Cabin

Building

2012-01-14T07:30:00.001-08:00

Today we break ground on a new cabin. We are going to build it with palets, old fence posts, glue, recycled windows and good old fashioned elbow grease. And we will only use plywood inspected by Susan S. or Bobbie P.

The occupants of the cabin include but are not limited to the below:

Many of the occupants were named for characters in this book by S. E. Hinton.

Soda Pop, Dallas Winston, Pony Boy, Cherry Valence etc.

This is Marc Antony. He will not be living in the new cabin.

Reuben

2012-01-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is Reuben. So named because he is blind in his left eye like Rooster Cogburn from True Grit. I put a little patch on his eye but apparently he did not like it.

New Home New Hens New Roosters

2011-12-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

Reuben the Rooster's smiling face. Reuben and 10 of his closest friends (mostly his own children) where left to take care of the farm by the previous owners. The new owners are Jenny and Me.

These birds have a plush coop with heat lamps, heated towel racks, big screen TV and a heated water dish. But ever since a raccoon invasion they have chosen to roost in a couple of evergreens near the house. Apparently raccoons have also been known to invade the evergreens. So we are going to attempt to retrain the gals (Gallus gallus domesticus) and guys to sleep in the coop. Our other task is to make the coop varmint proof. The latter former to the pryer.

PCT Time Piece and interview

2011-12-04T15:58:00.001-08:00

I will probably need this.

And her is another survey answered:

Anything you wish you had at the beginning that you did not take with you?

This is a random answer, but we'd have to say our vitamins. We took a lot of them and tried to bounce the bulk of them, taking only what was necessary in our packs, but they still ended up being quite heavy and we're not sure that we really needed them.

Can you recommend any publications to help me prepare? I have the Jeffrey Schaffer book and the PCT HIker's Handbook and I am going to order Yogi's book.

We found that the Yogi book was the most helpful in preparation. Mike also found "Hiking the Triple Crown" by Karen Berger to be helpful.

On trail, the Yogi trail tips and town guide had very useful information that you can't get anywhere else. We also used the Guide Book (Schaffer et al) and Data Book in conjunction. The maps in the Guide Book (and compass( helped us out of a sticky situation one foggy morning on Oregon's Mount Jefferson when we couldn't see more than about 20 feet ahead of us. Having a verbal trail description is also quite helpful on trail. The Data Book is by far the easiest way to figure your miles each day. Take Yogi's advice and rip up the books into their sections rather than carrying the whole book.

What was the most challenging part and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?

By far the most difficult challenge right at the beginning was foot pain. This counts as aches and blisters. As Kat says, it's hard to walk 12-18 miles a day (as we did at the beginning) when each step hurts. For Mike, the worst was foot fatigue. It felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to the bottom of our feet all day, every day.
To deal with this, first, we were very motivated to keep hiking. Second, we took time to take care of our feet while hiking (lower miles, breaks to rest). Third, we tried different things with our footwear, like changing our shoes and adding very padded insoles. In sum, we were flexible with our plans, whether that was how many miles we expected to walk or what kind of shoes were best.

Did you bring any tech (GPS, Kindle, MP3)?

We brought a Pocketmail device for journaling and a SPOT device to keep our family and friends at ease and in case of an extreme emergency. We chose not to bring music or cell phones with us and we are mostly glad that we did (other than not having a way to call for a ride when that was an option; Kat HATES hitchhiking).

What food item were you happiest that you brought?

Any item that was not dry was heavenly. Our main choice was fruit cups. Yes, they're heavy, but they were VERY awesome when every other food item in your pack was either dehydrated or dry to begin with. Sidebar: taking a bottle of pop out of town and drinking it cold the next day was also a very special treat.

Stove?
We used our home made penny stove all the way. It's an alcohol stove. We still use that stove now. Write us for more details is you want.

Here is one from my sister:

did you feel like you wanted to motor through or did feel you got to certain places to really experience a place?

Were were not in a really big hurry, but we still felt the pressure to keep up the miles in order to finish. There were many places in which we wished we could have spent more time to soak them in.

Did you shave or cut your hair?

Not even once :)

What kind of shoes did you wear?

See above; be flexible. We both ended up using Montrail Hardrocks (though that older model is no longer available) in conjunction with these amazing insoles we found at a running store; we're pretty sure they were Sof Sole brand.

Anything else you feel like volunteering?

We hope that this is helpful. Please feel free to ask anything else that comes up as you prepare!

Mike and Kat

Black Widow found in Black Hunger

2011-11-29T21:52:00.001-08:00

PCT Interview Two

2011-11-29T19:25:00.001-08:00

Thank you Funny Bone for answer some questions.

What did you bring that you wish you hadn't?

Nothing, really. But there were times I carried too much water, in that I arrived at the next water source with 5-8 pounds of water on me. This was something that had a major effect on my skinny legs, as you CAN be too well prepared, too overburdened, for a thru-hike. It's best to plan accordingly, so that you're carrying the lightest load you can at all times.

What did you not bring that you wish you had?

A Sherpa or a pack animal. No, in all honesty, I had honed it down to only the necessities and what I deemed a necessity: the camera, its batteries, a handheld word processor, its batteries, and a book or two.

Did you talk to yourself (out loud)?

Yes. Conversations were usually quite shallow but sometime quite deep, depending on circumstance and mood.

Ice ax. Yes or no?

In 2006 an ice axe was pretty much obligatory, because of the record snowfall throughout the spring. I self-arrested a number of times and was thankful I was prepared to do so. Had it not been for my fancy titanium ice-axe, I'd have had to use my nose.

Did you think about girls you knew in high school?

Unfortunately, I didn't know any girls in high school. But yes, I still thought of them, and how.

Did you bring lotion?

Sunscreen had many purposes.

Shoes. Yes, no?

Yes, two of them. One on each foot.

Favorite food item?

