What happens when an International Space Station architect wants to go camping in comfort? He doesn't upgrade to a better air mattress that's for sure. Instead, he designs a camper that combines his "NASA experience with his love of the earth." 
Architect and designer Garrett Finney's Cricket combines the durability of a solid trailer with the versatility of a popup. The Cricket sleeps four people (with two in hammocks) and when the trailer is parked and popped, it has over six feet of headroom.
If the Cricket is your idea of the perfect Summer camping comfort, find out more about this cool concept and its eco credentials on Treehugger!
Hsiao is also in the process of creating a collection of ceramic living sculptures, including jewelry and other succulent grouping systems. Do you like the look of these hangings? Would you try something like this at your home — or better yet, on a garden patio or outdoor Summer seating area?
While I sometimes miss the hot, humid Summers I grew up with in the Midwest, I'm not envying the temperatures across the Midwest and the East Coast this weekend. With the heat index reaching triple digits, the weather's downright brutal. What's the weather like where you live? More importantly, if it is hot in your hood, how are you dealing with it?
As you can see, the redwood was gray and green — not the warm wood color with which it started life. Plus, there was lichen growth on the wood, and I was concerned about the wood's quality deteriorating. The last thing my husband and I wanted to do was replace the deck, since it's earthquake retrofitted and bolted halfway into our house's footprint.
Want to see how the decks turned out? 