yeah I totally agree with you. You don't need to be driving a Benz to be come off as pretentious. The perfectly arranged color coordinated books just for the look of perfectly arranged books in a house that has zero space to waste on such things drives me nuts!
jeep6242 1 month ago
HOW DOES SHE DO THIS
Coolcatsarecold 1 month ago in playlist Uploaded videos
I thoroughly enjoy all you're uploads and the methods you use in catching someone's story. Kudos to the pickle story a few weeks back, loved it.
TheArcticsailor 1 month ago
I loved this,and she was so calm!i was wondering if they grow their own food,i just adored their little cabin,great video,thank you1
kackleful 1 month ago
Wow this video is astonishing in so many ways. Thank you so much for sharing their interesting life and beautiful home.
Malegnius 1 month ago
Lot's of people still live this way, doesn't make it any less admirable but what was most fascinating was the way she spoke. She sounds so calm and genuine, I could have listened for hours.
UcanbeGOD 1 month ago
That waspne of the most beautiful videos you've done, yet. Thank you for posting it -- it makes me ache with how much I would love to do thensame in my life, but Canadian winters are a little harsher than NorCal's for sure ^_^
teasemegirl 1 month ago
Why do i get the feeling somethings not quite right with this story?
doug47130 1 month ago
@doug47130 What is it about you that makes you feel this way?
JunkMale57 1 month ago
@JunkMale57
I dont know, just a feeling. Seems a little contrived.
doug47130 1 month ago
Comment removed
doug47130 1 month ago
Beautiful inside and out. The women too. Especially the one filming :)
Anothercoilgun 1 month ago
Glad the tiny home captured the past times and not the current one otherwise bombs and gaga concerts would be blasting a few feet from the front door.
Anothercoilgun 1 month ago
THIS IS A MONASTERY
dasalekhya 1 month ago
Excellent. Would love to know how they obtain food and water and what their typical day is?
radbcc 1 month ago
A wonderful and beautiful space, but I can't escape the feeling that its belongs in a mid 1800's ulta-conservative settlement.
AndrewKarmy 1 month ago
No electric refrigeration? that doesn't have to mean no meat. For Pickling to Dry Curing, Smoking or Salting, people were preserving meat long before they had refrigeration. Even Fresh Meat can keep in a cool box for a day or so.
Good for them for living the way they want to. They must spend a fortune on candles though, if they use any amount of artificial light. I wonder why none are in mirrored lanterns? Much more efficient as a light source.
TheBoyFromNorfolk 1 month ago
@TheBoyFromNorfolk The candles caught my eye too. That's definitely an aesthetic choice over a green/efficient one. The particulate load in that house with the candles is probably worse than sitting in diesel exhaust all day.
jeep6242 1 month ago
But what would you do all day?
Hossified 1 month ago
@Hossified They're a married couple, use your imagination ;) LOLOL
DreamsOfCottages 1 month ago
This is just awesome.
Sassymarkrep 1 month ago
Loo dite LOL!!!! Its pronounced laa dite. Yes Im English and as far as I can remember my history it was about the use of the mechanical loom to make cloth.
I love the house and yep thats pretty small, one of our rooms at home is 12 x 12 so I can imagine that.
PurdyBear1 1 month ago
@PurdyBear1
I'd say Lud-ite. I'd agree, lol at the loo dite.
The luddites didn't oppose technology... just technology that took away their jobs, and made their lives worse, as the mechanised mills replaced skilled crafts people.
TheBoyFromNorfolk 1 month ago
ROFL @ 2:59 What is the globe for? Fashion statement? Inner life cartography?
fuaburisu 1 month ago
@fuaburisu, Globe... it's the origional Google Earth.
LocumRex 1 month ago
@fuaburisu Remembering what is out there?
nagaempress 1 month ago
@fuaburisu perhaps to find out which country lies where..some people love knowing that kind of stuff..e.g. me growing up
heomak 1 month ago
I find this hilarious at so many different levels
shadman1911 1 month ago
@shadman1911 why?
xlmidi 1 month ago
Comment removed
fuaburisu 1 month ago
I think what they are looking for (emptiness/completeness) is to be found anywhere really. The house itself seems almost comically kitch in the way that everything appears to have been selected for its exact appearance and "fit". The way she dresses is kinda creepy too. What does a black robe have to do with one's inner life? They seem to be really into zen, but Zen isn't about appearances. It's like one pursuit taken to the extreme and missing the point. IMHO.
fuaburisu 1 month ago 4
@fuaburisu meh, black is easy to keep clean. when I first went to my architecture classes my friends and I giggled at all of our proffesors with their gray and black suits and pants and turtlenecks. 2 years later half our class wore mostly black, it hides the ink/stains/blood well, a white shirt doesn't last an all nighter.
BlueStrikeP 1 month ago
Looks like a lovely way of life.
kriztuhfuh82 1 month ago
Can somebody explain to me how this home is 12 square feet? as a single mattress is larger than 12 square feet and this home contains more than that.
MrNum3r5 1 month ago
@MrNum3r5 It's not 12 square feet. It's 12 feet square, meaning it's 12' on each side, or a footprint of 144 square feet (12' x 12'). With the loft, I'd guess the total would be around 200 sq. ft. A lot of people confuse square feet with feet square, but they are different.
hguyw 1 month ago