Generally I went with anything salty, instead of sweets. Pistachios were especially scrumptious. But who can afford to carry the shells? The truth is, almost every food item was a favorite on the trail.

Food item you would not bring?

I would not send myself too much of one kind of food in advance. Appetites change and instant oatmeal wasn't even appealing even during the first go-around.

Stove. Yes, no?

No, but there were times I wish I had, particularly on those frigid mornings. A warm cup of tea would've been nice.

Sorry Jon,
I had finished this way back when but then forgot to send it.

-CV

What did you bring that you wish you hadn't?

Nothing, really. But there were times I carried too much water, in that I arrived at the next water source with 5-8 pounds of water on me. This was something that had a major effect on my skinny legs, as you CAN be too well prepared, too overburdened, for a thru-hike. It's best to plan accordingly, so that you're carrying the lightest load you can at all times.

What did you not bring that you wish you had?

A Sherpa or a pack animal. No, in all honesty, I had honed it down to only the necessities and what I deemed a necessity: the camera, its batteries, a handheld word processor, its batteries, and a book or two.

Did you talk to yourself (out loud)?

Yes. Conversations were usually quite shallow but sometime quite deep, depending on circumstance and mood.

Ice ax. Yes or no?

In 2006 an ice axe was pretty much obligatory, because of the record snowfall throughout the spring. I self-arrested a number of times and was thankful I was prepared to do so. Had it not been for my fancy titanium ice-axe, I'd have had to use my nose.

Did you think about girls you knew in high school?

Unfortunately, I didn't know any girls in high school. But yes, I still thought of them, and how.

Did you bring lotion?

Sunscreen had many purposes.

Shoes. Yes, no?

Yes, two of them. One on each foot.

Favorite food item?

Generally I went with anything salty, instead of sweets. Pistachios were especially scrumptious. But who can afford to carry the shells? The truth is, almost every food item was a favorite on the trail.

Food item you would not bring?

I would not send myself too much of one kind of food in advance. Appetites change and instant oatmeal wasn't even appealing even during the first go-around.

Stove. Yes, no?

No, but there were times I wish I had, particularly on those frigid mornings. A warm cup of tea would've been nice.

MP3 or any other technology (I realize a fork is technology but I mean electronics)?

The camera, the PocketMail word processor and, in the desert for a short stint, an MP3 player. I tossed the thing a day or two later, as I felt too detached from my surroundings, the surroundings I sought by being out there in the first place. One function it had, however, was a voice recorder, which allowed me to record my thoughts faster than the word processor did.

How did you deal with loneliness?

I never really felt alone. Isolated at times, perhaps. But alone, no. I found that the trail keeps you busy enough not to think about being alone.

How did you motivate to continue after particularly miserable times?

The pull of the goal. I kept plowing forward toward better times and an arbitrary line in the woods they call Canada. That's the very nature of a thru-hike: you keep moving. Thru-hikers like to pretend they're easy-going types but the reality is the ones who complete their hike are all pretty driven to accomplish their goal.

What shelter, if any, do you recommend?

I changed things throughout but today's modern shelters are all pretty outstanding, that is unless they aren't out there or standing (due to rain or wind or snow).

Bug spray. Yes or no?

Yes. I'd rather die from cancer than via mosquito bites.

Sunscreen?

Yes, as I mentioned above, it served numerous purposes. For the most part I dressed from head-to-toe, to avoid more chemical application.

Did you make up any songs as you walked?

I did and pardon me for boasting, but most of them were absolute masterpieces. Of course, unless I pulled out the small voice recorder I carried for all of two days, I'd forget them the next morning.

Fishing pole?

No. Fish don't hike the PCT.

With what historical figure do you most identify?

I read plenty of Muir and Thoreau while hiking, but could not quite fully identify with either. Those gentlemen were kooks! But I could fully identify with Playboy's 1990 Miss February, a toothsome young lady who went on to become Playmate of the Year. She was my playmate throughout many of those long nights along the trail, but alas, eventually the pages got to the point where they stuck together and I could no longer turn them or open that centerfold.

Sabbatical

2011-11-22T18:27:00.001-08:00

The good news is that I have a job that offers a thing called a sabbatical. The bad news is that I am not eligible until Fall of 2013. And as you may or may not know I am planning to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This hike is a component of an art exhibition at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
I have not given up. I am applying for grants and fellowships and hiking scholarships (I made the last one up). Either that or I am going to have to hike faster.

Record

2011-11-09T19:29:00.001-08:00

This lp cover was on the wall of Miss Lily's, a dark and lovely Jamaican restaurant in Soho or the West Village or somewhere in New York.

Trail Names

2011-11-07T08:17:00.001-08:00

Training for the PCT by walking all over New York City. Hopefully the trail is not as rough and steep as some of these New York streets. This morning during breakfast with the Hasidim at the Condor Hotel, my associate and I talked about trail names. Of course a nickname of any kind is out of the control of the named, but we talked about attempting to control mine. Associate said I should hand out gumi bears and say things like, "hey guys, have some gumi bears!" and, as a look at my watch,"it's gumi bear thirty!" But I do not eat gumi animals of any species (i do eat dairy and eggs). I guess I could be "Gumi Bear" ironically, like calling a vegetarian Carnivore or The Cannibal. Maybe I'll try to insert my old hobo moniker "Lobo," by howling every morning. We'll see.

Mobile device

2011-10-26T18:26:00.001-07:00

Leaning on my GE stove listening to Fresh Air. These are pictures I took with my handheld device.

Pacific Crest Trail

2011-10-03T16:23:00.002-07:00

I am planning to hike the PCT, or Pacific Crest Trail for long (which makes more sense considering how long the trail is). I have started contacting past thru-hikers for interviews. My favorite interviews include answers but no questions. So does this. This is from Todd. Thanks Todd.

If you are planning a PCT thru-hike, I can assure you it will be one of the most challenging and memorable experiences of your life. I'll also assure you that in the end it probably won't be what you thought it would be. The trail changes you as a person and your visions of what it will be, those expectations will likely fall short in many ways but also be exceeded, too!

