Impressive

Take some time to read about this guy's mini farm. Pretty impressive efforts(and results) in season extension, composting, and energy production. Make's me think 'WTF have I been doing with my time??' oh that's right, baby-raising and working... and winter.

Check out the latest here: OneStraw Blog

And some popular pages here:
HOA Meets CSA

Sub-Acre AG

Wood Gasifier

Not long now till it's time to start planting here!

-40.

The Garden

I'm beginning to plan out the gardens for the season. Last year at this time I was busy starting things from seed... a little too early. This year I'll wait a bit. May go a little less intense this year overall. The neighbors are getting antsy to start planting too. One was over last week to talk about seeds and compost and he recommended watching the movie 'The Garden' when we started talking politics.

I had no idea what it was about... Here is the synopsis from the website:

"The fourteen-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles is the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers have since created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods. Growing their own food. Feeding their families. Creating a community. The Garden follows the plight of the farmers, from the tilled soil of this urban farm to the polished marble of City Hall. Mostly immigrants from Latin America, from countries where they feared for their lives if they were to speak out, we watch them organize, fight back, and demand answers:

Why was the land sold to a wealthy developer for millions less than fair-market value? Why was the transaction done in a closed-door session of the LA City Council? Why has it never been made public?..."

Go watch the trailer then watch it on netflix... they have it on the 'play-now' section.

YABADABADOO Vol 2

You may remember Yabadabadoo Vol 1 (Part 1, Part 2). It's been a couple/few years and Sleepy decided it was time for Volume 2. He has settled into his new house and has begun accessorizing. Obviously, the first major project (ahead of fixing leaky toilet) was to build the world's greatest Beer Die table.
What you are looking at is a 4x8 sheet of plywood, with 124 album covers scaled down to 6" and arrayed onto the wood using spray adhesive. Then, no less than 1/4" of clear bar-top epoxy to seal them in. It gleams like the crown jewel of drinking games... which it is.

The Proud Papa
The fans approve

Later, after many hours of beer die, Rock Band, watching Olympic Curling (i'm addicted), it was time to start eating.

Sleepy reproduced Mrs 40's famous buffalo chicken dip. Mostly molten lava, it disappeared quickly.
Then, a dinner of IPC stir fry, it was time for the trek to Crotched Mtn. The troops rallied admiredly, even though the couch was calling. I ignored the siren call of sleeeeep, and suited up for SNOW!
.....to be continued....

Because it has been a while...

Sleepy out-does himself at the Yankee Swap

I can't leave it all to 40oz... I have been downloading pictures SO infrequently that it seems too late to post them after the fact- but the CTLP clan had a great time at the Flat Tire's residence for New Years that I had to put some pictures in:

Wife-swap? Nope. BABYSWAP!!! Coming to Fox this fall...

This was the right way when I downloaded it.

Too tired to care that I am screwing with her.