It's amazing what you find out there, when you really "aren't looking" for things. I tend to hold a less then optimistic view of where our world is going, and have found that, for the time being, frequenting those types of sites just helps to keep my own mind at ease. I've tried to introduce online friends to a couple of web sites with less then successful results, thus, I just keep that side of my brain on lock down.
In my Internet roaming, I came across this blog article titled "The Day The Dollar Died" and that got my mind racing again:
http://johngaltfla.com/blog3/2009/11/18/the-day-the-dollar-died/
No, not a happy read, but I've often wondered, what would Joe Six-Pack think when he read this article? "Not in the U.S of A!" "Damn people with their doom and gloom!" "Woman, get me a beer so I can watch NASCAR!" I guess I don't give people enough credit where credit is due, but I just don't see people viewing our current state of affairs as "relevant" in their techo-gadget world. This does NOT take into account what's going to happen when oil prices spike, and they will sooner then we all care to imagine. When that happens, we get to go through this mess again, but without the benifit of breathing room.
I'm scared for my family, my friends, and my country. Because of that, I frequent those "gloom and doom" sites, because there, I can relax, see what I need to do to help my family prepare. Am I ahead of the curve, far from it. But I feel good in what I've done so far to make sure my family can take care of themselves. There's much do to yet, and hopefully, I can get more done before that blog story becomes reality.
Not the happy blog for the week, and that's ok. Somedays, life just isn't happy.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Joys of Fall
Well, as I write this, I'm in school during in-service (boooo), but it gives me some time to reflect a little bit about how this fall has been.
We've managed to shut down the the garden fairly well, emtpying out the raised beds, and getting a good sized load of cow manure for future use. My dad has a guy who's got a gazillion rabbit, who I might call to get some more fertilizer too. Our plants are all gone with some pretty hard frosts last month, but I'm all ready starting to get some ideas on what to do for next year. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I want to expand out more, and use the extra space to try some grains. Maybe wheat or flax, but just to see what it's like to do something like that.
On the animal front, we are thinking of killing our one rooster because he's just a pain in the butt. He chases the girls around, scaring them. He chases my wife around, but not once has he made a move around me. It will be interesting to see what happens as I figured I'd give him another couple of weeks to see if the'd come around as our other rooster just vanished a couple of weeks ago.
Finally, I've bought a couple of heavy duty sets of shelives for our basement. One set has camping supplies on it, the other will move into our fruit room, and there, I feel like I have the makings of a true pantry.
Exciting time!! :)
We've managed to shut down the the garden fairly well, emtpying out the raised beds, and getting a good sized load of cow manure for future use. My dad has a guy who's got a gazillion rabbit, who I might call to get some more fertilizer too. Our plants are all gone with some pretty hard frosts last month, but I'm all ready starting to get some ideas on what to do for next year. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I want to expand out more, and use the extra space to try some grains. Maybe wheat or flax, but just to see what it's like to do something like that.
On the animal front, we are thinking of killing our one rooster because he's just a pain in the butt. He chases the girls around, scaring them. He chases my wife around, but not once has he made a move around me. It will be interesting to see what happens as I figured I'd give him another couple of weeks to see if the'd come around as our other rooster just vanished a couple of weeks ago.
Finally, I've bought a couple of heavy duty sets of shelives for our basement. One set has camping supplies on it, the other will move into our fruit room, and there, I feel like I have the makings of a true pantry.
Exciting time!! :)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Technology and where we are going
I'll move away from the home and house and chickens to talk about technology.
Right now I'm at a technology conference watching people talk about all the cool things they are doing with their computers, with their students, and so forth. I find this fun in surreal sort of way because all this is being done as we are wondering what exactly will be happening with the recent 10% across the board cut that the governor of our state just ordered.
While I love the techie stuff and how it can really create interest in the classroom, how can this be a possibly if our tax revenue continues to crash? We hide behind the technology stuff that's out there, never really looking behind the curtain to see what's there. Our world has changed in the last two years, and as Americans those days of all this stuff is simply not coming back. Between the fact that we as a country are so incredibly in debt that in all likelihood we'll never pay it back and the fact we have either reached or have almost reached the peak point of oil production, our classrooms will be slowly but surely changed in a way that none of us can understand.
It's all good, but we also need to look at the bigger picture. How can we continue our educational system with fewer and fewer resources? Can we do this? If not, what will education look like? Can we sustain this?
Many questions with few answers right now. But if we don't start looking for the answers now, they'll be found for us, and probably not in ways we like either.
Right now I'm at a technology conference watching people talk about all the cool things they are doing with their computers, with their students, and so forth. I find this fun in surreal sort of way because all this is being done as we are wondering what exactly will be happening with the recent 10% across the board cut that the governor of our state just ordered.
While I love the techie stuff and how it can really create interest in the classroom, how can this be a possibly if our tax revenue continues to crash? We hide behind the technology stuff that's out there, never really looking behind the curtain to see what's there. Our world has changed in the last two years, and as Americans those days of all this stuff is simply not coming back. Between the fact that we as a country are so incredibly in debt that in all likelihood we'll never pay it back and the fact we have either reached or have almost reached the peak point of oil production, our classrooms will be slowly but surely changed in a way that none of us can understand.
