Dudes and dudinettes, seriously, check this out:
http://zealandinthenewd.blogspot.com/2009/02/when-searching-for-golden-fleece-beware.html
Sigh...I want the whole world to be like that...is that too much to want? I don´t care if it is, it is worth it!
So...this morning started out rather bleak, in a stream of consciousness about the big city that I didn´t break until halfway to Saltillo on the bus...this is a nicer city, much smaller and has a more open feel to it. There are actually shops and such here that I could buy some boots, another hat, or a mexican blanket or poncho...nothing really struck me as something I just had to have...more blankets are always neato...so I guess I could get one...but I have no drawing to spend money on such a thing. Ah well. Hmmm...in a library in Saltillo right now, wonder how long I can get away with using this computer. A pigeon shat on my notebook earlier while sitting in the park this library is in. I am just grateful that he didn´t poop on my grapefruit that I was eating. Frikkin pigeons, they are pretty awesome..and earlier this morning it was one of the few things that seemed peaceful to concentrate on was pigeons strutting around.
So last night I wandered around with Richard in the club district in Monterray, he became tired and went home and continued wandering aimlessly...I kept feeling this pull towards an area that I had already covered...and I was resistant at first. There was a neat cafe that was about to open at 7pm, and it was about 6:45, so I continued wandering down the street feeling that I was missing something but not knowing what. I ran across a telefono publica and then immediately ran into a fire hydrant, ow knee. Still hurts a little bit...I took a break thinking what I was doing, I´m in a big city in a foreign country and feeling bored, what the heck? I was right by the phone and had a few minutes on the calling card...debated a long time if I should just use it up and say hi to someone, went through a long list of who I would call, and even if I should call anybody. Finally went to pick up the phone and dial a number...and it didn´t work. Aha! Should´ve just went for it and not used all that brain energy debating, the universe had a plan for me that evening that I was just minutes away from discovering. I started pseudo-limping down the street further and spotted the black fronted building with red trim...one of my favourite color schemes...and heard it...the sweet sound of metal guitar riffs, filling the air with majesty and glee. Hardwired, my gut knew, it had its radar primed, I wandered, trusting it, and was not disappointed. I sat, listened, not a bad guitar player, they must have been doing a sound check I thought for later on tonight since it is still early...I leaned against the building for a moment. The scale was major, which I have been increasingly drawn to lately, having spent many years preferring the darker sound of the minor scale. Filled with excitement for the night, I started back up the street to go see if I could grab some 'expresso' as it is called here. The cafe was open and had a rather nice vibe, kinda of jazz-techno-air style of music...sounds weird I know but it actually wasn´t. So I brainstormed for a bit about how a whole bunch of my homies should plan a trip to Europe next summer and how I could do that financially. Turns out that I only have to make 500 dollares a week for the next 16 months to....pay off all my debt...have 5k for a trip to Europe, have living money until then, and have a 3k cushion to come back to...that doesn´t include getting a private pilots license though I realized today...which is ok because I doubt I would really spend $5k in europe...though I´m sure I could if I allowed myself to...whee?
So after espresso and water, I headed back to the hotel room to drop off my jacket and extra money since...it would be warm in the club and I'd be out on the streets late at night. When I finally made it back to the club, in my cowboy attire, fitting in with the all in black metalheads like a charm, I discovered they were only practicing, and were really playing the next night...or tonight...Yes! I´m still just as ready. Though I don´t know that I´ll type up the stream of consciousness that I went through earlier today right now, but I will and I definitely feel that metal has helped me break through the suffocation and suppression of current global industrial material culture. Thank you, gods of metal. I´ll always know in my heart without that energy, I would not be so balanced in a world where suffering, ignorance, and obedient followership is so prevalent. I am my own person, full of spirit, and that is enough to create a better world through hard work and diligence.
Apparently, mexican poliza cruise around with their lights for shits and giggles...goin nowhere, not pulling anyone over, just cruisin, with their lights on...very peculiar.
hmmm...until nnext post! I´m going to wander and gawk at pretty buildings in Saltillo and make my way back to the bus station...maybe get some food somewhere along the way...I said I wanted to stay away from fried foods, but some tacos seem kinda tasty right now. yum. We´ll see what I turn up ya? Sweet. I think I will get a blanket, I haven´t always been super cozy and toasty while in the city, ironically enough, don´t lug my extreme cold sleeping bag everywhere I go...
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ola!
Ok, back at la computador! So...we went to the Mercado today, got some nice lookin papaya, mangoes, limes, guava, banana, and...grapefruit...and...honey...and....mmm, what else? I think thats it. Also had the most painless eye exam ever this afternoon, it couldn´t have taken more than 5 minutes it felt like. It´s ridiculous that american doctors are so stuffy about everything, I always felt so frustrated with the process, and then you get charged 60 bucks for the visit, and another 150 or 200 for your glasses...I got everything for....lets see, 700 pesos, or $50. Sweetness! They will be ready tomorrow, but Richard will have to pick them up I guess because I want to be heading over to Horsetail Falls Park methinks, still have to figure what the bus situation is going over there though...Looks pretty amazing though! I ´scited.
