Other homestead stuff:Cracks in the Asphalt is an inspiring book that I recommend to people living in any city. It puts together a bunch of the thriving gardens in San Francisco; I didn’t know there were so many and that they were so well developed: https://www.akpress.org/cracksintheasphalt.html…The new catalogue from the North House Folk School has just arrived with its listing of summer classes on building, wood carving, boat building, fiber arts, basketry, clothing, outdoor skills, etc. It’s at a beautiful location on the shores of Lake Superior and would be a great place to send one’s kids for acquiring skills that will be useful for a lifetime: www.NorthHouse.org…The new Lehman’s catalog is also in, with its unparalleled mix of tools for people of our ilk; trust me, send away for the catalog at: https://www.lehmans.com/requestcatalog.aspx As they say: “Simple Products for a Simpler Life.” Yeah!…
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s really paid off to build a tight, rat-and other critter-proof chicken coop plus yard. Billy Cummings did the honors here: concrete floor for their nesting room and feed room, aviary wire on the sides and top of the yard; wire down into the ground a foot or so at bottom edges of yard for digging critters like skunks or raccoons. The yard works so well we don’t even bother closing the little door to their nesting room at night. I probably built five funky chicken coops over the years before this one.
The bantam hens work really well for us; the Golden Seabrights are not only (in my opinion) the most beautiful of chickens, inquisitive, perky, and friendly, but they lay surprisingly well. Once you have your own fresh eggs, you can’t go back to store-bought.
Pepe Alvarez just put up a portfolio of his photos. I just went through the entire batch. They’re quite wonderful. Such a variety and they all hit home with me.
I’ve started using my Lumix 1.7 ASPH 20mm (old designation 40mm) lens on my Panasonic Lumix G1. First time I’ve used a fixed lens in years and it’s fun to be moving myself back and forth, rather than zooming. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get an Olympus OMD body; for one thing I believe I can use all my Lumix 4/3 lenses on it, and it seems like a breakthrough camera.
Looks like a huge wave, right? Well, the wave’s about 18″ high and that’s a remote controlled mini surfer, about 6″ high. These things zoom all over the place, do flips, always land right side up. Below looks like tribute to Rainier Ale, we used to call it “green death.”
“This huge, sawn-timber hay barn was originally built circa 1870. The flooring, ceiling and exterior siding are vintage reclaimed barn boards. The restored barn is now a guest house, garage and wine cellar for a residential estate in southwestern Connecticut.”
Other homestead stuff: Cracks in the Asphalt is an inspiring book that I recommend to people living in any city. It puts together a bunch of the thriving gardens in San Francisco; I didn’t know there were so many and that they were so well developed: https://www.akpress.org/cracksintheasphalt.html…The new catalogue from the North House Folk School has just arrived with its listing of summer classes on building, wood carving, boat building, fiber arts, basketry, clothing, outdoor skills, etc. It’s at a beautiful location on the shores of Lake Superior and would be a great place to send one’s kids for acquiring skills that will be useful for a lifetime: www.NorthHouse.org…The new Lehman’s catalog is also in, with its unparalleled mix of tools for people of our ilk; trust me, send away for the catalog at: https://www.lehmans.com/requestcatalog.aspx As they say: “Simple Products for a Simpler Life.” Yeah!…
