“You know my beans will be unbrewed,

You know that I would be a liar,

 If I were to say to you,

The caffeine content was much higher.”

Barista art: https://baristart.tumblr.com/

Sent us by Richard Jones

Tiny Homes On the Move Getting photos in from all parts of the world is slow going. Right now we’re trying to get large enough photo files on the Vaka Moana sailing canoes from the South Pacific. Three of these 66′ catamarans sailed into our bay here in 2011, and we’re doing the story of our local fishermen going out to visit them, and of their mission with the Pacific Ocean. They’re navigating by the stars.

   I’m also working on a story on The Moron Brothers, two good-ole-boy Kentucky bluegrass musicians who drift along the Kentucky River in a shantyboat, fishing, eating, telling jokes, and playing some really good bluegrass.

   This morning I just put together two pages on a 54 sq. ft. gypsy vardo with beautiful wooden interior; it’s on a trailer and can be moved at speeds up to 60mph.

   Right now we’ve done rough layout on about 40 nomadic units — on wheels or in the water. Slow moving, but the more days that pass, the better it gets.

The Half Acre Homestead I’m doing presentations on this subject at the Maker Faire in San Mateo this May and at the Mother Earth News Faire in Puyallup, Washington June 2nd. It will cover all the tools we’ve settled on after decades of building and raising and preparing food on a small piece of land. Also photos to give you ideas: kitchen setup, raised garden beds, bantam chickens, foraging, etc.

   You needn’t own a piece of land to utilize some of these tools or techniques. You may live in a city and want to grind your own grain and make your own bread, or carve a wooden spoon, or grow chives in a window box.

   These are tools for people wanting to use their own hands in crafts, or in providing some of their own food and/or shelter. Country, suburban, or urban. There are a lot of things you can do yourself.

   We’re working on URLs for each tool or technique, and we’ll post them on our website. If I really get organized, I’ll pass out cards at my talk with the our website URL and QR code.

  Lately I’ve been thinking of making this into a book. Right now I can’t see what form this one will take, but it should be smaller and cheaper than our color building books. Black & white? I’ve been looking at Sears and Wards catalogs from turn-of-century.

Music de Jour Marian Janes: “I Know a Good Time;” Magic Sam, “I Feel So Good.”

I’m two weeks past my shoulder operation, and practically stylin. A little better every day. I don’t get to start therapy for another 3 weeks. Right arm better but still weak. Walked 5 miles yesterday, along beach with mixmaster ocean, water tussled and murky, 20+mph cold winds from north. Walking along thinking how gnarly it was, then realized how great it was to be moving. Every single time in my life I’ve forced myself to get out there and move (run, walk, bike, paddle, skate) I’ve felt immeasurably better. Get out there, stupid!

Around the homestead:

-Olives I’ve had about 15 gallons of small green olives in water, salt and vinegar for about 3 months, and they’re practically ready. Still a hint of bitterness, but plump and flavorful.

 -Sauerkraut Another thing you just set up and nature’s microorganisms do it all. You only add salt to shredded cabbage, maybe a little water. Used our own cabbage, and it’s fermenting away in the 2-gallon Polish crock in the pantry.

 -Chickens W’re getting 12-14 eggs a day from our little beauties. I favor the Golden Seabright eggs because the birds are so beautiful; maybe the beauty may come through a bit in the eggs, who knows?

 -Green smoothies I use the Blendtec blender a lot, make a green smoothie for lunch when I’m busy. Fresh greens from garden, fruit, protein powder…

 -Nightly vegetables Lesley has provided our vegetables from her garden practically every night for months. Broccoli cooked within minutes of picking is so different — sweet.

 -Crabs It’s a lousy crab season. However, son Evan has been catching them with one of those little snare traps off a fishing rod from shore.

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