It's all good, but we also need to look at the bigger picture. How can we continue our educational system with fewer and fewer resources? Can we do this? If not, what will education look like? Can we sustain this?
Many questions with few answers right now. But if we don't start looking for the answers now, they'll be found for us, and probably not in ways we like either.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
And life keeps rolling on
It seems like I have good intentions with this blog. I've written decent posts, and have really tried ot keep track of things at the beginning, but dang it all if I've not totally slacked off, leaving this little page to fend of itself. I hate that, that feeling of guilt for not taking care of something. For me, guilt, for whatever reason, is always there. Whether it be stupid guilt like I'm feeling for not posting, guilt as a father or husband, not spending enough time with his family, guilt as a son not calling his parents enough, or as a teacher, spending not enough time on school work.
Anyway, much is getting done around our little place right now, or has been done over the summer. We've put up a building that is 26 x 40, a good sized shed in which half will be for our cars (our other out buildings aren't so hot) and half would be for animals of some sort, when we get that far. The only problem that I find with this building, we have taken out part of our home equity loan to pay for it, while we have the cash in the bank that we could do so as well.
Another positive on our place, we are to the point where fencing is almost done on one small section. If we get this done, we'll be set for sheep or goats or something this next spring. We'll see how that goes a well. Our gardens have been disappointing in some areas (corn, melons) and better then hoped for on others (potatoes, green beans, tomatoes). I'm not entirely sold on our organic growers group, but we'll keep going to meetings and see how it goes.
Our one downfall this summer, vacation. The last three years we've taken a family vacation of some sort, and this summer, it just never materialized. That will change next year. Where will we go, I have no idea, but we will go somewhere.
Nothing much else right now, I'll be making a better effort at keeping this updated.
Anyway, much is getting done around our little place right now, or has been done over the summer. We've put up a building that is 26 x 40, a good sized shed in which half will be for our cars (our other out buildings aren't so hot) and half would be for animals of some sort, when we get that far. The only problem that I find with this building, we have taken out part of our home equity loan to pay for it, while we have the cash in the bank that we could do so as well.
Another positive on our place, we are to the point where fencing is almost done on one small section. If we get this done, we'll be set for sheep or goats or something this next spring. We'll see how that goes a well. Our gardens have been disappointing in some areas (corn, melons) and better then hoped for on others (potatoes, green beans, tomatoes). I'm not entirely sold on our organic growers group, but we'll keep going to meetings and see how it goes.
Our one downfall this summer, vacation. The last three years we've taken a family vacation of some sort, and this summer, it just never materialized. That will change next year. Where will we go, I have no idea, but we will go somewhere.
Nothing much else right now, I'll be making a better effort at keeping this updated.
Monday, August 31, 2009
No, I've not died....
....just not been here much.
Update more later tonight I hope, but rest assure, I'm alive and well in Iowa! :)
Update more later tonight I hope, but rest assure, I'm alive and well in Iowa! :)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The Masters no one will know about
Last week, I spent a week in La Crosse that has literally changed my life. I went into the week very much "blah" about the whole thing. I'd spent a lot of money for some pretty lame classes, I was spending another chunk of money on this week and hotel and food....I was NOT inspired to say the least.
But for whatever reason, something happened. I don't know if it was our speakers, the people I was there with, or just the fact I was part of a larger group, but I walked out feeling very much a different person: refreshed, revitalized, and with a renewed sence of what it was that I wanted with my life.
I've shared this via Facebook and a running site that I post with as I'm finding the power of the written word. That Saturday, I spent all day just restless, not happy, needing an outlet, and after writing that, I felt 100% better. Finding that outlet for that emotion was huge. I need to get back into the habit of this blog because of that very reason, the outlet, the release of things that need to be released.
I titled this "the masters no one will know about" for that reason. I've walked around for a few days just needing to tell this to someone, ANYONE. Facebook won't work because of the people who are on there, the running site either because of some of the jackasses who reside there, so here I am! :)
Like I said above, I've not felt this refreshed in a LONG time, at least three years, probably longer. However, with this Masters has come some major disappointments. First, my wife. She kind of pushed me into this, supported me on all the classes, but has been really distant with this week. She showed up Thursday night kind of cold, and Friday I find that she didn't bring our good camera, but my daughter's camera with limited flash, limited zoom. Not a bad camera, but not our "good camera". Her response to this: well, you've not acted like this was a big deal before. True statement, but she's always acted like it was, and for her to marginalize it kind of sucks. Plus, no card, very little "congratuations", just left me with a real bad taste in my mouth.
My other major disappointment were my parents. They've never been huge into the "follow the kid around to be supportive" which I understand, but I invited them and they said no. No card, no phone call, no email to say good job, nothing. My brother, I understand, I never really invited him and don't expect much from him any more as his in-laws are very much controlling and he's fallen right into that little trap. But my parents, I expected something from them, even if it was only an email to say: we are proud of you.
