We were in the tiny town of Kingston, New Mexico not long ago
and decided to stop by the Black Range Lodge,
which is owned and operated by Catherine Wanek.
I am glad we did as Catherine was a wonderful host
and the lodge is truly a unique place in a building that started its life in the 1880's
when Kingston was a brand new, thriving and boisterous mining town.
The current stone building was built from the ruins of Pretty Sam's Casino
and the Monarch Saloon.
Check out the link above as the lodge is a cozy place to stay
with lots to explore in the surrounding Black Range Mountains
and Gila National Forest.
Inside there our different sitting areas with lots of games, reading material,
and a bright kitchen area with a breakfast that gives a boost to the day.
But that is not all.
Catherine is also a strong proponent of building with straw bale
and for many years has written books and conducted workshops on the subject.
There is lots to see at the Black Range Lodge on straw bale.
Check out her website strawbalecentral.com for more
and her latest book is The Hybrid House published last year.
She is also a cofounder of Builders Without Borders.
The greenhouse above is recovering
from the lowest temperatures ever recorded last winter.
In the next few posts we will spend some time at the Black Range Lodge,
looking at the straw bale projects there,
and explore building in Kingston as we take a tour of the town.
Stay tuned.
