[theluckycountry]

You would think so. The medical industrial complex is so inefficient.

[Newfie]

Finally, after many days, got to our summer abode.

Feels good to be in our own place again.

[Newfie]

We have had a good summer and we have another month here. Had some disappointments but such is life. Had some good times also.

Out berry picking the other day and stumbled upon 2 caribou. They were pretty tame and we got a good look. First time we have seen that.

Built a new stoop, put in a ramp so my Sister and Aunt (98) can use the place more. Doing some minor yard work. Got the boat around. That has been a bit of a pain.

But we are healthy and that is a blessing.

[theluckycountry]

Looks good newfie.

I have gotten over my vegetable gardening phase and just grow herbs and chilli. Lots of good local food available and I buy that at various outlets. I'm redoing the gardens into ornamental ground covers, citronella is a favorite as the bugs hate it and stay well clear. I have also been progressing with my hobbies, I bought a new telescope to augment my other larger one, which I rarely take out in the field now because of the lengthy setup process. I'll get back into it one day but all the accessories swap back and forth so that makes it easier with the little one.

A lot of the cost in amateur astronomy is the eyepieces you use, or the camera gear if you go down that rabbit hole, which I didn't! I will use this smaller one for terrestrial viewing too and might add an adapter for my digital camera for it, though that's a simple arrangement compared to the dramas involved in getting decent astrographs. Capturing birds etc is a real pleasure but you need high powere telephoto lenses. I have one, a 600mm equivalent but even that doesn't allow you to get all that close. A 4" (100mm) reflector is my new scope, it's slow, f14, but in bright light that won't be an issue. It will give me a ton of magnification though which means I can sit in one spot and prowl the trees over a large area. There is something uniquely exciting about looking naked eye through a big scope at things a long way off. You get a sense of "being there" that you just don't get with a picture or video.

I've also been restoring a lot of old tools I've picked up over the years. Bolt cutters, screwdrivers, adjustable squares, that sort of thing. Rusty old gear that's of good make and deserves a second life. I typically clean them up on a wire wheel then in a rust-converter bath. If you've ever seen those drill bits with the bronze tips I achieve that on tools by scrubbing them with a small brass wire brush when they are wet with the rust converter acid. The acid strips the metal off the brush and deposits on the tool much like anodizing. A very cool and hardy finish and easy to retouch if scratched off.

I've always had a fetish for restoration, be it old furniture or tools or cars, even simply polishing brass gives me a sense of satisfaction. There is not much around here that isn't shiny and rust free.

[Newfie]

Have 2 steel boats I am waaay to familiar with rust converter. LOL

I admire your patience for bird photography.

[Newfie]

Too nice an evening to argue.

[AgentR11]

We're finally getting rain again, no pics, but its nice seeing water falling from the sky once again. Summer drought killed a bunch of hardwoods on our street, but spared mine (I did water though).

[theluckycountry]

We're finally getting rain again, no pics, but its nice seeing water falling from the sky once again. Summer drought killed a bunch of hardwoods on our street, but spared mine (I did water though).

Yes it's terrible to see trees die of thirst. I keep mine watered and the shrubs especially, even large sections of the lawn. I get a heads up when I see a few branches dying and give those trees a good dose. It's great to have town water, we have our own dam not far away and as long as the electricity is working the taps are working. The price isn't too bad either, I chewed through 35,000 liters last quarter and it was only $150. They charge more than that as service fees, and because a lot of people cut back on water usage, the trend is to increase the "unavoidable" service fees while keeping the water usage charge pretty static.

I think 5 or 6 hundred a year for beautiful gardens is worth it, I know people who spend that much on coffee and cake a year in the overpriced shops in town! Then they come home to a desiccated yard? I figure if they had a lovely yard they might prefer to make their own coffee and enjoy it sitting on the deck overlooking the greenery, I do. Each to his own hey.

[Newfie]

Interesting what one can do.

We have used a little Air B&B in Antigua. This lady bought a plot, maybe 0.15 hectare, built her house and several rental cottages. It is arranged around a central courtyard. The wholesale is heavily planted with palms and a few trees. She has been there under 20 years. It is a calm, cool space with birds and lizards.

Stepping outside the compound the surrounding lots are at best semi-arid scrub. Bleak and foreboding.

She has created a little oasis that seems to be rather self supporting. I saw no signs of her watering although she must do at least some.

[Tanada]

We're finally getting rain again, no pics, but its nice seeing water falling from the sky once again. Summer drought killed a bunch of hardwoods on our street, but spared mine (I did water though).

We had the opposite in NW Ohio this year, our August rainfall is in the top 10 for that month since they started keeping official records in the 1870's.

[Plantagenet]

We had the hottest July and the hottest August on record up here in central Alaska.

Now we are into mid-September and we haven't had a frost yet which is unheard of up here.

My little garden of peppers, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes did really great and my roses are very confused and still putting out roses.

University is back in session and yesterday we held an END FOSSIL FUEL protest march in our little town.

It was good to see some old friends, but only about 20 people turned out for the protest.

And we got some very puzzled looks from people as we marched through town chanting "END FOSSIL FUELS NOW" and "KEEP ALASKA COLD".

On the bright side the big demonstration to END FOSSIL FUELS is happening right now in New York City and it's a really good sized protest march. A few of our protestors are in New York for the big march there, and if they were here we might've gotten up to 25 people or so for our protest here.


END FOSSIL FUELS protest happening in New York City

Cheers!

[theluckycountry]

We had the hottest July and the hottest August on record up here in central Alaska.

Now we are into mid-September and we haven't had a frost yet which is unheard of up here.

How are the bugs going? I read somewhere that warmer climes can create more bugs? Interestingly it's been the opposite down here, in the warmer months there are a lot less mosquitos and flies, I just can't figure it out? And they aren't spraying anymore than usual, hardly at all these days.

[Newfie]

Plant,

I would be much happier to see them chanting
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle