living with Trashdigger

its almost time

2012-01-22T06:42:00.001-08:00

Since the kids gave me seeds for the birthday and yesterday was almost 60 degrees outside I began to add some fresh compost to the beds. I also added some fresh brown matter (dead leaves} that have been decomposing in the yard. I also grabbed the starter cell trays out from under the porch and am beginning to dream.. yumyum fresh produce..

Time to start planning for planting...

happy b day to me

2012-01-19T05:43:00.001-08:00

Turned 52 the other day.. 3 years til able to retire hahahahaha. ROFL. WIll never be able to retire.
The wife and kids made a terrific dinner of pasta and meat sauce, green beans and ranch dressin and 2 homemade cakes. Wonderful.
Got 2 new hats, seeds for the garden (cukes,zuchs, onions and sunflowers) and a pair of beavis and butthead boxers.. my oh my..
All in all a wonderful way to start a new year.

mid-week blahs and ahs

2012-01-12T05:27:00.000-08:00

First full week back in Babylon. Hectic.
Garden stuff starting to make its way to the shelves in the Wallie and the Lowies.. Catalog drooling is becoming a habit.. HAve been catching up on watching the new shows I found over the recess. Portlandia and Big Bang Theory.. good stuff.
Along with CES in Vegas we also have the Detroit auto show and its propensity to show "green cars".. What a f'n oxymoron.. Cars are NOT GREEN.
Bicycles and walking are the mode of transport for the REAL GREENs.
Not a 40k green car that will become useless for most when the grid goes down.. Now cars and trucks may be a necessity for most but alternatives can be found. Beater cars are fairly inexpensive to buy and are also a good training ground for the driveway mechanic. Cars with a carburetor are even easier to maintain. The less technology in the vehicle the easier it is to work on.

dumpster diving for food-- do your guests need to know

2012-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Perennial Plate Episode 84: Dumpster Diver from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

I dont think they do.. Living off the excesses of others.
Took a walk over to Walmart this morning for bread and notices that the starter pots and garden seeds are beginning to make their way to the shelves. I al recd the 1st catalog of the season yesterday and its wonderful reading.. Its almost time to start again. I have been woring on getting the compost out to the plots so it can start doing its thing. Sometimes ya forget its January

happy new year

2012-01-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

With prepping for xmas and new years there wasn't alot of time for me to do anything but relax these last few days. Xmas was a success and we have been busy doing nuthin the last cuppla days.
Yesterday afternoon I hitched the old trailer to the bicycle and headed off to do some grocery shopping. Picked up a lot of staples that we were running low on. Rice, taters, oatmeal, pasta etc. It never astonishes me as to how much I can put into the bike trailer and ride home with.. I always get alot of looks but WTFCares. Its green living at its best.
This morning I put our king size blanket out on the line to sun dry as it has been warm outside for the last few days and a sun dried blanket smells so good..
WHile on the way back I was thinkin again that in just about a month we will be starting to get the cool weather veggies going for the garden. I can almost taste the french breakfast radishes and lettuces etc now. This store bought stuff just does not taste the same as homegrown. Def time to start gatherin the compost material and begin grabbin bags of manure and compost from the nursery as supplementals.
While searchin the library for readin material I cam across an underground book on homemade moonshine that I may have to meander thru and see if we can truly set up a small in kitchen still for home use. yum yum. Homemade hooch.
Anyhow hopefully 2012 wil be a better year at the Trash stead.. One can only ponder the possibilities....

great video

2011-12-21T10:13:00.001-08:00

If ya start young you can achieve alot.

Xmas is almost here

2011-12-18T03:59:00.000-08:00

we have a bit of snow on the ground but it still should remain thru the holidays.. Xmas this year will be small as we have had to deal with alot of issues around the stead that I will be able to fill y'all in on after the 1st of Jan.
Anyhow life goes on and planning for spring is on the way. Whether we are still at this stead or if we move on to another. Only time and the good lord will tell.

ode to combat boots

2011-12-09T04:38:00.000-08:00

For practicality surplus combat boots are a great all around show.. sturdy, stable and also keeps the feet warm in winter weather. Why did I ever leave them when they are such good friends.
Anyhow Babylon has been hectic this week. One party on Tuesday and another today. free food and goodies. Prepping heaven.

sit and rest a bit

2011-12-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

In my walk thru the snow yesterday I had an epiphany. Many decades ago when I was doing film photography I became enamored with black and white and contrast manipulation. I think that I am going to go back to that only with digital as the medium of choice. Between the option on the phone cam to shoot in b/w and the darkroom techniques in iphoto I may be able to play with this without the smell of chems..
we shall see

sunday at the stead

2011-11-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

ham and beer.. need i say more.. shorts and tshirt for most of the day. And back to babylon today

turkey week was a blast

2011-11-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

After a hectic start turkey week turned into a blast. Sinec I am the oly one in the stead who likes the dark meat I broke down and bought a 6lb butterball turkey breast and a 10 pound ham already cooked and spiral cut. The turkey was slow roasted on a charcoal grill as were the collard greens. We also had mashed taters, sweet potatoes, celery and deviled eggs along with the other typical items. For dessert I picked up some pumpkin pie, pecan pie and a blueberry pear pie at the bakery. Washed all down with cokes and fresh water.
Went back to the lab on Friday and took junior with me. He enjoys playing with my toys down there. The bosses of Babylon brought donuts in the morning and brought in pizza for the lunch hour. Left at 330 and came home. The weekend has been good thus far. Eating leftovers and building junior a newer MAC for his frivolity and portability.
I did some laundry yesterday. 8 shirts and a pair of jeans. That is 2 weeks worth of clothes for ol Trash. Wasting water is high on my list of gripes in society. 1-2 showers a week per person is more than enough. I cant seem to get the girls on board but the water they waste is salvaged with the water by the water I dont waste.
Anyhow Black Friday came and went and dam cigarettes and tobacco are never on the list of items on sale. SO I did not buy anything. No need to. I will scavenge what others replace.. The Trash credo, "Living off of the excesses of others"

