Caution

It's really hard not to raise an eyebrow when you get an e-mail from a government 'animal health' agency that begins "We are pleased to inform you that this week's disease information is listed at . . ." You can go to this web clearinghouse and see every foot-and-mouth-avian-influenza-and-on-and-on outbreak from India to Botswana. How did I get on this e-mail list you may ask? In my application frenzy two months ago I signed up to be part of the on-call "elite special force" (another phrase that elicits a hard blink)for these sorts of things. I actually took a Saturday and did some online FEMA training. I wonder if the gov is reading my blog. I wonder if my economic stimulus kickback will arrive now.

Meanwhile, I'm avidly reading Narrative of the Life Of Frederick Douglass. It was originally published in May of 1845. The literate portion of American society had not yet taken up reading the novel; instead, they were enamoured of reading an embellished form of 'autobiography' that would make that million tiny pieces guy seem honest. To verify his story, Douglass mailed a copy of his manuscript to his former master .

And new life for old tires, as you see here, doesn't look pretty yet but should service well. Here is an example of raised bed gardening. The soil temperature stays warmer longer, the soil environment is more managed with compost and weed shields, and--once things grow--is has a kind of aesthetic to it. I'm not yet sure what kind of aesthetic. . .
I also planted giant sunflowers against the wall. We'll see how they do. Nice to know I drove from Alaska to Upstate NY on these tires and back and now they'll grow me some vegetables.