The Native Iowan

Where I live…

Life has been busy of late.

Sitting in Palmwoods on a nice, lazy, busy-day eve. The day has been overcast. I slept late, started my day late, as did all in the house. The past few days has seen us furiously busy. A lot “to-do” heading up to Cmas.

Our house is quiet this year. No lil’ kids. No magical anticipation of childhood. That magic of childhood that makes the magic of Christmas so, so real and tangible. None of that for us this year. All our lil’uns are elsewhere. Ours is a quiet house. No tears or messes or watching out for the dangers a toddler can get into.

Mendoza plugged into his universe, Angelo picking in his electric guitar. Grace being superZai. Paul is usually quiet. Kuma only fusses when he needs you.

Our house is quiet this year.

On Staurday we shall host a combination Cmas/ NYs beast n beeer day.  We recently butchered out at Morosa, so have plenty of good, good beast to turn into grub…

Two yearling heifers. Guestimate weight each foreQtr=40kgs/ 90lbs, and hindQtr=50kgs/110lbs. Drop 10% to be conservative so … Maybe 180kgs/400lbs per beast hanging in the coolroom less 10%… A whole’bunch’a dressed beast…

We had Jan and Hoppy guide us through the -on’farm-kill’npack- process. It was an honour to work with them. A lot of work done well and efficiently. And a good time had by all.

Testing out my mini-pit today… Its an ad hoc affair, made with whatz-on-hand materials. A small but effective BbqPit.

Going to cook a bunch Friday/ Saturday so we need to get our systems sorted. I invited people to an ol’fashione carvery so I need my beast to be something of myth and legend. I want my Morosa Beast to be remembered. So preparation in roasting is very important.

we got ribs n roast n brisket to roast. Going to combine my “weber” bbq techniques with some open-pit bbqing. Do some long and slow roasting with a deep-searing on the open fire pit before and after. With lots of thick rich sauce. A lot of effort but with good BEAST THE END-PRODUCT SHALL BE SUBLIME

Burn in the broken old chimney and coals into the pit for constant heat roasting. Thank gawd for alloyfoil to retain heat…

Test run for the pit…Doing a mess of bbqribbs today.  Step one is slow-cooking…

Stage two is open-fire roasting… It’s a long slow process but the boys thought they turned out goooood…

Mendoza thinks these are the “best rib ever”…

And life is good, here on Christmas eve, where we are…

Smiles

danc’n with cattle is cool…

Big day cutting up two decent sized heifers…fresh prime beef…Even a vegavore would appreciate…Good enough to eat raw…Prime Morosa beast…A bit of flooding the other day…I think we had 200mm/ 8inches of rain in 48 hours…Gracie enjoyed it…Mr. Joe, on the watch…

The days left on this month r’ gett’n short.

The days left in this year r’ gett’n short.

Need to write but been quite occupied.

Its been raining for a week then the last couple days have been stupid-hot. The rains prohibited lawn mowing so today, after a couple of days of dry, we got to mowing, er, hay baling. The yard was thick and rough and hard to mow. Had to double mow everything. I let the boys go free at noon, after starting at 730.

They consider it all slave labour.

I’ll post some photos from the past month from my phone…

Smiles

It has been a long, long time since I have been frightened. Afraid. Scared.

I might sound arrogantly stupid but I can’t recall the last time I was frightened.

No doubt I get those instant loadings of adrenaline when I almost miss a corner or… like the time a white Mercedes and I traded metal at 70milesperhour…

I was on my way to Phoenix on my Thruxton. The time and space between a white Mercedes and my bike became one in space and time, for a brief moment.

It was kinda exciting… I dropped my bar-end mirror onto the car’s passenger side, right in front of the front door. I heard and have an image of the elderly woman in the passenger’s seat. She grabbed her head with both hands and screamed. I could smell her shampoo.

I stayed up but ran my bar-end down the length of the car. When I got away from the car – he had been pulling into my lane – I was behind and simply goosed it and got way away.

But at no point was I frightened or fearful. I did not have time for such foolishness. My very good bike skills and instinct took over. I kept the bike up. Felt the grind of my bar-end scratching down the car. His car will have a front-to-rear gouge on it as proof of time and space conflict.

But at no point was I frightened or fearful.

here’s a picture of my bike’s bar-end: You can see the end of the bar, below the mirror. Imagine 70mph, leaning into a car for a life’s instant. Then off and gone past. I was shaky shortly there after, then euphoric for a bit and did have vivid dreams of it all for nights after.