Sunday morning stroll

2011-11-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

It was 30 degrees and sunny this morning at the stead so i figured I would take a stroll over to the Wallie world. Its a nice walk thru the neighborhood and thry the nature area. When we moved here the wallie was not there and it was open area great for walking and enjoying the wildlife. I really enjoyed it then but I do still enjoy walking thru the area. It is so refreshing.
The weather this week is supposed to be in the 50s and 60s which will make the possibility of a smoked turkey and ham on the grill even more exciting. WHile Mrs T and the kids can make the other essentials in the house..

pics and paleo

2011-11-18T04:31:00.000-08:00

2 things have gotten my attention this week.

1. Professional photographers are coming out about the wonders of the cameraphone. While I have used a gen 1 iphone as both and ipod and a still and video cam thans to many open source hacks for quite a number of years before I sold it off for profit and built another also for profit I am quite happy with the quality that comes from my 12 dollar samsung camera phone, Easily carried in my pants pocket and able to shoot quite discreetly. Another advantage is the bluetooth capability of being able to upload to my MBPro and PC without the needs for external cords. WHile I do sometimes miss the iphone I can always get another for 50 bucks and do it again if the need arises.

2. The latest craze in the Prepper community is this Paleo bullshit. Eat and survive on what the primitives dined on. WIld greens,raw fruits and veggies, fresh meat no milk and dairy. NO rice, wheat or white potatoes and def no junk food.. What a crock of crap. Reminds me of Euell Gibbons and his grape-nuts commercials from decades ago.. Pick off some bark and eat it raw. yumyum. F that.
Old Trash smokes cigars cigarettes, and assorted tobaccos, drinks booze and eats whatever he wants and lives quite niceley. As the good lord says Everything in moderation. WHile I am quite capable of growing, hunting and gathering food I am also a lover of fast food, cheap rye bread, fried taters and rooster sauce, homemade burritos, fried chicken, beer and whiskey, taco bell, Popeyes and all things greasy.
Anything that suggests we return to complete paleo ways should also mean roasting dead animal on the open fire, which is quite tasty. it also should mean living outdoors,using dead animal skins for clothes and blankets which would def piss of the PETA people. Sending our spouses ans kids out to gather veggies and greens from the parks which would prob piss off the guvt and of course have our wives at home in the cave and have our kids taught important things like how to survive rather than have the indoctrination centers we call schools fill their heads with useless dribble like the 3-rs. More to def piss off the guvt and social services.. hmmmm Maybe not a bad thing in the long run.. Whatcha all think...

tuesday morning blahs

2011-11-15T04:48:00.000-08:00

The weekend was work. Friday night the older boy brought a newer computer for junior and daddy got to spend the weekend juicing it up and adding more features. That was fun.
Went to the store a cuppla times for the missus and picked up some junque food and cokes and of course smokes. Sunday came and client/friend brought some pizza and wings for a nice Sunday brinner (combo brunch and dinner). The weather held up nicely as I was able to hang out in shorts and a sweatshirt all weekend.
This does not feel like November. Alas.
Went back to Babylon yesterday revived and was able to add some new stuff (music and podcast updates) to the antique ipod thanx to the replacement cable for the one that was snatched. Amen.
All good things come to those who persist.

armchair curmudgeon

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

As we get older we become solidified in our ways and change to the routine takes longer to accomplish. Old habits, once spontaneous, become a way of life. Daily routines are essential to keep the peace.
Why fix what is not broken. Get creative. Use what you have.
These are things our ancestors taught us. We must keep the notion alive. In this this post consumer society it is vital for survival. We need not give in to the pressure to conform. We must maintain our integrity in order to maintain our freedom.
Happy Friday

OCCUPY

2011-11-10T03:48:00.000-08:00

Another advantage of early morning is being able to find videos like these 2 share..

GUERRILLA GARDENING AT OWS from ONE PACK PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

time change woes

2011-11-10T03:24:00.000-08:00

As I get older the time change to fall back is getting more and more of a PITA.. Normally my bio clock says go to bed between 9 and 10 and getup between 4 and 5. Of course with a usual 2AM call for the potty run. SInce Sunday the clock has been a bit off with me going to bed around 9 but waking up between 3 and 4 am wanting coffee and a smoke. Sad and I hope it adjusts. Howver on the positive side the extra time gives me an opp to work on my lab, converse with my friends on FB and post to the blog before heading off to Babylon
We picked up a new wireless router for the home lab. The old one recd some moisture damage and had to be be replaced. A Belkin wireless n with a 300mbps wireless rate, a gb WAN port and 5 100base t ports. It lived up to its ad from the very first time we plugged it in and reset the Comacast beast modem. wireless connection between 250 and 300 while the ethernet is still at 100.. Its working well. I am rebuilding the lab studio with newer technologies so videos should be coming again shortly just in time for the holidays.
I am also working on a potential outline for an ebook I want to self-publish called "How not to run an IT shop". With over 30 years in the biz I may have a few pointers I have learned over the years.
As for the garden it has been put to bed for the winter and we are adding compost material directly to the soil and digging it in to rot. This will take place until the ground here freezes whereby we will then convert to using the 30 gallon trash can for collection until spring. I brought the aloe and English lavendar into the house and the potted strawberry plants are hanging on the porch getting covered when we get the snow and cold. We shall see. As I said the house is the lab and we must OCCUPY it.
carpe diem

