Wanton Triviality

2011-03-04T15:17:00.001-08:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Fast Food and the Parenting Idealist

2010-06-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

Reading the new Anthony Bourdain article, which was awesome by the way, brought up a conversation I had with a coworker a little while ago. I will preface this rant with an admission, my child is still in utero so I have no practical knowledge of child rearing but I have never let practicalities stand in my way.

A coworker who knows my aversion to fast and processed foods asked me if there is anything that I missed eating. I replied that I liked chicken mcnuggets when I was a teenager. She asked how long it had been since I had one. She was aghast when I answered,"More than a decade."

"But what about when you have your child? Won't you take him to the play area or get him a happy meal?" I told her that the park would have to do because I wouldn't feed that stuff to anyone.

How is it weird to keep food away from my child that has been linked to obesity and diabetes, contains mercury and is addictive? How is it different than protecting my child from the many other dangerous things he is going to want to do?

The average American eats 159 fast food meals per year according to Kathleen Aicardi, M.Ed. so I acknowledge that I am in the minority. Even so I will continue to vote with my wallet and buy and grow healthy food for my family.

Sorry for the linkfest but I am always asked for citations on this stuff. I would like to acknowledge the creator of the picture above but I was unable to find a source. I have no direct link for the Kathleen Aicardi, M.Ed. info because the old link doesn't work.

I will climb down off of my soapbox now.

2 trees down and 1 to go

2010-05-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Blue Mountain Tree Services came over and removed a nuisance fir tree and a danger pine tree.

The fir tree was just outside our bedroom and it rained cones and branches on the house every time the wind blew. After the last storm we were ready for it to go.

I called them in for the fir but when Jeff saw our pine tree he immediately noted that is was dangerous due to it's double top and multiple widow makers. It was also directly outside our newly painted nursery-to-be and baby trumps tree in the Jered version of the roshambo.

I will be busy with this mess for a while. Hopefully I can get this taken care of and get my scheduled plantings done.

As for the garden, I hope to get my second planting of beans and third planting of peas in. I might plant the tomatoes out :) , get the second and third plantings of greens in and the peppers out to the green house. The grapes are all going crazy except my Price which seems to have bought the farm.

What am I going to do with all of this space opened up by removing these large trees? Fruit! I should be able to get another 6 trees in this space. I might even find the Pawpaws I have always wanted. I am really excited about that!

Until next time

What is your anchor?

2010-03-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

What are your personal anchors—people, things, places, or rituals—that keep you connected to yourself, your sense of well-being, and your feelings? What makes you feel secure in the world? Who or what can you count on for support? Make a list of these anchors so you can access them when you feel stranded and unsure.
~ Gail McMeekin

That is an awesome thing to think about. What connections do you have that make you feel secure? What ties you to your life and keeps you from floating away and wandering aimlessly?

My easiest answer is my wife. She is my greatest friend and the best partner I could have ever found to share my life with. It is incredible to think that anyone could have had that large of an impact on me.

This quote has made my day by causing me to think about what I really have to be thankful for.

Until next time

Lots going on.

2010-03-01T22:01:00.001-08:00

I am planting like crazy and having a great time. It would be better if I wasn't coming down with a cold but what can you do. Ron loaded dirt in the greenhouse while I planted greens, 60 feet of lettuces and 30 feet of chards.
I am really enjoying myfolia.com. Check it out on the right sidebar. It keeps track of everything I plant. It also connects me with like minded individuals so I don't bore my friends and wife to tears. It is amazing that there are people who don't want to talk about gardening all day.

Until next time

I planted the last 16 seed potatoes tonight

2010-02-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

1 bed done and all the rest to go. I moved the compost pile also since there was a little light left. I am really enjoying the whole process. Ron rototilled again tonight as well. I think we will get the greenhouse done and the greens plant this weekend. Fingers crossed.

Until next time

The Potato Patch is in

2010-02-14T18:39:00.001-08:00

I feel really good about what I accomplished today and the weather was great. I started the day by hauling a couple of loads of compost and wood chips to get the clay soil amended. The rototiller made quick work of the small plot (thanks Ron for getting that thing running so well).

I like the trench method for potatoes so I put my shovel to work and dug 13 furrows. I planted 70 potatoes and 2 horseradish (because I wanted to). I still have 2 open furrows for either yellow finn or cranberry red (AKA all red), whichever I find first. I have started using myfolia.com so you can check out everything I have growing. This site was suggested by the Geek.Farm.Life podcast. Thanks Andrew and Misty.