To answer your questions and give you my take on things:

1. The essential publications are: yogi's PCT guidebook (google it and buy it online from her). It has excellent recommendations on gear and past hiker's experience. For maps, you need to print halfmile's pct maps (google it, they are free except the cost to print) and bring just the sections you are doing, mailing the rest to your drops spots. I DO NOT recommend Schaffer's PCT guidebooks. The maps are inferior, the text is not something most people read after a while and not worth the weight or expense.

2. Carry as little gear as possible and spend the extra money to purchase ultra-light equipment. Every ounce you place in your pack is an ounce you have to carry. Things that I did not carry and would not carry in the future: camp shoes (flip flops, crocs, etc), a stove (I would go stoveless if I had to do it over), ice axe (only needed in the southern Sierras, if at all).

3. There was nothing that I wish I had brought, only stuff (like my stove) that I wish I would have gotten rid of sooner

4. Echo Chalet--don't have an opinion. In general, I never came across any communities or businesses that weren't hiker friendly. As usual, if you treat people with consideration and respect, they will tend to return that. People are incredibly generous along the trail with rides, putting up hikers, etc and that is one of the best things, the serendipity of the trail and its people.

5. I would not recommend bringing a dog. I never met a thru-hiker who made it with their dog the entire way. The desert and the high mountains can be incredibly vicious places to be and I've seen many dogs suffering in the heat of the desert. I personally don't think dogs should be a part of the trail, and certainly not a thru-hike. In fact the only dangerous animal encounter I had that caused me any direct physical harm was when a dog belonging to a day hiker bit my hand as I walked past it on the trail.

6. Motivation can be a difficult thing. Most people who set out from the Mexican border do not complete their hikes. Most drop out before the Sierras, many within the first couple hundred miles. The trail is incredibly difficult and I sometimes think that suffering is the only constant out there. People's motivation for doing a thru-hike varies a lot. Some hikers just seem at ease out there, like it is no big deal. Others need to force every step and every mile. Both types can be successful and have a great experience. Motivation can come through something deep within yourself or the relationships with other hikers may sustain you when you are feeling down. Having a certain amount of emotional maturity is also helpful; recognizing that things may be bad now but it isn't likely to last. Sometimes just taking a zero day in town can recharge your batteries enough to remove that doubt that was bothering you. I will say that most successful thru-hikers have obsessed about this trail and the hike for years. They have deep seated reasons for wanting to do it and that motivates them to keep moving forward.

7. What to bring in terms of electronics. I brought an SanDisk FM radio/MP3 player--awesome piece of equipment, allows you to pick up radio stations which I often listened to more than my MP3 songs. If you put a AAA lithium battery in it, you'll get 4-5 days use out of it before needing a replacement battery (I usually carried 3-4 batteries with myself between town stops). I would bring an iphone 4 or other smart phone that has internet and GPS function. The GPS will rarely be needed except if you find yourself in the Sierras during a heavy snow year. Finally, I brought a Kindle which was an awesome piece of gear. I would listen to books during the day. The kindle has the only text to speech function of the e-book readers, weighs 8 oz, and has a pretty good battery life. I would usually listen 3-4 hours per day and could use it 3 days or so before it died. I listened to dozens of books over the summer. I carried the charger for my iphone and the kindle (2 cords, 1 common wall plug). Some hikers (actually many) didn't carry any music or electronics beside a cellphone. The cellphone is important because of emergencies but more because of needing to call for rides and coordinate other things on the trail.

8. Food is a tricky subject. People's tastes vary a lot. I personally can't stand trail mix, find Clif bars barely edible. I resupplied by buying my food along the way and this is a very good strategy but expensive. The problem with shipping your food is what you think you'll like to eat now is likely not what you'll find appealing 1, 2 or even 3 months into your trip. Toward the end, tortillas became a staple for me and I would fill them with all sorts of stuff: tuna, salmon, deli meats, pepperoni, etc. Also, buying town food and packing it out for a nice meal for a day or two is a great strategy (i.e. buy some burgers at McDonald's and take them with you, left over pizzas, etc.). If you pack your sleeping bag at the bottom of your pack and then put your cold foods (cheese, meats, etc) on top of that and then place your clothes bag over the food, you create an instant insulated cooler which will keep things (including drinks, water, etc) quite cold even in the heat of the desert.

9. Loneliness wasn't a big issue for me. I did the vast majority of my hike alone. I made friends with many of the hikers but didn't routinely camp or hike with them. I found that having the FM radio helped ward off some loneliness for me because I could keep up on the world events if I wanted to and hear another person's voice talking to me which helped a lot. Some people really need companionship out on the trail and there are plenty of opportunities to find people to hike with that will share your hiking speed/style and likely compliment your personality.

10. I did shave, but not routinely. I had to come off the trail for 2-3 days each month to take care of business at home so I would shave when I came home. I never developed the enormous beard that is the tell-tale sign of a thru-hiker. I didn't need to cut my hair.

Please feel free to ask other questions that come to mind. If I could give you one piece of advise, get Yogi's book, read it carefully and adhere to the recommendations. Less gear and a lighter pack make for a much more enjoyable experience. Life on the trail is hard work, especially if your intention is to make it to Canada in a single season, but well worth the effort.

Sincerely,

Todd

Nobel

2011-10-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

It sucks to die a couple days before the Nobel committee announces your long awaited award. What is even worse is dying of the problem your research was meant to solve, ei Cancer. The other potential bummer is that the Nobel rules state the recipient must be alive at the time of the announcement.

Poor Steinman was not alive. The good news is that his life was extended because of his immunotherapy. Just not extended enough.

If I ever need immunotherapy the only guarantee I want is that I will live long enough to get my Nobel prize.

Dreamland

2011-10-01T19:41:00.001-07:00

When I finally buy land I want there to be a rainbow or two in the background.

