plan for the next decade...

Resolution for the 2020's...spend an hour a day cleaning out the greenhouse until it is done.  Hopefully it won't take 10 years.  44,60,27,0,B
'

a monday matinee...

a nice proverb...

Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. 4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. 6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. 7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

year end purchase...

Did my annual desk cleaning today and ordered new "Human Interface Devices" for my computer.  Good thing a keyboard and mouse is so cheap.  51,62,45,0,B

a friday night film

the casita shower stall...

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Christmas 2019

not a weather balloon

So last week the Brewster County Sheriff's office posted some pictures of what they called a crashed weather balloon that they assisted in the recovery of north of Marathon.  When I saw the pictures, I knew right away it was not just a weather balloon.  Took me all of 5 minutes of Googling to figure out what it was...a Worldview Stratollite (similar to the Google Loon project).  I reached out to the company and their Media Relations Dept. responded the next day. The craft that performed a controlled landing (not a crash) was a Stratollite test mission designated Gryphon 13.  Launched from Arizona in November, it was a record flight for the company - maintaining navigational control in the stratosphere for 45 days...surpassing an October flight of 32 days.  Funny thing is, although it tipped over upon landing, Worldview posted a photo of it on their Facebook page with the craft standing upright.  Their current mission is Gryphon 16 which launched December 16th.  You can track that flight here.  58,73,56,0,B

a monday matinee...

God and Science

For the past year I have been studying astronomy and have been following what we have been learning about the vastness of the universe with the recent advancements in technology.  Being that there is yet to be even a hint of any other intelligent life in the universe, it only reinforces my faith.  

JKA

Joe Kyle, astrophotographer from Colorado camped out at The Little Burro.  Joe is here in our dark skies shooting the Horsehead Nebula...also known as Barnard 33 - a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion.  The nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak (1500 light years from Earth), the easternmost star of Orion's belt, and part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.  Video Monday...  46,65,27,0,B

a friday night film

cutting tin...

...for the Casita bathroom walls and shower stall.  

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Camera Obscura

Planning on some experiments with this lens I bought from Finland.  First I am going to see if I can bring the western view of Agua Fria Mountain inside the Casita.  38,55,22,0,B

Interior design...

Found the perfect shower curtain for the Casita shower stall...

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a monday matinee...

saw an illegal today...

Romans 13:1–7 makes it abundantly clear that God expects us to obey the laws of the government. The only exception to this is when a law of the government forces us to disobey a command of God (Acts 5:29). Illegal immigration is the breaking of a government’s law. There is nothing in Scripture that contradicts the idea of a sovereign nation having immigration laws. Therefore, it is rebellion against God to unlawfully enter another country. Illegal immigration is a sin.

Illegal immigration is definitely a controversial issue in the United States (and some other countries) today. Some argue that the immigration laws are unfair, unjust, and even discriminatory—thus giving individuals justification to immigrate illegally. However, Romans 13:1–7 does not give any permission to violate a law just because it is perceived as unjust. Again, the issue is not the fairness of a law. The only biblical reason to violate a government’s law is if that law violates God's Word. When Paul wrote the book of Romans, he was under the authority of the Roman Empire, led by Emperor Nero. Under that reign, there were many laws that were unfair, unjust, and/or blatantly evil. Still, Paul instructed Christians to submit to the government.

Are the immigration laws of the United States unfair or unjust? Some think so, but that is not the issue. All developed countries in the world have immigration laws, some more strict than the USA’s, and some less strict, and all have to deal with illegal immigration. There is nothing in the Bible to prohibit a country from having completely open borders or to have completely closed borders. Romans 13:1–7 also gives the government the authority to punish lawbreakers. Whether the punishment is imprisonment, deportation, or even something more severe, it is within the rights of the government to determine.

First portrait...

...with the new camera of my neighbor and client Joe Blumentritt.  This is a still from some 4K video I shot today.  66,78,38,0,B

a friday night film

waiting...

...on the last full moon of the year.

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The goal...

Organize one area /fill one garbage bag per day until it's all done.

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Contemplating...

...a winter cleaning binge...

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a monday matinee...

who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. 6 For he shall be like the heat in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.  

bathroom platform...

Built this to make it easier to run the drain from the shower and kitchen sink outside since we hadn't finalized the plumbing design while main construction was going on.  In other news:  Today is my 12 year anniversary in the desert... 62,74,38,0,B

a friday night film

wired up and working....

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A shower for the Casita...

Talked the client out of buying one of those cheap plastic showers.  My landlord put one in my studio in Brooklyn and the first thing I did was rip it out and build one I was happy with.  Just got the new 36" square shower pan and I am going to build a custom stall for the Casita that is much nicer for the same price as those crappy ones.  67,79,36,0,B

something different...

Running wire for a 240 VAC hot water heater in good old fashioned galvanized conduit for an "on the grid" client.  A little more dangerous than 12 VDC... 61,74,36,0,B

a monday matinee...

watch...

Mark 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.