choclo

Been awhile-good year for mushrooms

2010-12-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

Was a lousy summer for fruits and vegies. Been picking yellow foots and hedge hogs for cooking every other day since I got back from Phoenix with a sinus cold. Been leaving lots of them out there to get bigger for later drying. Raining this morning and washing away the chilling frosts we were having with the clear morning skies the last couple of days. Next time out I'll pick some for drying. Dried some chanterrells for the first time this year. They're about done for the year.

Simple single payer health care for all

2009-02-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Yep, get rid of the insurance company leaches and all of that paperwork that is designed to figure out a way to deny people care (cost)

and make a profit. Eliminate the leading cause of bankruptcies in the US and a major cost for each US union made car. Just like free education, free health care should be a right as it is in most of the other rich countries. I also like having nice roads and such. Some things are best done by government. Single payer universal health care is what we need/deserve. It is cheaper and more effective.

corn and shit

2009-02-17T12:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, corn likes shit, and choclo means corn in South America. Time to start thinking about shit and feeding this year's corn patch. In years past, I've been feeding mine mostly chicken shit. Bird shit is very good since birds both shit and piss from one hole and piss is high in nitrogen and often lost from those critters with two places to get rid of their waste - they often piss on the ground, as I like to do- food for other critters. I like to spread it around or piss on my compost pile if I'm close by.

Been some cold weather

2009-02-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

Yep, staying home this winter and building my shop and looking for mushrooms and looking for the sun. Baba Bob is off to Guatemala to meet his daughters and Gypsie just wrote from Pai that our beautiful guest house had modernised, including tv in rooms. Thailand now only gives 15 day visas on second re-entry instead of the 30 day former practice. Hmm. Best move on. She is now on her way to her home by the flea market in Goa. Good shopping Gypsie.

Snow, shoes, and blackberry pies

2008-12-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

Snowy morning. Going to be frozen for several days. Beautiful- everything white. How about that Iraqi shoe thrower? Good throw and good duck. Was Bush ever in a 3 Stooges movie? A pie would have been more to my taste, but then there are those cultural differences, and it might have been harder to get two pies into the event. I like blackberry. We have a Blackberry Pie Society here in town. They are political. Blackberries make a beautiful purple stain, and are yummy in the tummy

mushrooms

2008-11-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

Here it is the day before Thanksgiving and I'm going to pick a lot of yellowfoots and some hedgehogs. Got a bunch 2 days ago- they're coming on. Didn't find any chantrelles yesterday, but found some nice ones today. More good mild mushroom weather- ahead and behind. Should be finding enough to start drying yellowfoots in a couple of days. Good weather to go with a good election. Amazing, the optimism as the economy thrashes around without finding a bottom. Well, luckily it has not hit me yet. Things to do and mushrooms to find. Yummy in the tummy. Been making a sort of Persian pomogranate soup with the mushrooms, tumeric, garlic,peppers, brown rice, lentils, cumin, thyme,coriander, onions, ragu vegetable spaghetti sauce and green vegies. Sure like that pomagranate-reported to be healthy. Makes a nice drink, as well as soup. Put some prawns in tonight's bowl. Yummy in the tummy. There, I said yummy in the tummy again. again

2008-11-25T10:57:00.000-08:00

Here we go again, fracturing my blog- been posting since May 2005. Will Humpty Dumpty ever get back together again? Where will this post end up? Is May 2005 in the archives? Ah, post is where it should be, but somewhere out there are some recent posts and stuff. Let's see if we can get Gypsie's slideshows linked up. Hoping to see her again in Pai early next year- she already has her ticket to Bangkok.

WOOPEE

2008-11-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

I am very optimistic about Obama- what an opportunity for the world, as well as such a surprise, if one looks at the longer time frame, as I now can. These last 8 years have been hard to feel good about our leadership. It will be good to believe that my president is on my side, the side of most of us/US/the world.

like going forth into our future with the belief that my president is an intelligent, talented, and well intentioned guy.

