]]>Given that I've rebuilt my house over the last few years, room by room, floor by floor, etc., I've got a lot, and I do mean a lot, of 'spare' paint lying around. And some brushes, and not a few flat, white-ish papery surfaces to mar. So I think I will! What about you? I know we're officially the knitting-home construction-tiling-gardening political blog these days, what are you adding to that list? I promise I won't torture you with pics unless I'm really high.
]]>The drywall has been ready for three weeks, but we had such crap weather, I didn't even want to go outside. We had drifts over four feet high and both of the roof vent pipes are bent like mofos. I don't think they're broken, but I won't know until it's safe enough to scramble up on the roof, something I hate doing even in dry weather. No sign of any leaks, but until I can touch 'em, I won't know for sure.
]]>We're going on week nine of what Russ thought would be a five weeker. Ah, well. I was framing and helping for the first few weeks, but I've been inside trying to earn money. So starting this week, I get to start back with sawing and hammering and swearing. Yay. So here are some pics.
Warning: several big pictures.
It's been really cold, so cold the rain froze in the copper cups last week and hasn't thawed.
]]>I told you coffee was the bestest beverage ever and now all of science agrees with me.
Now get off yer butt and brew yourself a pot. The planet isn't going to save itself, you know---it doesn't know how to work the grinder.
]]>Oh Yet We Trust
Oh yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final goal of ill,
To pangs of nature, sins of will,
Defects of doubt, and taints of blood;
That nothing walks with aimless feet;
That not one life shall be destroyed,
Or cast as rubbish to the void,
When God hath made the pile complete;
That not a worm is cloven in vain;
That not a moth with vain desire
Is shrivelled in a fruitless fire,
Or but subserves another's gain.
Behold, we know not anything;
I can but trust that good shall fall
At last—far off—at last, to all,
And every winter change to spring.
So runs my dream: but what am I?
An infant crying in the night:
An infant crying for the light:
And with no language but a cry.
---Alfred, Lord Tennyson
]]>Pollan's letter is worth re-reading in full, but here's an excerpt:
It may surprise you [Obama] to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food.
You will need not simply to address food prices but to make the reform of the entire food system one of the highest priorities of your administration: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on — but as you try to address them you will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems and will have to change if we hope to solve them. Let me explain.
[1] After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy — 19 percent. And while the experts disagree about the exact amount, the way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do — as much as 37 percent, according to one study.
[2] You cannot expect to reform the health care system, much less expand coverage, without confronting the public-health catastrophe that is the modern American diet.
[3] The impact of the American food system on the rest of the world will have implications for your foreign and trade policies as well. In the past several months more than 30 nations have experienced food riots, and so far one government has fallen. Should high grain prices persist and shortages develop, you can expect to see the pendulum shift decisively away from free trade, at least in food.
And (via Green Daily) we read Obama's response in his interview with Joe Klein:
]]>Russ is actually a taper and hadn't hung sheetrock for awhile. But he had had no work for two months and had bills to pay, so we agreed on a price, and he started working. It took longer than expected to get all the drywall on, but he did an amazing job. The guy is an artist. Persnickity as hell, didn't want help, brought his little dog, and fought his way through the zig-zags we have throughout our house.
]]>He's now an indentured servant.
Ryan's working for a guy who restores classic cars, from tires to antennas, rebuilding, painting, the whole thing. He helps with that work as well as rebuilding the barn the guy uses as a shop, bracing the posts as the whole structure is on the verge of collapse.
]]>How worried are you, at this point, at much of the econ news that's coming down the pipe right now? How are you faring, personally, and how are your fortunes, for what they are, growing or shinking or otherwise changing? I love Meaningless Personal Anecdotes, I'd love to hear yours.
Also: have you ever made "brine pickles?" If so, how'd they turn out? Where did you 'age' them? What veggies did you use? There's this brand of Israeli pickles I love, with the very simplest of ingredients. But they're brined, and I'm not willing to do that...yet. Have you? Did it work out? What did you use?
I'm fortunate, this year at least. I found/saved up enough to put up a very nice holiday table. I may not be able to buy such luxe again, soon. So I'm all about Grandma's Special Recipe and any gourmet touches you've found to add to your homegrown. I invite all area liberals to my "family is gone away for the holiday visit" party at my post-Thanksgiving holiday weekend party this year, and likely others in future gawdless holidays. I don't think I can stand to read about one more "my family called and said we won't be talking politics this year" dinner request/invite/command. Call me crazy, but no one tells me what I can say, or not, at the dinnertable. Evah.
]]>Dr. Belcher is a professor with appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Biological Engineering Division and has developed custom-evolved viruses to advance nanotechnology. What good is that?
Oh, my, the good is all over the place.
