Author Archives: Joel

…it occurred to me: I sure am bundled up for late May. Cold, windy, driving heavy rain…this is May in the desert? Big Brother is on his way back to the Big City. I just this minute got a text … Continue reading →

Next step: Lots of painting. But not right away.

We could finish today. There’s not much left to do, just the flashing on the west side and the root edge. But we’re not going to finish today. Tomorrow’s fine.

I knew it was going to be windy this afternoon, but normally we can get at least a few still morning hours even on a windy day. So we started putting up the plywood, but those few hours were filled … Continue reading →

So yeah. I truly need one of these.

We broke for lunch fairly early today, though the work was going unexpectedly well, because I hit a wall and for once had the sense to stop. When I’m by myself and I’ve had too much work in the hot … Continue reading →

Big Brother and I are going to have dinner with some neighbors at 4, after which I plan to collapse in a heap.

More later…

2 is 1, 1 is none. I violated the rule that bites you when it’s violated. In October 2015, a Generous Reader sent me this… Only 3 1/2 years ago? Seems longer. Lots has happened since then, and this little … Continue reading →

That was T’s motto, or would have been if he’d started having a motto. And now it’s commemorated. Boot Hill got its sign. It is appropriately – and massively – overdone. 😀

If all is still according to plan, at this moment Big Brother is queuing up to board a plane in DFW, where he has been cooling his heels for almost eight hours. He booked this insane route, which (I guess?) … Continue reading →

I wanted to make a second bucket nest but I needed something better to line the cut plastic with. There was some cheap duct tape in the barn but it wasn’t enough to prevent a hen hurting herself. That link … Continue reading →

I have a few 6 gal buckets I can spare, and more press-on lids than I care to think about. Neighbor L suggested turning one into a nesting box to see if the Leghorns like it. I also like the … Continue reading →

Once a chicken gets an idea in its head…

A few weeks ago the base of my hummingbird feeder split its whole length and of course started to leak badly. I patched the split with some Seal-All, and that actually worked for a while. But the fix was temporary, … Continue reading →

So yesterday afternoon, in an effort to keep the Leghorns from laying their eggs under the nesting boxes, I hauled in a few rocks to block the entrance. This morning I found them scattered about… …and a couple of disgruntled … Continue reading →

You know, when I was a kid I had a recurring fantasy. It was downright incessant, if I’m being honest… Every time I read about some remote, tiny planet or asteroid or Pacific island, I imagined myself setting up an … Continue reading →

Four Rhode Island towns have declared themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries in the last two weeks.

…but it’s not going to last. I went up to the top of the ridge to check the level in the water tank… …which puts me at the very highest place in the little valley I think of as the … Continue reading →

This wet week is getting me down. It actually looks like we’re going to get a little sun this morning but things aren’t really supposed to clear up till Monday – I’m not too worried about the Porch Roof Project … Continue reading →