2008-07-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

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Thai beach

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A new bridge is under construction, and soon it will be nice pavement from Laos and on into Cambodia

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Kevin and Baba Bob in Labang Prabang, Laos. We had some freakish cold weather. Brrr

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gods and godesses

2008-04-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

When making love, I think Gods/Godesses must have given us this gift, and thank you very much, but otherwise, I don't know, but I'm thankful for this opportunity.

been awhile

2008-04-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Yep, just got back from over 2 months of looking for shade in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Sure was nice- the shade and the people- beautiful countries. Started out in Bangkok- Khosan Road and yummy orange juice from the smiling orange juice ladies on the police station corner, and then across town to see my dentist-2 visits and $540 included a cap and 3 fillings and a cleaning. Well a couple of days later Bob and Kevin showed up and we visited Michael K. and generally had a couple of nights on the town before they headed off south and I took the train to Chiang Mai and bus to Pai, where we all got rooms in the same guesthouse as our friend Gypsie. Pai is a nice valley town with an expat population that supports a music scene, and there was a raegae festival while we were there that attracted a lot of people. Gypsie continued to go daily to the beautiful hotsprings until we all left for Labong Prabang.

No corn

2007-08-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

Nope, none in my garden this year. Been getting a lot of basil and making lots of pesto. Yummy with zuccini, onions, and prawns on whole wheat fetechini. Cukes are doing well. I like the early gypsie sweet peppers. Like candy. Waiting for the sweet corn to come down in price . Starting to get some nice apples and the blackberries are prolific. I hear they are even better for us than blueberries

corn/choclo

2007-05-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a family visit to S F Bay area-happy to be back . Lots of green veggies popping out of the ground. Do not have my corn patch tilled up yet. Still have not found a brush hog and tiller for my tractor. My chicken shit guy can't get me any for at least a month. Next year all of that shit is going to go perfectly. Great weather. Expecting early tomatoes will be early. Several years ago I put some out on a nice warm 31st and they caught a frost the next morning. Looks like I got away with putting out a few tomatoes and a hot pepper before my safe date of June 1st. Going to busy with those warm weather vegie starts for several days.

My blog got all messed up and good news

2007-05-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

Woopee. Julia is carrying my second grandchild. We are expecting her/him to be coming out some time in November and in June we will find out whether Felix will be having a brother or a sister. The blog folks have been trying to fix my blog and are saying in my profile that I am 1966 years old. Actually, I am 66- born in 1940. A lot of editing to do.

choclo

2007-02-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

choclo Good morning. I think so. This is the morning I have been waiting for- warmer and they say it will rain. I expect the mushrooms to grow and I will go for a look later. Been a bad year for the professional picker- 1/8th the money. The mushroom buyer's shop was mostly closed during those weeks of freezing nights

corn and porn

2007-01-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

makes one think of shit and politics, and the Bushits are catching it- about time we woke up- but how do we get out? Can the Iraqi's get it together? I have only been finding a few baby hedge hogs and yellow foots at this late date- been getting a frost each night for awhile- need some more normal rain to wash the cold away and grow the mushrooms. Going to go raking for truffles. Wish me luck.

2006-12-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

Gramps having fun with Felix's trucks

Gramps

2006-12-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

That's what they call me on Felix's blog http://www.felixsarreal.blogspot.com/ Great pictures! Felix is showing sure signs of hybrid vigor, don't you think?

Blogger Indonesia A. Fatih Syuhud Weblog: Denmark Cartoon Controversy

2006-12-11T20:12:00.000-08:00

Blogger Indonesia A. Fatih Syuhud Weblog: Denmark Cartoon Controversy Ever since this uproar ocurred, I have wanted to talk with a Moslem about it, since I see a clear misunderstanding here about Western traditions regarding freedom of speech Most Americans learn the childhood reframe "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me". Well parented children are also taught to be kind and polite.

I'm butting in on Steve's two cents here. I have a racist joke for you......what is red, white, blue, and black and floats down a river going backwards? A dumb white person telling nigger jokes in a black neighborhood. Well thank you Venis, that's right pretty much around the world. In the west it is legal to be stupid and rude, but not al
ways safe, and it does not win you friends, and God is not impressed either, I am sure. I work on being a peaceful person, and I do not wish such stupid people any more harm than they are already suffering, but I would like to encourage them to be a bit more thoughtful for their own well being. Our legal limits on freedom of speach are that one cannot yell "fire" in a crowded theatre when there is no fire. Choclosteve

2006-12-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

ELECTIONS

2006-11-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

Starting out interesting. Daniel Ortega. Are we going to have some positive changes here?VERY wet here- been some slides and flooding along the coast- mostly north of here. For sure, the chantrelles are on their way now.

choclo

2006-11-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

choclo Got some colorful choclo/corn. Fall is in the air and I'm anticipating the long overdue fall of support for the Bushits. Discusted with their type of corn. Their incompetence has been scary. I've already voted- how about you?