First, she's smart as hell and smart is hot. Second, she clearly loves what she does. She actually talked about designing experiments because they'd be "fun" and "neat." She used big words, too, but I found her enthusiasm adorable. Third, she talked about applying her research to devices like nanobatteries and semiconductors.
]]>Every year we go to the Pal's house in the Central District to scare the neighborhood. Her house was built in 1906 and is on asmall hill that rises from the sidewalk. It looms over you especially and when lit from beneath.
This year our theme is Circue du Scaree. A couple years ago, the Pal and I bought a bunch of stuff from one of those professional haunted house things---we have probably a hundred skeletons and skeleparts, dozens of cast masks and related costumage, even bollards with skulls on them to mark out the walking path. And we got the creepiest clown costumes ever. I mean, so creepy, my skin crawled carrying the headpieces to the car. And I rarely get creeped out.
]]>I have been a very good girl. I recycle, am nice to stray animals, help old people across the street whether they want to go or not, and eat all my broccoli even though I hate it. Please bring me one of these. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=...
While your elves are handy, I'd prefer this Jet Benchtop Oscillating Spindle Sander as it's made really well (five stars on Rockler!) and will match my table saw. If this is too hard for you (or you just don't have the cash), please guilt someone reading this blog to buy one for me.
]]>The fab GF and our Pal have done several. Enough to be featured on a Discovery Channel kids' show easily debunking some true believers by replicating their "ghost" evidence and explaining what caused the phenomenon.
I am the skeptic. The fab GF is also a skeptic, but wants to believe in ghosts, while the Pal sides with the fab GF because it's funnier when they gang up on me. Those are the internal workings of our organization, The Bureau of Occult Occurences---B.O.O.
We have a woefully outdated website, a logo, and t-shirts. And we have equipment: non-contact thermometers (with and without a laser), decibel meters, video and still cameras, hidden microphones. And walkie-talkies.
]]>The septic guys then dug a big hole for the two new tanks. Now, before anybody starts a'wondering what's the matter with the fab GF and I that we need two 1,000 gallon tanks, let me point out that septic tanks work by separating liquid and solid waste. The liquid is pumped (or gravity fed) to a drainfield, where it is released into the soil, making some bacteria and plants very very happy.
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Every time I open the door, even under white-gray skies, the trees show beautiful reds, bright yellows, soft oranges and roses.
The landscape is suddenly more three dimensional; you can see through your own red trees into the yellow of the next clearing.
After the recent rain storm, the ground itself is carpeted with multi-colored maple leaves. The wild asters, big clouds of white flowers, are covered by wet bees and red and gold pieces of leaf.
]]>So there's a great deal going on today in the garden, color-speaking, and I guess I just went overboard. But that's the spirit of the age, isn't it? Say, I wonder what I could get for these beans...
Anyhoo, this is likely the last of the jewel weather, sunny and warm. It seemed a good day to break out the camera to get full effect.
Hello there, Miss Thing. ]]>
We’re making healthy food affordable to everyone.”
Growing Power started in 1993, with Allen using teens in the Silver Spring neighborhood to grow food at its retail store.
The organization grew from there, and in May, it expanded its program of selling grocery bags of fruit and vegetables for $14 — enough produce to feed a family of four for a week.
Allen and his staff buy food in bulk through a national farmer cooperative and raise produce at Growing Power’s 2-acre farm on Silver Spring and a 40-acre farm in the Town of Merton.
In addition, Growing Power and Maple Tree School and Community Garden, 6644 N. 107th St., are using 5 acres to teach young people about organic agriculture and the business of growing food.
With the help of his daughter, Erika, he has also expanded operations to Chicago.
Growing Power also uses workshops to teach aspiring urban farmers and focuses on low-cost technologies.
In awarding the fellowship, the MacArthur Foundation noted that Allen’s efforts are guided by the knowledge that a healthy diet can help fight problems such as diabetes and obesity — problems that can be exacerbated by limited access to fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables.
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What should be brought in?
-Fragile or tropical things in pots (including amaryllis)
-herbs like basil
-some vegetables (toms?)
-currently flowering plants
-avocado or other tropical trees
Other suggestions in the face of a light frost?
Should any garden plants be dug up?
Since gardeners are thick on the ground in this place, I figured this would be a good place to ask for some advice re: my weensy little NYC garden space, a/k/a my window boxes.
I have three, approximately 1' x 2', full south-facing sunlight. Right now there are a lot of weeds in them, and it's too late to do much with them in terms of food-producing plants, but it's not too late to plan ahead for next year, right?
So: if I want to plant bulbs for next year, do I just stick them in the dirt, forget about them and then enjoy the daffodils when they come up in the spring? Can I plant other things when the daffs are gone without crowding them out?
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