But it did not scare me.

Well, I had a very good fright last eve. We were out moving the herd.

For a number of reasons the herd is a bit skittish… we introduced nine new cows with calves into the herd a while back. The new players in town change the balance of power. Barney the bigarsed Bull is on edge. He’s been working overtime with the new cows. We have just finished weaning 10 calves so you have 10 unhappy, milk-sick mammas. Their udders are full and they are not comfortable. We have 10 cows with young calves. As the weaners and the mother cry and complain, the other mammas and calves get stressed.

We show up in the herd and they think we’re there to kidnap some more babies.

When we wean the calves we lock them into the stock yard which is inescapable. They are locked in with water and feed but they yearn for their mammas. They cry and bellow and scream until they lose their voices. The mammas cry and call back.

All of this equals stress in the herd.

So we go to move the herd. Here we have Joe calling the herd over…

They hear him and answer. I claim they call his name… JOOE, Joooe…

So I’m in the middle of the moving herd…

I luv the constant bellowing an talking between them all… Barney speaking his mind at the end of the clip…

I do find it exhilarating, this being a farmer is cool… But when a 3000 pound beast speaks his mind you need to listen.

Luv the cow talk…

So right here, as I watch, bigArsed barney comes walking toward me. At a sedate pace but straight for me. He’s coming over to where I am and I aint feeling too good. I slipped through a gate into the next paddock but he came right up and yelled at me… And I was frightened…

It felt good.

Smiles

Another very nice day. Cool temps, nice breeze.

Have spent the morning working cattle. We have 6 young’ns going through the weaning process. They are locked up in the stock yard. They miss their mammas.

The Mammas are feeling it too. Their udders are full and weeping. They stand by the fence and bellow. Last night was windy and the plaintive calls back and forth led to very visual dreams. I slept with a smile.

Once weaned the young’ns will go in with another 13 “teenagers” we have. My buddy Joe (manager of the property) handfeeds the teens left over bread. He tames them. Gives them names. We were out this morn enjoying it all…  The one I am pictured with is Milly. She’s one of Joes favourites and loves a good petting.

As the mania of this past electoral cycle subsides I am wondering what people think our/your objective(s) may be. The foolishness of campaigning is over. The megamillions spent. Winners have won and losers have lost. As a nation what are the priorities of the electorate of the USofA?

I have to give this a lot of thought but think I can quickly answer that #1 PRIORITY in my world would be health care. Or is it HealthCare (HC)?

I believe that HC covers so many topical issues in our society that by prioritising HC we quickly address issues like mental health, mass shootings, suicides, depression, reigning in the pharmaceutical barons, and addictions of all kinds. Lets make the health of our society our #1 priority and see how many ancillory problems we can solve.

Of course I belive that HC should be available to all, free of charge, and of a very high standard. I hear many out there say that they agree but how do we pay for it? I have written on this topic before. But lets look for new stats… here we go… https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-spending-u-s-compare-countries/

My thoughts today are the same as when I last did this research… 

I don’t think it’s about the cost of HC but rather the efficiency of the system. I live in Australia. I have used the medical system here and I find it efficient, friendly, effective, smart, modern… everything you want in a HC system.

And they get it for half the price the US currently spends for an inefficient, ineffective system.

USofA already spends a huge amount per capita annually on HC but, as it appears, gets little in return for their investment. Why is this? A lot to discuss here…

Priority #2… one very dear to my immigrant heart… Immigration…

I’ll write more soon.

Good morning from Morosa Valley. I spent the last couple days in town and really, really slept well last night. Cant explain it other than in an energetic way. But, damn, I sleep good here. The air, the night sky, the breeze, the sound of cattle making hapi noises. It is all guud, very guud.

So the election-mania in the USofA is at an end. For another two years, anyway.

What has transpired here? What has this referendum on the Republican Administration given us? What, if anything, have we learned? Where are we, where are we going?

The good newz?

Though the above graph is a prediction – I have not found the final results as yet – the fact that more folks got out and voted is a great thing. The past trend of non-involvment is not positive. A distinct sense of alienation and resignation has been palatable. Alienation and resignations is never good, all it does is leave the chicken coop open to the foxes.

I am impressed that the number of people motivated to engage in the electoral process has increased dramatically.

More good news… The House of Representatives, The Senate and the Presidency is now. split. It is a positive thing, in my mind, when the division of powers are divided. I tremble and sweat when a single Party holds control over all Federal Processes.