ode to combat boots

2011-11-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

Long and winding week in Bablyon so did not get much real work done. So the weekend will be busy after I get some rest. I went over to Army NAvy surplus this week and picked up a pair of surplus combat boots. Comfortable from the time you put em on and even comfier as you put miles on them. Well made and inexpensive. I spent about 15 minutes this morning cleanin the mud and muck from them due to the walk to Wallie world last evening to get some sodas and ice for the kids. I used to wear combat boots all the time as a yungin and was perverted to thinkin that yuppie shoes were better. I have never found a pair, other than the overpriced ugg boots that even compare to the old combat boots. Simplistic design, triple sewn leather and well designed tread.

some inspiration

2011-10-29T07:41:00.001-07:00

While I do not agree with where the Dervaes have gone with their movement (ie trademarking the urban homestead terminology) you cant just give up on their principles.

Saturday morning meandering

2011-10-29T07:15:00.001-07:00

After a couple of days of chilly weather (1st snow) and below freezing nights the weather is looking up. 60s for the weekend.
I may be able to put some of the brought indoors plants outside for a little sun gathering. and some snow collecting for potted garden water. The barrels are placed so the snow will melt into them.. Almost as good as rain water.
ON another note I went by the OWS Denver site yesterday on my way over to Babylon and the steadfast are hanging out pretty well. The numbers appear to be growing and the revolution is continuing. Where it needs to occur ..
In the homes and in the streets.

Thursday night movie review

2011-10-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Last night while the cable tv and internet was down I caught myself watching a movie on the hackpad. MIdnight in Paris.. good film about a young writer caught in the glam of being able to track back to 1920s paris every night after midnight.. Great little film Remind me of wanting to meet and shoot the shit Kerouac, Hemingway and Camus..
The quality was good and the size on the hackpad at full screen was wonderful. A good little invention this is

ebook reader update

2011-10-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Ever since i found the old tablet that can be used for watching movies, writing short letters, surfin the net and reading books I have been looking for good programs. When I started the endeavor I downloaded the kindle app for MAC and it worked ok on my MAC for Kindle file extensions. However not all of the ebooks I want come in MOBI so i needed something else which would also work on the tablet. ROaming around the internet in the open source realm I found the ebook reader FBReader which is like the VLC for ebooks. It will recognize all extensions and read them nicely. And most of all its at Trashs favorite price free. I tested it out when reading the Keith Richards Autbio and I am using it to readt the New Steve Jobs Bio that was released yesterday and already avaiable in the library.. major score. SO now in one unit in my commuter bag I can surf, watch movies and videos and read the latest books. SOnds like the beginning of a nice fall/winter

midweek blahs

2011-10-19T04:40:00.001-07:00

As we go from the high volume activity of summer to the slowdown of the fall and into the laziness of winter I have picked up quite a few projects that I would like to accomplish. A return to reading books in both paper and the e-frontier. rebuiling and building some new monster machines for electronic scavenging. COnverting old tech into useable new tech. And of course more biking and walking while I scavenge for a sustainable motorized mode of transport.

skateboarding at 51

2011-10-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

I skateboarded as a youth and stopped in my late teens. I am thinking of taking it up again .. I was looking at long boards yesterday with the younger boy. He is in favor of it. I said if Lloyd can do it I can too

the world is in revolt....

2011-10-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

The worlds in revolt and my zuchinnis are growing nicely.
Occupy: your homestead.
Using modern technology I was chatting with my older son last night as he was preparing a fire in his stove to keep the house warm in WA. It was 45 degrees in the early evening. It was 78 here at the stead. The subject of the Occupy movement was on both our minds.
I realized at that moment that the Occupy movement is not new. We have been doing it for years. Prepping, self-reliance, non-dependence from the corporate cloud is part of our psyche. As it should be.
People are scared. Turn fear into strength by becoming more independent and self reliant. Get creative.. Remember success is 99 percent failure. Your homestead is your laboratory. Experiment.

Occupy: America

2011-10-15T05:26:00.000-07:00

I am totally in favor of all the protests going on around the world under the Occupy logo. BUt I would suggest taking it one step further. Occupy your homestead. Dont let corporate greed and capitalism and consumerism take you as a victim. You have a choice. Stop feeding the system and it will die.. eventually..
Strengthen your independence. The less you depend on the system the more you depend on yourself. The system doesnt like that. They thrive on your dependency. Lose that dependence.

Enjoy your Saturday.

barefoot lifestyle choice

2011-10-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

Not only should our beaches be barefoot friendly but so should our sidewalks and streets. We came into this world barefoot and that is how we should travel. Granted when it snows we need shoes and boots and socks but we should remove them and be at one with nature.

words to live by

2011-10-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday finds

2011-10-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since i posted my dumpie finds.. On the way to the store to do some front door shopping and making a few bucks I hit the dumpie.. Picked up a cuppla golf shirts fancy stuff out of a nice plastic bag, appaently people moved. And a six pack of beer. My oh my free unopened beer is a treasure from heaven. Something to be savored.