choclo

2006-11-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

choclo Hi there. Sure is fall, and today seems like the lull before the storm, it is very warm and calm, with no rain, although we had a good soaking for a few days after that freeze and I have been out looking for chantrelles in likely places I know, but no luck so far. I keep getting visions of orange chantrelles poking out of the duff as I think of what would go better with them. Speaking of fall color, I have some beautiful seed corn hanging, as well as a large jar of bright red skinny peppers dryed for the winter over the wood stove, over which I now have some walnuts that I got to before the squirrels. Been eating some greeat apples- seems these late ones that have been frosted are more intence. Hope to get more orange pippen and to get my first taste of the gala that I planted this spring.

choclo corn harvest

2006-10-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

choclo

2006-10-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

choclo

2006-10-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

choclo

2006-10-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

chocloTime for some pictures

choclo

2006-08-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

chocloDivide and conquer- the Shrub fell for that one- we had Bin Laden out of his cave and on the run and the Shrub and friends split our forces and sent them after Bin Ladin's sworn enemy, Sadam, clear off in Iraq. GOOD thinking. Your daddy knew better than to go into Baghdad, as did Clinton. Bin Laden is laughing in his cave. Couple of fundamentalist simpletons. Now that other one, the preident of Iran, Amadehad, the guy who thinks that the Holocaust did not happen, wants to have a debate with our president. They should hold it in Kansas. I sure will be glad to see the Shrub go. How about a great big stout tree? What kind of tree would you like?

choclo

2006-08-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

chocloAnother morning done and the sun is out again. Caught and ate a 15" er and a 16" er last night and shared them with Venis, Christian and Kelsa. Zapped them for 7 munites covered with chard leaves and with some basil and garlic in their bellies. Skinned and deboned them and squeezed a lime on them. Yummy in the tummy. Made some pesto this morning. Splurged on some pine nuts at $15.00 / lb. More yummy in the tummy. You could say that again- I just did. Started drying some bright red skinny cayane peppers for the winter- I simply leave them on the window sill. Later I will have things drying over the wood stove. Going to be a lot of apples to process- I think to dry. I love to operate that green machine that you clamp onto a table and when you turn the crank it cores, peels and cuts into one long thin spiral, the apple that has been speared onto the prongs that both hold and spin the apple as it is preeped for drying or made into luscious apple pies that are in the same league as blackberry pies. Yummy in the tummy. I'm going to go do something with my pesto and my stomach. This morning I drove the 7 miles into town to get some parmesan cheese for my pesto. Also got another sack of trout feed with larger pellets (1/4"). I expect the fish to like these larger pellets. Yep, they do. Groing things has gotten me thinking about chicken shit and chicken hauks in the white house- incompetents. Fundamentalists. Hamadayad of Iran wants to debate the Shrub- the guy who doesnot think the Holocaust happened- two (2) FUNDAMENTALIST idiots competing for top idiotude. But they do not have to do a debate- we all ready know that they are competing for the bottom possition of fundamentally most dangerous to world peace

choclo

2006-08-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

choclo Yup, choclo is doing well, most of it is getting it on- some very intence purple , and then there are some blondes, mostly peruvian desert- big kernals, I expect, want some Arica indigiounes seeds- big early ones. Mine sure has liked its chicken shit. Good shit and bad shit. Shit happens. Smith River. There are two Smith Rivers in the NW- one in California has an old growth grove that one can drive through when going between 101 and i-5 and Grant's Pass and Cresent city. The other one in Oregon is very remote and also very beautiful, with a great steelhead stream. Welll.... I had started my Hoedad tree planting year out on the Smith during the steelhead run in January and February, and the best place was the pool at the base of the falls at Smith River Falls. Well, some years after we had planted out there, but still back when it was not catch and release, as it is now, I headed out there to mellow out and after a long drive into the woods I tried some places that I had had some luck in the past, and had not produced, and afterthe long drive that it is , I got to the pull out above the Smith River Falls pool. Well, back then I was driving a sporty Datsun 710 hatchback, that had some electrical problems for which the funbky fix consisted of a toggle switch under the dash on the passenger side and no hand brake, for which I religiously replaced with always putting it in first gear. Well this pullout was on the right hand side of the rode, and about 50 ' above the pool. Well, I pulled up to the edge of the pullout above the pool and turned off the motor and put it in gear at the same time as I excitably stepped out of the car and started to pull my assembled rod from out of its spot on the pasenger's side. Well, the handdle of the rod hit the toggle switch about the time that my first foot hit the ground and the car started r..rr..r..r away from my landed foot towards the cliff and the pool 50 feet below and about the time that I figured out that I was not going to get out of the car before we went over the edge, I got my foot back in and the door closed before we hit the water. Well, I got what I thought was important, including my rod, and found the cold water about to my belly button as I waded towards shore and the young man I had flown over, and a hat that said "shit happens". I guess so, but no fish that day. I got a ride home with the only other folks there. Turns out they were Evangelicals and they suggested we stop and kneel and pray. I suggested we pass. I have my own way that I like. After that, they made it a catch and release, all native stream, and I like to eat my fish. Have some nice trout in my pond- last one was 15" Good eating. Bought 100 9"-10" in April

