A House ? Protection from the Elements

"There''s no place like home," sang Dorothy in movie, "The Wizard of Oz." And ''home'' can be a hut, a hovel, or a house, depending on which part of the globe you live on. What do you build your house with? It all depends on what you can put your creativity and hands on.

When the early settlers crossed through the Great Plains in the United States and decided to settle, they didn''t find the usual wood and stone to build their houses with. The settlers solved the problem by making sod houses. By cutting rectangles about 12 inches by 18 inches and stacking them on each other like bricks, they were able to homestead and be protected from the fierce winds and cold winters.

By the early twentieth century the prairie settlers found that hay bales made great insulation, and when covered with sod and a little ingenuity the settlers could have a quite comfortable house to live in, and also protection for their animals. This practice of making a home from natural products such as hay bales is now being renewed in many parts of the central states of the United States.

Most people assume that the cavemen lived in caves. Although sometimes they used them for shelter, the main use of the caves was for resting places for the dead, or for drawing and expressing their own style of religion or magic. Nevertheless, the cave is still considered to be the first house. From that basic start humans evolved to using tree houses to protect themselves from the rising waters and the wild animals.

Always that word ''protect'' seems connected with a house. Centuries later in Egypt royal houses, palaces, and temples were built of lime blocks. The Pyramids, considered to be a home for the dead, have left humans in awe for centuries, as has the elaborate Taj Mahal in India.

The average modern-day house would be like a palace to people of centuries ago. They would not be able to comprehend the running water, both hot and cold ? or the multitude of items provided by electricity. What? No candles? Just flip a switch and there is light! Turn a little dial and dim the light! Press a button on a TV and there are dynamic pictures of horses running, people laughing, or fire consuming logs in a fireplace that looks like those used centuries ago.

The house of today will look like the present owner wants it to, thanks to the freedom of interior design that can be applied to suit one''s whims. During a twenty year period a house can have a western look, and then be remodeled to look like a 1960s party house.

Perhaps the next owner redecorates it to look like a Mediterranean home, and the next owner likes a super-modern style that matches Picasso''s pictures.In theory, the appearance of a house can fulfill your dreams and fantasies, yet it will always be only a house, not a home, until you add love and laughter.

Paul Babs is the owner of Mantle Homes which tackles all housing issues. For more information, go to: http://www.frfhouse.com