So, I definitely don´t like big cities, whether their foreign or not. Madrid and Barcelona were cool because of the old architecture, but Monterray is a bit newer so it just doesn´t have the same flavor. I like the strong cultural identity though, and the abundant mass transit. Very cool. Though the mass transit is necessary though because it is quite evident that people are very poor. I feel opulent next to the average mexican considering I own: A car, A bicycle, 2 computers AND a laptop, MULTIPLE guitars, a ton (well, maybe only a couple hundred pounds) of books, etc. Yep, I´m spoiled, glad I´m trying to do something other than just please myself! When we came in on the bus we were in the scary part o town...well, not scary, just...poor, trashy, got come ons from hookers, etc. Faucet didn´t work in the hotel we stayed at that night..awesome.
After we got into the more downtown area though it is a bit nicer, parques here and there, la gran plaza where the old turn of the 20th century palace is was neato, interesting though that you can walk into a chain restaurant and be greated by some kid (18 or 19) carrying an assault rifle with a bullet proof vest...Ah yes, different countries, such a wonderful experience! This morning we got up to go have breakfast and we saw on the television ´riot in monterray during police drug bust´or something along those lines, glad I decided not to walk around last night to get the flavor of the night life! Though in the downtown area it probably would have been fine, just not nearly as cool as Barcelona at 3am. Considering that this is the only other time I´ve been out of the country and I went to Spain the first time I guess I am coming at it a little critically, but I am enjoying it no less...though I have been trying to get the most out of my visit and it seems what I´ve done the most is sleep and write, but that is also essential to catch up on my life etc. Looking forward to the not city tomorrow.
The first day here I was looking for the hampton inn (where we stayed one night because it was close to the hospital) later on in the day, after Richard had gone into surgery, and got a little confused because of the naming of the streets...that was a fun adventure, walked around a whole bunch...carrying a few small bags in my arms close to my chest because none of the sacks were strong enough to house them all...knew I should have left with a bag! Anyway, I laugh about it though because of leaving the hotel that we checked into without really knowing where it was before leaving it...dóh! There were a couple moments where I about to say ´ah f.....´ but both those times random guys on the street helped me out. There was also an HEB right by the inn so I just asked where HEB was and got some directions, the first guy wanted some cambio, and so i told him ´Well, maybe you can help ME out too!´which me obliged in some english, coolio. Thanks tigers eye bracelet! You rock!
So, Likin it good. Feel like there are some stories that I´m forgetting, you know, lots of trying to fudge my way with the language and just feeling very humored by how ignorant i am of the language, but hey, at least I´m trying! And it is fun when they say, ´poco´ when i tell them ´habla pequeno espanol´. Good times. Oh, and a guy was just lightin up a doobie in the street at the mercado this morning, that was pretty hilarious. We were trying some mangoes and buying the papaya, couldn´t have been later than 11, when I smell a familiar smell wafting through the clogged streets of cars, carts, and people...turning around and continuing on our way the source of the scent was in broad daylight in the middle of the street. Ah, again, I´d like to say, different country, how sweet it is.
Ah, the Metal scene totally exists down here, saw the decked out young dude with all black clothing, wallet chain, oh I can´t remember the band shirt he had on...could here a little bit of the thrashing from his headphones, lip piercing, the trying to be serious and dark expression on his face...very hilarious, I was telling richard that I like all these different styles of music, etc. but don´t necessarily vibe with the subculture at all. I don´t think I´ve ever met another metalhead outside my family who has the same relationship with it that I do, and even then, we all interpret and experience it in our own unique way and have different (to some degree) favorite bands.
Hmmm...other than just laughing at myself for not getting it, there doesn´t seem to be a whole lot to tell...Tried getting a subway pass, kept putting in the change, hitting the button, and nothing happened...then a chica came up to the machine next to me, put in change, hit a button, and got her pass...I just laughed...when I tried it all over again, with confidence this time...it went smoothly...as if the ghost in the machine was...playing with me (eerie voice).
Well, gonna send off a couple more emails before I go so I´ll be done for the day and be back for more mind blowingly average stories for tomorrow! Yeeeeeha! (An old mexican lady at the Laredo bus stop just loved my cowboy hat, it was just precious :)
So, I definitely don´t like big cities, whether their foreign or not. Madrid and Barcelona were cool because of the old architecture, but Monterray is a bit newer so it just doesn´t have the same flavor. I like the strong cultural identity though, and the abundant mass transit. Very cool. Though the mass transit is necessary though because it is quite evident that people are very poor. I feel opulent next to the average mexican considering I own: A car, A bicycle, 2 computers AND a laptop, MULTIPLE guitars, a ton (well, maybe only a couple hundred pounds) of books, etc. Yep, I´m spoiled, glad I´m trying to do something other than just please myself! When we came in on the bus we were in the scary part o town...well, not scary, just...poor, trashy, got come ons from hookers, etc. Faucet didn´t work in the hotel we stayed at that night..awesome.