Cause and Effect or Prey and Predator

2011-09-09T16:57:00.002-07:00

Before

After

Once Bitten, Twice Bitten

2011-08-24T18:02:00.001-07:00

This summer I was bitten on the foot by a mosquito and the mosquito died. Poor thing. Then I started worrying about my blood - it kills bugs dead. But this mosquito did not die right away; she hung in there for hours. Turns out that mosquitoes often die after feeding. The foot swelled to many, many times its normal size. And itched really bad.
Now I am suffering from a black widow bite. Maybe a brown recluse. It was probably both come to think of it. The two deadly spiders obviously teamed up to cripple my right wrist. And don't give me that "There aren't brown recluses in the West" nonsense. Look at my swollen, weeping wrist and tell me it was not a brown recluse /black widow combo that bit me? Or another mosquito.

Techno-less

2011-08-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

My computer broke in France. The gentleman at the Genius Bar told me it was my graphics card and that the part costs $900. Then he told me that Apple will cover it. He said it was a known problem. I have been computerless for a few days and will be for a few more. In related news, my phone fell out of my pocket in Luke's car at O'Hare. So I have been phoneless for a few days. Part of me likes being phoneless and computerless. But the part of me that posts things on the Internet finds it frustrating.

Warm and Furry

2011-06-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I hooked up the leash to the animal pictured below, went for a run, played with it for a while and after a few hours of fun I realized, "You are not Diego. You have too many legs."

But what really happened was, Jenny found this poor deceased spider in her garage. I picked her up and after a few seconds felt her moving. She was alive! But barely. She was soon completely dead. I was considering taking her to a wildlife rescue - we had already taked two birds the day before - but you cannot rescue the dead as the saying goes.

Semi-racist Yard Sale

2011-06-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

The third or fourth yard sale of the morning made the first two or three crapy yard sales almost disappear from memory. Of course these things never completely go away. They stay somewhere in our subconscious only to resurface as sweaty nightmares, "Oh no, more homemade potholders - and look! Another unused Nordic Track..."

Number four was the mother lode. We headed straight for the backyard where a sign out front had instructed us to go if we were interested in tools. The first thing that caught my eye was a bench grinder with a homemade, heavy duty stand. "How much do you want for that?" I asked trying to sound uninterested. Dan, son of the deceased, seemed surprised by the question. "Uh, I don't know... how about ten dollars?" Sold. Then a red tool cart struck Jenny's fancy. "I don't know, how much will you give me?" asked Dan."Five dollars," I offered hopefully. "Its yours. And you can have everything on it." We only wanted some of what was on it but we did take everything that was in it. He also said we could have whatever else we could fit on it.

Jenny noticed a hand-carved, wooden Buddha in the toolshed rafters. Then she saw a Buddha cookie jar. Then we both started seeing Buddhas everywhere. I bought the cookie jar. Mamma (that's what Dan called her) showed us a 4 foot high, smiley buddha wearing a cap and sunglasses. She bought it for her husband for $426 in the 70s. I went out to search for more treasure and Dan went in to warn his mother about potential thieves. Even though he was practically giving everything away. He said, "Mamma, we need to have a conference. I'm not racist but - well, not very racist - but there are a lot of Mexicans wandering around here and you know how they can be. So you need to be out there making sure people aren't leaving without paying."

The daughter showed up riding a Lark scooter. She was the only one who seemed at all concerned as she watched her dad's stuff walking away. Her mother said to us, "Dan didn't want her to come. He said she'd scare everybody away."

We weren't scared but we did feel like we left without paying. Maybe Dan and Mamma gave us the white people discount.

Dolly: $5

Tool Cart: $5

Tools included

Oster blender was from a thrift store but I thought you would like to see it.

Grinder $10

Buddha cookie jar: .25 cents

Photography: Not For the Faint of Heart

2011-06-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

The dangers of bunny photography.

The bunny.

I am kind of like this guy but with bunnies and without the dramatic music.

House (wren) Music

2011-06-04T15:49:00.001-07:00

Singing in the wrain

House Wren crashed into the House window

2011-06-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

This little house wren flew into the window and landed on its back. He looked like a goner lying on his back. He slowly started to snap out of it after sitting in my hand for a few minutes. He flew away after I took this picture.

Don't Stand so Close to Me

2011-05-28T19:21:00.001-07:00

While I was reading a magazine at a bookstore a middle aged (70ish) woman walked up and stood with her considerable bottom a few inches from my considerable nose. A conversation that I would not actually start went through my head. It started with, "Please don't fart, please don't fart, please don't fart." Then, in this silly fantasy, granny gave me a withering look. To which I replied, "Sorry, I just know it can be hard to hold your farts at your age." It was at about that time when the fantasy turned to reality. She farted. I thought I was mistaken until she farted again. She farted a third time and took her leave. I suppose the words, "be careful what you wish for or you might just get it," apply to this situation. Or maybe what my dad used to say would be even more applicable: "Be careful what you make up about a strange lady in a bookstore or she just might fart in your face."

Free Bacon in Chicago

2011-05-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today I was at the Whole Foods in Chicago - the big, new one behind Dick Blick near North Ave. I was buying ingredients for coq a vin. I asked the butcher for his most ethically produced bacon. He wrapped it up and asked, "Have you tried this?" "No," said I. "It's on the house." Later I was buying paper towels from a local paper towel vendor to dry the chicken with. He said, "It's a Memorial Day present." Maybe I should have test driven a car.

Car

2011-05-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've been following this car (the one with the green door) and taking its picture every minute or two.

Lunatic

2011-05-15T11:45:00.001-07:00

Driving South on Highway 101 a few miles south of the Oregon border my associates and I passed a jogger, also heading South. The jogger was dressed in white from head to toe. As a small black car attempted to pass us, the jogger jumped in front of the car and danced about making "funny" faces. The passing car could not swerve to avoid him without either hitting us or hitting him. At the last second the demented jogger jumped out of the way. I watched him continue to dance and bob and weave as he shrunk in the rear view mirror. The small black car pulled over and a gentleman of about 55 or older exited the driver's side. He was going to confront the maniac. For the next few miles I worried about the safety of the gentleman and his wife that he left in the car. By the way, the jogger was big and fit looking. The gentleman was neither.