choclo

2006-08-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

chocloGood morning, anice sunny one again. I've been asked about my corn. It's doing great- I just watered it again this morning. I have a small patch this year- enough for hanging in the mud room and for seed for next year. None of the krinkly kernals sprouted this year, so it is all open pollinated strains- should be colorful and tasty, When I get a moment I'll post some more pictures, speaking of which; In Goa, that is 8 finger Eddy sitting to Gypsie's right. He had his 81st birthday party atIingrid's garden while I was there- he left the states in 63 and has not been back. It was fun meeting my friends Baba Bob, Big Curtis and Gypsie in Goa for the start of my first visit to India. Gypsie has such a wonderful smile, as in the picture. The next time you pass through Laytonville just before you hit the Avenue of the Giants along 101, stop at the old gas station and see Gypsie and Bazar of India and Beyond. Take a look at her picture albums. Speak french with her if you can- I can't. I'm still struggling with spanish, which I plan to work on this winter, when the days get short. Maybe I could cross paths with Julia in South America . Lots of things to look forward to, including more corn.

choclo

2006-07-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

choclo Speaking of choclo, I just watered mine and did some weeding and picked a nice salad for later when the leaves likely to be wilty. Like getting promising young plants cleared of weeds and competition. A lot of fantasizing about future meals. Have now been getting a few small tomatoes a day, and not enough peppers. Life is exiting and full of anticipation. As long as I have arugala for my salads, I'm happy- and I'm harvesting plenty of it- yumm. I'm happy! Cucumbers are also on their way and I have been giving away chard and lettace. The corn gets harvested in the fall- simularly to politics- more corn on its way

choclo

2006-07-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

choclo Bad news again in Lebanon. Back in 1964, when I spent 3 months hitch hiking around Syria, Jordan and Turkey, Lebanon was an island of peace and prosperity where the various religious communities lived in peace. During that same year of travelling , I also passed through Yugoslavia, which also came apart in spasims of violence. So sad. So bad for the children

pictures

2006-07-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

chWell there are some pictures. I am very clumsy with this computer- what a struggle. Anyhow, that is Gypsie's love, Toby in the middle of her porch seat next to big Curtis. oclo

More Gypsie's chai party-great blues singer

2006-07-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Gypsie's Goa chai parties - last night she made some at Baba Bob's. click on them to enlarge

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choclo

2006-07-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

choclo

Goa chai party at Gypsie's

2006-07-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

good music- Neptune is talented. Got to see him try out his new high speed unicycle at Bob's the other day, as well as listening to him jam on his Indian jews harp with Fast Eddy on his harmonica. A nice summer happening.

2006-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

choclo

2006-06-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

chocloBeen thinking a lot about shit lately; been moving a lot of it around the garden lately; 10 + yards of chicken shit; paid $110 for it; building a compost pile mixed with weeds and chicken shit, it's already steaming. Anybody want to help weed? Need to fix Bubba. Need to clear some mounds for my choclo. Getting late for planting corn- close to the longest day of the year. Been some rainy and cloudy weather lately- nice and cool. Good trans planting weather. Been eating some nice salads and some brocoli is coming on. Broccoli is thought to prevent bushitus. We know that niether one of the Bushes like brocoli, and I, for one, do not want anything to do with those Bushes. Hey, there I go again- 1st I start talking about chicken shit and corn, and the next thing you know, I'm talking about Bushes. Makes me think of bull shit and incompetence. Let's cut the Bushit, and get back to garden shit- much nicer- growing things to eat- eating- cooking with broccoli and broccoli in salads. It's nice to dip toby's tofu pate with bite sized pieces of broccoli and cauliflower, which are starting to flower now.

chicken shit

2006-06-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

I finally got my load of chicken shit- a bit late; but what the shit, I'm glad it's finally here and I can plant my choclo- the more shit you have, the more work you have, so it's off to work on a nice day, moving shit atound. If it's not chicken shit, it's some other kind of shit. Seems life consists mostly of moving shit around. As a carpenter, I have been happy to nail things down or up- whoopee, won't have to move that again! Still, even as a carpenter, most of my time is spent moving shit around. Some shit never gets nailed down, such as my chicken shit, but it helps the corn and other things grow.

