2/24/08 burn day again

We waited for you, then we burned.

580KB; 25 secs; sound

2/19/08 rain coming, dusk

An approaching storm, the first in a few weeks.
324KB; 25 secs; silent

2/12/08 slash!

Our neighbor and friend Larry, mentioned in the video, with his mom’s horse Ralph in our driveway.

2.6MB; 1’48”; sound

2/4/08 clear day

A welcome clear day with snow on the peaks, and on the vineyards, across the valley from us,

1/29/08 snow

Snowed last night, the night before, predicted for tonight. Thereafter there's precipitation as far out as the US Weather Svc can see. Solar? Ha!

1/15/08 bath room

  
Also forgot to notify about the new bath room. We wanted an outside bathhouse usable in rough weather. We built a pavilion with removable sides and roof. The footed tub was scrounged years ago. If you want one now they cost about $1300(!). We have not yet soaked as we're very short on water. It makes a good greenhouse too.

1/10/08 shedroom

Oops! Forgot. In the fall we built a detached bedroom, bringing our total square footage to 1000 (including front porch). Yes, we have to walk thru the rain to get there, but it's not much trouble, and we love waking to the view down the valley. In the summer (or late fall) we sleep outside, of course.

1/5/08 storm waterfall

Well, thanks for asking Steve. High winds yesterday morning, fir branches all over, broken manzanitta and the tops of pines flung onto our road. Some road erosion which Libbe and I worked on. Rain, snow, rain, sleet, rain, hail, rain, and thunder and lightning. Most alarming: I was looking out the kitchen door when the barbecue scooted across right in front of me. I mean, windy!

We cranked up the generator to top the batteries, so are doing fine. Here's the NOAA forecast...

SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: MUCH COLDER AIR IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY...AND SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER DOWN TO 1500 FEET. COOL AND UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

All the rain fueled our waterfall, video attached.

560KB; 27 secs; silent

12/30/07 New Year

  
Robert Lowell spoke of “the monotony of the sublime” and Guillaume Apollinaire said that "without artists, men would soon weary of nature's monotony."

Naaaahhhh! Happy New Year!

Loren and Libbe

12/21/07 NY & VT

  
Back from NYC and VT. Tired and up to here in mail and bills---the normal. Walked to the bank in Johnson, VT on Monday where they have a time/temp sign: 5 degrees. Thought you might like to see some real snow.

11/14/07 burn day

The rainy season has started so we can now safely burn. I attach a 20 second video of a recent event. Sorry you missed it.

We suspect that this activity severely compromises the modesty of our carbon footprint.

290KB; 24 secs; silent

8/28/07 eclipse

  
  
During their last visit our friends and partners Kelly & Jolynn dropped off a 12" reflecting telescope, and last night was a full lunar eclipse. I held my Canon pocket digital to the eyepiece and got these pics. As the moon dimmed the camera exposure lengthened, so the later pics are blurry. The colors are more or less accurate--very orange. If you ever get the chance, sleep outdoors during a lunar eclipse. Even with the naked eye it was spectacular.