Migration Frustration

2011-05-06T20:46:00.001-07:00

It has recently been brought to my attention that my habit of moving out of my humble home every summer is noticed by people other than me. I do like the part about migrating to the Sierra Nevada via Chicago in the summer but I admit, moving all of my worldly possessions into storage every May and out of storage every August is inconvenient. Next year I am going to try to keep my home and offer it for a summer sublet. So next year when you are considering a home away from home, consider Boise.

More buried cabins

2011-04-06T16:22:00.001-07:00

View of the cabin from the lake.

The shovel to dig to the cabin is on that tree somewhere under the snow.

Flagpole Peak Today

2011-04-01T22:15:00.002-07:00

Flagpole Peak

2011-03-24T19:39:00.001-07:00

One of my top ten favorite mountains.

Great Horned Owl Pellet

2011-03-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

Walking the dog

2011-03-19T18:38:00.002-07:00

Diego at the cross roads. Or cross walk. In case you are wondering, yes, my neighborhood is off kilter, or at least it has felt that way lately.

Starling

2011-03-18T21:02:00.004-07:00

Sharp-shinned hawks are good at this - severing the heads of birds.

Yes

2011-03-18T08:45:00.003-07:00

I've been talking lately, with friends, colleagues, and even associates, about how it is more interesting to define one's taste by what one likes, loves, and appreciates as opposed to by what one does not like, love or appreciate. After a while it becomes tiresome to listen to your friend recount his trip to New York or Paris and talk about how all the art sucked. Or upon his return from Kenya he simply said, "Worst safari ever." I think this idea resonates with me because I have been guilty and am still guilty of doing this. Recently, I even considered making a top ten list of things that I do not like. It would have been easier than picking, for example, my favorite ten movies, artists or religions. Use "restaurants" if "religions" is too much.

With that in mind, I would like to declare that I love the word flabbergasted, past tense of flabbergast.

Fishing Book

2011-03-11T07:56:00.002-08:00

New edition (1939) of the Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton. Originally published in 1653, this book includes everything one needs to know about fishing. Maybe. I have not ready it yet. Thank you Jenny for this beautiful little book.

2011-03-09T08:00:00.002-08:00

Reel to reel for real reggae music.

Travel

2011-03-07T17:34:00.008-08:00

I left my Jashua Slocum book in the seat pocket of one of the six planes that I occupied over the weekend.

My copy did not have this lovely picture on the cover. I am not immune to forgetting things but I think my recently developed dislike of airplane travel contributed to the book loss. I had my eye on it. I kept telling myself not to forget it. But when the seatbelt light went off I was out of my seat and into the aisle instantly. And Sailing Alone around the World remained sitting alone in the seat pocket. Who knows, maybe it will travel around the world.

Yesterday I was attempting to leave New York for Boise (via Washington D.C. and Denver). I succeeded in part one. I made it to Washington DC. I had to run to the shuttle bus to get to my connecting flight. The shuttle was not operating because of the weather. So I had to exit the terminal and run to the United ticket counter (the kiosk would not print my boarding pass). I barely made it onto my flight. But that turned out not to matter because that plane did not leave until 6:15 the next morning. Meanwhile, I spent 3 hours on that plane while mechanics attempted to fix the "skid." Another reason given for the stationary plane was that the "runway is too short for a plane this large." I'm not sure if the plane grew or the runway shrunk. Eventually we were let off the plane and given hotel vouchers. I was re-routed through Chicago because all Monday flights from Denver to Boise were full. This morning's first flight was held up while a mechanic fixed some broken seats (not to be confused with the punk jug band of the same name). And finally, the flight from Chicago to Boise had to stop in Idaho Falls for gas.

Schweins Haxn

2011-03-06T05:18:00.000-08:00

$26 for schweins haxn? Who are they trying to kid?

The Handbook

2011-02-28T15:40:00.004-08:00

Birds I saw today on the way to work

2011-02-09T13:36:00.003-08:00

Wood duck, Belted kingfisher, Bald eagle, Widgeon, Mallard, Canada goose, Common merganser, Common golden-eye, Lesser goldfinch, Norther flicker

Captain Kirk, Boise

2011-01-21T15:20:00.003-08:00

I was watching disk 10 of season 1 of Star Trek. The captain character (played by none other than Canadian actor and horse enthusiast William Shatner) mentioned Boise. I was surprised that, with the entire universe of places to mention, he mentioned Boise. He also mentioned Honolulu, San Diego and outer Mongolia.

Broken Iron Skillet

2011-01-20T15:16:00.004-08:00

My cast Iron Griswold skillet cracked while I was cooking a grilled-cheese sandwich. Luckily I just found one on eBay for $234.99. Also luckily, I finished cooking the sandwich.

Winter Cabins

2011-01-14T16:34:00.003-08:00

At last, one we could enter. After hours (maybe 8) of stoking the fire it was warm - inside the wood stove. The fire eventually went out and in the morning the fire building and stoking resumed apace.

I say "apace" all the time.

Winter Driving

2011-01-04T18:53:00.002-08:00

This is what the roads looked like on my way to California.

This too

I've been working on the old tanker truck for the trip back. A few obstacles that stand in my way are: Rats in the engine, I have no skill or knowledge as a mechanic, and it is not my truck.

Spock on Photography

2010-12-20T20:52:00.004-08:00

Mr. Spock's opinion on some stolen 20th century photography (they had gone back in time, remember that one?).