choclo

2006-04-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

chocloJust got back from India and Bangkok. Saw my dentist while in Bangkok and got a haircut, but no shave this year, and then went on to India for my first visit there. Didn't bring any corn back, but I am looking forward to planting some soon, as spring is in the air. Sure am hearing a lot of corn from Bush, and that does not make me happy- what an embarrasment he is. Oh well, everything can't can't be good and I can always look forward to when he is out of office- a very pleasent thought. Hope to have some pictures to post soon, at which time I will have some more corn, I'm sure.

Do you like corn in your humor?

2006-01-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

I do, but some would say that I have a corn fetish. Not much difference between corn and porn and corn does have a thing with sex, but I'm thinking of travelling and nice kind Scandinavians with a nice easy going sence of humor. That sure was a nice appology that that Danish newspaper made for those cartoons that offended some Moslems. I want to see that movie about Moslem humor. Sure got to watch what you say in parts of the Moslem world. Very dangerous place for women travellers. Texas too- we have a crazy Texan in the White House- another religious fanatic-causing all sorts of problems. Hey you religious fanatics- stop with the bombs and guns and work for peace and laughter

choclo and nice Danish ladies

2006-01-31T07:07:00.000-08:00

The first Danish woman I travelled with was Lena, way back in 1964. We first met in Istanbul and we Xed paths a few times until we started travelling together in Damascus Syria and onward to Jordan and the Jordanian part of Jerusalem. We were both hitch-hiking and on the cheap, and the cheap part was easy because of the incredible hospitality of Palistinians. Sure is a different sence of humor there. Women in particular have to be very careful, and it is best that they travel with a male protecter, as I was for Lena (we had some tense moments). Looked at some Danish cartoons. Thought that one of the turbinned Moslem with a lit fuse pretty much the way our press treats our presidents and religious figures, including Jesus. Different sence of humor. Sure into blowing themselves and others up. I like the Danes I have met. Like their sence of humor. I also like other Scandinavians. Open, honest sences of humor. Know how to take a joke and critisism, justified or not. Don't have a chip on their shoulders and wish others well. That was a nice appology by the Danish newspaper. Going to see that movie about Moslem humor. choclo

choclo

2005-11-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

choclo

2005-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

The old tree farmer here. Did I ever tell you that I was a hoedad? I've planted a lot of trees. Anyway, you got to keep those shrubs and bushes back. Looks like folks are finally seeing its time to get after them. I'm tuning up my old chainsaw. What will you use?

choclo's haircuts and shaves and dentists

2005-09-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Welll, I thought I ought to mention that I got a shave and a haircut and massages the winter before while in Bangkok, Thailand. My second day in Bangkok I got the nicest haircut of my life. First she laid me back and gave me a shampoo, then she cut my hair, and then she moved me to another chair and gave me a wonderful head massage. I got a shave towards the end of my trip, and it also included a head massage. I also like my Bangkok dentist-she is excellent. She uses the Cerac computerized porcelan milling system from Germany and was trained in US and on the Cerac in Switzerland. Got some good dental work done in Argentina this winter, but was slower sending out for lab work- ended up spending a couple of extra weeks in Buenos Aires visiting my dentist there. Need to go back to Thailand this winter and get another haircut and visit my dentist. Do you think I should get a shave 2? We sure have been getting into outsoursing. Been talking to India a lot lately ( have been talking to computer techs recently- changed service providers). Want to visit India this winter also. How much will I get done? Sure am glad to see some nice seed corn this year. The glass is still half full and the corn is beautiful!

choclo time

2005-09-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

Picked some nice seed choclos, one a very intence purple that looks to have some wrinklers- will be saving them for next year's purple sweet. Picked 2 other nice ladies and hung them in the entryway to dry. May rain friday. Fall is in the air. 3 turkeys showed up today- acted as if I should feed them. Tom and two ladies. Mostly black-looked to be a more wild strain. Think they have been getting in my garden- scratching up holes and new seedlings. My garden has been subjected to much critter visitation this season- its been a wonder that there has been plenty for me. Been thinking of eating some of the venison I fed- maybe turkey too. Thankfull that no critters have taken a liking to corn yet. It's well wrapped and a bit hard to get at without hands.