Those two things have been eating at me since Saturday night and it's good to tell someone, even if that someone is just my blog! :-P
But for whatever reason, something happened. I don't know if it was our speakers, the people I was there with, or just the fact I was part of a larger group, but I walked out feeling very much a different person: refreshed, revitalized, and with a renewed sence of what it was that I wanted with my life.
I've shared this via Facebook and a running site that I post with as I'm finding the power of the written word. That Saturday, I spent all day just restless, not happy, needing an outlet, and after writing that, I felt 100% better. Finding that outlet for that emotion was huge. I need to get back into the habit of this blog because of that very reason, the outlet, the release of things that need to be released.
I titled this "the masters no one will know about" for that reason. I've walked around for a few days just needing to tell this to someone, ANYONE. Facebook won't work because of the people who are on there, the running site either because of some of the jackasses who reside there, so here I am! :)
Like I said above, I've not felt this refreshed in a LONG time, at least three years, probably longer. However, with this Masters has come some major disappointments. First, my wife. She kind of pushed me into this, supported me on all the classes, but has been really distant with this week. She showed up Thursday night kind of cold, and Friday I find that she didn't bring our good camera, but my daughter's camera with limited flash, limited zoom. Not a bad camera, but not our "good camera". Her response to this: well, you've not acted like this was a big deal before. True statement, but she's always acted like it was, and for her to marginalize it kind of sucks. Plus, no card, very little "congratuations", just left me with a real bad taste in my mouth.
My other major disappointment were my parents. They've never been huge into the "follow the kid around to be supportive" which I understand, but I invited them and they said no. No card, no phone call, no email to say good job, nothing. My brother, I understand, I never really invited him and don't expect much from him any more as his in-laws are very much controlling and he's fallen right into that little trap. But my parents, I expected something from them, even if it was only an email to say: we are proud of you.
Those two things have been eating at me since Saturday night and it's good to tell someone, even if that someone is just my blog! :-P
Friday, June 12, 2009
6-11-09 Carbon Leaf
I feel like I'm pasting this goofyness all over the Internet, but I really could care less. Yes, we spent 500 miles round trip to go see a band that I like. How cool is that?
If you've not heard of Carbon Leaf, then browse them a bit. From their first disk to where they are at now, they've changed members and some of their general feel has been lost, but like most groups, seeing them live makes it all better.
We drove to Oshkosh, WI (north of Milwakee for those who may know) for their summer concert series. Carbon Leaf has been on my playlist for a while now since I stumbled onto them via a streaming radio station from iTunes. When I heard they'd be "close" and in a place where I could take my daughter, there was very little left to talk about! ;)
We had a blast at the outdoor amphitheater as we could move around as need be, the sound was incredible for all the groups, and the night was cool, but not enough to be cold. They played a good two hours, and we were there for all of it, leaving as they played their encore. My 8 year old daughter sang along to some of the songs (can you say "played too much in the car!!??) and stood right in front of the stage. She literally stood there for almost 2 hours, spellbound by the activity on the stage: singing, playing, and the general movement. Her highlight, the guitar player smiled this huge smile at her when she caught his eye.
Sometimes, you just need to drive to get the true experience of what music is all about....:)
If you've not heard of Carbon Leaf, then browse them a bit. From their first disk to where they are at now, they've changed members and some of their general feel has been lost, but like most groups, seeing them live makes it all better.
We drove to Oshkosh, WI (north of Milwakee for those who may know) for their summer concert series. Carbon Leaf has been on my playlist for a while now since I stumbled onto them via a streaming radio station from iTunes. When I heard they'd be "close" and in a place where I could take my daughter, there was very little left to talk about! ;)
We had a blast at the outdoor amphitheater as we could move around as need be, the sound was incredible for all the groups, and the night was cool, but not enough to be cold. They played a good two hours, and we were there for all of it, leaving as they played their encore. My 8 year old daughter sang along to some of the songs (can you say "played too much in the car!!??) and stood right in front of the stage. She literally stood there for almost 2 hours, spellbound by the activity on the stage: singing, playing, and the general movement. Her highlight, the guitar player smiled this huge smile at her when she caught his eye.
Sometimes, you just need to drive to get the true experience of what music is all about....:)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Annual Conference
Hello from the United Methodist Annual Conference located in Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa!
Ok, not quite that excited about it, but it makes for a good introduction. As I'm writing this, the "Praise Band" is banging out this funky beat, to which the old folks are bobbing their heads to in approval....hee hee...makes a good image too! :-)
This is my second conference, my first was an eye opening experience on the political side of the church, blah. Left wing, right wing, and all that stupidity that we deal with on the news came jumping out and slapped me upside the head. I was pretty unhappy with the whole thing, other then listening to our Bishop speak. Dude could preach!
For the current conference, I feel a little more prepared for the left/right/center parts of things, which makes enjoying the people and the various services more enjoyable. Plus, the Bishop (a different on from my last time) can talk it up too!
