The Half Acre Homestead in the 21st Century

January 27, 2011 at 3:27 pm

On Tuesday I did a talk/slide show titled “The Half Acre Homestead in the 21st Century” at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. The course was titled “Shelter,” inspired by our 1973 book of the same name, and taught by Kristen Sbrogna.

This is the 2nd presentation I’ve done on the subject; the first was at the Maker Faire last year in San Mateo. I started creating a home and surroundings 50 years ago, have gone through a lot of trials and tribulations as they say, and felt that my experiences might be of interest to anyone attempting to evade the bank/mortgage or high rent syndrome of getting a roof over one’s head.

Above: one of the slides, showing our kitchen dish drying/storage rack, built years ago by Lew Lewandowski. Dishes are slid into slots as soon as rinsed and remain there until used again.

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Cycling into sunset

January 24, 2011 at 4:40 pm

Danny cycling up the road Friday night. Danny has beautiful curly auburn red hair, and when she got into the light, it glowed.

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Dave and Dogs on the beach yesterday

January 24, 2011 at 3:57 pm

Fisherman Dave and his girlfriend have, between them, 3 chocolate Labradors. When Dave would throw the stick into the channel, they’d dive in and race to it. As soon as one of them grabbed it, they’d swim to shore en masse and beg Dave to throw it again. They raced around the beach, digging holes, chasing each other, leaping and bounding. Dogs know how to have fun!

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For Bob Dylan fans only…

January 23, 2011 at 7:09 pm

Can we talk?

Last week on Sirius radio they played “Most likely you go your way and I’ll go mine,” and it was stunning. After all these years, it sounds better than ever.

Put on Blonde on Blonde, track #9. Jesus! And if you’ve lost it over the years, buy the album. Trust me.

Then time will tell

just who fell

And who’s been left behind

When you go your way and I go mine

Several years ago, my neighbor Chick, who has turned me on to music such as J.B. Hutto and the Hawks, gospel singer Dorothy Love Coates, and the radio recordings of Hank Williams — said, “Listen to Blonde on Blonde.” And I did and was knocked out and played Dylan music for weeks.

Boy, was something going on back then! It can almost bring on tears.Click below for words.

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Colombia police catch drug-smuggling pigeon

January 23, 2011 at 1:05 pm

“Call it a case of high-flying criminal ingenuity: Colombia police captured a carrier pigeon trying to fly into a Bucarmanga jail with marijuana and cocaine paste strapped to its back, the BBC is reporting.

Officers say they recovered the bird about 1 block away from the prison. Carrying a package with 40 grams of marijuana and 5 grams of a paste containing cocaine, the bird — which police believe had been trained by inmates or accomplices — appeared to be unable to successfully clear the prison walls.

“We found the bird about a block away from the prison trying to fly over with a package, but due to the excess weight it could not accomplish its mission,” said Jose Angel Mendoza, the local police commander, told the Telegraph. The bird is reportedly now being cared for by the local ecological police unit.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/19/drug-smuggling-pigeon_n_811044.html

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Straighten Up and Fly Right-Andrews Sisters, 1940s

January 21, 2011 at 1:33 am

A buzzard took a monkey for a ride in the air,

The monkey thought that everything was on the square.

The buzzard tried to toss the monkey of of his back

But the monkey grabbed his neck and said now listen, Jack:

Straighten up and fly right,

Straighten up and fly right,

Straighten up and fly right,

Cool down papa, don’t you blow your top.

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