Even though it rained (yay!) one whole inch (yay! yay!) the day before yesterday, the creek still looks like this... mostly rocks.
The ground was so dry that it sucked up all the excess water like a sponge. Nothing left over to trickle down into the creek. Fish, crawfish, snails, etc., survive only in places where the water pools.
One of the ponds is so low as to be practically non-existent. The Great Blue and Green Herons are constant visitors -- to them it's a treasure trove of little fish with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. (And Red-shouldered hawks seem happy the creek is so low, since they seem to love crawfish dinners.)
The garden loved the rain. I can water and water and water with the hose, but it's just not the same as getting rain. The garden and I had been pretty miffed lately... it was getting on our last nerve to hear the thunder and see the many dark clouds, only to have it all pass by just out of reach. Day after day after day.
But now I have to go pull weeds, or rather, grass, before it gets too hot. Always trade-offs!
-----
Alabama's governor has asked everyone to pray for rain. I had to roll my eyes. Call me cynical, but I don't see him asking people to pray for our dysfunctional state constitution. (Or to end poverty, stop the pedophiles, achieve world peace, etc.) So why pray for rain?
Those three words (pray for rain, not our dysfunctional constitution) always make me think of Guadalcanal Diary.
Don't call for love Don't ask for gold our daily bread or no more pain pray for rain
Thinking about Guadalcanal Diary always makes me feel better. Highly recommended for washing the bad taste of politicians out of your mouth.
----- Visit the Friday Ark for your weekly dose of crittery goodness.
And don't forget the fantastic latest edition of I and the Bird. (It's Frodo-licious!)
My 4th great-grandfather, Jacob Switzer, died November 2, 1859 and his estate was entered into Probate Court in Columbiana County, Ohio on November 7, 1859 (packet number 4962). Unlike John Rupert's file, there was no will in the probate file of Jacob Switzer.
The bond was a printed form. Text shown below that is bold and italicized was hand-written in the document. Daniel Deemer was the son-in-law of Jacob Switzer.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Know all Men by these Presents, that we Daniel Deemer, Daniel Stouffer, Joseph Wallance and Abtill Sturgeon of Columbiana County, State of Ohio, are held and firmly bound to said State of Ohio, in the sum of Ten thousand Dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, to said State, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, and every of them, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Signed and sealed this 7th day of November A. D. 1859.
The condition of this bond is such, That if the above name Daniel Deemer Administrator of the Estate of Jacob Switzer late of said County, deceased.
First – Shall make and return into the Probate Court, for said county, on oath, within three months, a true inventory of all the monies, goods, chattels, rights and credits of the deceased, which shall have come to his possession or knowledge; and also, if required by said Court, an inventory of the real estate of deceased.
Secondly – Shall administer according to law, all the moneys, goods, chattels, rights, credits of the deceased, and the proceeds of all the real estate that may be sold for the payment of the debts of the deceased which shall at any time come to his possession, or the possession of any other person for him.
Thirdly – Shall render, upon oath, a just account of his administration, within eighteen months and at any other time or times when required by said Court or the Law.
Fourthly – Shall pay any balance remaining in his hands upon the settlement of his accounts, to such person or persons as the Court or the Law shall direct; and
Fifthly – Shall deliver the letters of Administration into said Court; in case any will of the deceased shall be hereafter duly proved and allowed; then this bond to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in law.
Attest:
W. E. McLaughlin
[signed by]
Daniel Deemer
Daniel Stouffer
Joseph Wallace
Abtil Sturgeon
Executors Bond. Estate of Jacob Switzer. Probate Packet 4962. Columbiana County, Ohio.
And here, finely, is a half way decent photo of one of my hoya vines flowering. I have been trying each time it blooms to get a good photo and this is the best yet but still not as good as some I have seen online. There are hundreds of these kind of vines but all have simular flowers even though the leaves might be different. This leaf is long with white spots. And some have flowers that are very from a pale white to this dark pink. This one has a lot of sweet sent to it. In fact I find the sent so powerful that I don't like it, and frequently have to cut the flowers off and throw them out. This one hasn't been as bad this time. As they dry they shed their flowers all over the floor under them which can be a problem, too. But I love the hoya vine as it is so easy to grow and care for. I treat mine very simular to a cactus as they take only a little more water than a cactus but do like good light.
behind the outdoor industry is from their consumers and what is available on a limited basis.