I'm not what you would call a God fearing man, far from it. As a kid, things really never made "sense" to me, and it was only amplified as I grew older. After the tragic loss of my father in law in a farming accident, and seeing how people reacted to that (oh it's God's plan), that pretty much ended any true belief. And seeing my mother in law die less then two years of cancer just reinforced that feeling.
However, both times here at conference, I've felt a sense of renewal just by listening to the good that people do. True, it done because of a belief system that I don't buy into (ask me about what I think of missions sometime! LOL), but yet, there is great good being done. If that good could be channeled into our country, our cities, our towns, I would be more likely to make more donations towards those causes. As it is, we do make donations to those missions who serve the poor and downtrodden in our state/country, but when my brother leaves his 1 year old daughter and pregnant wife to wife to go on a mission trip to Africa to pass out tooth brushes and candy, I have a huge problem with this. And no, that wasn't all they did, but it was a part of it, along with trying to convert people to Christianity. Don't get me started.
Anyway, I guess my point of all this is, there is good in the world. It's all around us, but we have to look for it, and seek it out, and savor it when we do find it. A church, preacher, or "amen" isn't always needed, just a belief that people are capable of doing great things when aimed in that direction, regardless of their belief systems.
Finally, our Bishop just played Wii tennis and bowling on the jumbotron here in the coliseum, pretty freekin cool!!! LOL!!
Ok, not quite that excited about it, but it makes for a good introduction. As I'm writing this, the "Praise Band" is banging out this funky beat, to which the old folks are bobbing their heads to in approval....hee hee...makes a good image too! :-)
This is my second conference, my first was an eye opening experience on the political side of the church, blah. Left wing, right wing, and all that stupidity that we deal with on the news came jumping out and slapped me upside the head. I was pretty unhappy with the whole thing, other then listening to our Bishop speak. Dude could preach!
For the current conference, I feel a little more prepared for the left/right/center parts of things, which makes enjoying the people and the various services more enjoyable. Plus, the Bishop (a different on from my last time) can talk it up too!
I'm not what you would call a God fearing man, far from it. As a kid, things really never made "sense" to me, and it was only amplified as I grew older. After the tragic loss of my father in law in a farming accident, and seeing how people reacted to that (oh it's God's plan), that pretty much ended any true belief. And seeing my mother in law die less then two years of cancer just reinforced that feeling.
However, both times here at conference, I've felt a sense of renewal just by listening to the good that people do. True, it done because of a belief system that I don't buy into (ask me about what I think of missions sometime! LOL), but yet, there is great good being done. If that good could be channeled into our country, our cities, our towns, I would be more likely to make more donations towards those causes. As it is, we do make donations to those missions who serve the poor and downtrodden in our state/country, but when my brother leaves his 1 year old daughter and pregnant wife to wife to go on a mission trip to Africa to pass out tooth brushes and candy, I have a huge problem with this. And no, that wasn't all they did, but it was a part of it, along with trying to convert people to Christianity. Don't get me started.
Anyway, I guess my point of all this is, there is good in the world. It's all around us, but we have to look for it, and seek it out, and savor it when we do find it. A church, preacher, or "amen" isn't always needed, just a belief that people are capable of doing great things when aimed in that direction, regardless of their belief systems.
Finally, our Bishop just played Wii tennis and bowling on the jumbotron here in the coliseum, pretty freekin cool!!! LOL!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Inspiration
Inspiration right now is hard to come by. Tough times at school, with the kids, with my own personal fitness have left me drained of energy, thus I'm seeking out inspiration from many places right now.
I've been sent a youtube video called "Lost Generation" that's been a source of inspiration for me as of late: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA&feature=related
Our principal, who's repeatedly dug herself good sized holes to get out of, tried the pollyanna approach yesterday with "oh what positives have we done this year...blah blah blah". While I'm not much into that kind of rah rah crap, she did use a web site that I've found some really good things to think about on.
http://www.simpletruths.com/movies.asp This is a bunch of free to use videos with really good messages and quotes to go along with them.
Here's to find your own inspiration from something around you....:-)
I've been sent a youtube video called "Lost Generation" that's been a source of inspiration for me as of late: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA&feature=related
Our principal, who's repeatedly dug herself good sized holes to get out of, tried the pollyanna approach yesterday with "oh what positives have we done this year...blah blah blah". While I'm not much into that kind of rah rah crap, she did use a web site that I've found some really good things to think about on.
http://www.simpletruths.com/movies.asp This is a bunch of free to use videos with really good messages and quotes to go along with them.
Here's to find your own inspiration from something around you....:-)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Graduation
This year's graduation was probably the hardest for me to stomach. While I won't openly admit it, this was one of my all time favorite classes I've ever worked with for many reasons. They had much potential leaving my little world of sixth grade, there was just a spark among many of them, and the girls of the class "forced" me back into coaching ("you coach us, Mr. J, or we'll make thing difficult").