I really, really, really need to get some other things done but prepping the patch took 6 hrs and I was ready for a shower. I am behind on the greens and garlic. I need to transplant the onion starts to the garden and re-pot the cucumbers. The work is starting to pile up but it will all get done, sooner or later. I am in to what I have heard called, "good enough gardening". The rows aren't straight and things get in late but it is just a hobby and that will just have to be good enough. It's just my yard anyway.

Until next time

It has been raining for most of the week so I have gotten nothing done... and the Olympics opening ceremonies because they are on.

2010-02-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

I plan on spending at least 1 day this weekend out there, rain or shine. If I wake up and it is raining, I am going to take the wife to Silverdale for maternity clothes because she needs some. It is our first child so she still needs to get geared up.

I love the Olympics but the lip syncing is horrible. I am glad that the athletes can't phone it in like that. I apologize for the odd comment but I am watching the opening ceremonies while I type. Bryan Adams co-wrote the song and doesn't know when to hold the prop mic to his face. Suxxx

Anyway.... the wet has kept us from gluing the seams on the greenhouse so I might get that done if it clears up. If not, I am going to top-dress the greens area and plant something. I know it is February but the temp is plenty high enough.

I planted some lemon cucumbers in the house and they sprouted in 5 days. I have planted them out doors before and it took weeks for them to get going. Now what am I going to do with them for the next month? The strawberries have been exactly the opposite. There has been about 20% germination and they are super small still.

Everything else seems to be going to plan though which is amazing. I really need to get on the garden plan but I have never had a garden big enough to need one so I don't know where to start. The best way I know to start an overwhelming job is to pick something and to it. That is the next step.

The opening ceremonies really improved after the Bryan and Nelly song got over. They have done an incredible job. It is so beautiful. I loved the native thing during the march as well with the dancing in costume. Great job Canada.

Until next time

Rototilling is done so now to the green house.

2010-02-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

Ron has been happily rototilling along.

Cousin Kenny and I got the compost spread out yesterday morning and Ron finished mixing it in. The dirt looks great for a first year garden. The coffee grounds, wood chips, compost and elbow grease have changed this lot from a playground into someplace you can grow food.

Next up is the greenhouse. It is going to be 8' X 12' with a 2' raised planting area around the bottom. There will also be some work tables but we will figure them out later.

Until next time

Compost Delivered

2010-02-05T12:10:00.001-08:00

thanks to lazy j's tree farm for delivering it. It would have taken quite a few pickup loads to get it here. 7 yards is a big pile. Next up, spreading it. Should be a job lol.

Droid

2010-02-01T16:23:00.000-08:00

I have had the droid for about a month now and I still like it. The UI is great, I have been able to find an app to handle everything I need to do and when Android 2.1 hits I will have flash.

Taking pictures is still slow but that is the only fault I have found. It has been good gear overall and what more can you ask for.

The garden is finally to it's final size and Zoe

2010-01-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

Ron spent yesterday rototilling and he spent today sore and laying around. He did get a lot done and has gotten to the final size of 88' by 34'. We are not quite to full depth on the north side but it is almost finished. I have moved all of the dirt from our old raised beds to fill in the hole made by the removal of all of the playground gravel, many bags of used coffee grounds and piles of wood chips have been mixed in, and the majority of the large rocks have been pulled and moved over next to the fence.

The next step is planting. The north side will be our greens, carrots and beets area. I will start planting those as soon as we get that side done. I am going to take advantage of this crazy weather and get it started. Everything, including the farmers almanac (ya, ya, ya, I don't want to hear it), says that we are due to keep this weather until the end of march.

You can also see some pipe on the right. That will be our small greenhouse for this year. I will be moving quite a few starts out there to harden them off in about a month.

We have had a new addition to our family and no the baby is not here really early. We adopted a playmate for Seven. Her name is Zoe and she is beautiful. We were lucky to find a really good girl who is super mellow and loving. Thanks to our good friend Nell, we were able to hook up with WAGS, a local animal rescue group. Paula, thanks for not giving up on us when we took our own sweet time.

Until next time

SPROUTS!!!