2010-12-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

Dialer

2010-12-15T16:37:00.003-08:00

I never did understand what the commercial purpose of this was - wait - I think it stored phone numbers tonally so one could hold the dialer to a phone receiver and push one button to call a friend. Or colleague if you have one. It saved having to touch up to ten pay phone buttons that were probably contaminated with LSD or PCP or maybe cyanide anyway.

What I used it for was to simulate the tones made when coins entered a pay phone so I could call friends for free. A recorded voice would say, "Please deposit $3.75 for the next three minutes." Then three minutes later a recorded voice would interrupt - usually my girlfriend and me, to say, "Please deposit $3.75 for the next three minutes." My girlfriend would say, "You don't have to put all that money in the phone, I'll call you back." I could never say, "Don't worry baby, I have a dialer," because Ma Bell was always eavesdropping; I could almost hear her breathing. So I had to let girlfriend believe I was generous with my coins.

Long before cell phones replaced pay phones the phone companies got better and better at preventing the use of the device. But I have kept it. Now, if not technically an antique, it serves the same purpose. It usually sits in my china hutch between Abe Lincoln's beard (or some such wad of hair) and my stuffed passenger pigeon, or carrier pigeon rather.

Diego in Napa

2010-12-09T07:20:00.001-08:00

Giver's remorse

2010-12-07T20:01:00.004-08:00

Last night a man who was almost as wide as he was tall, 5'4" perhaps, followed a wisp of a woman into my house. This wisp was not the elegant willowy type of wisp but the clumsy awkward type. She had no teeth, or if she did, she didn't keep them in her mouth. She had difficulty standing straight. In fact, and this is an observation for descriptions sake, she walked like Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein. As she crossed the threshold she yelled in the voice of a ten year old girl, "Where are they?" No hello or introduction. She wanted my finches. Earlier in the day I had advertised my finches "free to a good home" on craigslist. I should have realized that "a good home" is subjective. Probably most people think they can provide a good home for a pair of finches when they decide they want a pair of finches. I am pretty sure last night's visitors thought so. But, as "a good home" is subjective, my opinion is that they did not have a good home for the finches. I also doubt they could provide a good home for a dog, a cat or a person. Perhaps I am prejudice. Perhaps I am just a worried former finch owner. Maybe both. But if I ever have to give animals away again I am going to figure out a way to assess the quality of the animal's new home. Before they left the man said, "What kinda birds are these again?" I said, "This one is a spice finch and this one is a society finch." The woman said, "Oh, finches. That's right! I keep thinking they're quakers." I wished the finches new care-takers were Quakers. I shouted care instructions to them as they hot-footed it to their car. They did not seem interested.

Anybody want a pair of cockatiels?

Peter Hujar

2010-12-07T09:36:00.001-08:00

This dog looks a lot like Diego the dog except for the muzzle. The photograph is by Peter Hujar.

Good free music

2010-12-05T15:40:00.003-08:00

Y'all should get the new EP from Woom. It is free. Besides, Eben and Sara could use the money. Oh, but it is free.

New Painting

2010-12-05T07:02:00.002-08:00

I came home yesterday, after a hard day of doing productive stuff, and found this beautiful painting on my doorstep. Thank you Bill.

Movie Review

2010-12-04T12:22:00.003-08:00

Last night I went to the Movies to see Inception. I did not know what Inception was, in fact I thought I was still watching previews for the first 40 minutes. But before the movie I was talking to fellow Boise Artist, Bill L. about movie violence and specifically the films of Quentin Tarantino. The gentleman seated in front of us turned to talk to us: “I don’t like R rated movies and my roommate Charles was watching Inglorious Bastards ON A SUNDAY! I tried to stay in my room until it was over but, to my lasting regret, I ventured out to get a glass of diet cream soda. As I walked through the living room there was a fellow on the TV bashing in the head of a Nazi with a baseball bat while his friends cheered him on. I was like, ‘seriously Charles? On Sunday?!?!’”

Sometimes it Takes a Bad Thing to Make Things Worse

2010-12-03T14:23:00.001-08:00

I am pretty sure that is not the expression. But I am equally sure it is truer than whatever the expression is.

2010-11-20T22:42:00.003-08:00

Plant Jail and Chair

2010-11-18T12:36:00.002-08:00

Enzo Mari Chair

Hipsters

2010-11-15T10:19:00.004-08:00

More fashionable bearded people.

Another important bearded man

2010-11-14T13:06:00.002-08:00

Hamden Eldorado Cagwin, the Hermit of Echo Lake

Yesterday

2010-11-14T09:20:00.003-08:00

It still ain't weird, it's still just a beard

2010-11-13T11:28:00.007-08:00

This picture reminded me the John Muir injured his right eye in a machining accident

There are many different kinds of beards but I am not talking about the Goatee, Van dyke, Flapwings, Claus-esque, Chin-muffler, Queen's brigade, Wilted cigar, Soup strainer, Jaw-brisstle, Wispy wiggins, Wandering Jim, Meat-grinder or Dangle swaggles. What I am referring to are the two major types: Real beards and hipster beards. I usually try not to mention hipsters here but today I am moved to do so.

I do not think Whitman's beard qualifies him for bear status

What I am referring to are the two major types of beards:Real and Hipster. I do not usually mention hipsters on this blog but I am today I am moved to do so. The above are famous men with real beards, sometimes called "mentor beards."

Bear beards are real beards.

This is an example of a hipster beard, a nice hipster beard.

I make no qualitative judgement on which beard, the real or the hipster, is the better beard.

But I thought I might clarify the issue when it comes to the beard that I had and the whiskers that I have. Having not shaved for the past couple weeks seems to have invited opinion on whether I should grow a beard or not. Those in favor tend to be less fervent in their opinions. They tend toward variations on, "Oh, are you growing your beard back? I liked your beard but do what you want." Those against tend to have stronger anti feelings such as, "No! Do not grow your beard back!" I tell them I have not made up my mind but I promise not to grow my beard back. If I do grow a beard it will be a new one.