Classic examples of what is still missing in a broader sampling or simply still missing.
Tech fitting in a alpine climbing boot?
Universal umbilical attachment point?
Alpine skiboots that you can *really* climbin?
Ski packs that easily carry skis?
Along those lines:
It takes so little to carry a pair of modern lwt mountaineering skis. Two simple straps is really all that is required. A cut resistant bottom loop. The loop just needs to be big enough soboth ski tails will go through. And a top strap to latch them to the pack. If you want a quick transition ski set up just add a bungee cord and a simple hook (if you are making your own a peg board hook is perfect) to latch the edge of your skis instead of bucklingyour skis tight in the upper position. Camp and Dynafit have had this one figured out for a while now. I've been using one or another ffor the past 3 seasonsand really like them!
50+ year old ski carry technology
Still a good working arrangement are simple side or sidecompression straps. Again 50+ year old technology. But there are better, more simple answers, now. And a much easier system to use in the mountains.
Start with a cut resistant bottom loop that will take both ski tails at one time.
This one is Kevlar cord and a plastic tube over the top of the Kevlar. Perfect use of materialsimo.
Add a simple strap or a hook as thetop strap (or better yet, both)depending on what you require for ease of transition or security.
strap here with a Fastex buckle fixed atthe shoulder harness
Hook here with a bungee going to the shoulder strap.
I broke my original aluminum hook, catching it on a chair lift. Fretted about it for days until I found that a peg board hook again, covered in plastic tubing, made a perfect replacement.
Even with a super light weight and small (-20L)you can carry some good sized, modernskis in comfort..
Off you go now!"a happy clam" ;-)
Both Dynafit and Camp offer a limited selection of ski mo packs that use this kind of ski carry system. These packsaren't for everyone and certainly an acquired taste. But no reason the ski carry system can't be Incorporated into other packs. It is a system we'll eventually see more of. Be nice if it were sooner than later.
"Sorry to go off topic, but from looking at your pack contents photo, there were a few pieces of kit that could be substituted to lower the weight/bulk.Swap the GSI cookset, Snowpeak stove and MSR canister for a Jetboil Sol Ti cook system plusa 100g gas canister. Swap your BD krabs for DMM i-beam versions, eg Spectre 2 or Alpha Trad? Finally you could swap the friends for the new 'Helium' version, the Reverso 3 for the 4, and maybe even the harness for an Arc'teryx M270. All
together I think you would be saving over a pound in weight. What are your
thoughts"
Thoughts? Good idea :) I thought it worth weighing the suggestion, Jon :)
1. Jetboil stove 258g
100g fuel can 196g (110g fuel)
Snow Peak stove 128g
GSI cook kit 162g
MSR can 374g (227g fuel)
My kit is 32g heavier (fuel cell sizes change depending on the project)
But bigger fuel cells are slightly more efficient for what you carry in fuel
My Snow Peak stove and cook kit are way smaller/less bulk over all than a Jetboil
2. DMM Spectra 2 biner 32g
DMM Alpha Trad biner 34g
BD OZ biner 28g
Trango Super Fly 30g
with 25 biners my kit is 100g lighter or more
3. Helium Friend [1] 3.35 oz [2] 3.84 oz [3] 5.11 oz
Carry only five cams and I am at least 25g lighter
4. Reverso 4 56g (edit of correct weights on my scale)
Reverso 3 78g
same here
5. Petzl Hirundos 315g in a large
Arcteryx M270 310g in a large
5g heavier here
Total difference in weight between the suggested kit and mine?
I am 63g lighter if not more from Jon's suggestions. Or 2.2 oz :)
I don't doubt the Jetboil is a better stove than the Snow Peak but I normally usea MSR Reactor if I want a "real" stove. I like the Snow Peak because of the verysmall volume it takes up in my pack. A full pound savings was being very optimistic on Jon's part. But you never know so I took the time to weigh what I have hereand make a side by side comparison. I have both Helium and older rigid stem Friends and already knew what the result would be there. Take the time to weigh and know what you have in your own pack. Jon, thanks again for the suggestion!