As it was, the following two years, I had the chance to coach the same girls in jr. high, both 7th and 8th grade, so there was quite a connection made there by the time things were said and done. As years have gone past since 8th grade, I've lost touch with many of these students, heard some not so good things about their activities, and generally looked at is as another class moving on. I had entertained the notion of not going to the parties, just because it seemed like a waste.
However, I got out some old pictures of the jr. high teams, and looked at the pure joy they had playing the game, not for anyone but themselves and their team mates, and at that point decided to attend the parties, regardless of my personal feelings. And I'm glad that I did. I went to one party and almost got tackled by the graduate giving me a hug. Later on, her parents both commented about how she considered me her "favorite teacher of all time" and just the impact that I had made in her life. I was shocked to say the least! Another party I had a graduate almost in tears when I walked in, hugging me and comment how my "stories" helped her become the complete basketball player she was.
Yes, it's totally selfish, but it was a huge ego boost to hear those things, and realize that yes, I do make a difference. The last 5 years have been ones of great upheaval with my wife's parents both passing, moving, and the general chaos that is school, and I know I've not been the teacher I should be. With these graduations, I've felt better about my job as a whole and HOW I do my job. I get right down into the kids on their level: I tease them, poke fun at them, and get up into their faces when need be. That's who I am, and that's what I'll continue to do because it works for me.
As it was, the following two years, I had the chance to coach the same girls in jr. high, both 7th and 8th grade, so there was quite a connection made there by the time things were said and done. As years have gone past since 8th grade, I've lost touch with many of these students, heard some not so good things about their activities, and generally looked at is as another class moving on. I had entertained the notion of not going to the parties, just because it seemed like a waste.
However, I got out some old pictures of the jr. high teams, and looked at the pure joy they had playing the game, not for anyone but themselves and their team mates, and at that point decided to attend the parties, regardless of my personal feelings. And I'm glad that I did. I went to one party and almost got tackled by the graduate giving me a hug. Later on, her parents both commented about how she considered me her "favorite teacher of all time" and just the impact that I had made in her life. I was shocked to say the least! Another party I had a graduate almost in tears when I walked in, hugging me and comment how my "stories" helped her become the complete basketball player she was.
Yes, it's totally selfish, but it was a huge ego boost to hear those things, and realize that yes, I do make a difference. The last 5 years have been ones of great upheaval with my wife's parents both passing, moving, and the general chaos that is school, and I know I've not been the teacher I should be. With these graduations, I've felt better about my job as a whole and HOW I do my job. I get right down into the kids on their level: I tease them, poke fun at them, and get up into their faces when need be. That's who I am, and that's what I'll continue to do because it works for me.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Just being
The last two nights, I've been outside until almost dark getting our new raised beds fillled with "starter soil" (1/3 top soil, 1/3 compost, 1/3 peet moss), a job I've been pushing to get done for a while now.
As I've been out there, I've had the chance to watch the sun set over the hillside, and the explosion of reds and pinks that come with that, such incredible colors. The there are barred owls all around us, and they get started talking to each other about this time. Yesterday, we had 35+ mph winds all day, but by the time I got out there, the winds had died down considerable, so it was pleasant to be outside.
All of this has lead to a relative calm settling in on me. Between work, my daughters being awful lately, my wife's work being difficult, I know it's been working on me that have shown up as over eating, sleeplessness, etc. Yesterday and today, that calm of "just being" has been a welcome relief to all that other stuff. Today, if I get home in time, I'll be planting a bunch of seeds and plants that have taken up residence in our kitchen. I hope to be outside until late again as I've really enjoyed that time outside and taking in the beauty that is where we live.
Next, the blueberry bushes, four of them....one variety says you can pick almost 10 lbs off of one bush, to which I say HA (that would be a LOT of blueberries...).
Life is good....take the time to say that to yourself.....:-)
As I've been out there, I've had the chance to watch the sun set over the hillside, and the explosion of reds and pinks that come with that, such incredible colors. The there are barred owls all around us, and they get started talking to each other about this time. Yesterday, we had 35+ mph winds all day, but by the time I got out there, the winds had died down considerable, so it was pleasant to be outside.
All of this has lead to a relative calm settling in on me. Between work, my daughters being awful lately, my wife's work being difficult, I know it's been working on me that have shown up as over eating, sleeplessness, etc. Yesterday and today, that calm of "just being" has been a welcome relief to all that other stuff. Today, if I get home in time, I'll be planting a bunch of seeds and plants that have taken up residence in our kitchen. I hope to be outside until late again as I've really enjoyed that time outside and taking in the beauty that is where we live.
Next, the blueberry bushes, four of them....one variety says you can pick almost 10 lbs off of one bush, to which I say HA (that would be a LOT of blueberries...).
Life is good....take the time to say that to yourself.....:-)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Yeah, lame post I know, but it's been on my mind lately.
