Life and times of a new farmer/homesteader

Goodbye.

{ 11:42 , Sunday, April 1, 2007 } { 4 comments } { Link }

Not much there yet, but here's my new blog:

http://hillbilly-hippy.blogspot.com/

It's my day-to-day musings about life on the homestead. All the diatribes will be on my "darkerside" blog, unless someone writes a nasty comment. If you stop by, say "Hi."

I won't post a link to my "darkerside" blog, because doing so might break the TOS here. I do use vulgarities there. Strong vulgarities. Ask if you want to see it, or look for it. It's not hard to find.

Peace,

Raymond

--blip--

Thanks all. (ok, it gets a little nasty towards the end)

{ 10:59 , Friday, March 30, 2007 } { 10 comments } { Link }

Thanks to all who have commented and sent messages. It doesn't change things, but I appreciate the well-wishes. I'll keep watching those blogs I truly enjoy. There are quite a few.

I'm not against all Christians. I'm not against most Christians. Just some. I have met dozens of really good folks here for every one who truly offended me. I am just tired of the junk. I am tired of seeing good people leave. I'm tired of the hate-mongering. It wouldn't bother me nearly as much if I were a faceless blog somewhere, and not part of a community like here. Someday, there might be a community who wants folks like me. That wants people like all homesteaders. That puts a higher value on what you say, than how you say it.

Not every one who talks about their beliefs, or God, or whatever, is spreading hate. Most aren't. Most aren't into personal attacks. But hey, the few that are, watch out for them. Your turn will come, when they find something you say offensive. What you might say doesn't have to be meant offensively, but they will make you cringe when they point their hate at you. They won't be happy unless they have an enemy to attack. Sometimes, they will use your name directly, mostly they won't.

From what people have told me, you don't even have to say all that much. You just have to be Pagan, or Catholic, or Agnostic. I have seen and heard of these folks leaving. Who's next? Lutherans? Anglicans? Who will be left? Just a couple angry people hurling personal attacks?

It may be worse elsewhere, but most places don't build the kind of community you find here. It hurts much worse when you have become invested in peoples lives. A small site like this, it's easy to get too involved. Few enough people here, so you can get to know quite a few of them well.

I will always be interested in discussing beliefs and philosophies with anyone who will approach it with an open mind, or a will to argue logically. Some of the discussions I have had here on messages have been very enlightening. It's a shame some may never be completed, even if they never really could have been. I never got back to answering some folks questions. And I haven't finished reading Ecclesiastes yet, so I never took back up one conversation I was really enjoying. Most of the other conversations were logic arguments. All truly enjoyable.

My e-mail is linked to my profile. If anyone wants to continue our conversations along these lines, I will write you back as I can.

If you just want to sling insults, I'm up for that too, in good humor of course.

If you spew hatred, you will be ignored, or worse. I might make you think.

Hey, for those of you who are good Christians, and you know who you are, watch these people who spew hate, and go out and try to do something about it. It's in the name of your beliefs they are representing to the world. And it doesn't look good to those of us who don't share them. They are the reason we don't. At least, they are the reason I don't.

Whenever, wherever I find hatred, judgment, bigotry, or any other nastiness, I'm just likely to see the opposite side of things. I don't ignore unpleasantness, it's not in my nature. Still, I get tired of it. Both on the part of me and others. Hey, I'm as much to blame as anyone. HSB has become a stress on me because of it. I don't like being angry as often as I have been in the last few weeks. There was a time in my youth when I would rally against any injustice with my writing. Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe it's getting old.

The decision to leave took a while in coming. It's almost time. There were several things that went into the decision, including tech problems and personality conflicts. Just a few more loose ends to tie up.

Just remember, no one made me leave. They insulted me, misquoted me, implied I am evil, made me terribly uncomfortable, and they will hold the door open when I leave, but no one made me leave. As such, nothing is their fault. Keep that in mind.

But why listen to me? I'm not even a Christian, so apparently I shouldn't quote scripture. Let me know when the Bible stops being the sole property of those who already believe. The quotes were not random, they were all about loving each other. Sorry if that offended anyone. I have already seen one blog post by someone who was offended by it. They call me out by name. I have done that once too, in response to a comment on my blog. To my knowledge, I have never read their blog before today. I probably never would have had it not been called to my attention. If I ever had, it just didn't interest me.

How do you get to be a Christian anyway? Some folks here (just a few,) make it sound like some sort of high-end country club. One that has no use for someone like me, or really, for most people. Although I would never belong to a club who would have me as a member, to paraphrase G. Marx.

WWJD? Probably not what I did (LOL.) What would you do?

To those of you who enjoy that sort of thing, you only have until Sunday to kick me on my way out the door. Enjoy. Maybe it give good people a reprieve for a couple days. People who actually care what other people think. I don't care what people think, mostly; I only care that they think.

Peace.

Raymond

Gone by Sunday (diatribe)

{ 02:32 , Friday, March 30, 2007 } { 9 comments } { Link }

I'm leaving.   I will have another blog set up soon, and by Sunday, I'll be gone.

It really took a few things to make me decide. One was the "trouble" post on the front porch.

I know that profanity and vulgarity aren't allowed here, and as such, I don't use them. I have seen the effective use of such words here. They don't bother me nearly as much as some of the hate speech spewed by self proclaimed "Christians" I have seen here.

When I signed up here, I saw this place as a haven for homesteader types. I had no idea it was a "Christian" site. I should have gotten the hint, but I didn't. Even if I had, I don't think it would have mattered much. I have always had a great deal of respect for Christianity. Granted, I don't consider myself a Christian, but I love the Bible. It's a great read. I really started to get the clue that this site has a seriously Christian bent, from the top down, when the comment about the virus a while back was made"Several Christian sites have been attacked." I always had just figured that most of the people here were Christian. I didn't realize that this is who the site is intended for. It says nothing like that on the home page. It should.

The problem I can have with Christianity is, well, some "Christians." When did things change from "Judge not.." to "you are evil?" I see people here use scripture all of the time to show why folks that don't believe exactly as they do are, well, "evil."

I don't see much mention of the following:

John 13-34: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Romans 13-8: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

1 Thess 4-9:   But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

They are out of context, granted, but I see that happen all the time here. It would seem that taking scripture out of context, you could really prove or disprove just about anything you want to. For your desires, not Gods.

I do see posts like the "Study on Satan" and the like. Nice to know that no matter how beautiful the Bible can be, you can always find something in it to proclaim those "other" than you as in the grip of Satan. (Smell that, that's sarcasm.) It reminds me of "the church lady" on Saturday Night Live some years back. At least there, it was tongue in cheek. Here, it's pretty serious. And a shame.

Posts like the one mentioned above show those of us that aren't self-proclaimed Christians that we really aren't wanted here. "Trouble in blogland" perhaps, but really it's just another reason to leave.

It's too bad. I like it here. However, I would rather blog somewhere where truly everything goes, than somewhere where the rules are slanted toward so called "Christian" hate-mongers. Someplace where everyone can spew whatever garbage they want to spew, and not get shut down because they use a vulgarity now and then while hate speech is tolerated.

You know, somewhere that's open to all people, not just fundamentalist "Christians." Some one like me, who believes in a Creator, but doesn't limit that belief to any one dogma. Any dogma.

-----------------------------------

So, as such, I'm outta here. I will post a link to my new blog sometime soon. Plus, for those who want to see it, I will post a link to my "darkerside" blog as well.   My posts here will remain up, my e-mail address and messenger will remain up, and I will come back now and then to read peoples blogs that interest me. I probably won't go through the "last 100" anymore. While most of what is here is good, useful info, too much diatribe exists as well. I don't mind the diatribe too much, but I can't ignore it. And here, I don't want to add to it anymore.

In the next few days, I will post a couple more posts. Then I'm gone. If those powers that be want me to remove my blog in it's entirety, please let me know so I can transfer my posts elsewhere.

Goodbye. Pax vobiscum.

Raymond

~~No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 (NIV)

Back again (some diatribe, nothing unfit for children)

{ 10:42 , Thursday, March 29, 2007 } { 1 comments } { Link }

I dropped off my son today, back at my folks house. It's been four days since I have been online, and longer since I have blogged. We had a good week. I don't get online when I have company, it seems. Too much else to do.

As for my week, we went to the coast, ate well, and got a ton of work done. I'm really looking forward to having Ryv out here for the summer. It's amazing what two folks can do. I get along so well with my son. We have a ton to learn from each other.

Today, I saw something I have never seen before. A vulture. I have heard that they are ugly birds, but they have something of a unique beauty, now that I have seen one. Totally black feathers, with a bright red unfeathered head. They are huge, and their flight is slow and clumsy. I asked the guy down at the market if there were vultures here, and he told me that there were this time of year. I grew up about 150 miles from here, and I have never seen one. I didn't even know they were in the maritime north west. I am looking forward to seeing more.

My son and I saw a herd of elk on our way to the beach on Tuesday. What amazing creatures. None had antlers, that we could see. I wonder when they will start growing after the shedding. Maybe they have already started, but we were far enough away not to see them. The herd we saw was about 30 in size. We also saw a couple single elk in different places. None with antlers. We also saw lots of people raking for oysters, and lots of skunk cabbage in the swamps. Today, I saw my first trilliums of the season. It was a good week for wildlife and native plants.

------------

Some diatribe to follow.

So what's up with the messages? I had 82% full when I last logged on, and 100% full when I logged on today. No new messages, and I had to delete all of my sent messages and some of my received messages to get down to 84%. That's over a 50% reduction in message space. Well, if that's how this blog site is... I will post my e-mail onto my profile. Please send messages that way from now on. If HSB is trying to drive away members, it might work. I, for one, am getting really tired of it and all the other stuff.

Other than that, I don't have much to say yet. I understand some of you have been acting up in my absence. I will get to you later. Once I find out the details.

So, I'm back again. How was your week?

Peace,

Raymond

Heyas!

{ 01:39 , Saturday, March 24, 2007 } { 2 comments } { Link }

My son, Ryver, is here for the week. How fun! As such, I probably won't be on as much as I normally am. Since he is looking through my seeds, to chose for his garden, I thought I would jump on really quick.

I didn't get the job, but I got a different job opportunity in the e-mail yesterday. We'll see what happens.

Well, we'll talk, sooner or later. I'll respond to the messages I have received, look over other folks blogs, and write here as I can. I have a busy week planned for my and Ryv, so I might miss a day or two, but I will try to keep up as best I can. If all else fails, I'll give a detailed report once he goes back to school. Until then, things will probably be brief.

Ciao!

Raymond

Spring break already?

{ 06:08 , Thursday, March 22, 2007 } { 4 comments } { Link }

I totally forgot spring break starts tomorrow for my son. I will go and pick him up and we will come back here. It's going to be great! I have so much work for us, stuff that's difficulty to do alone, and stuff that's just more fun when someone else is around. I won't go into too much detail here, as he could read it and decide not to come out. Heh, like he has a choice. Plus, it gives me an excuse to come home tomorrow. I would rather be here than anywhere, and with Ryv here, I don't see a reason to go anywhere else.