Haircut, shave and a blockade

2005-09-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

This winter I got my haircut and shave in Sucre, Bolivia, a couple of weeks before visiting my new grandson Felix (see his blogspot). There was this blockade that shut the whole country down for more than a week. I spent 11 days trapped in Sucre waiting for the busses to go again. Fortunately, the blockades I went through were totally peaceful-no police or military were called out or seen. Will be checking that Bolivian blogspot to see what happens. Funny, my winter was their summer- although that high up it was like winter again. Sucre was like spring and Santa Cruz was tropical summer. Potosi was winter again- a hollowed out mountain of silver above 12.000 feet-passed on through as night was coming on up to a cold high dessert "alte plano". I had been complaning to my seatmate about this nightbus kept me from seeing the vistas in daiylight. Well we soon came upon a long line of busses and trucks and cars and cooking fires. I was on a nice cama bus, and I slept there till morning, when they let us through. Got to see some incredible vistas as we spent the whole next day getting to Tarija, where I hung out till it was time for my visit with my 1st grandchild. Liked Tarija, as I was lead to expect. They had a big rally for" autonomia"- it had some anti blockade overtones and was heavilly supported by truckers, bus lines, taxis and the city. Tarija is both a city and a province. They have the most prosperous agriculture and have a budding wine thing happening and they want more loc al control. The blockades were more of a campesino thing, which included a cocalero element- it started off in the newly rich Santa Cruz jungle plain where we came upon a 2 k long lane of traffic backed up on our side of the blockaded bridge. The local restaurant and tiendas were doing great. We found an identical bus on the other side who would exchange passengers, and we all took taxis to the blockade and hoofed it on to the other bus. We all got identical seats-our bus had been full. The next day they created another blockade some 50 ks away and it became impossible to get through as I had. At that point, the only blockade going was the one along the Cochabamba/Santa Cruz highway, so we bought overnight tickets for Sucre. Well, 6:00 am we hit the blockade, 2d rig in the line-almost made it. Had some nuns on board- think they might have helped. The blockaders decided to let us through at 6:pm. In the meantime, some food booths came out, and then a couple of guitars, somebody passed the hat for some whiskey and the whiskey was mixed with coka cola and they let us through for the 30 k ride to the next blockade from where we abandoned our busses and caught taxis for the short ride into Sucre, a nice town to be stuck for 11 days in and get a haircut and a shave. Nice year around spring climate. It is the other of the two capitols and has the judicial supremo. Another spring climate-not the high altitude cold of La Paz or Potosi

Picture time-were's the corn?

2005-09-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

That's Julia behind me at my Paraguayan desvedido or however it is spelled. Built them a garden fence while I was there. Like to travel by bus- they have some pretty nice ones nowadays. Like those cama buses in South America. That" Ve Party" bus is in Panama. John and I share a St Patrik's day beer with Felix, mi nuevo nieto, born in Buenos Aires, un Porte~o.

This winter I got a haircut and a shave while in Sucre, Bolivia

2005-09-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have a beard, as I do behind brother Pete and cousin Don. JUlie sometimes gets me to shave it off

choclo

2005-09-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

I want to practice my spanish with Felix. El es un Porte~o. Do a google search for failure. I think it is all Bush2's fault; how about you? What's his fault you might ask? Well, too darn much. He's not on my side- wants to teach our children intelligent design-doesn't sound like good up to date science to me. No to stem cell research- even Nancy Reagon thouhgt that was wrong headed. Divide and conquer. Get your enemy to fight on two fronts. Osama laughed from his cave while Bush2 took US off on a wild goose chase for WMD's and nuclear bomb factories and Osama's sworn enemy Sadam. Osama is still allive somewhere other than Iraq. "Mission Occomplished", WMD's, Is this country more polarized under Bush2? How much is your health care costing? Have you ever been without insurance? I have. Whew-I made it to medicare and bought some medigap insurance. Talk about donut holes. I pay for it out of my ss More folks without health insurance under the shrub. Just like in Iraq-he has no plan- just more of the same. Still holding in there while selling our debt to China for tax breaks for the rich. Do you think he will keep his promise to cut the budget deficit in half by the time he leaves office?? I learned about the tooth fairy decades ago. Remember "read my lips, no new taxes". Who was that liar? I've been asking lately: How many political pardons and immunities from prosecution have been granted by republican presidents compared to democratic presidents from say, 1970 till now? I think the shrub has working for him one of those guys who was convicted of lying to congress about some of Ollie North's illegal Contra activities. Ollie was also given a pardon for his illegal Contra activities under Reagon.