2010-01-28T15:03:00.001-08:00

I went home at lunch and there have been a lot of new sprouts today. Stupice and black krim tomatoes, crimson forest bunching onions and one of the herbs. No activity on the peppers or the strawberries but I hear that is normal.

I love gardening

Enough of this winter slumber.

2010-01-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

I have been really busy lately but that is no excuse for not posting in so long. We are doing a lot of chores related to the baby. All is well there. I am also continuing to work on prepping the new garden. Ron, Kenny and I chipped a gigantic pile of tree trimmings with a biiiigggg chipper. Thanks to Mike for letting us borrow it. That has all been spread and incorporated into the soil. I have also gotten 40 (or so) bags of coffee grounds from my favorite espresso shop, Higher Grounds Espresso and More. The gals over there have happily shared with me. What an awesome place with a great crew.

I have started planting seeds in the house. My kitchen table is covered in flats of peppers, tomatoes, strawberries and herbs. Ron and I should be constructing a small, mobile PVC hoop building for the starts soon.

Due to the incredible weather, we will be starting some greens soon in the outdoors. It will be so cool to plant something in the new garden. The farmer's almanac says the weather should be like this for the rest of the winter. I can deal with the 50s.

I will take some picture and put together another post this weekend.

Until next time

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

2009-11-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

I was wrong and Ron was right proving again that I should leave machine diagnosis to others. There was nothing wrong with the tiller. Some oil just happened to get burned but nothing is damaged. This means the time that I had set aside for repair was spent tilling. He also tried to explain how to service the undercarriage of my riding mower. I think it would be wise for me to leave that to the professionals.

As you can see, there is still some shovel time left to do but I move closer every day. We are going to enlarge it further as well. Ron suggested using the fence on the left of the picture as trellis for the beans and peas. That is a great idea and I am going to use it. I don't really need to be able to drive around the whole thing. This will extend the width to 32' and I am thinking that the new length will be at least 80'. Maybe I should just cut to the chase and just till the whole thing. ;p

I am really getting a kick out of this gardening thing. I should have started this a few years ago when we first bought that lot.

On a totally different subject, I have been sporting a beard for about a month now. I have noticed a few peculiarities. Maple syrup and beards seem to be inexplicably drawn to each other. A beards holds an amazing amount of liquid. Beards let you experience wind in 3D. The best thing about having a beard is that I no longer get carded for beer. Yes grocery store checker, I HAVE been over 21 for 13 years.

Until next time

I break things.

2009-11-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

I have an amazing aptitude for breaking things. My Wife and Mother-in-law spend the Christmas season searching for tools labeled unbreakable. I have even bent a breaker bar.

As a side note, there is an interesting fact about unbreakable shovels, the warranty only covers the handle. They don't give you a new one if you break the blade. That should be large font information. It should be in big letters right next to the stupid,"Wear eye protection," note. Two of those have met their demise at my hand.

I know that I need to go easy with all of my tools and equipment but there is a difference between practical and theoretical knowledge. With that statement in mind, I broke my new rototiller.

It is called a horse, I assumed that would be a reference to a Clydesdale. I ran it hard for about 3 hours and it started blowing beautiful clouds of white smoke. I shut it down, parked it, researched it and the internet tells me I may have blown the head gasket.

I am far from mechanical so I have enlisted help. Yes, I work with technicians but that condition is not contagious. My buddy Ron is coming in the morning to look it over. He seems to think that sometimes things just blow white smoke. I do not know much about these things but causality is universal until you hit quantum mechanics.

I will let you know.

Until next time

So I am looking at a new smart phone.

2009-11-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

I have resisted getting one this long. I have Verizon and I love their coverage here but, until now, they have required that all data run through their network and disabled the wifi capability of every phone. They say it is to insure the quality of the customer experience but everyone knows that it is because they are greedy and charge high rates for data.

Now Verizon has released the Motorola Droid and the HTC Eris. These are the first to offer both the Google Android operating system and unlocked wifi. The Droid also includes the Google maps turn-by-turn GPS service which precludes the need for VZ Navigator. VZ Navigator is the program Verizon uses to charge you monthly to allow you to use the GPS capability of the phone you bought and paid for.

I don't know if this shows Verizon has recognized the need for and is moving toward a more modern customer-centric view. A view that the customer as more than just a cash cow that needs milked for every little thing. Really, I am pessimistic of this and must assume that Google made them do it.