I reiterate, I am not a team player at all. I have a general disdain for all elected personages – and many appointed personages too. There is something about the ivory-towers that distance those who rule from those who are ruled. There is something insidious about holding the purse strings to someone elses money. Something immoral about spending huge sums which you are unanswerable for.

If the same team controls the House, Senate and Presidency little good can come. Too much out-of-control partying takes place.

We do need the checks maintained to control the balance of state.

Now, this coming from a self-professed non-voter sounds a bit empty. I do not vote for reasons I have articulated in the past. But this does not mean I am not engaged. I read, listen study and comment constantly. Also, I am a double immigrant – meaning I have legally (LEGALLY) immigrated to the Solomon Islands and to Australia. The electoral process and the elected leaders of all three countries where I hold residence is of great importance to me.

As is the electoral processes of pretty much all the countries around the world. All are influences to me in direct and subtle ways. To not be engaged and aware is, to me, a sin.

Had an interesting conversation yesterday. With respect to all involved I’ll quote a few line here…

1.  My dear sister wrote this… “If you don’t vote you have no right to complain. And you who has already been screwed by the government should give a dam!”
2. I replied … “technically not correct… not to vote is as much a choice and a right as your right to vote. We tend to vilify non voters but there are numerous reasons why someone would choose to abstain rather than participate in what is really a rigged system offering little more than placebo effect type returns. For me it’s about candidates and policies. For many it is about colours and teams. Nothing to do with sound leadership and positive planning.”
3. A mutual friend commented… “Why should I have to choose who my oppressors are before I’m allowed to complain about being oppressed? If there is a boot on your neck, does it really matter if it’s the right or left? I’ll vote for no boot at all. I refuse to pick the device of my suffering.”
4. My sister replied… “The voice we have is our right to vote. I am just saying if you choose to do nothing than you should keep your voice quiet. Stirring the pot with opinions that belong to you is your right but if it accomplishes nothing than it is just idle chat. At least my vote could make a difference in the direction our country needs to move. Bullying, and fear is the way to control the ignorant. I VOTED and am glad I did.”
5. The mutual friend replied…”I looked at my options, saw that none of them were running under the stance that we need to get rid of the party system, so there wasn’t anyone I could morally support without compensating my views.”
6. My libertarian niece commented… ” There are more than 2 parties, too. More reasons now than ever before that there needs to be more options than Rs or Ds.”
7. My sister replied… “Thanks for voting! I totally agree the choices are not always the best but we have to keep hoping someday a messiah will run and things will change! Right now what we can do is vote!”

Now, I am going to bore the living shit outta everyone and dissect this friendly conversation…

1. I just really, really get irritated when I hear “group-speech” BS… “If you don’t vote you have no right to complain. And you who has already been screwed by the government should give a dam!” It is words like this that are delivered with a patronising smile and a firm nod of the head. Agree with me or you are an idiot that knows nothing and even enjoys being “screwed by the government. AND… jumping to 4. we end up with this… “Bullying, and fear is the way to control the ignorant.” And I say DAMN! isn’t the group-think BS bullying? I belive such and all around me believe such and if you don’t belive such you are ignorant. Did I say “DAMN!”?
2. My reply is in support of the nonconformist. The modern thinker out there that studies politics. Has no party affiliation. Probably registered Independent but votes for the policy not the party.
3. Is a rather extreme yet common thought process… “Why should I have to choose who my oppressors are before I’m allowed to complain about being oppressed? If there is a boot on your neck, does it really matter if it’s the right or left? I’ll vote for no boot at all. I refuse to pick the device of my suffering.” This is getting close to what I call the placebo of democracy. And the placebo don’t work too good on this dude. He sees the fact that a single elected individual has less than zero chance of making a difference. He sees a system where the worker/ average-guy is abused and used and taxed and beaten up and controlled. And he is not wrong. But is he right?
4. And more of that good ol country group-think… “The voice we have is our right to vote. I am just saying if you choose to do nothing than you should keep your voice quiet. Stirring the pot with opinions that belong to you is your right but if it accomplishes nothing than it is just idle chat. At least my vote could make a difference in the direction our country needs to move. Bullying, and fear is the way to control the ignorant. I VOTED and am glad I did.” Golly, its hard to comment on all of this as I don’t wish to be rude or to be hurtful but, DAMN, I cannot think there is ever a time a person should “keep their voice quiet”. This is the sort of thing we are told by people who don’t wish to hear what we think. This is the sort of thing the Group-Thought-Police tell us. Did I say “DAMN”?
5. Again from the nonvoting friend… And he is right… he is informed, he is not an idiot… “I looked at my options, saw that none of them were running under the stance that we need to get rid of the party system, so there wasn’t anyone I could morally support without compensating my views.” Perfect. Informed. Articulate.
6. My niece is a thoughtful, smart gal and tells us… ” There are more than 2 parties, too. More reasons now than ever before that there needs to be more options than Rs or Ds.” What can I say… she is clever, I know she is willing to research her choices. She is not a pan-banger telling us what is wrong. She simply and clearly states her position on the topic.
7. And lastly… “Thanks for voting! I totally agree the choices are not always the best but we have to keep hoping someday a messiah will run and things will change! Right now what we can do is vote!” What can I say? What can anyone say about the nebulous and ethereal? “keep hoping someday a messiah will run and things will change!”. Sorry, I prefer facts and measurable measurables. Not philosophical dreaming.

