Alternative Building methods: First Monolithic Dome Home in Moscow

This house was built in 1998.

 EXTRACT from Featured Homes:

see the full article here http://www.monolithic.com/stories/first-monolithic-dome-home-in-moscow-russia

Monolithic Dome in Mocow

Sviet Raikov, a native Russian, built this Monolithic Dome home, 36′ × 18′, after learning the technology in a Monolithic Workshop.

Double-door entry

Kitchen

Staircase

Upstairs bedroom

According to Sviet, there are two bedrooms upstairs with built-in beds and desks. The staircase turns back in on itself; it uses less room than even a spiral staircase would. As one enters the home, the kitchen is on the right and the living room, with a fireplace, is on the left. To protect the home’s interior during cold winters, the entryway has a double door.

USES: Blackthorn Tree

Prunus spinosa

Most people know that the purple berries of the blackthorn tree are the main ingredient of sloe gin but many do not know that the blackthorn tree also has several other uses as an ancient folk medicine.

The parts used for other reasons are the dark green leaves, white flowers,gray/orange bark and the berries have medicinal uses.

Other uses include using the bark, fruit and leaves for dyes.

A well known effective product is Blackthorn Berry Elixir .  This delicious product is benificial for milk production for breastfeeding mothers as well as for convelecants/those recovering from a long illness or sufferning from exhaustion.

• Some say that where Blackthorn grows near Hawthorn, the site is especially magical.  Others say the two should not be planted as Hawthorn will kill Blackthorn.
• Witches were appently known to carve the Norse rune THURISAZ (thorn) onto a Blackthorn stave for protection.
• In Scotland, winter begins when the Cailleach (also the Goddess of Winter) strikes the ground with Her Blackthorn staff.
• Blackthorn is found throughout the British Isles, and dwells on the edge of woodlands forming dense thickets and hedgerows. 

NOTE:  Always check with your doctor before using any herbal remedy. 

Ref:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2126238_use-blackthorn-health.html
http://www.oakenwoods.co.uk/html/blackthorn.html

Read more: The Blackthorn Tree
http://www.shee-eire.com/Herbs,Trees&Fungi/Trees/Blackthorn/Factsheet1.htm