Art of Living Event in Briar Chapel Tomorrow

If you haven't been out to Briar Chapel in awhile, I encourage you to come out tomorrow (Saturday 25th) from 10am to 6pm for the "Art of Living" event.


During the event, three new model homes will be unveiled by MorningStar Homes and Homes by Dickerson, as well as the Villas by M/I Homes. David Weekley Homes will also be introducing its latest floor plans during the event.

As you visit each model home, be sure to register for a chance to win one of five pieces of artwork by Elaine O’Neil, this month's featured artist. One of the lucky winners will receive the grand prize - a beautiful textile art piece that Elaine will personally customize for their home (see Newland's website for details). Make sure you’re here at 4 pm to meet Elaine as well as a representative of the Chatham County Arts Council.

In addition to meeting the newest builders and touring the model homes, be sure to stroll over to Briar Patch Park between 1 pm and 3 pm for some free ice cream provided by Maple View Farms. In addition to checking out the new community garden that was installed earlier this week, you'll have a chance to see the unveiling of the latest piece of community art, Metamorphis—a large metal environmental sculpture by North Carolina Artist Grace Cathey.

Cathey's sculpture was the winner of the Jackson County Green Energy Park annual sculpture competition in 2009. The sculpture is made of cor-ten steel and is interpretive of the metamorphosis of a butterfly from chrysalis to caterpillar to winged beauty.

Installing a Dual Flush Converter in Briar Chapel

In a previous post, I mentioned that I had improved the efficiency of our Briar Chapel home even more by installing a whole-house hot water recirculating system.

Earlier this week, I decided to convert one of our standard toilets into a water-saving, dual-flush one by installing the HydroRight™ Dual Flush Converter by MJSI. I picked up a kit at Costco for $19, but you can also find them online for about $21-26.


Based on dual flush technology that has been used in Europe and Australia for decades, the HydroRight allowed me to quickly turn our standard toilet into two-button fixture. One button is the "Quick Flush" (#1) setting that uses up to 70% less water for liquids and paper – the setting needed 4 out of 5 times. The second "Full Flush" (#2) button uses the normal amount of water for solids.

I was able to install the system in about 10 minutes without any tools; it took another 5 to adjust the settings. Best of all, I did not have to remove the tank, but I was able to get rid of the flapper - the usual culprit of leaks.

We've been very happy with the performance of the converter so far, so I've decided to convert the rest of our toilets over the next few weeks. With these water-saving devices, we hope to save 30% of our overall indoor water usage. This is based on a recent survey by Veritec Consulting.