Ryv will be bringing the seeds he selected for his garden. I don't know what they will be, but if it's appropriate to plant them, we will.

I'm making jambalaya for dinner. Good, spicy food. Wish I had a green pepper for it, but I'll make do. I didn't use a recipe, but I think I have one on my blog somewhere. If not, I'll post one later.

Gotta figure out what to do about sore shoulders. Maybe I'll see if I can get a hot-water bottle somewhere. Using steaming towels tonight, but they don't stay hot very long. Nothing serious, I'm just sore tonight. I've been using muscles I haven't used for a while.

Peace,

Raymond

Today was a good day, and on my blog

{ 03:53 , Thursday, March 22, 2007 } { 5 comments } { Link }

I'm so sore. Today I spent putting in fence posts. Good, hard work. Still, I'm sore now. And still have so much more to do with the fences. Polly has been in a feisty mood. We go inside, and she wants to go out. We go outside, and she wants to come in. I've had days like that, so I understand.

Tomorrow I am heading into Portland again. I might beg off of it though, as I have so much to do here. I'll still head into town, but I probably won't spend the night. We'll see.

Still wondering about what to do about my blog here. I'm leaning toward keeping it, but I haven't made a choice. If I do stay here, I might have to shake things on my blog up a bit. Not sure how that will work out, either. I'm still not sure what I want to blog for, beyond sharing my thoughts and experiences with my family and friends. I do that in a few different places, and I'm thinking about consolidating everything. I do know, from reading other peoples blogs, comments, and messages here, that I would probably get labeled as a "Troll" if I did that here. I've always considered myself more of an "Ogre." I'm not going to go out of my way to rile up anyone. I just like to speak my mind. I can take the heat from stating my mind, but I don't want to add to the vitriol and diatribe here or anywhere else. I've done my share of that in the past. I would like to be able to read peoples blogs in peace, as I'm sure most of you would. Maybe if more people just wrote about their experiences, thoughts, and ideas, without tearing into other people for their experiences, thoughts and ideas, we would all learn something. I'm guilty of that too, at times. I've come a cross a couple blogs that never write about anything but what other people say. It would be nice to know what these people think and experience, but I don't get a feel for that at all. Thank goodness most of the blogs here aren't like that. Thank goodness most of the blogs here do give a window into the authors soul; their thoughts, ideas, and experiences. These people are becoming or have become my friends. I really should sort through my friends list to better reflect that. I really wouldn't have to change much.

I don't know, maybe I won't change things at all. I'm ok with writing my experiences here, and many of my thoughts elsewhere. Then, when I do post something here, it's normally something others here would like to read. Many who would like to read my other blog already know about it. Some probably wish they didn't. My life is an open book. This blog is merely one chapter. Maybe it's better that way.

Going to spend more time thinking about it.

Peace,

Raymond

Song: Wish you were here.

{ 07:58 , Wednesday, March 21, 2007 } { 4 comments } { Link }

I haven't posted a song for a while. I thought it was time.

My son and I were sitting in the back seat of my parents mini-van, stuck in rush hour highway traffic, a couple weeks back. My mother mentioned that she had never heard my son sing before. My son told her that he rarely sings, but he does sing "Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd on occasion. I related that I sang that song in front of my entire track team when I was in highschool. Mom mentioned that she had never heard the song. I sang the first verse, my son sang the second, and we sang the last verse together. I rarely sing with my son, not often enough, so it was a joyous occasion. Especially for my mother.

Wish you were here
Lyrics by Roger Waters
Music by Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
a walk on part in the war
for a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
swimming in a fish bowl,
year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
----------

Ok, it's a bit depressing, but my son and I both enjoy that kind of thing. It's meaningful to both of us. Kind of like our mutual joy of steam-punk. Babbage lives! So does Tesla! (For my son's benefit. Inside joke. What a different world we might live in if they had met... Maybe with H. G. Well's time machine.)

Pax vobiscum

Raymond

My weekend, in some detail

{ 04:37 , Wednesday, March 21, 2007 } { 1 comments } { Link }

It was a great weekend, even though I went to the big city for part of it.

Friday afternoon, I went to Portland to see my family. This seems to
be becoming a regular thing. I am committed to going there every
other week for a while, to help my parents rebuild their old house on
the river. It was also the house I spent my three years as a hermit
in, so I have something to do with the need to rebuild it. It is in a
rainforest, and that has more to do with it than anything. Things rot
really quickly in a rainforest. If you don't keep up with them, and
if no one lives there for about two years, nothing gets done. Now,
things have gotten to the point that major rework is necessary. It
was the house I grew up in. It is the house my father built. It is
worth saving.

On the off weekends (like this one,) I seem to end up going to
Portland anyway. Something is always going on. This weekend, it was
something special. A few things, as it ended up.

Friday, I mostly just hung out with my parents. My son had something
planned, so my folks and I hung out and talked. Good conversation. I
get along very well with my parents. We had a Mexican style salad for
dinner, and my parents had a few glasses of wine so they loosened up a
bit. I had horchata to drink. It's like a spiced rice milk, and one
of my favorite drinks. One thing I have realized since quitting
drinking is how much fun it is to hang out with people who are
drinking, and being aware enough not to forget everything in the
morning. Tipsy people can be a lot of fun to be around. My parents
exemplify that.