Worked in the garden this morning. There are about 6-8 tomatos nicely formed just waiting to turn red and some fresh zuchs growing in the shadows. Ought to be real nice with some fresh greens in a cuppla weeks if this weather holds out. I am hoping so.

I cant wait for this one

2011-10-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I recd an autographed copy of Lloyds book Shelter and now word is out on his blog that the new book, pictured above has gone to the printer.. EXCELLENT.. I can hardly wait. Lloyd and his crew, including Lew have been an inspiration to old Trash for years, if not decades.
It is something to consider.. How much space does one really need to live in and thrive in theis economy. A smaller footprint less waste and more efficient. Why did we get sold that mcMansions were the way to go and bigger is better. I dont believe it at all.
Anyhow the lettuces are growing nicely and the chard is sprouting thru the warm soil. I love this time of year..

e book reading review

2011-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

OUt of sheer boredom last weekendI downloaded the kindle app to see if the reading a book on my laptop might be of interest. ON the sly i picked up the Keith Richards autobio and began my sojourn. After an hour or so my eyes began to wander. But I will keep tinkering and playing with it. The idea fascinates me.
While nothing will replace the book in its real form, as a green follower this new method of information sharing is fascinating. Just imagine what can be shared thru this medium.. and encrypted for protection.
I like it.

fall lettuce

2011-09-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

With everything this summer I know I am getting a late start but alas.. Since it is in a container I should be able to et at least a family salad or two out of this later this fall. Old Trash just cant stop experimenting

artwork Wedneday

2011-09-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

One is Gods creation the other by my daughter.. Both beautiful

i post this every now and then for inspiration

2011-09-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday meandering

2011-09-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

I have been working in the garden the last cuppla weeks cleaning up and trying to decide a future direction for the homestead. This morning I began to gather up my photography stuff and found some remaining seed that I did not use. I planned to but with the Gestapo I lost some interest.
But I am not going to let them get me down. Oh no "Resistance is fertile". I planted some swiss chard and some assorted lettuces and have begun transplanting some of my seed geraniums into pots in hopes of keeping some green around for this winter. It gets very depressing around here without nature and its abundance.
The studio is still a mess from the "raid" and its will be a while before it will be redone. I am finding more and more of my shit that has been broken or lost. But we will survive the disaster from July. We will rebuild. F the Gestapo boys and women who invaded the stead.

now availalble for free online

2011-09-17T08:41:00.001-07:00

great film. I have a link to the site on the sidebar.. been there for years

is this the future of home ownership.....

2011-09-17T07:35:00.001-07:00

from lloyds blog..

Fall prep come early

2011-09-11T11:54:00.001-07:00

While this summer growing season has been mostly a disaster I have obtained a few pieces to harvest. About a pound or two of tomatos, a nice assortment of green beans and radishes and I am now harvesting about 20 pounds of squash an more coming. We have also had assorted strawberries, grapes and an occasional salad green side dish when the heat has not overtaken.
The chives. green onions and yarrow will get put up for winter useage. As well as the parsley which is beginning to grown again now that the weather has cooled down a bit. AMEN.
Now is also the time to begin maintenance work to make sure winter goes smoothly. CHecking the heat tapes, furnace cleaning and gathering hardware for inevitable repairs and fall projects.
It is also time to begin stocking up on staples for winter while prices are low. Potatos, rice, pasta and assorted canned goods to fill the pantry. Coffee teas and some back stock on booze and tobacco products are also in order.
And of course meat..

Labor day Monday

2011-09-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

finally a tad of peace and tranquility this holiday weekend

LAbor Day weekend choke

2011-09-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

I was always under the presumption that Labor Day weekend was for th laborer to relax. hhahahhahaha. The why do I see so many men at the Lowes and the DIY sales.. hmmm. COuld it be our last revele of real homework before the fall rush . Quite possibly.
I started the labor day weekend quite calmly. But Saturday morning it was plumbing issues as a leak developed under the house. A 4 dollar fix but still annoying.
Then this morning I notices the fridge was not keeping cool but the freezer was runnin like a mofo. Apparently an ice clog in the system.
Defrost a frost free fridge. Darn kids opening and shutting and shopping in there as well as a seal that dont seal very well since he bird nibbled on it. Alas I unclogged it and drained it a bit. We shall see.

Saturday meander

2011-08-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sitting here in the coolnes of my family room office I am noticing the heat is constant outside.. Its like a desert climate. Hotter and drier than I have seen in recent times. Earthquakes had been felt in our state and are occurring elsewhere and now Irene on the eastern seaboard. Is this mother nature and the paybacks beginning. I tend to think so.

The garden has taken alot of abuse this year.. The heat is killing it slowly. Production is way down and almost non-existent except for a few of the hardier varieties.. Gonna have to be hitting up the markets in order to subsist for the winter.

Anyhow life is getting back to normal slowly. Amen. I took a walk over to Wallie this morning for bread, tortillas and toilet paper. And now I am relaxing in the coolness until the sun goes down again.

Have a joyous Saturday.

summer winding down

2011-08-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

the economy is in the tank. Politicians are scurrying for more band-aids. The cost of everything is sky-rocketing. What are we to do? Sit back and watch the shit unfold. And keep prepping. For only in calmness and peacefulness will you survive.
Stock up on food and meat
GAther barter items and ammo
Clean the weapons
Plan your escape or hanker down plans.
But keep a calm head on your shoulders. Let them be the ones to make mistakes that you can profit from.

garden pics

2011-08-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

friday rant

2011-08-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

I really wish i could express everything that has gone on in the last month but its all bullshit. First the neighborhood gestapo and then the guvt gestapo are attacking old Trash at the stead. to all of them i say a rousin FU.. my alma mater.
Anyhow the zuchs are producing nicely as is the lettuces. The cukes and beans died off thanx to the gestapo. And its too late to replant them. I have to start thinking about fall planting for some excess.
I hope to post some pics up here this weekend and yes y'all maybe even a video. We shall see. Ya see the the outside office/studio is a mess from the guvt run-amok bs. BUt alas my front porch studio has not been taken down. SO we shall see.

