more rain

A little more rain overnight and a near miss from a huge storm this afternoon.  The boys really wanted to come in the house.  Topped off a 3,000 gallon tank.  74,88,66, .34",B

still obsessing...

I am still obsessing over getting back into the air again.  Still no decision on a cart but as my leg keeps getting betting I am beginning to think I might very well be able to foot launch again.  Now I am considering selling my paramotor and trading up for a lighter unit.  My Fresh Breeze beast is a 200cc unit that weighs 80 lbs. with 2 gallons of gas and puts out 145 lbs. of thrust.  This fairly new paramotor from Air Conception is a 200cc unit that weighs 54 lbs. with two gallons of gas and puts out 165 lbs. of thrust.  I am also considering getting additional training at AviatorPPG in Florida.  Anyone interested in house sitting TFL for a month in the fall?  Update at 7:40 PM - got hammered with an inch of rain.   78,91,68, 1.02",B

What is your final destination?

Every day in the world, about 8 million people take to the sky to go somewhere.  In the US alone, approximately 1.7 million are taking a trip on an airplane.  The photo above is real time air traffic at 2PM today.  Planning your itinerary in advance is always a good idea.  It will pay off well in the long run if you do your research and discern all your options when it comes down to your final destination.  Ultimately, we are all on a one way trip.  No one want's to end up stuck in a place where they really wish they hadn't gone.  Sometimes it happens - and you have no one to blame but yourself if you ignore the travel warnings.  Free will seems like a really great thing until you make a bad choice.  

The Stricklers...

The Strickler family came out for a geocache visit today.  The three kids were very cool...dad was OK as well.  84,95,66,0,B

unflat

Had a tough time with the worst creased tire.  Worked it a little too far off the bead gobbing the goop in there.  The strap method didn't work very well at all since it just made the tire crease more in the bad spot.  The bead sealer is VERY flammable so I knew better than to try this.  Finally bounced and pounded it enough for the bead to grab and it filled with air.  I didn't work the bead on the second tire nearly as much so it inflated easily.  Filled both tires to 12 psi. and gonna let them sit in the hot sun at that pressure for awhile so they will forget their crease memories.  Operating pressure is 5 psi.  79,89,71,0,W

sat flat...

The go kart sat a little too long on flat tires in the rear.  They are new tires that have only seen a couple of miles of use but they both have a crease in them that doesn't allow a good seal on the bead.  Just got a can of bead sealer to try out.  (FYI - 3 fans on the swamp cooler is a good compromise.)  88,96,76,0,W

four degrees of separation...

The mercury finally kissed 100° outside today.  Good time to tweak around with Pepino.  Much to my surprise, running just 2 of the 4 fans produces cooler air coming in (although half the volume - 200CFM vs. 400CFM...my hut is about 750 cubic feet inside).  Number on the top in each photo is the inside temperature.  Number on the bottom is the temperature coming in through the swamp cooler.  Is the cooler temperature at a lower volume enough to keep in the inside temperature from rising?  Will 3 fans be the magic number?  89,100,76,0,B

over easy...

Cooked another chicken in the solar oven yesterday.  Forgot to take the reflector (wind catcher) off when I was finished.  Must have gotten a little gusty last night from just the right direction.  The wind snapped the weld on the swivel post.  Luckily the cast iron pizza pan didn't break the glass and the reflector only has mild damage.  86,93,67,0,B

flooded

Took forever to get the go kart to start up again.  First I had the lines switched that went to the vaccume petcock then I got a little impatient and flooded it all the way into the air intake.  Since it was obvious it was getting plenty of petrol now, I knew to check for spark and air. Put in a brand new spark plug since I found one in the tool kit for the kart (nice when thinking ahead pays off - I bought 2 sparkplugs the last time I replaced one).  Removed all the air intake parts, drained out the gas, and let them bake in the sun to dry them out.  Popped it all back on and it started right up with barely a turn of the key.  89,99,70,0,B

manifest in our mortal flesh

2 Corinthians 4Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;  2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.  3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.  6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

tiny friends and a gas tank mount

87,95,67,0,B

trippin

85,92,59,0,B

little red gas tank

So I ordered a new gas tank for the go kart from Ebay and when it arrived I discovered the vacuum petcock off the old one wouldn't fit and it also didn't include a gas cap.   I found a better tank that was $10 cheaper and included the correct petcock and a gas cap so I requested a return and ordered the better deal.  When I got the first tank it had some scratches in the paint and a tiny dent and I wondered if that would be an issue when I returned it.  Sure enough the vendor claimed "item returned broken" and started a dispute.  Within 24 hours and without lifting a finger, Ebay decided the case in my favor and refunded my money.  That was easy...  74,83,64, .02",B

the cycle of life...

