Veggie Voyagers

Couple travelled 30 states and 3 Canadian provinces between 7/07 and 5/08 running their 1987 Ford truck on straight veggie oil. The blog continues with a focus on the natural world and energy politics from a personal perspective

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Seeing what is around me

 This last year the bushtits chose an oak rather than a wild plum to string up their hanging nest, within 20 feet of last year's tree. The land is quickly leafing out and the weeds are joyfully green and spiking to the sun. The willows are putting out their cotton and all the spider webs have dressed up with a spiculated pattern of dancing white seed puff. 
 Some of the campers across Comanche Creek aren't as organized in the temporary homes they create for themselves as the bushtits and I dread the task of cleaning up this one. Most of the campers are more organized than this but most do leave some garbage behind, which is unfortunate. Our community focus on homeless right now has good folks out in the lead trying to find solutions but yesterday I was talking with other good people who were saying stereotypical things that aren't helpful. You can't lump people together and make generalizations. Despite how much I dislike the unsanitary and energy intensive work of cleaning up after someone who left this mess it does no good to condemn all homeless people because this person could not or did not respect the creek bank and my sensibilities. The problem is his/her safety and preventing this recurrent mess in the future.
 Meanwhile, Michael is off skiing. I have been visiting friends and doing quietly fulfilling things. This, I think is clarkia... spring on the thin vina plains soils produces beautiful bouquets like this...
 And a visit up Butte Creek revealed yet another photogenic nest to please me... I relish these months before the hot weather sets in. Time of lilac, redbud and blossoms abundant. Life affirms.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Valley to Mountains

 It continues to be beautiful here in the valley, temperatures in the 70s and dry, dry, dry.
 We celebrated Leslie's 60th Birthday with a Tea Party that Addie created. A wonderful and loving serving of love and appreciation for a great woman.
 Today Michael and I went up to Lassen. His fatigue has passed from last week's chemo and we are readying ourselves to see the surgeon tomorrow. All we can do is live in the moment and it was beautiful and still up there... perfect for that.... back home it's a little harder.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

A moment of quiet

 A moment of quiet before I wake Michael from his nap and we go to the Sustainability Conference at Chico State. We were supposed to get rain but it spat and passed us by so the driest Jan. and Feb. proceed into one of the driest winters on record. The forum we will be attending is on water. A critical issue for us.
Meanwhile, Michael continues on chemo. He's petting Pula in the top shot, wearing the fanny pack with the pump for the toxic 5FU which he wears at home for 48 hours after the long day at the infusion center. As you can see from the photo below...it's not slowing him down much... he's been doing car repair, wiring, etc.... Pula, on the other hand, has to have surgery today... we hope he will be ok. He was channeling Sasha and dancing around with a stick the other day and completely ignoring the hitch in his own giddy-up... just like Michael I guess.
 Last week sisters Pam and Shirley came down from the foothills of Nevada City to be part of a folk sing-a-long to raise money for the Beale 5 Defense... after Shirley was one of those to get federal trespass charges in her attempts to raise awareness of drone warfare (and to shut em down, of course.) Lovely cabbage heads and broccoli are for the taking out in the fields of Riparia right now.
 Meanwhile, Bruce has planted over 50 varieties of lettuce. It is really quite amazing to see the brilliant healthy green of these organically grown gems.
 And the riot of spring is well under-way with fruit trees blossoming, bird migration in full swing, turkeys back, foxes rollicking... Now if we can just get some more rain and regain health around here. All will be well.