Sorry about thelax of posts

2011-08-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

However we have had some unexpected stuff go on around the homestead. We are coming thru it and the posting should start up again with regularity. I wish it were all good news but not all. Anyhow the garden took a tole with the heat and the other things yet I am able to salvage and still harvest some produce. PIcs will come later. As for videos I do not know when I will be able to get some up. As I said times have been rough around here .

divided we fall--

2011-07-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

I am hearing more and morer about people running into problems wwith society against you growing some of your own food. Why is that.. Are more people catching on to what Monsanto and the guvt are doing with GMO and round up and etc. Or is it more.
Are the sheeple to lazy to take care of themselves and assert their independence.. I am presuming so.. Fuck society. What I do on my property is my biz. HOAs and city codes should not apply when it comes to what you do on your own property. 93 days in jail is nothing to stand for what you believe in .If people become intimidated with jail and societal bullshit than they are weak in their values.
Stand up to the bullshit at all costs. Dont give up or give in. For then you give up your freedom.
Stand together

4th of July garden update

2011-07-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

celebration of Independence

2011-07-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

As we get closer to the annual celebration of Independence we should question as to whether we are truly independent. Unfortunately for most we arent. We are dependent on someone or some entity for our daily survival. The trick is to use that dependence to become more independent. Grow your own is a good step but live on your own terms is the other. That for the most part cannot be taken from you. Be true to yourself and dont stray. Keep on the right path and eventually you will gasin more and more independence.
Happy Independence day.

Sunday evening tireds

2011-06-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

How quickly the weekend goes. I got some planting and transplanting done today before it got too hot. Mrs T started complainin about not havin the swamp cooler up and running and that it was too hot inside. Even though I usually wait til the first of Juky to turn it on and get it setup its only a week early. And it was 91 today.
So i stripped the feeders out and force cleaned them with a jet hose and ran some sanitizer thru the lines and feeder. I then cleaned the pump and got a new float unit at Lowes ans started her up . House is gettin cool
Mrs T is happy. I dont know but the heat doesnt really bother me as I am getting older. As long as you maintai your hydration level you temp will stay down and you can stay cool.
Hope yall had a good weekend. And back to Babylon tomorrow. The NAzis are comin in the morning to install a new water meter so I will be here until they have gone.

summertime is busy-- time

2011-06-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

I looked at the blog and realized that it has been a week since I last posted.. Babylon has been keeping me busy as has watering and weeding when i get home. Has not been much time for blogging.
But this morning I have been in the garden transplanting seedlngs, starting more seedlings and moving planters around. I even got a chance to mow the weeds down a bit to make the NAzis happier. The lettuces and radishes seem to like the new homes in the shadier area. They are thriving. Beans are coming in as are the cucumbers. The caging seems to have worked to keep the kittys out.
Food is an important essential to have and in order to have food you should be able to grow it. Growing food is like raising kids..

whats a gas station

2011-06-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

It has been months since I have had to go to the gas station. I finall had to go today. $1.50 in gas for the gas can.. Why you may ask. Because I needed to mow the lawn today. You know I gotta keep the neighborhood gestapo happy. So I went over and bough half a gallon which is good for a cuppla mows. It feels so exhilerating to not have to be dependent on that disensary.
Anyhow I have been working the garden this morning. The rain did wonders. everything is growing nicely. Even the cukes are beginning to pop up rom the ground after i put the protective cage over to keep the kittys out.
BTW the rose was the first in the yard and I always give Mrs T the first rose..

weekend repairs

2011-06-13T22:27:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that on Friday when I came home, I had to run over to Lowes as we had sprung a leak at the water heater and I had to fix a leak. Well when I came home tonight I had another leak in the pex pipe that needed to be corrected. While I was under the house I ran a check on the water lines and lo and behold I found another leak right behind my office couch. I had smelled moisture recently but thought nothing of it. SO I pulled out the flash light and apparently one of the pex pipes in the hot water lines must have run a pin-hole spritzer over the last few weeks. Because there was quite a bit of moisture. Luckily Trash was able to cut the bad section and reattach the line at no cost except my time. I love plumbing. With pex pipe it is so much easier tha using copper. Granted repairs are more frequent but they are inexpensive.
Anyhow this is the end of another day at the Trash Phamily Pharm. Good night all.

MOnday morning...back to Babylon

2011-06-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend working on cleaning up the garden to make it pretty for the Gestapo. I still got lots of work to do and I want to get some more medicinals for the front beds. I saw some potentials specimens on my walkabouts (yarrow, phlox, etc). I will have to bring my shovel with me and snag some samples in the evening on the way home. I bought seven more tomatoes this past weekend and the Jalapeno seeds I harvested last weekend from the organics I got at the farmers market are nice and dry and now they are enveloped. I will plant a few testers in the next few days. Took the kids for a swim yesterday and washed my drawers and a shirt in the chlorine water.. Better than a washing machine. And more earth friendly.
I will never understand why people feel that in order to get clean they must use a washer dryer. Our forefathers didn’t. They used a bucket and some lye soap and hung the clothes out to dry. Granted they only had a few garments but that is all that is necessary anyhow.
It has now been two weeks that I have been sleeping in the man-cave as Mrs T likes to call it. Living in my lab. It’s a plain life breathing fresh air and waking to the sounds of birds and kitties. Simple life. I only wish the winters were not so chilly so I could do it during the winter months also. Anyhow I am hoping to get over to Whole Foods this week . Simple foods to accommodate a simple life. Oops I forgot to grab my dumpie found veggies for lunch today. Oh well I will have to take a walkabout over to the store to get some fresh veggies/ fruit for lunch. As I said simple.