Don't hate me because I still have an original ;-) They made two versions, a "standard" as shown and a Lwt version. Significant price difference back in the day between the two. I first bought the Lwt version telling myself it was "thinner" and more useful.Both were stout versions of a "sweater". But not moth proof which was my sweater's demise. I now think I made a mistake on the thin version as being more useful.
Funny thing about the Dachstein's. I first saw the mitts in the local climbing shop and the early '70s GPIW catalog. Likely the only way to keep your hand warm in really cold weather back then. I went through half a dozenpairs over the years. And I later used them in combination with other mitts (generally Helly Hanson pile lined shells) up till the early'80s.
Dachstein mitts and the luxurious gloves (not the GPIW Walker wool gloves mind you) were the bomb back in the day. Still are if you have a use for them. Fun to see Andy Turner climb with Dave MacLeod whileusingDachstein mitts and Nomics..
Mil Spec version above.
Mitts "shrink to fit with use".
My size Euro sized 52 Dachstein weighs in at 3# 4 oz. So it is no light weight. A jacket of comparable performance (well sort of comparable anyway) is the Arcteryx Atom Lt @ ajust over 14.4 oz. Well less than a 1/3 in weight.
But it isn't just the numbers that tell the story here. The Dachstein sweater can be a decent rain jacket, an amazingly good wind shell,a stretchable and extremely breathable layer all in one. Someof the weight just gets ignored. But no question you notice you have something on! Stuck out side for an unplanned over night? The Dachsteinis the garment I'd choose. May be not for all the time use but it is fun once in a while in the right conditions. Cold, dryand windy?
Herman Buhl used one.
Michael Kennedy did as well. Here after thenight out, on the 1st ascent of the Ames Ice Hose.
Photo courtesy of the "Lou Dawson, Steve Shea, and Michael Kennedy" collection found online.
I dumped mine for the first Patagonia red pile. Now I have all sorts of climbing sweaters I really like. The SherpaAGear, Mantra is one, the E. Bauer Hooded Down Pullover another along with the Arcteryx Atom Lt. All different weights and materials but all useable.
But none of the "sweaters" named besides the Dachsteinwill I throw over a synthetic t shirt (don't believe anyone who tells you boiled wool doesn't itch. It does.) and wearsidehill skiing in marginal NW spring weatheras my only piece of clothing onmy upper body.
And be happy doing it!
Well happy till it is totally full of water anyway ;-) Not sure I could pack the 50# around of a totally soaked Dachstein.. Better used where it won't rain all day on you I suspect. But this sweateris the"original soft shell". It will still do most of what we required and do it better than even the best of the new versions of "climbing sweater". Not everywhere mind you. But not the worn out old war horse to be abandoned either.
Mountain 33 (March 1974.) No photo credit given.More here on that story:http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?tn=20&topic_id=395619
The retro kool factor can not be denied. Like how many guys do you know that have actually even seen a Dachstein sweater let alone worn one? EBs in Bard's "hopeful" hands BITD in case you wondered.
All is not lost. The Austrian Armycontracted to havemanufacturedboth pull over and zip front Dachstein sweaters for years. Also known as the "GUIDE" version. Those can be had on the after market for reasonable prices these days. ORTOVOX now sells the gloves and mitts of boiled wool. And they are nice. But they aren't of the same quality as the originals imo. But they are close!
Places to find the "Dachstein" versions still available? Often times a Google search for "Austrian Military wool sweater" will bring surplus military sweaters up as well.. These things rock as the ultimatewool sweater. $40 plus shipping seems to be the going price as I write this on Ebay and online for the surplus version, used and new. Last made in the early '80s I believe. Likely the best $40 you'll ever spend for usable but somewhat funky climbing clothing
My 4th great-grandfather, Jacob Switzer, died November 2, 1859 and his estate was entered into Probate Court in Columbiana County, Ohio on November 7, 1859 (packet number 4962). Unlike John Rupert's file, there was no will in the probate file of Jacob Switzer.
Dontcha just love the hairdo? What was my mother thinking?
Mil Spec version above.
Mitts "shrink to fit with use".
Photo courtesy of the "Lou Dawson, Steve Shea, and Michael Kennedy" collection found online.
Mountain 33 (March 1974.) No photo credit given.More here on that story:http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?tn=20&topic_id=395619