After we got into the more downtown area though it is a bit nicer, parques here and there, la gran plaza where the old turn of the 20th century palace is was neato, interesting though that you can walk into a chain restaurant and be greated by some kid (18 or 19) carrying an assault rifle with a bullet proof vest...Ah yes, different countries, such a wonderful experience! This morning we got up to go have breakfast and we saw on the television ´riot in monterray during police drug bust´or something along those lines, glad I decided not to walk around last night to get the flavor of the night life! Though in the downtown area it probably would have been fine, just not nearly as cool as Barcelona at 3am. Considering that this is the only other time I´ve been out of the country and I went to Spain the first time I guess I am coming at it a little critically, but I am enjoying it no less...though I have been trying to get the most out of my visit and it seems what I´ve done the most is sleep and write, but that is also essential to catch up on my life etc. Looking forward to the not city tomorrow.
The first day here I was looking for the hampton inn (where we stayed one night because it was close to the hospital) later on in the day, after Richard had gone into surgery, and got a little confused because of the naming of the streets...that was a fun adventure, walked around a whole bunch...carrying a few small bags in my arms close to my chest because none of the sacks were strong enough to house them all...knew I should have left with a bag! Anyway, I laugh about it though because of leaving the hotel that we checked into without really knowing where it was before leaving it...dóh! There were a couple moments where I about to say ´ah f.....´ but both those times random guys on the street helped me out. There was also an HEB right by the inn so I just asked where HEB was and got some directions, the first guy wanted some cambio, and so i told him ´Well, maybe you can help ME out too!´which me obliged in some english, coolio. Thanks tigers eye bracelet! You rock!
So, Likin it good. Feel like there are some stories that I´m forgetting, you know, lots of trying to fudge my way with the language and just feeling very humored by how ignorant i am of the language, but hey, at least I´m trying! And it is fun when they say, ´poco´ when i tell them ´habla pequeno espanol´. Good times. Oh, and a guy was just lightin up a doobie in the street at the mercado this morning, that was pretty hilarious. We were trying some mangoes and buying the papaya, couldn´t have been later than 11, when I smell a familiar smell wafting through the clogged streets of cars, carts, and people...turning around and continuing on our way the source of the scent was in broad daylight in the middle of the street. Ah, again, I´d like to say, different country, how sweet it is.
Ah, the Metal scene totally exists down here, saw the decked out young dude with all black clothing, wallet chain, oh I can´t remember the band shirt he had on...could here a little bit of the thrashing from his headphones, lip piercing, the trying to be serious and dark expression on his face...very hilarious, I was telling richard that I like all these different styles of music, etc. but don´t necessarily vibe with the subculture at all. I don´t think I´ve ever met another metalhead outside my family who has the same relationship with it that I do, and even then, we all interpret and experience it in our own unique way and have different (to some degree) favorite bands.
Hmmm...other than just laughing at myself for not getting it, there doesn´t seem to be a whole lot to tell...Tried getting a subway pass, kept putting in the change, hitting the button, and nothing happened...then a chica came up to the machine next to me, put in change, hit a button, and got her pass...I just laughed...when I tried it all over again, with confidence this time...it went smoothly...as if the ghost in the machine was...playing with me (eerie voice).
Well, gonna send off a couple more emails before I go so I´ll be done for the day and be back for more mind blowingly average stories for tomorrow! Yeeeeeha! (An old mexican lady at the Laredo bus stop just loved my cowboy hat, it was just precious :)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Mexico!
You heard it! Mexico! Monterray to be exact...and yet, I am in an internet place posting a blog...well, that´s what vacations are for! Catching up! So...why you may ask, am in Mexico?
I got an all expenses paid trip from this Sunday to this Friday to accompany a man who I am starting a farm with, Richard, for surgery in Monterray, because it is less than one third of the price down here than up there, and from where we live in the hill country it is less than an 8 hour drive...I couldn´t even make it through west texas in that time!
Wow, uno hora can go by quick, cursed facebook and reading other peoples blogs! My friends Celeste and Keith are in Nuevo Zealando (haha!) and are woolfing, sick stories of idyllic lives! Wunderbar!
So, its really smoggy down here, we are at the base of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains and in the middle of the day I can barely see them! Unfortunate. The British American Tobacco company has a huge plant down here I walked by the other day, I was on the sidewalk walking right by the wall that shielded me from the power plant...the sound that it created! It is a wonder, that for one, we have created such devices, and then also a wonder that we even use such diabolical creations...everything around me vibrated and filled my ears and body such that I was a leaf in the ocean of white noise.