Sunday finds at the freegan market

2011-06-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Had to go front door shopping over at the Safie way and the liquot store for a few things. I figured i would do a bit of backdoor shopping as it was still early. a pound of over-ripe limes, 2 lbs of organic carrots and a cuppla onions.. good catch, There was some meat and dip but with the heat yesterday, I wasnt going to risk it. But veggies are the shiznit. And the carrot greens go good in a salad. It always gets me because any time you buy carrots the greens are usually cut off before packaging.. The greens are good for ya.
UPDATE: I just added a bunch of pics of the gardens. Have a look here

Sunday video blog post

2011-06-12T08:19:00.001-07:00

Saturday meandering

2011-06-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

While the week in Babylon keeps me busy and coming home to work on the garden and the 'stead keeps me real busy I should have time for a video tomorrow. Today I planted some borage and 7 more tomato plants. I also transplanted some spinach and some corn starters. Wont the gestapo love me.. Alas I gotta feed the family.
I also transplanted a cuppla sunflowers that survived the slaughter and placed them in a new bed for the birds to enjoy. Sunflowers, birdseed tray etc. I also loaded it up with some green bean seeds for the friends to enjoy. I hope to throw a cuppla zuchs in there to fill it out. A mass for the birds.
I have enjoyed and shared the first two dozen radishes of the season and after adding some fresh compost to the soil I planted another round. Also had to thin out some lettuces and spinach to a shadier area so the grow better. I love greens. And pretty soon we will be able to start enjoying fresh veggies.. yumm yumm. Gardens are to shared with all creatures.

First homegrown meal of the season

2011-06-07T21:21:00.001-07:00

fresh greens salad, onions, green onions and rdish greens along withe these babies. I love Fench Breakast radishes.. and all homegrown

Resistance is Fertile for Urban Homesteaders

2011-06-05T12:00:00.001-07:00

Bad week

2011-06-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

As some of you know that follow old Trash on FB this last week has been annoying to say the least. Definitely a Memorial week. Apparently the neighborhood NAZI patrol took it into there whim to come into my yard and trim indiscreetly anything they didnt deem landscape worthy.. ie columbines, sunflowers, Mums that reseeded from last year , basil and soome lettuces and phlox. hmmm I guess stuff that grows naturally is considered weed whaxk material.. Wonderful society we live in. However, the positive of all this is they left the debris in the yard and it will make good compost material for the new bed. Alas.
As for the new experiments.. I had never tried to do eggplant before , mainly because i dont really like it. But Mrs T does so I created a bed of it just for her and the 1st seedling came up.. This morning there are two .. Hopefully my lizard statue will keep the aminals away and let them thrive. We shall see.
There wont be a video this Sunday as Trash is doing some maintenance projects at the stead. Summertime is always busy for me and with this setback it may take some longer time. But I will be back to doing homemade videos as the season progresses.
Resistance is fertile.. We are URBAN HOMESTEADERS..

good video

2011-06-04T08:12:00.001-07:00

and so it begins... the garden that is

2011-05-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

There is a lot more actvity growing on out here but i figured I owed y'all a taste of things a comin'. I also planted a bed of eggplant for the Mrs and one of the zuchini beds has been planted with seeds and starters from the trays. I also did a raised bed with Zuchs and some corn and green bean seeds to experiment. If it takes and germinates I will add pics . We are doubling and tripling out efforts this season to increase production..

old vs new technlogy

2011-05-30T13:02:00.001-07:00

spending more time with the antique ipod

2011-05-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

I have been spending a lot of time at home listening to the old Walkman rather than the ipod. While the ipod is great for travelling around the walkman has sound quality unmatched on the radio level and listening to tapes. It is a wonderful find.
Spending alot of time in the garden and in the lab working on several projects. And further experimentation. AM hoping this 3 day weekend will afford me some time to begin a few more projects I have been contemplating. We will see.
Anyhow I am hoping to get some more pics up this weekend as things are starting to sprout in the yard as well as prepping a video or two. There def is a lot to talk about.
Feel free to chime in with comeentary and opines.
Always welcome.

nuthin like the DEAD on tape

2011-05-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

As I said I hit the yard sales last weekend and picked up sme deals. One of them was this classic SONY walkman with am fm radio and cassette and original headphones.. classic high dollar audio for a buck.. It needed batteries. The tuner was clean.. I replaced the batteries with double a and this thing rocks. I went into the library and pulled out my classic bootleg tapes of the Grateful Dead and am spending the evening listeing to the classic sound of the dead in analog audio.. nuthin better

