first food

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Moringa!

Worked the south wing today.  Lots of bits and pieces to sort.

On January 8th, I started four moringa seeds.  Got one healthy sprout now, two about to break ground, and one possible dud.  Not bad for the first round started in winter.  Nice healthy banana leaf unfurling.  Another 3 weeks and winter in the desert will officially be over.  43,59,36,0,W,0

nbsp?

Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Kick Ass.  Something I would much rather answer a threat with rather than cowering under a desk with just a cell phone to call for help or say goodbye.  In my hands this is now (thanks to the media) commonly known as an assault weapon.  In the hands of DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) it is referred to as a PDW (personal defense weapon). 

Last summer, DHS put out a "Personal Defense Weapons Solicitation" for the procurement of up to 7,000 rifles that are selectable between semi and full automatic fire at FEDBIZOPPS  ( hmmmm....Federal Business Opportunities sounds kind of cheerful, doesn't it?)  I suggest you pay particular attention to the Section C pdf.   https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=d791b6aa0fd9d3d8833b2efa08300033&tab=core&_cview=0 
Why would our government (that claims to be fighting a war on terror, yet has failed to secure our borders and is planning on rewarding millions of illegal aliens with citizenship) need such domestic firepower?

When you click on the link and read through the synopsis, you will see something strange.  I was curious about the use of nbsp.  Apparently it has two meanings...it is up to you to decide which best fits.  http://www.internetslang.com/NBSP-meaning-definition.asp  49,65,60,0,W,0

1550

Transferred 1550 gallons of old creek water and topped off one of the 3000 gallon tanks. Took about 2 hours to clean out the newly emptied one.  Rolled it over to BenLand...it's the new catchment tank for the barn roof.  Ben approved after giving it the lick test.  BTW...Bud is doing fine after yesterday's surgery. (Wonder if he has phantom pain - I'm still feeling it after watching the procedure.)   65,79,40,0,W,0

the emasculator

Bud's banding was going bad so Dick Cain and his son Breeze and grandson Jared came out today after church to seal the deal.  Dick roped him by his little horns on the third try.  Ben loved all the excitement.  Bud wasn't very happy about being caught, but took the quick procedure like a champ and didn't even flinch.  He hopped right up like nothing happened and should heal quickly.  His moo is a little higher pitched now.  66,80,45,0,B,0

Today's ordeal sort of reminds me of Genesis 34.  http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/genesis/34.html   Reads like a screenplay for a Quentin Tarantino movie. 

The Pogonotrophist

http://www.nationalbeardregistry.org/beards/Beard-details.asp?ID=221

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a field lab friday...

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the day of dirt

Dumped all the dirt from last years extracted containers into a hole I just happened to have handy.  Added some compost.  Might just let this cook for awhile...yeah, I know a hole ain't the best spot to compost but the dirt had to go somewhere and the hole called out to me.  60,78,38,0,C,0

the day of glass

These two sliding glass doors made it all the way out here intact from upstate NY only to be broken almost 4 years ago.  After all that time, I finally got around to cleaning it up...the nightmare of the shattered dream is over.  59,76,37,0,B,0 

east end

Different spot - more of the same....54,70,35,0,C,0

magic monday

Cleared the north wing in the greenhouse today.  Wish it really was magic - but like all the other clearing pics I've done, most of the stuff is still somewhere out here.  Good thing is, sorting puts stuff in its' place - be it put away or relegated to be recycled or thrown away next trip to Alpine....plus it gives me room to breath.

Double magic trick at the end of today.  Got my generator parts from the UK...ordered just last Thursday at 2 PM and delivered this afternoon by FedEx Frank.  Took all of 5 minutes to pop in the new AVR (automatic voltage regulator) and the generator is fixed!  Thanks again to the folks that turned me on to the Generator Guru...and to my friend Chuck who was first to suggest the AVR was the problem.  55,67,35,0,B,0

περισσός

Worshiped online with the gang in Raytown again this morning. The message today from Pastor John Wiley was about perissos....from the Greek - περισσός, translated into abundantly in our Bible.

1.exceeding some number or measure or rank or need

1. over and above, more than is necessary, superadded
   1. exceeding abundantly, supremely
   2. something further, more, much more than all, more plainly
2. superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon
1. pre-eminence, superiority, advantage, more eminent, more remarkable, more excellent.
2. 54,72,33,0,C,0 

This is what I am working toward  here in the desert and this is what God has in store for mankind with eternal life.  Sounds too good to be true - but then again, so does a living savior (or growing food crops in the desert).  Through faith I welcome the opportunity.  Romans 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  Adam's failure brought a living death to all mankind, but Jesus having lived a perfect life was subjected to a living death (Matthew 27:46) so that all mankind may have the chance for eternal life.

greenhouse extraction

Made a big dent in the greenhouse today.  Harvested over a half pound of jalapenos and basil to dry for later use.  Had to open the "tent" for awhile this afternoon to let some heat out - got up to 85° in there.  Midway through the clean routine, I had a visit from another faction of the Panther Mountain Clan. 54,68,31,0,C, .6

Farewell to the Ben pen...

Kinda sad to tear down Ben's first home at TFL.  Lots of memories there although it was only a couple of months.  I spent some time with him this afternoon and he said it was OK...he is quite happy with his new house and yard.  ( actually, what he said was, "What pen?...and how come I don't get a bottle anymore?")
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getting a jump...

...on spring cleaning.  Now that the construction phase is winding down, (except for studding out and insulating 2 shipping containers - but that is gonna wait for awhile) I really need to clean up the zone.  It is gonna take awhile to work my way through the greenhouse and around the property so I think it's time to begin.  Ordered a new AVR and brushes for my generator today from http://www.generatorguru.com/.  Thanks to eriko and Dale (who commented on my Oct. 15 post last year) for sending me down the right path.  45,59,25,0,C,0

10 day

Got just a little too cold overnight - more than I expected.  Popped a hose and sprang a small leak in my copper thermosyphon coil.  Took 2 hours to patch the breaches.  Only got down to 34° in the greenhouse tent.  Good news is we got a warm spell on the horizon.  Not going to get lulled into a false sense of security though.  In early February 2011, we had our deep cold - 68 hours of below freezing temperature.  The good news is, the girls are laying once a day now...magic!  39,50,19.8,0,B,0 

winter eden

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bank run

Stocked up for a month of stayin' home...including picking up a wad of cash to pay to Dick Cain for the purchase of Bud.  34,46,27,0,W,0

the living word...

Interesting Bible study at the Cain's in lieu of services today.  The first lesson was that the Bible is not just a book...a book of history.  Each time you open it up to read - God is speaking directly to you.  I like this concept and accept it through faith.  It makes for a much more immersive reading experience.  If you listen very carefully - you can hear the words spoken to you as you read them.  This is what God said to me today.

Proverbs 12: 5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. 7 The wicked are overthrown , and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand . 8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.9 He that is despised , and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.  

the tent...

Another cold front coming in tomorrow...might get sub freezing overnight temps Sunday - Wednesday.  Finished framing up and plasticizing the warm corner in the greenhouse.  Ambient outside high today was 59...the tent got up to 81.  Hope it will help hold some heat over the cold nights coming.  45,60,48,0,W,0