Mom went to bed early, as she was tired. Friday is both of their big
days. Both of theirs big day? Ack. English can be difficult for
even a native speaker.

Anyways, Friday is freight day for both of their hardware stores.
Mom gets her freight at 5:30 a.m. Dad gets his about an hour later.
Mom, as well as getting up to go to work at 4:30 a.m., gets off work
at 6:00 p.m. It makes for a long day. Dad gets off work much
earlier, as he really only works a couple half-days a week since
"retiring."

I spent the few hours that they were awake talking to them about their
plans, their aspirations, my plans, my aspirations, and all sorts of
good stuff. After my mom went to bed, my father and I talked about
poker and world events for a couple hours. We also talked about our
"big day" on Saturday. I found out my son wasn't going to come with
us. He wanted to stay home, so when my daughter got there there would
be someone she could hang out with. My mom had a baby shower she had
committed to in the afternoon, and a city planning meeting she wanted
to go to in the morning. My son staying home helped make this
feasible. Plus he had some homework to do, and he thought it would be
a good use of his time. Good boy! Even if it meant he missed out on
the plant workshops dad and I were going to. It's nice that he is
showing some responsibility, both toward his school work and his
sister. If she had come into town the day before, she probably would
have come with us. She didn't want to get up when her mom did. That,
I suppose, is her choice. She's only 14, and she doesn't always think
of others first. Other than that, she makes good choices.

The next morning, my dad and I got up at 6:30 a.m. and headed north to
Morton, Washington, for the Raintree Nursery Open House. We had a
great breakfast on the way. When we got there at 9:00 a.m., we went
to a mushroom growing seminar. It was pretty cool. We didn't learn
much science that we didn't already know, but we did learn some
practical advice, and we got to see some of the things we knew as
theory put into practice. We also met some good mycophile contacts.
Dad bought some shiitake mushroom spawn for plugging some of the maple
logs we brought home a few weeks back, and learned how to use them.

At ten, we split up, and I went to a "selecting fruit plants for the
maritime northwest" seminar while he went to a "Berries; Blue, black,
rasp, straw, and goose" class. Once again, we both met some great
resources, and came away with some great ideas. At eleven, we both
went to the "Pests and Diseases" workshop, and learned some good
organic methods to use, along with some chemical methods we may never
use. We also learned what various diseases and pests look like.
There are a couple fungal problems I now recognise in my apple trees,
and I now know how to deal with them organically. Really good
information all around.

Noon was supposed to be lunch, but since we had breakfast right before
we got there, neither of us were hungry. We ended up choosing scion
wood and looking over the book selections offered. We bought a few
books, some grafting bands, and dad bought some rootstock. I got
apple scions to graft to my existing trees. Dad got some asian pear
scions, and dwarfing rootstock for them. I called a couple people
(mom and grandma,) and dad read through one of his books.

After lunch, we went our seperate ways again. I went to a wine grapes
for the maritime northwest symposium and dad went to an espallier class.

A word of explanation. I don't drink. Most, if not all, of you know
that. I do, however, really enjoy making wine, beer, cider, mead, and
other alcoholic beverages. All in all, I really enjoy zymurgical
persuits, from making alcohol, to making bread, to making yoghurt and
cheese, to making vinegar, to making saurkraut and pickles. I like
playing with bacterial fermentation. It's one of my wierd little
quirks. While I will smell taste my home made alcohol, I won't
swallow it, and most of it goes to cooking, food preservation, barter,
or making custom vinegars. As such, I like to make the best alcoholic
beverages I can, even if I never actually do so for the alcohol.
These fermentations can dramatically change the flavor and character
of the base material, often improving it in some amazing ways. To
make a truly great vinegar, you need to start with a great alcohol.

When I did drink, I drank wine for the most part. When I make
alcohol, I have the most difficulty with making wine. Grape wine. As
such, I still have a great deal of interest in doing so well. I also
have an interest in growing my own grapes for wine, so that I can
truly get the flavor of my land, my terroir.

As it happens, I learned a great deal about growing great wine grapes
in the maritime northwest. I plan on putting that knowledge to use,
next year. I also learned what I need to do to my land this year to
insure a successful vineyard in the years to come, and what sort of
yields I can expect from the vines I plan on planting. This lets me
know how many vines to plant, for the batches of wine I tend to make.

However, I don't think I left that lecture with anything near the
enthusiasm my father left his espallier class with. My father lives
in the city, and his options for planting trees are quite limited. He
had been planning on planting his asian pears here on my farm. Now,
he has other plans. He is going to create a fence bordering his
property using methods he learned there. I would not be surprised if
someday he had an entire orchard on his city lot of small,
artistically formed fruit and nut trees. He was always into bonsai.
Espallier fits well into his mindset.

Our last class for the day was on pruning fruit trees. We went to
this one together. I learned a ton. I also learned I have been doing
things a bit wrong. You aren't supposed to look at a fruit tree with
what you are going to take away in mind, you should look at it with
what you are going to *keep* in mind. I learned some of the science
behind the techniques I have learned in the past. I also learned a
great deal on how to save trees I would have thought were unsavable
before. That is a great gift to receive. I love trees. Being able
to add several years of life to a useful tree that I might have
otherwise considered a loss is wonderful.

After the classes, we went to the nursery proper. It is really in the
middle of nowhere. It is also a beautiful grounds, with examples of
many of the techniques we learned in our classes. My father spent
much time looking over the espallier garden, and I perused the
greenhouses. He bought a dwarf apple with three or four different
varieties grafted to it in such a way that it would make an easy
espallier. He also bought a couple huckleberry bushes. I bought two filbert trees and three fruit bushes. My father gave me a bit of a hard time on my choice of nuts.

"We live in the heart of hazelnut country and you get filberts," I
believe were his words. One is a contorted variety, and already quite
gnarly. The other will pollinate it, and is disease resistant. What
can I say? I love hazelnuts, but it can be hard to find filberts
here. They are related, and quite similar, if you are unfamiliar with
either nut. Filberts can be a bit more oily. I like using them for pie crust.

Well, that was my big day and what led up to it in a "nutshell."

Pun intended.

Pax

Raymond

Two vines

{ 04:33 , Wednesday, March 21, 2007 } { 2 comments } { Link }

It was suggested to me that I post this on one of my blogs after I wrote it on a group I belong to.

I see my parents marriage as two vines, a wisteria and a clematis.

They were planted together, at onetime, and as such, they grew
together. The vines that they are individually have interwoven, in a
common past. Twisted at times, but together. Getting support from
one another. When they bloom, they are so different, but if you look
to their vines, it is hard to tell them apart. Their contortions and
curls show character, and from a distance, great beauty. On closer
inspection, you can see how they have competed, struggled with each
other; but still, they both bloom. I can see no way to remove one
without damaging the other.

Their blooms, separately, are both beautiful. But together, they are
more than they could have ever been separate. A synergism, a whole
greater than the parts. Two blooms so different, but both flowers of
beauty, none the less. Both vines, intertwined.

Pax vobiscum,

Raymond

I'm not gone yet. What I have been doing

{ 04:13 , Tuesday, March 20, 2007 } { 5 comments } { Link }

Test seems to have worked. I can post again. That's a good thing, for me at least.

I left Friday for Portland. Hung out with my parents and children. Went to a plant symposium on Saturday with my father. Bought a few fruit bushes and a couple filbert trees. I'll talk more about the plant symposium on a later post.

Sunday I got my ducks. The person I "adopted" them from was thrilled to know I have lots of space and a stream for the ducks to play in. There are six ducks, all different. They really are beautiful creatures. They love my stream. They have been exploring it, paddling up and down the little gorge behind my house, and back to where they sleep and eat. I spent much of yesterday watching them explore. They have about an acre to themselves. It's a narrow, long acre, but I would guess it's about that size. The folks who lived here before had kids and fenced in the most dangerous part of the stream. I would imagine it was to keep the kids out of it. The fence works well for keeping the ducks in too.

The chickens, in their own strange way, love Polly, my dog. The ducks don't want anything to do with her. She loves the ducks though. And she loves that I have a stream. I don't think she ever noticed it before. She can't get through the fence that keeps the ducks in and the other critters out, but she saw them swimming in the stream and decided she would swim in the stream too. Now, it's hard to get her out of my stream. Seems Polly is a water dog. It should be interesting when she realizes I have a river too. She really loves chasing tennis balls down the current, then swimming back to me with the tennis ball in her mouth. She jumps out, walks up to me, drops the ball at my feet, then shakes water all over me. I guess I will probably smell like wet dog for a while. It's ok, I actually like the smell.

I had a job interview this morning. A local timber harvesting company (read, logging,) is looking for a computer geek. I normally don't like working in the timber industry, but these guys are trying to do things right. They don't clear-cut, and they try to use low impact methods of logging. From horses to helicopters. No cats. Hence, no ruts. I should know by Friday if I am getting the job. It's a part time position, and I can do some of it from home. It would be right up my alley. I have some stiff competition for the position, so I don't have my hopes up, but it would be nice to have some income, until I can get the farm to pay.

Mir,

Raymond

Flower?

{ 04:09 , Tuesday, March 20, 2007 } { 0 comments } { Link }

I am a daffodil, apparently. I always saw myself as a trillium. Go check out unlikely homesteaders blog (Nancy) for the link. It's a fun quiz.

Pax,

Raymond

Test?

{ 03:14 , Tuesday, March 20, 2007 } { 4 comments } { Link }

I had a good weekend. I had a job interview today. I had a bunch of stuff to write about. I wrote about it, and it disappeared. I probably won't be writing about it here anymore. I don't know.

I love the community here, the people I have met, but I am really bummed out about the technical problems that have been going on for the last few weeks.

I haven't decided what to do yet, but I think I will blog elsewhere. I'll let everyone know where I go, if I go. I'm torn.

Invariably, I won't leave completely. My blog will remain up here, and I might post to it on occasion. I will continue to read everyones wonderful blogs.

I just have real issues with technical issues.

I'm going to spend some time contemplating what to do next.

Pax vobiscum.

Raymond

Ducks!

{ 09:59 , Friday, March 16, 2007 } { 5 comments } { Link }

It's strange, the things that fall in your lap when you have a farm. I found out this morning that a neighbor of my grandparents is getting rid of six ducks and two chickens. Looks like I'll be getting ducks! Looks like my parents are getting chickens. I'm so excited about both. I am going to spend some time reading about ducks this morning before heading to my parents. I was hoping to get some ducks, but I wasn't expecting to until later in the year. One of my neighbors sells them. I will build housing for them apon my return. Come to think about it, I may not need to. I have a "duck" house, or something similar, on the farm, that should work nicely. Just a matter of moving it out near the stream.

Have a wonderful weekend, see you soon.

