Politics: I cringe somewhat when posting political stuff, but I’ve never been good at sticking to one subject. I just happen to be all over the place. Once in a while something in the political arena strikes me. I don’t claim to be right and in fact, have a record of naiveté and even polyanna-ish hopes, but these thoughts and observations are all part of my world. Give me Obama, disappointments and all, over any of these dangerous creeps visible in the Republican media circus. I don’t have time to get into dialogues on “comments.” Just puttin it out there…

Music de este Domingo: Jimmy Reed, “Big Boss Man”

Big boss man,

Can’t you hear me when I call?

Big boss man,

Can’t you hear me when I call?

Well you not so big,

You just tall, that’s all…

Fishing:

It’s a great crab season. At night there are a dozen or more lights out in the ocean. Pulling crab pots. Think of the competence and resolve of these fishermen, out on the black ocean at night, getting knocked

around if seas are rough, hauling in heavy traps. tossing under-sized ones, and dumping the rest into boxes, then back to port, Not for the faint-hearted. San Francisco crab dinner: cracked crab, salad, sour-dough garlic bread, red wine.

   It was a much better year for fish in general. Salmon, halibut, rockfish. Great to see all these guys getting wild local fresh food.

Local Oyster Farm Controversy

The Drake’s Bay Oyster Company is being threatened by the same well-heeled “environmentalists” that recently forced the shutdown (in the next 5 years) of all trailers parked at Lawson’s landing. See my photo-report here: https://www.lloydkahn.com/2011/06/29/lawsons-landing-under-threat-by/

“…Some observers see a David versus Goliath struggle, with a federal agency and moneyed environmental groups picking on a family-run business.…” https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/12/10/norcal_oyster_farm_dispute_spreads_to_capitol_hill/?page=2

For a very complete refutation of the National Parks Service’s bad science and underhanded tactics (in cooperation with the Environmental Action Committee) in an article by John Hulls and Todd Pickering, see: https://russianrivertimes.wordpress.com/

Homesteading 

They’ve Made a Better Rat Trap (2 of ’em):

The big problem I’ve had for years is that unless the bait is tied to the trigger, these cunning critters will spirit it away sans springing trap. I was sheet-metal-screwing a ½:”copper plumbing cap to Victor traps, but they would come off. Both these traps have got little cup/triggers you fill (I use Skippy peanut butter) and voila! The springs are also strong. (Got 2 rats last night.)

Woodstream M144 Power Kill Rat Trap

Ortho 0321210 Home Defense Max Secure-Kill Rat Trap

On this subject, here’s an article I wrote a few years ago on critters on the homestead for The Mother Earth News: https://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/Protect-Your-Home-From-Critters.aspx

Homemade Sauerkraut

I got the book Wild Fermentation due to a Cool Tools review: https://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/005221.php

Then got this Polish-made crock: https://www.amazon.com/TSM-Products-Fermentation-Liter-capacity/dp/B002UUT4CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323633345&sr=8-1

It has a lip you fill with water to keep unfriendly bacteria out. Note: If you want weight (recommended), get the 20-liter stones, not the smaller ones. Anyway, sauerkraut (great for digestion) is composed of — cabbage and salt, nada mas. Simple! First batch worked great. Centuries-old low tech.

Is The Old New Again?

It’s not so much that “…the old is new again,” but that some of the old is mighty relevant in this day and age. To wit, Otis now singing “I’ve Been Loving You For Too Long (To Stop Now),” on a vinyl record, live in Paris, 1967, just sent a chill through me…

“If every builder used 5% more American materials, it would create 220,000 jobs right now.” https://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821

From Brendan O’Connor

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hmd4NqtcUBE

Thanks to D. B. Day IV

Yesterday late afternoon, when an almost-full moon had risen over the ridge, Lew informed Rick and me that if you have somone hold a quarter up and view it from a distance of 8 feet, it will be the same size as the full moon. Sure enough it worked.

In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the year of the Hare. Next year, ta-da! — The Dragon. Who knows, maybe things will get kicked up a notch. Maybe things need to get kicked up a notch.

https://www.designfloat.com/blog/2011/02/07/fascinating-water-towers-from-around-the-world/