I´m only supposed to be on this computer for one hour at a time...dóh! our hotel is just down the street so I´ll be back and actually tell more stories about our adventures thus far! I´ll go into detail, don´t worry! :) Plus sharing all that I am thinking of and processing at the moment. One of the best things about this experience is that it is giving my brain a much needed time to go through a lot of different things and help me iterate to the next part of my creation. Many wonderful developments! Much string cuttings, molting, as it were. So...with that, I´ll bid adieu for a day.
I got an all expenses paid trip from this Sunday to this Friday to accompany a man who I am starting a farm with, Richard, for surgery in Monterray, because it is less than one third of the price down here than up there, and from where we live in the hill country it is less than an 8 hour drive...I couldn´t even make it through west texas in that time!
Wow, uno hora can go by quick, cursed facebook and reading other peoples blogs! My friends Celeste and Keith are in Nuevo Zealando (haha!) and are woolfing, sick stories of idyllic lives! Wunderbar!
So, its really smoggy down here, we are at the base of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains and in the middle of the day I can barely see them! Unfortunate. The British American Tobacco company has a huge plant down here I walked by the other day, I was on the sidewalk walking right by the wall that shielded me from the power plant...the sound that it created! It is a wonder, that for one, we have created such devices, and then also a wonder that we even use such diabolical creations...everything around me vibrated and filled my ears and body such that I was a leaf in the ocean of white noise.
I´m only supposed to be on this computer for one hour at a time...dóh! our hotel is just down the street so I´ll be back and actually tell more stories about our adventures thus far! I´ll go into detail, don´t worry! :) Plus sharing all that I am thinking of and processing at the moment. One of the best things about this experience is that it is giving my brain a much needed time to go through a lot of different things and help me iterate to the next part of my creation. Many wonderful developments! Much string cuttings, molting, as it were. So...with that, I´ll bid adieu for a day.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Another 1500 miles or more on my car
Wow, two weeks...It seems like a lifetime ago since I last checked in.
So, we visited all the places mentioned in the previous blog, and then some to boot. I was in an HEB in Austin stocking up on of the more difficult items to localize of toilet papyrus, when I had an urge to buy some tasty looking grapes...I even picked them up, but something was riveted in me, deep...dark. Even sinister. That guided my hand to bring the grapes back to their resting spot on the fruit stand. No longer can I buy any old food any more, I am around enough local food economies that I cannot spend money that will immediately go out of state. But wait! I'm not so much of a purist that I'll turn down someone cooking me a meal in Wimberly that she learned how to make from her Thai roommates back in college...no. That would be just silly. Or turn my nose to foods at glorious Sacred Acre potlucks...this is just solely related to the dollars that come out of my wallet and into the hands of someone for the sake of food. The only thing different is that now that someone needs to be local, or if it's not farm direct, a local business. Exceptions can still be made...
I am getting used to drinking dairy again though, but raw cow's milk is well worth it. Something I noticed this evening is that when other people (raw foodies even) are experiencing allergic reactions to things in the air, the extra mucilaginous substances within my nasal cavities serve a vital role in being a blanket of protection for my otherwise weak and pathetic lungs. Can you tell I'm a little brain fried and sleep deprived? Ooh, rhyming and everything, I should be a rapper or something. I'd totally get on the list of shortest lived careers.
Well, the 'Transition Texas Initiative' by the team is slowly but surely gaining momentum. Up until this point I haven't spoken of our work in those terms, but it has been a process for me to understand the complexity and scope of this prject. It is no less than a project of truly Texan proportions. There is a considerable amount of local living already happening in the Austin area, so there we have to take a stance of...how can we best interface with the current movements to inspire the next level of change? That could be as simple as providing frequented businesses in the area all their veggies from a local farm. And seriously, I don't think I even want to start delving into how complicated it could potentially be...what an energy sink! :P Though for less happenin' places, like um...the rest of Texas... it could be a little more massive, but networking with local landowners to boost or create CSA's and providing whatever concerned local restaurants and grocery stores with high quality local produce is an excellent first step. As we gain more momentum however, attention to how we operate our agents and goals begin to become an issue of much more concern. Staying in alignment and in tune with each other is getting more challnging wuth the growth of the entity. So, much fun stuff lies ahead.
Wow! I just got sidetracked for a few hours...oops. Turns out that there is some crazy things on youtube...and to think that I used to like namu namu...ah i can't lie, I would still totally rock out to it. Breakdancing is fun too.
Yay reconnection to another one of the Raw Spirit Fest Crew! Yeah! Woooooooo!!! Whenever you guys come down to Texas y'all are gonna have a blast! I've found some great places in the past couple months! I can't get enough Kundalini in nowadays!
There is some big stuff going on right now...but I don't want to disclose too much of it because of the stage we're at right now...no need to count your eggs before they hatch. So...maybe we'll make a documentary about it someday or something. Hey, we know people who do that...cool.
Ok. Enough vagueness for one day. I got to climb in a school bus engine the other day...that was fun, there was a mud dobber nest in the carbeurator...not very conducive to fuel efficiency i'd say but..it's just a personal condition. Then someone else had a blown headlight in their car and we stopped at...*cringe* walmart...because it was late and we didn't want to get pulled over everything thirty minutes....oh...the sacrifices we must make sometimes...so in the same day I got my hands in two entirely opposite vehicles (the car was a Toyota Echo). Yay rudimentary car maintenance knowledge! Woohoo! Those days watching a friend work on my car and passing him tools has payed off a little! But it always has really.
Ok. Not very informative and productive discussion going right now...it'd be fun to talk about a couple of workshops I attended at the Sacred Acre recently about awakening the Light Body and about the 4 agreements from a student of Don Miguel Ruiz. Very cool. That''s an inside joke for some... :)
But I don't want to right now, so if I don't in a couple of weeks, then bug me if your curious. I can't deny requests.
So, we visited all the places mentioned in the previous blog, and then some to boot. I was in an HEB in Austin stocking up on of the more difficult items to localize of toilet papyrus, when I had an urge to buy some tasty looking grapes...I even picked them up, but something was riveted in me, deep...dark. Even sinister. That guided my hand to bring the grapes back to their resting spot on the fruit stand. No longer can I buy any old food any more, I am around enough local food economies that I cannot spend money that will immediately go out of state. But wait! I'm not so much of a purist that I'll turn down someone cooking me a meal in Wimberly that she learned how to make from her Thai roommates back in college...no. That would be just silly. Or turn my nose to foods at glorious Sacred Acre potlucks...this is just solely related to the dollars that come out of my wallet and into the hands of someone for the sake of food. The only thing different is that now that someone needs to be local, or if it's not farm direct, a local business. Exceptions can still be made...
I am getting used to drinking dairy again though, but raw cow's milk is well worth it. Something I noticed this evening is that when other people (raw foodies even) are experiencing allergic reactions to things in the air, the extra mucilaginous substances within my nasal cavities serve a vital role in being a blanket of protection for my otherwise weak and pathetic lungs. Can you tell I'm a little brain fried and sleep deprived? Ooh, rhyming and everything, I should be a rapper or something. I'd totally get on the list of shortest lived careers.
Well, the 'Transition Texas Initiative' by the team is slowly but surely gaining momentum. Up until this point I haven't spoken of our work in those terms, but it has been a process for me to understand the complexity and scope of this prject. It is no less than a project of truly Texan proportions. There is a considerable amount of local living already happening in the Austin area, so there we have to take a stance of...how can we best interface with the current movements to inspire the next level of change? That could be as simple as providing frequented businesses in the area all their veggies from a local farm. And seriously, I don't think I even want to start delving into how complicated it could potentially be...what an energy sink! :P Though for less happenin' places, like um...the rest of Texas... it could be a little more massive, but networking with local landowners to boost or create CSA's and providing whatever concerned local restaurants and grocery stores with high quality local produce is an excellent first step. As we gain more momentum however, attention to how we operate our agents and goals begin to become an issue of much more concern. Staying in alignment and in tune with each other is getting more challnging wuth the growth of the entity. So, much fun stuff lies ahead.
Wow! I just got sidetracked for a few hours...oops. Turns out that there is some crazy things on youtube...and to think that I used to like namu namu...ah i can't lie, I would still totally rock out to it. Breakdancing is fun too.
Yay reconnection to another one of the Raw Spirit Fest Crew! Yeah! Woooooooo!!! Whenever you guys come down to Texas y'all are gonna have a blast! I've found some great places in the past couple months! I can't get enough Kundalini in nowadays!
There is some big stuff going on right now...but I don't want to disclose too much of it because of the stage we're at right now...no need to count your eggs before they hatch. So...maybe we'll make a documentary about it someday or something. Hey, we know people who do that...cool.
Ok. Enough vagueness for one day. I got to climb in a school bus engine the other day...that was fun, there was a mud dobber nest in the carbeurator...not very conducive to fuel efficiency i'd say but..it's just a personal condition. Then someone else had a blown headlight in their car and we stopped at...*cringe* walmart...because it was late and we didn't want to get pulled over everything thirty minutes....oh...the sacrifices we must make sometimes...so in the same day I got my hands in two entirely opposite vehicles (the car was a Toyota Echo). Yay rudimentary car maintenance knowledge! Woohoo! Those days watching a friend work on my car and passing him tools has payed off a little! But it always has really.