choclo sweet

2005-09-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

The shrunkin Xs are very sweet- my strain is sweet while young- is more corny and starchy as it ages. Been thinking of my new grandson and his coming education. There is this silly controversy about "intelligent design", and behind the scenes, creationism. There was some of that when my daughter was going to the local schools. My attitude at the time was- I want to know what my daughter is being taught, and that I could get my education updated in the process. For the finer points of moral ,sexual, political, and historical education, I wanted to impart my spin on it and to know what , if anything was being taught. I have been particularly interested in Latin American history and my daughter is an historian and passes me books. What do you want to know more about? What interests your child? Get to know your child's teacher. Learn things with your child. What can I learn with my grandson?

some choclo cobs

2005-09-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Yep- they're on their way-a bit later than my acclimatized. Sure are big plants. Been dangling male tassles from my strains over the silks to get Xs. Anxious to see them mature so that I can look at them. They are all covered up like a muslim woman is in her burka . Anxious to strip the cobs bare. Been getting some beautiful purples and multi coulored off of my strains. Been eating some delicious sweet and pretty Xs. Need to poste some more pictures. Pictures are nice, and there are some hidden around my blog. Another hurricane headed in. Bush2 has not been doing too well with the huricanes. Want's to spend a lot of money and borrow it from the Chinese. They are making everything we buy -so now they are going to lend US the money to pay for our two wars (divide and conquer), our two natural disasters, and Bush2's two tax cuts for the rich. They are talking about taking away the prescrition drug benefit that Bush2 was bragging about at that senior center in Arizona while " you're doing a heck of a job Brownie" was doing his heck of a job. I'm with that group of singers at the faire who wanted more "Sex in the White House". At least Clinton left US with a balanced budget. That was a surprise- I never thought I would see a federal balanced budget- thought it was a republican fantasy-still is-strange world. Bush 2 says he will cut national debt in half before he leaves office. Do you still believe in the tooth fairey? I remember "mission occomplished" and Bush1's read my lips. How about Rummy ridiculling critics who said we needed more troops and a plan. Shock and awe would get US out quick and cheaply- remote controlled high tech meant we would not need the troups. Gratefull Iraqis would be welcoming the troops with flowers. Give me more sex- it's cheaper and more friendly

I don't like the corn coming from the Bushits

2005-09-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

I like to grow and eat and play with corn- but I don't like the corn coming out of the white house. For me-corn is for fun, but I am also a tree farmer. I bought my tree farm 30 years ago after it had been clear cut and I planted 20,000 douglas firs on it, and I now have a forest. Early on I had to do battle with bushes and shrubs that wanted to choke out the young trees, and I still do. I use a chainsaw. Most of the timber companies hereabouts use chemicals they spray from helicopters, which I believe is bad for the environment. I don't think either chainsaws or chemicals would work against the political bushes and shrubs- for them, we need to use the ballot box to get rid of them and their supporters and replace them with trees before they can do any more damage to US. US should not settle for anymore shrubs or bushes-US needs big, strong trees for a strong, healthy US. Out here in Oregon, douglas fir do well, and red cedars produce good wood. I also have a few redwoods, both the coastal type and the sequoyas, although neither redwood is native to here. Lots different trees. I also have some fruit and nut trees, which are nice. But shrubs and bushes- we have to keep them from taking over-particularly when it comes to politics, where they are presently a disaster for US.

Katrina and Bush- Would rather have corn

2005-09-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Listened to the Shrub's speach last night. Didn't make me fell good. The republicans are doing damage control- want to investigate themselves and drown US in bull shit. The bull shit belongs in the garden to help grow healthy corn. Does anyone think that a white house run investigation or one run by the republican controlled congress will be anyuthing more than a white- wash that is aimed at diverting attention from Bush2 administration shortcomings? US needs a 9-11 style investigation if we are to see a usefull look at what went wrong. No amount of speechifying or throwing money at Haliburten should blind US to the continuing incompetence of the Bushits. Don't let them get awy with it.

