Sunlight energizes and inspires me; I love to have it flooding into my home. During the summer the sun's rays are intense, the heat is blazing hot so it must be managed.
Every afternoon I make my way through the house lowering the shades in the west facing windows. I carry out this simple and calming ritual to help keep the house cool, to cut down on energy consumption.
And, in the mornings, the shades in the east facing windows stay down until noon. Our house stays cooler and we use a little less energy.