Ok. Not very informative and productive discussion going right now...it'd be fun to talk about a couple of workshops I attended at the Sacred Acre recently about awakening the Light Body and about the 4 agreements from a student of Don Miguel Ruiz. Very cool. That''s an inside joke for some... :)
But I don't want to right now, so if I don't in a couple of weeks, then bug me if your curious. I can't deny requests.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wow...Update!
After a conversation with my Brother this morning, I decided (I'm a decider!) that I should put this stuff out there so I won't have to tell long stories 50 times. So...in the past 4 weeks I've probably put about 2000 miles on my car...I love it! Texas is a big and dare I say it..(yes I do) beautiful place. Honestly, I am so happy that I grew up here and know this land. I've been out to East Texas in the Jungle lands, in Hill Country, Kerrville and Austin, and...well, that's it so far. But there is a lot going on in these places! Out in East Texas there is a place called Maypop farm, which is totally brutally awesome, and Home Sweet Farm out in Brenham (which I haven't been to yet, but looks also totally brutally awesome). In Austin there is a place called the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (cmpbs.org), holy brutality...and then the Sacred Acre and their twin project in the Blanco-Wimberely area. So...Let us review shall we?
Maypop Farm
In the land of Montgomery (Rhapsody of Fire! Yes! And yes, there are only a few people who know what I'm talking about :), lies a land of Terra Preta and Jungle Agriculture. We're talking mile long 5 foot wide rows of asparagus. 10+ acres of pure greenery. The project consists of two plots of land on either side of the town of Montgomery, connected by a river (small) running through the town, which was owned by the Ashley's (Larry and Tiffany, the ones responsible for this awesomeness) until they donated to the city for Kudo points. But they are still in charge of developing the greenbelt along the river. The idea is to have eco villages on either side of the town, so you can walk or bike anywere in the local vicinity in mostly greenbelt areas. Not to mention that these facilities will be completely self sufficient on their own food and stuff. So yeah, kinda sweet. More to come on this, I'll be visiting again, and anyone is welcome to join me.
http://www.maypopfarm.com/
Home Sweet Farm
Okay, so this place is a 108 member CSA, planning to expand to 150 members next year. They have monthly market days every 3rd sunday of the month (holy crap that's this Sunday!) where a gathering of Texan family farmers sell their beautiful bounty to the public (that's us!). So, because of this...I have decided to sustain myself mostly on Local Texan food by travelling to this event and partaking of the beauty. I can't Wait! *giggling* So...yes, please also feel free to join me on this trip. And because its out in Brenham I will also be going to Maypop Farm. Yes!
www.homesweetfarm.com
The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
This is run and developed by brilliant faculty member of UT at Austin, his mission, as the name of his place implies, is to create a world of zero waste by applying use to industrial byproducts. As a testament to this, this entire property is created from rebar and fly ash cement (coal burning byproduct) to name just a couple. He and his team (which includes his 27 year old son who is also named Ariel! Yeah!) just submitted a plan to the Bucky Fuller contest to repair the coastal oceans by implemnting certain procedures on offshore drilling platforms. Yeah! The next step is to get Andy & Robby's affiliates in the oil business to start using everything they dig up when drilling for oil! Which the research also already been done for. Needless to say that this is huge, we can be repairing the damage we're doing while in this transition stage off oil....while still drilling for it. A little inspiring! Just a little. :)
cmpbs.org
The Sacred Acre and the Property out in Blanco-Wimberly
Very cool cats out here! Emma, Joshua, Mike, Jessalynn, and...Ethan...and...I think that's it, for now! These peeps have gotten the nickname 'the kundalinis' because they do a fair amount of kundalini yoga which is extremely powerful awakening stuff. They are creating an awesome eco village/healing retreat out in 65 acres in blanco wimberly area. And I'm going to bug them for a name so i don't have to keep referring to it in that cumbersome way. Hmmm...yes. Awesome potluck and music jam and laughing yoga at their place in Austin this Friday! This is going to be an awesome weekend!
Their in development site
So. I think taht's it! Come join me on one of these expeditions! I well be taking them at least once a month! I consider part of my new education plan. Until next time!
Peace and Love,
Ariel von Raven
So
Maypop Farm
In the land of Montgomery (Rhapsody of Fire! Yes! And yes, there are only a few people who know what I'm talking about :), lies a land of Terra Preta and Jungle Agriculture. We're talking mile long 5 foot wide rows of asparagus. 10+ acres of pure greenery. The project consists of two plots of land on either side of the town of Montgomery, connected by a river (small) running through the town, which was owned by the Ashley's (Larry and Tiffany, the ones responsible for this awesomeness) until they donated to the city for Kudo points. But they are still in charge of developing the greenbelt along the river. The idea is to have eco villages on either side of the town, so you can walk or bike anywere in the local vicinity in mostly greenbelt areas. Not to mention that these facilities will be completely self sufficient on their own food and stuff. So yeah, kinda sweet. More to come on this, I'll be visiting again, and anyone is welcome to join me.