I left high school 20 year ago without a look backward. I think I can count on one hand the classmates that I've seen in that time. Spending time in Alaska, Missouri, and finally here in Iowa, I've developed my own style (as goofy as it may be) and have shed that stupidity that was a high school complex. I was the painfully quiet person who found his outlet in the musical arts. While I enjoyed my time as a band geek (I did love playing the tuba though, an instrument with attitude), my true passion was singing, and I was good at it as well. However, being a music geek left me out of many an activity, which quite honestly looking back was not a bad thing.
Anyway, within the last six months, I started a Facebook page at the request of the woman I teach with. I had a few former students on it, but was not at all prepared for the dozen classmates who suddenly popped up in my life again. True enough, they are now names on a screen, but it brought back a lot of memories I'd buried for dead: good bad and otherwise.
It's also allowed me to connect a little more personally with some people from a running board that I frequent. It allows me to see them for more then just words on a page, but pictures, families, dreams, and disappointments. They are now those people who matter to me, and I'm thankful that they've allowed me a small peek into who they are.
Now, I've often toyed with the idea of cancelling my Facebook page because of those classmates. But as I've worked through the resurfacing of that geek from 1989, it's really made me realize that's no who I am at all. In 20 years, I've lived in places I could have never dreamed about back then, met the most incredible people, married the love of my life, and had two beautiful children. The guy of '89 (while he has a smoking hot six pack) is pretty much a memory now, and the guy of '09 (a lot larger with a lot less hair) is who I am now.
Thankfully. :-)
I left high school 20 year ago without a look backward. I think I can count on one hand the classmates that I've seen in that time. Spending time in Alaska, Missouri, and finally here in Iowa, I've developed my own style (as goofy as it may be) and have shed that stupidity that was a high school complex. I was the painfully quiet person who found his outlet in the musical arts. While I enjoyed my time as a band geek (I did love playing the tuba though, an instrument with attitude), my true passion was singing, and I was good at it as well. However, being a music geek left me out of many an activity, which quite honestly looking back was not a bad thing.
Anyway, within the last six months, I started a Facebook page at the request of the woman I teach with. I had a few former students on it, but was not at all prepared for the dozen classmates who suddenly popped up in my life again. True enough, they are now names on a screen, but it brought back a lot of memories I'd buried for dead: good bad and otherwise.
It's also allowed me to connect a little more personally with some people from a running board that I frequent. It allows me to see them for more then just words on a page, but pictures, families, dreams, and disappointments. They are now those people who matter to me, and I'm thankful that they've allowed me a small peek into who they are.
Now, I've often toyed with the idea of cancelling my Facebook page because of those classmates. But as I've worked through the resurfacing of that geek from 1989, it's really made me realize that's no who I am at all. In 20 years, I've lived in places I could have never dreamed about back then, met the most incredible people, married the love of my life, and had two beautiful children. The guy of '89 (while he has a smoking hot six pack) is pretty much a memory now, and the guy of '09 (a lot larger with a lot less hair) is who I am now.
Thankfully. :-)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Craigslist
You hear all this stupid stuff about how Craig's List is in trouble. So be it, there are stupid people out there who do stupid things. My experiences with Craig's List have been nothing but good!
Example#1: Last fall, I was able to get 35 decent wooden fence posts plus a bunch of barbed wire for free from a nice couple who simply were not going to be using the materials and wanted them gone.
Example#2: A couple of weeks ago, we got 35 good steel fence posts for $50, with the likely-hood of another 25-30 posts for free when we take down a fence.
Example#3: I may take a little trip to pick up a load of free cement blocks to build a composting bin with.
You just need to keep your eyes open in the free section section of Craig's List and it's surprising what you can find there. So, while buyer beware is always a good thought, just being smart and paying attention to what is out there can pay huge dividends down the road too! :-)
Example#1: Last fall, I was able to get 35 decent wooden fence posts plus a bunch of barbed wire for free from a nice couple who simply were not going to be using the materials and wanted them gone.
Example#2: A couple of weeks ago, we got 35 good steel fence posts for $50, with the likely-hood of another 25-30 posts for free when we take down a fence.
Example#3: I may take a little trip to pick up a load of free cement blocks to build a composting bin with.
You just need to keep your eyes open in the free section section of Craig's List and it's surprising what you can find there. So, while buyer beware is always a good thought, just being smart and paying attention to what is out there can pay huge dividends down the road too! :-)
Monday, May 4, 2009
More progress
This could also be titled "damn, I've bitten off way too much"! :)
This weekend was another good weekend of work for us. It's the first weekend we've been home and it's been nice in some time so there was a lot of work to get finished.
Saturday, my wife mowed a bunch of the lawn (we may be a little early) as I got some plants out and ready to harden up a little bit for transplant. I know I'll need be purchasing some peppers and eggplants, but the tomatoes actually are looking like, well, tomatoes! They haven't wilted in the sun at all so far, so we'll see how this all works out.
We also mapped out our garden areas too, kind of making a plant as to what plants will be going where. We don't have as much garden space this year, but are attempting to garden with less space (a combination of square foot gardening and intensive gardening). I'll have potatoes planted by the end of the week, with onions in all ready. We'll also have at least two raised beds built by the end of this week, more if I have my way, in which we'll have a lot of our greens put into.