the rapture didnt begin

2011-05-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

Since I am able to write this on Sunday evening apparently the world aint ending just yet.. Alas. Plenty of time to plant more food and gather more essentials for the real Exodus. The Trash Exodus from society.
While I am not able to leave the 'stead I can hanker down and make the stead its own ecosystem. Grow more,gather more and consume less. Is not hat what it is all about. FREEDOM..
As I said yesterday I walked over to the yard salesand picked up some books, a new Babylon commute coffee mug and a mini-food procesor. I also had an organic juice and baquette from the day old rack at the Safie. While reading. Behind the Safie was a few really nice strawberries on the dumpie which added some wonderful sweetness to my buds while heading back to the stead. I also picked up some thermal pants for me and Mrs T that someone had discarded. Warm pants are always an essential at the 'stead..
A great resource is also the sale racks at the Lowes garden shop.. I have been able to pick up flowers and herbas for less that $1-2 each.. As they amrk them down when they aint pretty anymore. Herbs are wonderful things.
Last eveing Mrs T wanted some chocolate fudge cake from the bakery so I went over and got her one. The lady at the deli had just marked the all-natural Roasted chickens down to $1 each. SO I grabbed a couple.. Normally they are $6 each. Guess the yuppies aint buying them so frequently.. To me they eat the same.. Just less work..
Anyhow hope y'all had a good wekend and since the rapture didnt begin I guess we gotta go back to Babylon tomorrow.. Alas.

busy week in Babylon

2011-05-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

Well it is Saturday morning and the world is still here. Even the places where it is already tomorrow. Alas, you all know what that means. Another day of dumpieing ahead as well as gardening and some other chores around the stead.
The lettuces took a hit from the hail during the week. But the peas are growing. Heck I am even getting some cuke seeds coming thru the soil in the trays.. oh boy i love cukes.
Anyhow he neighborhood nearby is having their community garage sale so alas I will be checkin out the goods over there.. Ya never know what ya gonna find.
Recycle reuse and resell.. The 3 r's.

Sunday reading

2011-05-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

As most of you know old Trash prefers alot of the old ways. Walking, riding bikes and taking public transportation. 2 of the books that I believe belon in evertones library among others is Lloyd Kahns "Shelter", Helen and Scott Nearings "Living the Good Life" and Tom Cuthbertsons "anybody's bike book". All three of them deserve to be read and reread. To be honest my old copy of Shelter was misplaced in one of my moves and so after friending Lloyd and Lew a few months ago on FB Lew got Lloyd to autograph nd send me a new copy. It is proudly displayed in my studio office and is being reread an annotated.
Knowledge is essential and creative methodology must become inherant in our activities in order to thrive in the society we have. I have alot of other resources which have influenced me whihch I will share with you all this summer. In the meantime prep, grden and consider creative ideas for survival. Both of these books are good investments. And should be acquired. If you are interested let me know and perhaps I can potentially open up a storefront online in order to hjelp you get resources which Trash finds useful.. Let me know

on a different note

2011-05-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

I saw this video this morning and it reminded me of someone i know.. The junior tinkerer up in Oly. Hope he enjoys it.
I also found a cool link site to follow at bikejuju. I am gonna add the link to the sidebar also.

Herbs are you friends

2011-05-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

I always grow alot of herbs for summer cooking and salad and also fro drying for the fall and winter. They always tase better than thos bland ones from the store.

Friday endeavors

2011-05-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

After 3 days of rain today it is finally drying out a bit. The rain barrels are filling and I will have some good Gods water for the seedlings. Amen. And where am I . On the sidelines with swollen knees and in pain. But alas.. It was a good day.
And the Weekened is here

rain oh heavenly rain

2011-05-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

good nourishment for the soil and plants

SUnday video

2011-05-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day

more relaxing Saturday pics at the 'stead

2011-05-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

the Nearings,, another inspiration for Trash

2011-05-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning at the homestead

2011-05-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from around the homestead this morning. The lilacs are in full bloom and thats right under our bedroom window.. What a sweet smell the have.

guerilla planting and foraging

2011-05-06T05:26:00.000-07:00

For years now Trash has been building the arsenals and being very conservative in its useage. However with the FDA decision the other day its time to start creating bombs. Seed bombs that is..
And planting food everywhere you can.. The way to not be effected by the high cost of everything is to grow your own and grow some extra. It is time. Spring is here.
Every day plant a seed or two..
Somewhere
Anywhere.
Resistance is fertile

An so it starts for the season

2011-05-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

And this is only a sampling of what is coming up.. around the yard. Stay tuned

Sunday video

2011-05-01T12:24:00.001-07:00

As always comments and opinions are welcome....

Here is the article on 35 jobs enjoy

green living

2011-04-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

More and more I see stories being written for the yuppies to live green. Eco-friendly designers, etc. Bullshit. We get our clothes from the dumpies. Most of my tshirts have been free shwag from a certain computer company whose fruit symbol is everywhere. Our shoes come from garage sales or free boxes and occasionally from the Wallie World markdown trays. Even our jackets and winter coats are found.. Truly living off the excesses of others.
Food and shelter can be acquired cheap or free. I have done many posts on foraging and growing your own as well as backdoor shopping (freeganism). Shelter for most of us with families must be paid for. However suitable shelter can be had for low cost. MObile homes are wonderful alternatives. Low cost and low footprint.
Electric cars and electric transport are another fabrication. Walking or riding a bicycle will suffice. For travel public transport is essential.Besides if the grid does go down your electric vehicle better be big enough to live in. Cause it aint goin anywhere without power.
There is so much waste in this country. Green living requires only initiative and creativity to succeed. Do your part and don't buy into the hype that is sold to you.

didnt get a video done today. too busy

2011-04-24T17:50:00.000-07:00

I spent Easter Sunday working in the garden. PLanted some more seed trays. Replanted some seedlings and finally got around to diggin the new bed that Mrs T approved of during the week. We also took a walk to a vacant lot nearby and Mrs T grabbed some rocks for her garden and we created a bulb bed for some bulbs that we rescued from the abandoned lot. Like I always say free is a good price. The ties and lumber for the new bed were also "found".
Hope y'all had a good Easter and got to spent some time outside. With all the new plantings this rain that started about an hour or so ago is wonderful. There is something magical about god water. Peace.

greenhouses

2011-04-23T16:25:00.001-07:00

As any gardener or urban homesteader will realize after a few years a greenhouse is becoming more and more of an essential. While walking thru the Lowes this afternoon I saw this model for $199. I could prob make a few adjustments to it to solidify its useage here at the stead. But I will be contemplating it.

