Results

 

I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.

Michael Jordan 

On April 22, 2013 I posted three images. They probably seemed a bit dry. Those images were a semi circular chart that looked like a speedometer, some signs that had no real meaning, even after I explained them, and a rectangular image of lines and colors bars. The combination of these three items were intended to instruct our church membership on why we could not have the A/C on in every room at church every Sunday. This blog includes the pictures of the presentation itself. It worked like a charm. The visual imagery was combined with an effective explanation by Fred Allen, one of the principles in the Energy Project. People understood. And that was the intended result. Fred and I discussed the problem, then worked it out. I produced the imagery and he stood up and used those charts to illustrate the problem and the solution. Results. 

The first speedometer chart was the opening analogy. Energy usage rises just like speed and there is a point where a certain amount is over our limit. The blocks with words on them were calculated to match the incremental size of the energy available to be used. So Base Usage takes up the right amount of space on the linear chart. We don't want to go into the red zone. If we have all the A/C on, in each room, at the same time, we end up in the red zone. It is one thing to tell people, but stacking the blocks of energy on a chart illustrates what happens. 

The idea was simple once I figured out how to do it. The speedometer was mounted on black foam core. The energy chart was mounted on Magnetic white board. The blocks of energy are actually the same sort of magnetic paper that one uses for business card magnets. All of it is available at the nearest office supply store. Total cost was about $50 with printing. 

Notes from the garden

Gopher plant, about 5 ft tall

Hollyhock

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.

May Sarton 

Succulents

Gardening has always been my first love.  Regardless of what is going on in my life I always find time for the things that need to be done in the garden. I will admit that in my twenties I spent a lot more time doing artwork than I do now. But the important pieces are all plants and flowers. Now I am likely to be out in the yard as not. Many of the photos I take are reference for drawings to be done when I can no longer be as active as I am now. 

I am fortunate to live in a truly wonderful little house on the Sacramento River. It is surrounded by a large piece of property with huge old Oaks and Cottonwoods. I have Great Horned Owls, and Quail in addition to the numerous small and large birds of the area. I see Coyote from time to time. I have a vegetable garden. Everything in the vegetable garden has chicken wire around it  -- Raccoons and Possums. I see where they have been out having a party, digging for worms and grubs.  What I have noticed this year is how some of the insects are out in force. It has to be because of the mild winter we had.  I have pulled two Ticks off/out of me, and a third today crawling up my leg. I have never seen the sheer volume of Oak Leaf moth that I have seen this spring. Groups of twenty or thirty  at a time when I hand water, flying up to escape. Every tree, every bush has shown the ravages of Caterpillar presence. The Mosquitos were very bad a month ago, but have tapered off (Thank the Lord). The Crickets and Frogs at night are the best sound to fall asleep to. Amazing that such small creatures can make such large sounds. 

The early heat means that this year all of the iris bloomed, that was a first. But they are long done. The big, white Calla's are done, but the smaller pinky-purple ones are just coming up. The African Daisy is heading into a second bloom cycle. the Chinese Gladiolas are no doubt going to put on an amazing show. I expect a sea of orange out there in late June. I just transplanted two Giant Bird of Paradise and know they won't bloom this year, but with any luck, they will next year. Some of the roses have done something, I think they are waiting and will attempt another show.  If it sounds like a lot of work, it is a a lot of work. 

And there is no where else I would rather be. I hope you have a garden of your own, however small. It will always rejuvenate your soul. 

400 parts per million and rising

All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome.
George Orwell 
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/obvious.html#ZwcxCa7tVm2SKPu0.99 

I don't need to post an image for any of this. I want to scream "You greedy bastards!!" I also want to put out a challenge: Some one please develop a truck that runs on something other than any fossil fuel. Everything will change if we have big machines that can run on something else.  Natural gas included. Fracking is AWFUL! Hello? it pollutes water in a big way, and less heard is that it also increases the earthquakes where fracking occurs. And they want to bring fracking into California. Some one isn't paying a damned bit of attention to the consequences. You want to be a billionaire? Create something better than the internal combustion engine that will haul freight across the country, that will pull a train, that will power a ship, that will fly a plane, that will run a tractor, and for Pete's sake make it affordable!  Get real and start Thinking BIG! How do you convert a coal power plant? You need an artist, let me know I can work cheap when I believe in something. 

What did you do today to lower your carbon footprint? Hot as it was I did not turn on the A/C. I am about to turn off the fans as the delta breeze has kicked in. It is our responsibility, yours and mine, not some government. Ours, for our children and grandchildren.