I don't mind paying for what I want but I already pay monthly for your service. I want to pay for any software, music, ringtone or addon once and then it is mine. If you consider it a license, charge me for the software and then renew me once a year. With the cost of one year of the VZ navigator service, you can buy a whole navigator for you car.

I am happy with this change, no matter how or why it happened, and I may very well vote with my wallet for this to continue. I hope it does continue, I want to feel like a valued customer.

Until next time

There is no light...

2009-11-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

Darkness has postponed all work outside. When I get home from work it is already dusk. I cannot wait for the weekend. We have set up a line around it so I can till in a straight line. We are looking at a completed size of 1680 square feet. I am not sure it will be big enough but I can add on a less than full sun area for greens or something in the back.
Pictures and updates will hopefully get posted this weekend.

Until next time

Digging and digging and digging...

2009-10-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. After today, I think we have 2 more loads of gravel and then I get to play with my new toy. Is it sad that rototilling seems like fun to me? After 3 weeks of digging anything else sounds fun. The light will be short lived because after I get the preliminary tilling done, I will be digging fill.

We have really accomplished a lot. The work has been hard but fulfilling. After it is all said and done, next time we do it with equipment.

Until next time

Where does your SELF come from?

2009-10-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

@tinybuddha sent out a tweet today that brought into focus what I have been pondering lately. "As long as you make an identity for yourself out of pain, you cannot be free of it." ~Eckhart Tolle. Where is it that I derive what I believe myself to be? How do I hang on to what is joyful when this world seems to attack my stability and disparage all that makes me happy?

I need to realize that that I decide what has impact and what pain I carry. Nothing is decided for me. What is inside, I let inside and I need to choose carefully. I don't need to listen to the news every day if it causes me to be anxious. I don't need to constantly visit those things that make me hurt. We all have those pet tortures that we inflict on ourselves, those favorite demons that tell us that we are not what we are supposed to be.

I am not going to define myself by my pain. I am not going to dwell on those demons or external situations that cause me anxiety. I am going to focus on another quote @tinybuddha tweeted, “Things and conditions can give you pleasure but they cannot give you joy—joy arises from within.” ~Eckhart Tolle.

That works both ways, "things and conditions" can make you happy or sad, anxious or calm but to feel true joy or epic sadness it has to come from within.

I choose joy.

When I look inside and find my SELF, I want it to find it happy, joyful and stable so I provide that to those who rely on me. I want to be that kind of husband, brother, son and (sooner or later) father.

Until next time

Maybe we shoud have put the garden somewhere else

2009-10-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the picture I promised, we are removing all of the buried pea gravel where it is loose first. This is the clean stuff my mother-in-law wanted for her house. The middle is cemented in due to the clay they used as fill. Thanks City.

I think if we can get most of it out, I can till whats left into the clay to improve the drainage. After I get that done I can pull the fill from the lower yard, bring in compost from Lazy J's Tree farm and till. I am using Lazy J's because it doesn't have biosolids from the treatment of wastewater at the City Wastewater Treatment Plant which is a good thing. The biosolids give me pause.

Until next time

One post, one mistake

2009-10-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

I need to apologize for double posting. Twitter feeds face book and facebook feeds twitter and twitterfeed feeds them both. So I triple stamped a double stamp and multi-posted. Thanks to those of you who let me know.

Live and learn

Daylight savings time is a pain in the early fall.

2009-10-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

It is getting dark too early to get much done outside after work.

We have been doing the farm share from Nash's Organic Produce. Those boxes have been great and have inspired us to make a big garden of our own.

A couple of years ago we purchased the one lot park next door from the city. The city workers did not remove the pea gravel when they removed the play equipment. They buried it under a couple of inches of soil and I haven't even been able to get grass to grow there. This happens to be within the desired area our garden.

Sooooo we have been working on digging the gravel out. My mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law wanted some for their house and we have given them as much as they can take. Now we are piling it behind the garage. We seem to be about 2/3 of the way done (I will post a pic later).

I am having trouble waiting to use my new toy. It is more new to me than new but we bought a Troy-Bilt Horse rototiller. I cannot wait to give it a try.

There is a good thing about these dark times, it is much less tiring to talk about digging than to dig.

Until next time

New Blog

2009-10-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

By new I mean brand spanking new. I have never had one before so I will do it wrong but you will not have to try and read my handwriting which is good. I will need to look up blog etiquette so I won't annoy everyone when I link cool stuff in.