Peace,

Raymond

On Music

{ 08:54 , Thursday, March 15, 2007 } { 8 comments } { Link }

I love music. I always have. My earliest memories are song lyrics, for some reason. There have been times in my life that I recall only on the hearing of the music that was played then.

I sing. Pretty bass, and pretty poorly. I play guitar. I play piano. I play bass guitar. I have played banjo, accordian, flute, recorder, bassoon, bass recorder, tin whistle, drums, vibraphone, xylaphone, marimbas, steel drum, synthisizer, glass harmonica, harmonica, and several home made or found instruments. None well, but all cheerfully and with great enjoyment. The only instrument I have anymore is an old Epiphone accoustic guitar I got for my 18th birthday. I don't play it nearly enough; in fact, I have yet to move it out here with me.

I don't come from a particularly musical family. My fathers parents played some music, recorders mostly. My mothers parents had a player piano. Everyone sang on occasion. No one made music a focus, until I came around.

I would watch they keys on the player piano, and mimic them. I would hear a song on the radio, and play it (sort of.) My family thought I was some sort of genius. While all I did was type, in a way, on the piano, they thought I was special. Mostly, I was observant.

While I didn't grow up with music surrounding me, I did study what I could. I could never read music. I tried, but it was something my brain couldn't grasp. It's like some languages, where I can speak them with no accent and understand them spoken back, but could never read them. Or like other languages, where I could read them, but never make a sound that made sense or understand the spoken word. I could listen to music, and I could understand it, and I knew the theory, but I couldn't read that language.

I tried to give my children the very few things I didn't have around me growing up. Music was, and is, one of those things. My son plays saxophone, quite nicely, as well as tin whistle and other instruments. I think he would be a natural for bass guitar, as he has a good sense of rythym, and he is a very large man, suitable for even a stand-up bass. My daughter plays guitar and fiddle, as well as other instruments. I think she would be great at drums as well, as her beat is strong. Both can actually read music, although my son is proficient, while my daughter struggles as I do.

This year I want to get a mandolin or a dobro guitar and maybe even get proficient at playing it. I need to get my guitar here. Maybe, with my sister moving, I could get my family piano back from her. It is a beast to move. If it gets here, I doubt it will be moved again in my lifetime. I was the only one who could play it in my family. I want to play, enjoy, and spread music as much as I can, while I can hear what little I can hear.

It would be fun to have a "band" with my children. Even if we only played on summer nights, on the porch. We could each decide on one or two song we like, and all learn to play them. I can completely see converting a modern or classic rock song into bluegrass, or jazz. Depends on what instruments we decided to play. It would be fun, and a good experience for my children.

And for me.

I could learn so much from my children.

Peace,

Raymond

P.S.: I hear so little about people playing music here, and I would love to hear about more. Please share your stories about music on your blogs, and let me know you have. About what you grew up with, and what you do now. From playing piano for your church, to that punk band you had in high school, to even the songs and artists that mean most to you. What instruments do you and your family play? Let me know, as I am interested. I guess this is a tag. You're it. Peace.

Heyas; and a general thank you

{ 03:41 , Thursday, March 15, 2007 } { 6 comments } { Link }

How's it going? I'm well, thanks. Beware the ides of March. At least if you are the emporer of Rome.

I'm heading into town tomorrow, and as such I won't be around for a couple days. I will be picking up some of my bushes and my trees for this year. I'm pretty excited. It doesn't take much to excite me, granted, but I'm pretty justified in being excited about this.

My father, son, and I are going to a local tree nurseries open house on Saturday. We will learn how to take care of fruit bushes and trees. My father will also spend some time in a seminar on mushroom growing. While he is doing that, I will be learning about grafting fruit trees. I'm not certain what my son has decided he will be doing, but I'm sure he will enjoy himself.

This weekend is when I will pick up the last of my seeds, grains, trees, vines, and bushes for my homestead for the spring. I still have some stuff on order that hasn't arrived yet, but the ordering and deciding is over for now, and now it's time to get busy planting. I may grab the occasional start, when something unusual comes up, but for the most part I will be using what I have. The "busy" season is starting. Granted, there really isn't much slack time, ever, but as the day lengthen and the weather gets warmer, I will be spending most of my time outside.

I will try to make time for the blog, e-mails, and my other groups. I will also make time for reading all of your wonderful blogs. If I seem to slack off a bit here, keep in mind that it's because I'm busy on the farm, and that I'm not going anywhere. Things will continue, just not in the same prolific manner I have been writing in for a while.

This weekend, I get the rest of my fencing supplies, my trees and plants, and I will begin planting cold weather crops and starting more seedlings. Hopefully I will have my pigs in two weeks.

I know that those who have been paying attention have probably noticed my posts tapering off. In the depth of winter, I was posting as much as five posts a day. Now, it's 1-3. Soon, it will be one, maybe more if I have time and inspiration, and maybe even one every couple days if I am really busy. I will be around. I multi-task well. If it takes me a couple days to get back to you on a personal message or e-mail, it's not because I'm ignoring you, it's just because I'm busy. I will eventually get back to you.

In the mean time, I want to thank all of my friends and fellow bloggers for their kind words, their encouragement, their inspiration, their friendship, their teachings. It's not something I say enough. I can't imagine being able to say it enough. The people I have met here have been so great, that words can't even begin to describe it. I have met some of the greatest people here.

I have never been a part of any back to the land movement. It's always just been something I have wished for and dreamed about. If it hadn't been for that link on the NoNAIS website I followed back in early December, I may have never been a part of this community. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Keep blogging. I will. It's so good to be a part of something far bigger than myself that I can't imagine leaving. Every strange look I have ever recieved when explaining to people in real life that I really wanted to be a homesteader has been more than made up for by being here. By being among people who share many of my ideas and ideals. To share a wonder for that that is creation.