She just got her girlish figure back.  Hard to believe a whole nother burro fit in there.  64,73,62,0,B

thief in the night

Frank entered the food chain a couple of nights ago.  I think a coyote snatched him off my porch.  All that was left was a small pile of feathers by the greenhouse.  I heard a brief commotion at 4:30 in the morning but by the time I got outside there was nothing to see or hear.  The really weird part about it all is the dream I had after I went back to sleep.  I dreamt that Chupa had his leg torn off by something and it was still hopping around next to him.  In my dream I told people. "Look - there's Chupa, and there's Chupa's leg."  It was hopping around right next to him, pecking at the ground.  That was probably deep down in my brain because of this story.  RIP Frank...you were a good egg.  86,90,60,0,C

forth day

Four days in a row with rain.  Last night was .22" and got hammered tonight with .52".  Good thing I did a quick supply run this afternoon because my road is a mess now.  68,93,57, .52,W

big bang

I don't know why people try to explain the creation of the earth and the existence of God in "intellectual" terms when it is as simple as accepting Christ as your savior and witnessing the change that happens in your life and noticing how sin is recognized for what it is and has less influence over you.  It is fruitless to try to do it scientifically because that debate will never end with a clear winner.  

water audit

Caught a grand total of .11" of rain (and four bugs) in the rain gauge late last night.  According to my calculations, that amounts to 248.27 gallons caught...which is about a weeks supply for Ben's trough due to his thirst and evaporation.  My catchment system collects 2,257 gallons per inch of rain  - if it is a fast rain and the creek runs, I can add another 3,000 gallons to that total with my pump.  Just checked all my tanks and as of today I have 13,040 gallons on tap.  I use about a gallon per day for drinking/cleaning, etc....and 5 gallons per shower (which will start happening about once per week now that my shower is back in business).  The bees/bunnies/roosters/and Javier share about a gallon per day.  About one quart per day goes to some lettuce and chard plants I started 2 months ago.  Currently, my total water usage per week is roughly 375 gallons.  At that rate, even without any more rain I have enough water to last me about 8 months. The four first flush downspouts on the greenhouse hold a little over 2 gallons each.  That water goes to my 4 palo verde trees when it's available right after a storm.  For now, I don't bother recycling any of my grey water because I produce so little.  The drinking water filter system I bought right before I broke my leg is still in the boxes.  Total storage capacity is 22,375 gallons.  78,88,59. .16".B

downspout down

Quicky repair on the barn downspout today - inspired by a good chance of some rain later tonight...sure would be nice.  So far this year I have only gotten .44".  It had rained 5.12" by this time last year.  74,92,68, .11",W

bliss

74,92,66,0,B

standing

So I was standing around this afternoon thinking I am well overdue for a sponge bath.  Realizing that I can stand pretty well on two legs now, the thought of a real shower came to me.  Flushed out the solar shower that had about a half tank of year+ old water and refilled it.  Will give it a day to warm up then jump under the flow and scrub down at home for the first time in 17 months.  89,96,64,0,C

peaceable kingdom

88,90,62,0,C

the gospel according to jeff

Boning up on my PPG knowledge with the latest edition.  85,90,65,0,B  

Murdering God

...the Need to Kill the Judaeo-Christian God is Crucial

Interesting read...However he skirts the real issue of hope and the belief in God - just making it sound like the logical option.  It is the real/tangible Holy Spirit which brings transformation to those who accept Christ as their savior.

thirsty...

85,97,68,0,B

pecking order

For some reason, Chupa and Manny have started terrorizing Frank when they are in the coop together.  They beat him up pretty good a couple of days ago so now Frank roosts on my front porch at night.  When I let the other two out in the morning they chase him around a bit but spend the rest of the day being friends.  I tried them all in the coop together after a few nights of the new routine and they went right after him again.  Everyone is much more content now that Frank his own bedroom.  87,98,67,0,B

greenhouse addition

Horn billed thrasher nest.  84,92,66,0,B

booped

Highlight of the day?...Poking Moley's mole and saying "boop!".  76,88,64,0,C

screwed

Modified the solar oven today so I don't have to use screws to secure the door shut (barrel bolts) or mount the reflector (draw catches).  78,86,60,0,C

ER

Spent the day with a friend who needed to go to the emergency room at the hospital in Alpine.  Found it to be much more pleasant than my last trip to an ER.  68,74,47,0,B

Transgenderism: A Pathogenic Meme

What is the purpose of gender?  Procreation.  What is the purpose of sexual intercourse?  Procreation.  It is not politically correct to accept a behavior because of its' recreational value and ignore its' physical intention.  It is Satan winning souls.  Sin is still sin no matter what we are told should be tolerated in the name of "progress" (or is legislated to appease a voting constituency).  What is next on the list of things we should tolerate?  After all...killing babies to the tune of 1,000,000 per year is now an acceptable "choice" in the US.  There is a horrible disconnect from God when acceptance of behavior goes against His intention - sex and gender exist for one reason and one reason only - and it is not so you can feel good or feel good about yourself.  "But gird your loins if you would confront this matter. Hell hath no fury like a vested interest masquerading as a moral principle."