Sunday, uggh. I spent four hours up on top of the roof tuck-pointing the chimney. There were many bricks that were loose, both because of weather and because of a colony of bats who'd used the chimney as home base for many many years. I ended up using about 30 lbs of mortar on the chimney, and I think that much of what needed to be done was finished. We'll see how it holds up for my first attempt.
Someday, I'll try to get some pictures posted here too!
This weekend was another good weekend of work for us. It's the first weekend we've been home and it's been nice in some time so there was a lot of work to get finished.
Saturday, my wife mowed a bunch of the lawn (we may be a little early) as I got some plants out and ready to harden up a little bit for transplant. I know I'll need be purchasing some peppers and eggplants, but the tomatoes actually are looking like, well, tomatoes! They haven't wilted in the sun at all so far, so we'll see how this all works out.
We also mapped out our garden areas too, kind of making a plant as to what plants will be going where. We don't have as much garden space this year, but are attempting to garden with less space (a combination of square foot gardening and intensive gardening). I'll have potatoes planted by the end of the week, with onions in all ready. We'll also have at least two raised beds built by the end of this week, more if I have my way, in which we'll have a lot of our greens put into.
Sunday, uggh. I spent four hours up on top of the roof tuck-pointing the chimney. There were many bricks that were loose, both because of weather and because of a colony of bats who'd used the chimney as home base for many many years. I ended up using about 30 lbs of mortar on the chimney, and I think that much of what needed to be done was finished. We'll see how it holds up for my first attempt.
Someday, I'll try to get some pictures posted here too!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Our progress to date
Well things are moving along slowly but surely:
1) We planted two 8 foot apple trees and will be getting six more within a few weeks. They are mostly for our own use, but if we come to that point, they can be sold or used to barter.
2) The last two weekends have been spent putting together a pen for chickens inside our small out building. We've framed out walls and windows, and chicken wired the walls out. All of this done with zero carpentry or construction skills. Just some swearing and yelling, but nothing too major! :-)
3) Calls will be made soon to continue our journey to put up a new outbuilding. The process takes me WAY out of my comfort zone, but yet, will be good for me as I need to be more comfortable taking charge of things like this. We'll be putting up a 24 x 48 building in which half will be for a garage, the other half for animals (possibly goats or sheep).
4) I've called to get part of our garden tilled up, and will be calling to see if we can get the other half tilled up as well. Again, this gardening thing takes me way out of my comfort zone as we are working ourselves to the point where we may sell some of our produce. That leads to the next one.
5) I've ordered two pounds of red wiggler worms for vericomposting both at home and at school. I'll have one bin at school and one bin at home, with hopes of having enough worms by the end of the summer to possibly get another bin started here at school. This whole worm thing is very interesting, especially the fact that we can take much of our garden waste, and use it to make great fertilizer for the garden.
6) Finally, we've got all sorts of sprouts going in the house right now (tomatoes, peppers, egg plants, etc) with hopes that they'll actually live this year! :-) I've never been successful at getting my plants to go from seed to harvest, so I've tried a few new things, and am considered a small greenhouse of some sort.
Whew, that's a pretty good summary of what our lives have been like lately. While the work is hard, it will only make us better off down the road, when we'll truly need that knowledge that we are gaining right now! :-)
1) We planted two 8 foot apple trees and will be getting six more within a few weeks. They are mostly for our own use, but if we come to that point, they can be sold or used to barter.
2) The last two weekends have been spent putting together a pen for chickens inside our small out building. We've framed out walls and windows, and chicken wired the walls out. All of this done with zero carpentry or construction skills. Just some swearing and yelling, but nothing too major! :-)
3) Calls will be made soon to continue our journey to put up a new outbuilding. The process takes me WAY out of my comfort zone, but yet, will be good for me as I need to be more comfortable taking charge of things like this. We'll be putting up a 24 x 48 building in which half will be for a garage, the other half for animals (possibly goats or sheep).
4) I've called to get part of our garden tilled up, and will be calling to see if we can get the other half tilled up as well. Again, this gardening thing takes me way out of my comfort zone as we are working ourselves to the point where we may sell some of our produce. That leads to the next one.
5) I've ordered two pounds of red wiggler worms for vericomposting both at home and at school. I'll have one bin at school and one bin at home, with hopes of having enough worms by the end of the summer to possibly get another bin started here at school. This whole worm thing is very interesting, especially the fact that we can take much of our garden waste, and use it to make great fertilizer for the garden.
6) Finally, we've got all sorts of sprouts going in the house right now (tomatoes, peppers, egg plants, etc) with hopes that they'll actually live this year! :-) I've never been successful at getting my plants to go from seed to harvest, so I've tried a few new things, and am considered a small greenhouse of some sort.
Whew, that's a pretty good summary of what our lives have been like lately. While the work is hard, it will only make us better off down the road, when we'll truly need that knowledge that we are gaining right now! :-)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Post #1
Here we are, the J's in Iowa, and this is the first of many posts about our little piece of heaven.
A little background:
Me (Darin): Husband, father, son, brother, teacher, coach, and intensive farmer wanna-be
Her (Melissa): Wife, daughter, sister, teacher, coach, and driven crazy by above mentioned "Me".
Smaller Her (Gabrielle): Oldest daughter, basketball player, book junkie, smart and quiet, but never one to let her opinion go unheard.
Smallest Her (Faith): Youngest daughter, hip on computer stuff, wants an iPod, cell phone, and laptop....you get the idea.
Melissa and I lived in a small town in rural Iowa for 8 years, and always talked about the "what if" of owning an acreage. We'd been looking for a while, but everything, EVERYTHING was either junk that needed to be burnt down and started over with, or it was way over priced.
Just as it seemed hope was lost, we stumbled over a flyer for a land auction with the acreage to be sold seperate. Much to our surprise, it was a place we'd looked many many times as being the "ideal" place: outside of town, just off the blacktop, close to a couple of neighbors. Anyway, saw the flyer on a Saturday, and that following Saturday was the auction, so we set up a time to get into the house and poke around a little bit. What we saw made us think, sure, why not?? So we quick penciled out some numbers, and went to the auction the following day. You can probably guess what happened....we walked out of that auction the proud owners of a new 2.75 acre property!
Thankfully, we were able to sell our house in town right before the housing bubble popped, and moved into our place in June of 2007. Before we moved in, we had the kitchen gutted and redone from the studs out, which made a fairly unusable room into the center piece of the house. Last year, we took care of a leaky roof (excellen work and at a fair price), and this summer, we are putting up a garage/animal area with the idea that we'll eventally get into some kind of animals at our place.
The plan for right now is to expand out are gardening area, but do it in a smart way, being more intensive with the food we grow. Extras of everything will be put through our local organic food group, with hope of possibly making our little piece of land work for us in a way that is both acceptable in the monetary sence (a little extra cash isn't a bad thing) but also in an environmental way as well. Today in fact, my oldest daughter and I planted tomatoes, eggplants, and pumpkins, with others to be planted soon.
My plan for this blog, to simply update what our life is like working, raising kids, and trying to create some profit out of the land we've purchased. If we can make only one of those work, we'll be doing great, but I believe if I can keep myself honest here, it will only keep my own motivation level up as it gets hot our, plants die, or I just don't feel like doing anything. Who knows!?!? :-)
That's it for right now, and pictures will be posted soon.
If you've gotten this far, give yourself a gold start
A little background:
Me (Darin): Husband, father, son, brother, teacher, coach, and intensive farmer wanna-be
Her (Melissa): Wife, daughter, sister, teacher, coach, and driven crazy by above mentioned "Me".
Smaller Her (Gabrielle): Oldest daughter, basketball player, book junkie, smart and quiet, but never one to let her opinion go unheard.
Smallest Her (Faith): Youngest daughter, hip on computer stuff, wants an iPod, cell phone, and laptop....you get the idea.
Melissa and I lived in a small town in rural Iowa for 8 years, and always talked about the "what if" of owning an acreage. We'd been looking for a while, but everything, EVERYTHING was either junk that needed to be burnt down and started over with, or it was way over priced.
Just as it seemed hope was lost, we stumbled over a flyer for a land auction with the acreage to be sold seperate. Much to our surprise, it was a place we'd looked many many times as being the "ideal" place: outside of town, just off the blacktop, close to a couple of neighbors. Anyway, saw the flyer on a Saturday, and that following Saturday was the auction, so we set up a time to get into the house and poke around a little bit. What we saw made us think, sure, why not?? So we quick penciled out some numbers, and went to the auction the following day. You can probably guess what happened....we walked out of that auction the proud owners of a new 2.75 acre property!
Thankfully, we were able to sell our house in town right before the housing bubble popped, and moved into our place in June of 2007. Before we moved in, we had the kitchen gutted and redone from the studs out, which made a fairly unusable room into the center piece of the house. Last year, we took care of a leaky roof (excellen work and at a fair price), and this summer, we are putting up a garage/animal area with the idea that we'll eventally get into some kind of animals at our place.
The plan for right now is to expand out are gardening area, but do it in a smart way, being more intensive with the food we grow. Extras of everything will be put through our local organic food group, with hope of possibly making our little piece of land work for us in a way that is both acceptable in the monetary sence (a little extra cash isn't a bad thing) but also in an environmental way as well. Today in fact, my oldest daughter and I planted tomatoes, eggplants, and pumpkins, with others to be planted soon.
My plan for this blog, to simply update what our life is like working, raising kids, and trying to create some profit out of the land we've purchased. If we can make only one of those work, we'll be doing great, but I believe if I can keep myself honest here, it will only keep my own motivation level up as it gets hot our, plants die, or I just don't feel like doing anything. Who knows!?!? :-)
That's it for right now, and pictures will be posted soon.
If you've gotten this far, give yourself a gold start
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