Thank you for being a part of my life, and thank you for accepting me as part of yours. Here's to a prosperous growing season for all of us. May your garden grow to the sky.

To end this post, I place a quote I first found on a dear friends blog here, and have used since as my e-mail signature:

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony." ~ William Henry Channing

Peace and prosperity be with you all in the coming seasons.

Raymond

Today I planted flowers. Plus a recipe (Chicken Viola)

{ 07:31 , Wednesday, March 14, 2007 } { 2 comments } { Link }

The ground was too wet to plough, so I planted flowers instead. I was pretty excited when I found one of my lilys had one more bulb than it said on the outside. That is, until I called my mom on planting dahlias.

Each box of dahlias said it had one bulb in it. Thing is, they weren't bulbs, they were tubers. Since they were kind of like irises, I called my mom to see if I should plant them like irises, leaving part exposed. She told me no, they needed to be underground. I then explained that they looked like sweet potatoes, with several tubers all connected together. Some were cut and some weren't.

She told me, discard the cut ones, but you can plant any that are whole in separate places.

Really. Each box said one bulb, but each box had at least five tubers that were whole. One box, a pretty orange and yellow dahlia, had twelve individual, undamaged tubers. (YAY!)

My driveway is going to be so pretty soon. Ok, the side of my driveway will be pretty. My driveway will continue to be gravel. I bought the boxes of Dutch bulbs for $2.50 each, and I think I can sell the flowers for $1 a stem or more at the farmers market. The dahlias might go for more. So, with the orange and yellow ones, I might get $12 or more on my investment of $2.50. This year. Next year, since they are perinneals, I get more flowers, and the tubers would have multiplied by then. More flowers.

How cool is that?

I'm going to save any monies made on flower sales for buying more flower bulbs and tubers. I still have to plant my flower seeds, most of which are edible.

If you have never had edible flowers before, they make a salad come alive. Nasturtiums, Johnny-jump-ups (violas), edible marigolds, all add color to a salad that you can't easily find in lettuces or greens. If you are just eating them, they add visual interest and some sublime flavors and scents. If you are selling salad mixes, they add something that sets your product apart from your competitors. Nasturtium buds can also be brined or pickled and used much like capers, although different. Using flower petals to garnish your cooking can add a touch of class that would make a gourmand envious. One of the wonderful things about being a homesteader, even one who achieves voluntary poverty, is that you can still eat like royalty. For instance:

Chicken Viola for four:

2-3 chicken breasts
two cloves garlic, crushed or pressed
two Tbs pickled nasturtium buds
one lime
1/2 cup white wine
one Tbs fresh thyme
one Tbs butter
two+ Tbs olive oil
black pepper to taste
three Tbs viola petals for garnish

Pound chicken breasts flat and thin and slice into large pieces. Brown chicken breasts in butter and one Tbs olive oil. The olive oil keeps the butter from burning Add remaining olive oil, garlic, and nastutium buds. Reduce heat. Cook until chicken is nearly cooked through. Squeeze in lime juice, and add fresh thyme and wine. Cook until wine reduces into a somewhat thick sauce.

Serve over wild rice with summer squash or asparagus or your favorite veggie. Pour sauce over chicken, garnish with fresh viola petals, black pepper and lime zest.

It's good this way, but feel free to adapt the recipe for what you have. You may want to wait to put in the garlic if you like a more raw taste, or if you find the garlic browns too quick. If you are like me, you only need to buy a lime, olive oil, black pepper, and butter. Someday, I want to get that list down to black pepper. Truly a meal for royalty.

Play with your food!

Raymond

Oh yeah, happy Pi day.

{ 09:26 , Wednesday, March 14, 2007 } { 2 comments } { Link }

Happy Pi day. 3-14. I'm looking forward to 2015, when pi day is correct to five decimals. (3-14-15.)

I know, math joke. I like math jokes. I'm a bit strange that way.

Peace,

Raymond

It's raining..

{ 08:48 , Wednesday, March 14, 2007 } { 1 comments } { Link }

I know, news flash here in Oregon. I was really hoping to cultivate today though. It's not like I don't have other stuff to do, but I really do need the soil to dry out enough to go over. Otherwise, I get mud, and when it does dry, I get concrete. The nature of a fairly clay soil. In time, I will improve the tilth enough that it won't be as much of an issue, but for now... It would have been nice to till today.

I have two more tomato seedlings showing, and one more chili. One of the most enjoyable things about gardening for me is the small miracle of life emerging from such a tiny seed. Ok, I like the harvest too, but after the winter any sign of new life is pretty special. The robins, the frogs, the daffodils, and yes, the tomatoes. I'm starting to get growth from the Jerusalem Artichokes too. They are just beginning to emerge from their winter slumber.

So, since it's raining, I will plant flowers today. Bulbs for the fall bloomers need to go in in the next four or so weeks, and I see no reason not to start now. I'm pretty excited about the palate of colors I have chosen. They span the rainbow. Many purples, as I love purple, but plenty of pinks, oranges, reds, blues, and a couple of colors that I would have a hard time categorizing. One I would almost call "rootbeer." A reddish brown that just looks lovely. That one's a lily. I think I have an iris that's a similar color, if it made it here. I don't know much about flowers, I must admit. I do know which bulb boxes say "Plant now." I have always understood that you plant bulbs about six months before they bloom. I assume that if the box says plant now, I should have flowers in six months. Is that a fairly accurate assumption?