choclo time

2005-08-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

chocloMy cuzco choclo is getting it on- saw some tassles sticking up- maybe too late for the others- but will use some of the purplex pollen on the cuzco, when the silk gets out there. Been pushing bubba around in the cool of this morning. I've had Bubba for a couple or less months. He's a troy built, 4 cycle, big wheeled weed eater. The school district grounds crew calls these machines "Bubba"- an appropriate name ,I think. All this corn and stuff gets me thinking about the south and Texas and the goings on down there. And then there is that preacher who wants to see elected polititians assasinated. Does he also advocate abortions and the death penalty? Pat Robertson- he ran for president. Isn't he a friend of Jerry Falwell, the preacher who said that 9-11 was payback for our sins? Why do these folks have a following? Why were so many folks fooled by the shrub and company?? I do not understand why we went off on this wild goose chase, when we new Bin Laden was not there and that that job was not done. What I think is: Bush2 and friends really belived all that stuff they fed us- they were even dumber than those who belived them when they led us to believe that "shock and awe" would get us out quick. that gratefull Iraqis would greet us with flowers placed in our gun barrels, that "mission accomplished" meant that we could all go home and it was done on the cheap. Things sure haven't gone the way we were led to belive- and Bin Laden is still on the loose. Would have been much better to have finished with Afganistan before taking on Iraq.

back to my corn and....

2005-08-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

Just got back from doing a nice new deck railing at my mom's place with brother Pete. Corn is doing well-one of the crinckled purples has triplets. I like that. She's also early. Want her to have sex with several selected guys so that I can get some selected seeds from her. The Cuzco plants are very big- but have not shown any signs of sexual developement-not even any tassles yet. Fish were hungry. Glad to be back. Corn really doing its sexual thing- will be eating some soon.

choclo

2005-08-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

choclohi Just thought I would do a little typing. Just got back from doing a nice redwood deck railing on my mom's place. Fed the fish and got some squash from the garden. Corn doing well- but the Cuzco is still not getting sexual- not even any tassles showing. Very large , though . Got at least one shrunken mama with 3 cobs. A triplet, and early and very purple. Got to get her crossed with A GOOD VARIETY of my favorite fellows. Hey isn't sex and corn and politics and everything everyting sexual. So it seems as if the creater was obsessed with sex- so he gave us a lot of it and he said go have a good time with it' because I am making it a lot of fun and VeRy NICE! Breeding is interesting. I've been thinking. Do a lot of that and sometimes I lose my thread, as I have done now. Think I will see if I can have the late Cuzco get polinated with several nice purple guys. You know what?? I prefer talking about sex- much better than talking about politics- thinking the Isreali's should have siomply shut the border and let the Palistinians evict the Fundamentalist settler GazA Isreali problem folk. The same type live in One of my cousin-in-law's communities. He is jewish and hates them. They breed like crazy and use a lot of welfare. In Isreal, they do not go in the military- yet they unilaterally went in the 1967 conquered territories and built homes and took Palistinian land and water. I remember in 1964, I was hitch- hiking from the old city of Jordanian Jeruselem to Aqaba, Anbd we got a ride with 2 Arqab brothers from the Jordanian valley, on the western side. They were airline pilots. They had an orchord with some wonderful pomellos (sp?)- the first that I had ever seen or eaten. WOW!!! They were delicious!!! Got some in Thailand last year- and some from China some years ago, and although nice- they did not compare with those that those arab pilots picked for us from their land. I wonder how they are doing now in the West Bank? One of those Isrealis on the bus to Sucre tolds me they wou8ld be happy under the current Isreali rule. I think he must have been joking- although he did not seem to be and I thought him intelligent.

Mas choclo

2005-08-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

My corn's doing well. Seeing some silk now-some tassles have been out for awhile- seems the male is out there 1st-more pollens than silks-just like us- more sperms than eggs. My Cuzco plants aren't showing any sex yet-but they are big and healthy. Much rather talk about sex than politics. All the corn in politics is depressing. Bush is again hiding from the folks- Won't talk to those mothers camping down his road. Only associates with his type of folk. They sure are making a mess for us. How secure do you feel about your health insurance? Think the shrub has plan to fix our health care system? I'm turning 65 in October and will qualify for medicare. Looking to maybe move to another country- get a better deal on health care. Been getting my dental work abroad for years- like Thailand best. Got a medical check-up in Buenos Aires, Argentina this winter. Much cheaper and just as good- more personal. More outsourcing. Got to out those republicans. They're not on our side. Want to teach our kids that evolution didn't and doesn't happen. What's that? We humans breed all sorts of stuff.! Don't want to tell kids that condoms help prevent disease and pregnancy. Pope is a big problem there. Wonder what the Koran says about condoms or birth control? Hey- I came back around to sex. I'll try to drop the politics. Religion should stay out of sex, as it should stay away from politics, and vice versa. did not Jesus say: "Ye who is innocent, throw the first stone". Fundamentalists tend to forget such good advice- want to look at the other guy, rather than working on themselves.

2005-06-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

nieto Felix, papa John y abuelo, St Patric's day

2005-05-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

family