http://www.maypopfarm.com/
Home Sweet Farm
Okay, so this place is a 108 member CSA, planning to expand to 150 members next year. They have monthly market days every 3rd sunday of the month (holy crap that's this Sunday!) where a gathering of Texan family farmers sell their beautiful bounty to the public (that's us!). So, because of this...I have decided to sustain myself mostly on Local Texan food by travelling to this event and partaking of the beauty. I can't Wait! *giggling* So...yes, please also feel free to join me on this trip. And because its out in Brenham I will also be going to Maypop Farm. Yes!
www.homesweetfarm.com
The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
This is run and developed by brilliant faculty member of UT at Austin, his mission, as the name of his place implies, is to create a world of zero waste by applying use to industrial byproducts. As a testament to this, this entire property is created from rebar and fly ash cement (coal burning byproduct) to name just a couple. He and his team (which includes his 27 year old son who is also named Ariel! Yeah!) just submitted a plan to the Bucky Fuller contest to repair the coastal oceans by implemnting certain procedures on offshore drilling platforms. Yeah! The next step is to get Andy & Robby's affiliates in the oil business to start using everything they dig up when drilling for oil! Which the research also already been done for. Needless to say that this is huge, we can be repairing the damage we're doing while in this transition stage off oil....while still drilling for it. A little inspiring! Just a little. :)
cmpbs.org
The Sacred Acre and the Property out in Blanco-Wimberly
Very cool cats out here! Emma, Joshua, Mike, Jessalynn, and...Ethan...and...I think that's it, for now! These peeps have gotten the nickname 'the kundalinis' because they do a fair amount of kundalini yoga which is extremely powerful awakening stuff. They are creating an awesome eco village/healing retreat out in 65 acres in blanco wimberly area. And I'm going to bug them for a name so i don't have to keep referring to it in that cumbersome way. Hmmm...yes. Awesome potluck and music jam and laughing yoga at their place in Austin this Friday! This is going to be an awesome weekend!
Their in development site
So. I think taht's it! Come join me on one of these expeditions! I well be taking them at least once a month! I consider part of my new education plan. Until next time!
Peace and Love,
Ariel von Raven
So
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The world of Blogs
Wow. I am now an official blogger. Can I just say that I am very happy that the font that the template graphics for my blog put my name in is copperplate gothic? It's perfect.
So this is the unofficial Concho Valley Sandbar CSA blog, and the unofficial Ariel blog as well. So I'll try to keep personal ramblings short unless they have some merit or explanation to why I'm so crazy and do what I do.
Yesterday I got garlic and onions in the ground. By the biodynamic calendar it is a root day until tomorrow. I also finally transplanted the fig trees that Shannon/Cardo's Farm gave me. Very exciting! I'm just praying the little guys make it, they seemed a little sad. Today I want to get turnips, beets, carrots, and radishes in the ground as well. We have some beds that we created at the bioregional conference in mid september so now I'm going through and filling them in.
Ah...coffee. I went and got an electric skillet yesterday at Target...I feel like such a consumer...but at the same time it totally rocks in my little cottage! Just what I needed. Now when I wake up at 5am I have motivation to get up: start some water boiling, break out some Brazilian coffee, bust out the mortar and pestle and start grinding...an excellent ritual to start the day. Ah...so good.
Just brought the cats down and I found out that I have a cat allergy! I always lived with cats so I never knew! Since that's the only thing that really changed since before my last trip then it must be so...unless I have a desktop computer allergy...yea. Didn't think so. Turmeric has been recommended to me before and it seemed to help after it got in my system a couple years ago...and then I just wasn't rigorous with it. Now I know how clean sinuses feel and will have to start the treatment again. Any other ideas or tips welcome.
I also got a call from Karen from Raw Spirit Fest yesterday while at Target! Woohoo Trash Cats! I saw some people sorting recycling and compost from the trash once while visiting the porta-loos and I decided to ask if they needed help. 7 to 10 hours that weekend preceded to go towards helping those peeps out, and made some great friends doing it! Hey all you Rawsome Peoples! As I drink my coffee...ah it's soooo good. 6:40am and the horizon is just barely lighting up. It's crazy how fast time flies and how the days get so much shorter so much more quickly.
I love my cats though, and they seem to dig it here. I was here about 12 hours or so before I left the door open for them to check it out. Most people say leave your cats in for a few days so they know where their new home is. I think it helped that I took a lot of things before I took them and ruffled the place in a little bit. Storpo went right up into the rafters of my box spring. Astra is doing well too, she/he keeps wanting food and I just give it to her until she fattens up. Food is medicine, fundamentally. I work under the pretense of humans having a lot of latent potential, so the following is based on this: I also kept sending the image of the property and of the idea of living on that property to both my cats, and their attitude seemed to be that of acceptance while still in Denton. I went about a month ago and wanted to take my cats but it didn't work out, I ended up packing the kitty tranks in the truck and realized it after i strapped my bed down. Oops. Ended up working out great (referring to the fact I got to establish the space I live in down here as mine), except the cats seemed a little miffed they were left behind, especially when I got back up there. But they are doing great now.