Last night a woman gave here beard opinion that went something like this, "If you have a big beard you are basically saying I am a bad-ass and I have this bad-ass beard." She said the other possibility was that you simply did not have a beard.

A gentleman present said, "I just thought your beard was a sign of depression."

When I do get the urge to stop shaving it is more often influenced by an old man with a gray beard - known as a Graybeard - rather than a 20 something dude in a rock band. It could be because I can relate to the lifestyle of a graybeard - driving around in a truck or sitting in a lawn chair - than that of a rock star. But to some, the fact that I even wrote a blog post about beards sets my beard in hipster stone.

2010-11-10T12:19:00.001-08:00

Walk

2010-11-07T13:04:00.003-08:00

Rhymes with Dancer

2010-11-02T20:07:00.001-07:00

What if the biggest thing in one’s life is really none of your business? And by “none of your business,” I mean your business, not mine. I’ve been spending the last couple of weeks crying, throwing up, listening to other people cry and throw up, feeding people, being fed (given food), helping others sleep, trying to help myself sleep, trying to distract myself and my friends, laughing at the absurdity of it. What is it? Cancer. I do not have it, knock on wood. But it recently snuck up on some friends. That seems to be cancer’s MO. First you don’t have it then you do. Sneaky bastard. Cancer is also like that car you recently bought; it is everywhere you look, every grocery store parking lot, every coffee shop, every curriculum committee meeting. Everyone either has it or a close friend or relative has it. I may have never actually said “cancer happens to other people,” but I am pretty sure I felt it. But this time cancer did not happen to other people. This time it happened to specific people, my people. One might argue that it happened to one person (especially if I weren’t being so vague) but I am a witness that cancer happened to many people a couple of weeks ago.

The question at the top is my way of figuring out how to write about what’s on my mind when what’s on my mind is other people’s personal tragedy. Trying to turn the personal into a more universal, and perhaps philosophical question.

This experience has brought home to me something that I long suspected. I love these (secret) people.

Coffee?

2010-10-25T10:38:00.001-07:00

Kitty?

2010-10-05T18:21:00.003-07:00

I was preparing to photograph a cat approaching my front door but when I clicked the shutter this is what I got. The cat was not Sebastian and not harmed.

Pallet Chair

2010-10-04T17:47:00.003-07:00

Step 1: dismantle a pallet

Step 2: Cut into Pieces

Step 3: Assemble chair

Step 4: Finish chair

This chair was made from a pallet I found behind a dumpster and a headboard that belonged to Brian Taylor, of Brian Taylor & Son Contractors. Brian is in Chile so he wont notice that his headboard has been turned into a chair until January. The design was based on pictures I found on the Internet. I picked the one that looked the easiest to make. It is surprisingly comfortable to sit in. And it looks good on my lawn. Shut up.

Sebastian continued

2010-10-03T18:48:00.003-07:00

In the kitchen

Hanging out in my kitchen window

Pretending to be dead because I made him leave after harassing the birds.

Sebastian

2010-10-02T13:58:00.002-07:00

This is my neighbor's cat. He loves birds. He loves sneaking into my house. He weighs 20 pounds.

Fishing Trip

2010-09-27T08:44:00.003-07:00

Bill, it turns out, comes from a fishing family. Or a fish family rather. His brother Steve owns a fish farm in Alabama. That could explain Bill's expectation that we would get to the lake and the fish would be happily waiting for us to pluck them out of the water like apples from a tree.

Dante, left, is what people in the medical business call a malingerer. If you are like me you are looking at this poor afflicted toy poodle asking yourself what happened to his neck. Whiplash? That was my assumption. But his otherwise active, chipper and general healthy countenance belied that assumption. I started to notice the little guy turning his head when Kirstin would point out this Western Grebe on the left or that White Pelican on the right. Eventually I could not longer take the farce so I yelled out, "Dante!" As suspected, Dante turned his head almost 180 degrees like an owl and looked at me with expectation. I said, "aha!"

In your face little toy poodle lier. Then Kirstin said, "it's a life jacket, not a neck brace."

So then I noticed Diego with his head in traction. Before I made a fool of myself I decided that he was simply looking for support for his ungainly head while he napped.

One of the first things we did after launching the boat was set crawdad traps. Above was the climactic moment as we awaited a cage teaming with little lobsters.

Nothing but two delicious strips of bacon. None of us knew the regulations on bacon so we set them free.

Be fruitful and multiply gross, wet, fatty strips of bacon!

Summer House

2010-09-21T15:21:00.001-07:00

Lucky Peak The Movie

2010-09-20T16:23:00.004-07:00

Lucky Peak

2010-09-20T15:51:00.002-07:00

Diego and I took the motor boat for a cruise at Lucky Peak Lake. This lake is more like a river with a damn at each end. But it is not that simple, for Lucky Peal has three ends.

Missrecognized

2010-09-14T12:28:00.003-07:00

At home depot I was approached by a young couple. I knew the young man because he was a former student. They were both happy to see me even though, as far as I knew, I had never met the woman. I introduced myself to her and she laughed and said, "I thought you were serious." Then she alluded to the tools in my hand asking if I was breaking into cars. "Medical school must be expensive," she laughed. I thought she was simply making a joke that I did not get. Then the young man referred to my "scrubs." I was not wearing Doctor Duds. They said three things that implied that I was a doctor. I wonder if I am their doctor? Or if they think I am.

It is nice to be recognized. I am just glad they weren't in the midst of a medical emergency because I would have been useless. There is probably some handsome doctor in Boise being mistaken for a photography teacher.

Pseudoscorpion

2010-09-08T12:00:00.003-07:00

If my Scorpions cover band ever gets of the ground I think I will name them, "Pseudoscorpions."

I was lying on a dock at a lovely high altitude lake when I felt a little tingle on my neck. I reached back and brushed one of these

onto the dock. You have probably heard of the recent bedbug epidemic. Psuedoscorpions enjoy eating bedbugs. In fact everything I read about psuedoscorpions makes it sound like having some in the house is a good thing. They also eat clothes moths, booklice, ants, and mites.