Well, I'm getting hungry (I know, another news flash) and I'm thinking of having some oatmeal with hazelnuts and cranberries for breakfast. Little dab of yoghurt on top, should be perfect. I know, it's not my normal "eggs and bacon, potatoes and toast" breakfast, but I like to mix things up on occasion.

Peace.

Raymond

On paper (a diatribe, not suitable for children)

{ 12:48 , Wednesday, March 14, 2007 } { 8 comments } { Link }

I told myself I wouldn't get political on my blog again. Then again, what isn't political. The act of planting a tree can be political. The act of posting on a blog can be political.

I read a post on Maa's blog that bothered me greatly. It's not what she said, but what others may or must have said to her. I have seen too many of my good friends, too many good resources, leave here (HSB) because of diatribes by others. I don't wish to risk losing another friend. So, here is my diatribe against the paper industry. Not the timber industry as a whole, but the paper industry. If you have arguements against it, focus them on me. I'm not leaving. I can take it.

I worked in the timber industry. I worked in the paper industry. My father worked in the paper industry. I grew up in a comfortable household, much because of the paper industry. So, if I'm biting the hand that fed me, so be it.

I worked in the paper industry, and in the lumber industry. My issue with the paper industry isn't trees. Trees will regrow. For most of the timber industry in the United States, three (worth repeating, 3) trees are planted for every tree cut. The issue I have with the paper industry is the chemicals used and the waste products that are involved. To make toilet paper, you have to cut down a tree. Then, you have to chop it up into little bits. Then, you have to digest the wood chips with VERY TOXIC CHEMICALS to get it to be pulp. Once you have done that, you have to BLEACH IT with VERY TOXIC CHEMICALS to make it white. All along, you use LOTS AND LOTS OF CLEAN WATER to make it into pulp, and make it into paper. This doesn't include making it smell like flowers, or being really soft. The clean water picks up all these toxic chemicals, and the paper industry has to filter, settle, and store that water before you can legally dump it into the local water shed. Even then, it isn't safe to drink, just legally "safe" to dump.

The trees aren't the issue. It's all the nasty chemicals and the use of tons of clean, drinkable water that are necessary for making paper. Trees are renewable. Water, used this way, isn't. Chemicals, often derived from petroleum products, aren't. It's not like cutting firewood, or even lumber. Paper making is a nasty, toxic process. It doesn't have to be, but as done for the current paper industry, it is.

To Maa, and Belle:

If someone is giving you grief for being a tree hugger, well, ignore them. It's not like you EVER said trees shouldn't be cut down. You implied resources shouldn't be wasted. The focus here shouldn't be on the trees, but on the paper making process. Trees are a renewable resource. The stuff they use for making paper is not a renewable resource. The process is getting better, but it is by no means environmentally friendly. Making paper is a waste of resources. There are so many better ways to use trees than in the paper making process, that any way we can find for limiting our use of paper should be commended and enthusiastically supported. You have done that. For that, I salute you.

I strongly support a proper use of renewable resources, as is often found in the timber industry. The timber industry is improving by leaps and bounds over past usage. Recycling is becoming more and more common, and proper forestry is becoming more and more common. Limiting our use of paper is more important than recycling. You have brought to our attention a way to cut down on our use of paper. A way that many, including myself, hadn't considered. For that, I also salute you.

To anyone who might disagree:

The paper industry is going under in this country. It's not because of unions, or tree huggers, or the spotted owl. It's because of greedy industrialists who want to make a quicker buck with less output. It's because of the short sightedness of profit hungry investors. It is far more profitable to pay substandard wages, in timber rich third world countries with few environmental regulations. The spotted owl? It's a smoke screen. It's getting timber workers to fight with environmentalists instead of using environmentally sustainable practices. These practices, while profitable, aren't as profitable as clearcuttting the rainforests of the world. The worlds LUNGS. If they (the profiteers) can make a better buck by clearcutting the Amazon, they will. Workers and the environment be damned.

We have the technology to grow into a paperless society, for the most part. We can't grow into a timberless society. Trees still make a great deal of sense for use of building materials, fuel, and yes, even paper, if done correctly. It just makes people more money to use them in unsustainable ways. The short term profiteering will be our downfall, in the long run.

I could make a ton of money, and leave my children to pay my debts. It's possible, but is it ethical? What about making things better for my children, but ignoring their children? I like to consider things seven generations ahead. The waste of paper, of the resources to make paper, is something my great grandchildren will be affected by.

Using sustainable practices, there will be plenty of resources for everyone, for generations to come. So far, we, as a whole, aren't using sustainable practices. We are going for short term gains. In the long run, we all lose.

I don't consider myself a tree hugger. People, including loggers, are far more comfortable to hug. I do consider myself a responsible environmentalist. It's a matter of long term investment. The way we are headed, as humans as a whole, is simply unsustainable. I have children. I would like to have grandchildren. If I thought the world was ours to waste and throw away, I wouldn't suggest my children have children. I wouldn't have had children in the first place. To continue your genetic line takes a hope in the future. There can be a happy medium. We can proceed, with caution, into the future. But it takes knowledge, and it takes creative solutions. Name calling, while ignoring the real problem, isn't part of that solution.

Thank you Maa, and especially you, Belle, for being part of the solution, and being creative. You give me hope for the future. You ARE the future.

End of diatribe (for now.)

Peace be with you and yours.

Raymond

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