So! Enough about the cats, though having them here as well as the uber computer station I've been working on over the past few years really makes this little cottage feel like home. I'll post some pictures as soon as I have a decent means of taking them and downloading them onto the computer. My little phone just isn't quite snazzy enough to make that process easy. Though I do want to get a google phone and compare it to Andy and Robby's Iphones, which seem to me like they totally blow! *Ahem* Yes. Well. Indeed.
So last thing, but very cool. Check this link out
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/08verm.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&em
This is so exciting and inspiring! This is exactly what we're looking to create down here in San Angelo. A huge network of community that supports itself. Though we're going to need gas prices to get a little higher before a whole lot of people will get on board, but I don't think we'll be disappointed. Thanks Devin for giving me this article! I think it might be prudent to visit Vermont and try their apple pie... mmm...homer drool sound...
So this is the unofficial Concho Valley Sandbar CSA blog, and the unofficial Ariel blog as well. So I'll try to keep personal ramblings short unless they have some merit or explanation to why I'm so crazy and do what I do.
Yesterday I got garlic and onions in the ground. By the biodynamic calendar it is a root day until tomorrow. I also finally transplanted the fig trees that Shannon/Cardo's Farm gave me. Very exciting! I'm just praying the little guys make it, they seemed a little sad. Today I want to get turnips, beets, carrots, and radishes in the ground as well. We have some beds that we created at the bioregional conference in mid september so now I'm going through and filling them in.
Ah...coffee. I went and got an electric skillet yesterday at Target...I feel like such a consumer...but at the same time it totally rocks in my little cottage! Just what I needed. Now when I wake up at 5am I have motivation to get up: start some water boiling, break out some Brazilian coffee, bust out the mortar and pestle and start grinding...an excellent ritual to start the day. Ah...so good.
Just brought the cats down and I found out that I have a cat allergy! I always lived with cats so I never knew! Since that's the only thing that really changed since before my last trip then it must be so...unless I have a desktop computer allergy...yea. Didn't think so. Turmeric has been recommended to me before and it seemed to help after it got in my system a couple years ago...and then I just wasn't rigorous with it. Now I know how clean sinuses feel and will have to start the treatment again. Any other ideas or tips welcome.
I also got a call from Karen from Raw Spirit Fest yesterday while at Target! Woohoo Trash Cats! I saw some people sorting recycling and compost from the trash once while visiting the porta-loos and I decided to ask if they needed help. 7 to 10 hours that weekend preceded to go towards helping those peeps out, and made some great friends doing it! Hey all you Rawsome Peoples! As I drink my coffee...ah it's soooo good. 6:40am and the horizon is just barely lighting up. It's crazy how fast time flies and how the days get so much shorter so much more quickly.
I love my cats though, and they seem to dig it here. I was here about 12 hours or so before I left the door open for them to check it out. Most people say leave your cats in for a few days so they know where their new home is. I think it helped that I took a lot of things before I took them and ruffled the place in a little bit. Storpo went right up into the rafters of my box spring. Astra is doing well too, she/he keeps wanting food and I just give it to her until she fattens up. Food is medicine, fundamentally. I work under the pretense of humans having a lot of latent potential, so the following is based on this: I also kept sending the image of the property and of the idea of living on that property to both my cats, and their attitude seemed to be that of acceptance while still in Denton. I went about a month ago and wanted to take my cats but it didn't work out, I ended up packing the kitty tranks in the truck and realized it after i strapped my bed down. Oops. Ended up working out great (referring to the fact I got to establish the space I live in down here as mine), except the cats seemed a little miffed they were left behind, especially when I got back up there. But they are doing great now.
So! Enough about the cats, though having them here as well as the uber computer station I've been working on over the past few years really makes this little cottage feel like home. I'll post some pictures as soon as I have a decent means of taking them and downloading them onto the computer. My little phone just isn't quite snazzy enough to make that process easy. Though I do want to get a google phone and compare it to Andy and Robby's Iphones, which seem to me like they totally blow! *Ahem* Yes. Well. Indeed.
So last thing, but very cool. Check this link out
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/08verm.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&em
This is so exciting and inspiring! This is exactly what we're looking to create down here in San Angelo. A huge network of community that supports itself. Though we're going to need gas prices to get a little higher before a whole lot of people will get on board, but I don't think we'll be disappointed. Thanks Devin for giving me this article! I think it might be prudent to visit Vermont and try their apple pie... mmm...homer drool sound...
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