Pseudoscorpions hitchhike on flying insects like the one pictures above.

Tarzan

2010-08-29T13:43:00.003-07:00

I am once again in the process of moving. I am pretty slow at it because I tend to look through all my numerous possessions. Today I was looking through a journal that I kept back in the 80s. May 21, 1989 I wrote, "I want to be the type of guy that when people see me walking down the street they say, 'Now there's the next Tarzan.'"

Glass Cabin

2010-08-20T09:31:00.003-07:00

A gift from my pal Laurie. Not my sister Laurie. She didn't give me a gift.

Political corner

2010-08-19T16:23:00.005-07:00

People in Murfreesboro Kentucky do not want a mosque because the muslims hate them because they are Christians so they would like to pre hate the muslims because the muslims are gonna hate them anyway. Something to that effect. Also I heard (on the radio) one lady yell, "Islam is not a religion!" You can't argue with that except by saying, "Yes it is!"

Some also expressed fear of Sharia Law. Hmm. No wonder people think people in the South are stupid. But how does that explain people in New York? No wonder people think Americans are stupid.

Summer's over

2010-08-18T20:28:00.004-07:00

Summer is officially over. Not meteorolgically over, just officially over. Summer ends with the Dean's meeting at school every year. The Dean ends summer. It is always at this time of year that I start thinking in earnest about hiking, camping, boat building, cabin repairs, etc. I should be thinking of syllabi, tenure, football season. Not football season. I do not ever have to think about football if I don't want to. But our team, the Bucking Broncos, is one of the best in the land. I do like horses.

Christi and Ben

2010-07-11T11:32:00.004-07:00

My niece got married on a houseboat on lake Oroville yesterday.

They are up at the cabin now. Kate decorated the cabin and boat for the newlyweds.

I put new knotty pine paneling in the bedroom.

Diego was happy with the results.

Listening to Records in the Car

2010-06-29T12:47:00.002-07:00

As we drove from Chicago to California we occasionally stopped at thrift stores and flea markets to search for records for my Panasonic record player.

Two favorites were Loretta Lynne, Hymns, (Everybody Wants to go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die) and Parakeet Training Record (Hello. Hello Ba-by. Hello Baby. Good Morning. Good Morning. Good Morning. Wanna eat?)

More Mcleod

2010-06-29T09:21:00.001-07:00

Here is the other side of Mcleod Montana.

Thank you Emily from Las Vegas

2010-06-24T21:55:00.004-07:00

Mcleod,Mt

2010-06-24T20:37:00.004-07:00

This is a photoshop panorama of Mcleod, Montana, former home of Luke Batten. The entire town is pictured. Well, the entire north side.

We are staying in this little cabin on the banks of the West Boulder river. This cabin has even more charm than the KOA under the freeway in Sheridan, Wyoming where we stayed last night. And it only costs a couple dollars more.

"Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die," Loretta Lynn.

This horse ran to that hill and looked at us meaningfully. I said, "Shadowfax!" but the horse said nothing. It did however scrape its right front hoof on the ground and swish its tail. We, Kate, the robin on the rock and I looked on in silence. There were also white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope and sandhill cranes in the vicinity. One of the antelope had three shaggy babies; a lot for an antelope. Maybe she was babysitting.

Hammerkop

2010-06-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Jonathan sAdler

2010-06-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Stephen

2010-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Cats plants

2010-06-16T10:35:00.003-07:00

Our Host's Dogs

2010-06-01T14:59:00.003-07:00

These are the dogs of our generous hosts as Luke and I made our way from California to Chicago.

Gloria's (Luke's mom) dogs, Yin and Yang.

Katherine and Richard's dog Kiku

Joy's dog Pixel

Cassandra and John's dog Roxy

Colorado Kids

2010-06-01T14:54:00.002-07:00

I am in a cafe in Aspen trying not to listen to two teenagers: Guy: "You wanna spend the night at my apartment?" Gal: "I can't." Guy: "But you would... I have a steam shower." Gal: Laughing.

Guy: : "I have the dopest songs."

Guy: "Do you think Carlie has any gross diseases?"

If I could type faster this would be funnier and disturbinger.

This Guy

2010-05-25T09:02:00.003-07:00

This is my old friend West Side Justin formerly of New Mexico and now living in West Los Angeles. He looks famous to me.

Arizona

2010-05-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

Heading to Arizona Wednesday for the boycott.

Cats and Cones

2010-05-24T10:29:00.002-07:00

I Feel the Earth Lube Under My Feet

2010-05-02T14:01:00.004-07:00

Has it ever occurred to anyone that oil is in the planet for a reason? Lubrication. Do you ever notice the planet spinning? Of course you don't because (at present anyway) the planet is well lubricated and spinning silently. If oil keeps spilling out of that hole in the Gulf, and if we keep drilling, I predict we will start hearing a squeak. It will be subtle at first but soon more and more people will be complaining of ringing ears. The earth will start to slow down; days and nights will get longer and longer until eventually the planet comes to a screeching halt. I think someone should tell future President Palin this. It seems like logic she could understand.

Moving Out

2010-04-30T19:39:00.003-07:00

Perhaps it has something to do with my interest in birds, perhaps it is because I am cheap and do not want to pay rent in the summer or maybe the house I live in is for sale. Impossible to know. But like my beloved birds, my Spring migration has begun.

2010-04-27T21:03:00.001-07:00

Gray-crowned rosy Finch

2010-04-26T17:14:00.001-07:00

2010-04-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Warbler

2010-04-25T07:51:00.003-07:00

An add on the back page of a 1904 issue of the Warbler, a magazine for bird lovers.

Pied-billed Grebe

2010-04-25T07:38:00.002-07:00

Rock Wren

2010-04-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

I had to move its foot

Sanderling

2010-04-23T09:55:00.003-07:00