This is the type that I would like to have eventually . Stone on one side for solar reactivity and glass or poly for the other 3 sides for light. I would prob also want a desk, table and a small potbelly stove for heat.. But I can dream and eventually create the ideal.

rreal good video on permaculture

2011-04-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

weekend plans

2011-04-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well Mrs T has said the new bed location is fine so I begin digging this weekend and will start gathering soil for that bed and a ne bed in the front yard. Expanding production capability.
I have has some questions this week that I hope to answer in this weeks video message. As always if you have any questions or comments contact me.

back door shopping video

2011-04-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

dont be afraid. Lots of good stuff

happy 4-20

2011-04-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

a little positive in a negative world

We are not alone

2011-04-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

As always comments are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy

the new bed placeholder waiting for Mrs T to approve. Unfortunately she is laid up with back pain and will prob be for a few days. Alas

this video is the shiznit

2011-04-15T09:57:00.001-07:00

a mesh of old skool and new.. kickass for a Friday Thanx to Lloyd Kahn and crew for sharing

April flowers

2011-04-14T19:49:00.001-07:00

I just love the quality of my cell phone camera in getting closeups.. and the camera phone fits in my pocket.. i love it.

interesting Tuesday evening

2011-04-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

I came home from Babylon this evening expecting to relax and listen to the sons radio show and converse with some of my online compadres. Well that is not quite how it went down.
Having listened to my buddys podcast over at thesurvivalpodcast.comwhere he talked of liberty and freedom I was roaming around youtube and became enamored with Ted Nugent video and interviews. Not one to watch much tv I was surprised with some of the thing he had to say..
I then was checking my email and I recieved a confirmation from Lloyd Kahns (lloyds blog) associate Lew that he had in fact mailed my autographed copy of Shelter today. His only request was that I place a review on Amazon or BN.. Which I will gratefully accomodate.
Lloyd has been an inspiration to me for decades and to have a copy of the book that started the movement of sustainability is an honor. Thanx again Lew

unexpected surprise at the Wallie World

2011-04-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Last night after wrapping up the video Mrs T had asked me to take a walk over to the WallieWorld for some cat food, and some of their Broasted Chicken.. While the CBA (cost/benefit analysis) on it is quite good ($7 for a cooked chicken) I have now realized something even better.. I was running late so I did not get over there until about 815 or so.. Apparently when the deli starts shutting down for the evening they mark the food down to sell it off rather than throw it away. So the 8 dollar chicken was marked down to $3.50. As well as the $6 chickens were marked down to $2.50.. In my haste I bought 3 of them instead of one.. For about the same price.. Triple the birds. An excellent deal.. Ya see it pays to shop the markdowns and clearance aisle..

Monday video

2011-04-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

As always comments and opines are accepted.

Some Sunday pics

2011-04-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

lettuce seedling
chive bed
pork chops on the bbq after a long day..

2011-04-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

I saw this this afternn on my way back from getting smokes and garlic bread for tonights cuisine. SPaghetti and turkey meat tomato sauce

Bring a tear to the eye.

2011-04-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

Ya never quite know what kind of influence ya have on the kids until they surprise you. The other day I walked into the house and saw about 10 bottles of Apple Juice sittin on the floor in the kitchen. Apparently on of the daughters friends had gotten them with the WIC checks and the kid is alergic to Apple juice.. Guess what rather than throw it away my daughter became the new owner.. NOw it does have an effect on old Trash but alas.. It being put to use..
How many of your kids are follwing in your footsteps.

A joyous week in Babylon

2011-04-07T04:24:00.000-07:00

Didja ever wonder why the prices of a fresh raw chicken is about 6-8 bucks each. While the same chicken already roasted runs about 5=6 bucks. An interesting concept. Value added means price reduction.. Interesting thought. What brought this on. Well Mrs T decided she wanted roasted chicken sandies last night on rye with swiss cheese.. Well the roasted chicken at the market were cheaper than raw chickens of the same quality. Makes Mrs T job a tad easier..
Anyhow off to make some coffee and have a smoke or two before heading to Babylon

trees in bloom

2011-04-04T18:40:00.001-07:00

One of the joys of Babylon are the trees and foliage...
Enjoy

Sunday pics

2011-04-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

one of the critters
the kitchen compost bucket
the lilacs are flowering in early April...

Some Sunday pics after the morning snow.. It is almost all melted. Spent the day working in stuff inside as it was a tad chilly outside.
Back to Babylon tomorrow.. Springtime in the Rockies

Sustainability for the present and future

2011-04-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

My SUnday morning message.. and the buzzword for the week

Welcome to Amerikkka

2011-04-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

If this doesnt piss you off.. And this is America..

better than the Saturday Evening POst

2011-04-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

You might be a Survivalist if...
check out this list for a good laugh