"It's been so loooooong..."

"...since I've heard that pretty voice!" Caught one of my favorite groups, Cloud Cult, a few weeks ago and the are tighter than ever and the live art gets better too. Whoa. It's been too long for me to have not been posting more. I guess living down in the hills with natural surroundings and no people to disturb the inherent peace of the area could have something to do with it. Perhaps if the new digs get hip to the 21st century then we can blog from that peaceful place...likely making for more peaceful posts? We'll see if there is a positive correlation.

 Esty's First Taste of Turkey...even if it is via breast milk. I am convinced that, just like brassicas make for fussy milk, turkey milk must have a sleepy effect on the babe. She was so dang good for the few days after Giving Thanks. She may be proud to know that her Dad and two uncles had hands in slaying, gutting, and cleaning the bird. Thanks to Ben, Stacy Kay and Cora for the bloody good time at Healthberry Farm. Support local any way you can, man! Dang camera battery was dead or else I woulda posted a gnarly and innformative visual buthcering experience. May make all you fellow carnivores know where meat can come from. No factories here, thank jah.

Injun Summer

After many days of high 60's, I am beginning to put away the wool pants and go for the swim trunks. Dang, the puddles aren't even icing over (and I know since coffee shop boy hasta be up and at 'em by either 6 (six) or 7 (seven) in the a.m....lurking around the 'hood while the quaint little town sleeps and dreams of insecurity and internal strife). But wait, the weatherman has changed his mind, again! Low 30's and a chance of snain (snow/rain) Thursday...way too far to predict, but hey, what else is the guy gonna do?
What's the dill, pickle?

Here's the dill.

 

And here's the lil' one. Bright sunlight deserves awesome hat. Baby Bjorn is da best!

She was about to cry...see the water in her eye? But Dad made a funny noise and face...and she snapped out of it. Taught to me by Chipper. Thanks. The method continues. "Laughter is the best medicine."

White Up High

Canaan Heights gets the first taste of snow! Oh yeah baby! A teaser, but still appreciated. Thanks Ullr. DRFP (Davis RiverFront Park) coulda been skied with some rock skis. Maybe next time...It's gone now!

Multiple Canaans

 My neighbor and one of my (oftentimes!) best buds growing up in Canaan Valley was named Canaan (pictured above with his Pops Chazz). Both were pronounced differently, the Valley bucking the tradition with kuh-nane, instead of the original kay-nun. Harry, our bus driver for a few years, always called him Cannon. He loved leaving out the Y sound. Kids snickered every time Harry boomed out "Cannon, get in your seat!!!" Harry never changed his pronunciation, not once.

Canaan the man, who I just got to hang with for the first time in, oh, something like 4 years (he's been chasing winter around the globe, Endless Winter? Coaching NZ skiers there, in CA and in CAlifornia. Go buddy go!) may eventually settle in Canaan Valley someday.....very far away? His skills are being used in the race universe, so it might be a while.

What sparked this strange post about Canaan (the man, the place, and yes, lest we forget, the biblical land of milk and honey) was that I stumbled upon a pretty interesting site called The Change Creation. There goal is clearly stated, and the buggers make ya think a little more than the regular automaton by having the website go ----> that way and not  |
                                                              |
                                                              |
                                                              V
                                                                this way.

While in this inspiring website, I came across Canaan Fair Trade. "Fair Trade Delicacies From Palestine, The Land Of Milk And Honey." Having read about the Canaanites focus on agriculture and essentially more nomadic disposition due to erratic changes in the climate (Did you hear that echo?), it seems fitting that Canaan, the man and winter nomad, is living in a very intensive agricultural place, New Zealand...perhaps it is like a modern day land of milk and honey? Not to piss off any fellow Americans.

Small World(s)

Aw, soooo cute. Little baby black bean aphids magnified 40x. Momma looks like she should have an instrument. Maybe she sings.

By Dr. Tomas Cabello,  Roquetas de Mar, Spain.

Man, the things that people are discovering and doing simply astounds me. Ever since I started reading Gizmag, I've been thrust head first into what used to be thought of as Sci-Fi, but is now, more and more, becoming Sci-Re(ality.) Take these microscopic pictures, for instance, and perhaps you'll see what I mean. There are some pretty cool ones here.

While some of the high technology can be used for scary purposes, it's mostly fascinating and intriguing. "Green" energy has taken more and more steps toward becoming "accepted/normal," and not some far-out pipe dream. Reduce, reuse, recycle. But keep on playin' with power!

Here are some examples:  


A solar thermal power plant that requires only sun and air. Pretty cool.

Or the Domespace, a passive solar and solar powered rotating dome house with a central fireplace and amazing insides. (Gotta love the repetitive copy paste photo edit on the second pic. Nice yard.) Seems circles are less likely to be blown over. What an idea!

And here is some hot shit, literally. Those cousins across the pond are turning poo into power. Another old idea that has a 21st century spin.

OK, last one...for now. In a few years we may have the ability to paint on solar film...Sounds a lot easier than installing a mounted roof unit, eh?

*Add-On* Grist informed us off the power of poop. With the help of microbes, people have figured out how to make plastics out the microbe's dung....and it's byproducts are harmless and biodegradable. Holy shit? No. But it's cool shit.

• Maybe there is still hope for humanity?
  
   
• Cloud Cult - Running with the Wolves from Eric Power on Vimeo.
     

Connected to Change

Oh, what a silly idea that is.

Dang, Grist just keeps pumping out interesting information. Seems our neighbors in the EU are rallying together to voice their disdain for genetically modified (GM) crops. (Poor Monsanto, silly Forbes. Seems reminiscent of Highland Prospects...except the Chamber never lamented.)

And it's about time: West Coast mindset moves bikes to forefront.
Which leads to mentioning WV's poor public transportation.

One more thing: Organic Milk Rap Video: