September 30, 2022

Yesteryear
One year ago today: September 30, 2021, Miami & music.
Five years ago today: September 30, 2017, a generic post.
Nine years ago today: September 30, 2013, a robot hand game.
Random years ago today: September 30, 2015, powered by welfare.

           From dawn to 10:20AM, yard raking and I see my birdfeeders got hit badly. Makes sense, those squirrel baffles are not that aerodynamic. Mainly the yard work as I still have no electric, it’s primitive. Tentatively I reject a gasoline backup for the same reason as I’m experiencing with the lawnmowers. Once something goes wrong, there’s an ever shorter interval until the next time. Also, gasoline storage isn’t my favorite idea. I wonder how long a Yeti would last connected only to a fridge, a couple lights, a computer, and a fan? It’s the only carefree option for now, I mean that I can find. It’s now the second day, although I now have phone service. I stowed the music gear up off the ground in the shed, anticipating a trip soon.

           See this picture? That’s the second raking. First, all the logs and limbs have to be dragged away. That’s not lawn you see, but a ground cover of small weeds that’s nice only in the winter. Fortified by a big breakfast and lots of coffee on the camp stove, I got this entire job done before noon. Shown here is around half the job. All that brush has to be hauled to the curb where the city has a crew to pick it up.

           Birdfeeders, I’m not so sure that gravity is the best method of dispensing the seed and a look on-line shows there is very little by way of innovation in a hundred years. Making the parts out of plastic isn’t real progress. I’m thinking this one through, so I’ll share with you some of the considerations. The Chinese hat anti-squirrel baffle works but as we’ve just seen, it catches the wind. Plus it adds weight on the chain and involves extra steps when it come tme for a refill. Some birds, like Mrs. Downey don’t like to fly up from underneath, meaning I have add a spacer. Again, that is more weight and inconvenience.

           This weight is enough to break the small chains that come with the feeders and can pull out the eyehooks on boards that get too wet. The spring loaded squirrel type I don’t know. The actual mechanism is a flimsy non-standard spring. Once that rusts or whatever, you are out a $44 feeder. There has to be a simple but effective way to feed birds without this hassle. I’ve thought of a cage where birds above a certain size, or squirrels, can enter, but again it makes refills difficult I’m toying with the idea, give me some time.

           In all, it was not that bad a storm for me, but six to eight miles east of here, on that flat orchard land, some places got walloped real good. Here’s me holding a twig with berries. This was in the front yard and the nearest tree of this species in eight blocks from here. Pricing out a come-along, they start at $80. So I asked around and the neighbor lady has one, but not until tomorrow. I really can’t leave that gap in the fence too long. The city people snoop around to much. Something like 85% of the people at City Hall are not from around here, so horror stories are plentiful. I don’t care much but the plumbing and electric on my laundry deck are technically outside if they want to get picky about it.

Picture of the day.
World’s largest beaver dam.
(As seen from space. Alberta, 2010)
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Here’s the gap in my fence where Hurricane Ian took a shortcut into my yard. It’s a nice view of the church lot, I don’t know if you can see the fence to the right leaning over. This dark picture was before dawn. What I decided is rather than wait for electricity, I’ll tarp this space up until I have time to do it proper. As for the fence to the left, it’s already up without the come-along. I dug away a small slot of dirt on the other side and was able to just push the whole assembly back upright. Then put five braces to keep it the until the cooler winter days let me at it again. The picture is dark, because it was taken before dark y’day. We are still overcast, keeping it in the 70s but it won’t last.

           We are out of all fresh goods ending out second full day without electric. I’m reading more than usual, so much of it won’t be retained. I was amused by the reports of pilots who were shot down during Desert Storm and how they were interrogated. These pilots didn’t know each other but quickly determined they could answer almost every question with a “It depends.”
           The Iraqis spoke excellent English and knew technical details about the aircraft, meaning they had spent time in America. Yet the questioning reveals they are complete ignorant of American culture. They seem incapable of grasping any but the most base motivations. Everyday American concepts like sharing and altruism are shocking behavior to these third-worlders.

           October is fiscal year-end for me, lets see how we have been faring this year. Average food bill leaps from $266 per month to$401. Entertainment is marginally higher, just $41 more per month. Gas has dropped by $50 per month as the scooter is back in operation and Nashville is not as often. Running the household is up from $130 to $164. Best month so far was July, when I spent the whole time working around the house. Worst month was May in Nashville, where groceries along rang up to $650, but then, we were out of everything.

           This next photo is for the record. These are the next batch of checking what will grow in this yard plus three avocado pots of unknown chances. Setting on the ground, these will be moved back to a work-height bench. They were hardly bothered by the hurricane setting on the ground like this. Note the big healthy cactus growing on the left. It seems the plants I like the least have the best odds. I tried straightening up the papaya tree but it is now on a permanent slant. I got a lengthy call from back west, it seems things are more complicated than I left them. I am planning a trip there next year, I mean late next year. I think there is already a budget for that, hang on. Yes, a worst case budget of the gasoline costing $1200.

           Looks like somebody did blow up that Russian pipeline. Trump warned us the bad guys would rather see the country destroyed than to lose one iota of their ill-gotten power. I got a coffee and read the Gab comment section. So many people asking how it got so bad. Well, you bozos, it happened while you were busy calling all the warnings signs bogus so you could get back to your football game. It’s laughable how many politicians are not all for privacy. Dudes, once that information is out, there is no way you will ever erase it all. I doubt such legislation is enforceable. It serves people right if they suffer over it, as we know, that is the only way some people learn.
           It’s time for a late summer drive. If Tennessee doesn’t call, let’s tour eastern Georgia. The old motorcycle rule still applies that I have to get 500 miles away minimum before I’m really seeing anything new. I don’t care for the Florida panhandle even if it is amusing. Let’s leave this one open for the weekend and see if anything beckons.

Last Laugh