Now, I’d like to take a look at what folks voted for. As the family and friends I am interacting with here live in Iowa I am taking a look at the established platforms of…

If you voted Democrat: Here’s the IOWA party page… http://www.iowademocrat.net/

This site is set up pretty well. Just a few things the Democrat Party in Iowa is in support of:

482. reparations for African-Americans/Native Americans
483. reproductive rights
484. human rights of immigrants including due process/family preservation/pathway to citizenship
485. sanctuary cities
486. universal access to physical/mental healthcare/housing/living income/potable water
487. comprehensive, universal, single-payer healthcare for all,
488. medical end-of-life options
489. rescheduling, expanding access to, medical cannabis
490. peaceful conflict resolution, normalized US diplomatic relations with all countries/multilateral solutions to international problems
491. closing Guantanamo Bay detention facilities
492. federal court access for non-US detainees
493. promoting human dignity, resolving global poverty, protecting clean air/water, improving education, and reducing hunger/disease

The Republican of Iowa website is quite different. https://www.iowagop.org/about/platform/

Lets see…

1. The Iowa Republican party aggressively support a “life begins at conception” bill without exceptions. We believe that all human beings, from conception to natural death, have a God given and constitutionally protected right to life, which cannot be infringed we believe all such issues belong under the constitutional authority of the state, not federal government.
2. We oppose using public revenues for abortion or funding organizations which advocate it. We commend those who provide alternatives to abortion by meeting the needs of mothers and offering adoption services.
3. We reaffirm our support for appointment of judges who respect tradition family values and the sanctity of life.
4. We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirmed, just as we oppose active and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide.
5. We believe that traditional, two parent (one male and one female), marriage based families are the foundation to a stable, enduring, and healthy civilization. Therefore, public policy must always be pro-family in nature, encouraging marital and family commitment, and supportive of the parental rights and responsibilities.
6. We encourage the repeal of any laws allowing any marriage that is not between one natural man and one natural woman.
7. We support non-embryonic stem cell research, such as promoting the use of adult stem cells, while opposing human cloning and research using fetal tissue from abortions.
8. We believe the selling, brokering or marketing of aborted fetal tissue should be illegal.
9. We support adequate funding for state mental health facilities dedicated to inpatient services and outpatient mental health facilities and services. We support an increase in trained mental health professionals and staff sufficient to meet the needs of our state.
10. We support the 1^st Amendment to allow prayer in Public Schools and Public Places.
11. We believe that parents are responsible for their children, and we support the rights of parents to be the ultimate authority for the discipline, protection, and education of their children.
12. We believe money should follow the child in education – whether that child attends public, private, parochial or home school- to assist parents financially in educating their children using the option best suited to their family’s educational needs. We call on the General Assembly to provide for tuition vouchers, tax deductions, or tax credits to permit parents’ choice in educating their children- without government intervention in the school curriculum.
13. We strongly believe in the constitutionally protected natural right of individuals to keep and bear arms, as recognized and protected by the Second Amendment, and we support the repeal of existing laws that infringe upon those rights. We support the addition of “castle doctrine” provisions to Iowa law.
14. We support “Conscience Clause” legislation so that no person, business, or organization can be penalized for its exercise of religious freedom by not providing services that violates their religious beliefs.
15. We support legislation that would prohibit any organization, (in example, Planned Parenthood), from entering public school properties for the purpose of promoting promiscuous behavior and abortion products, videos, or printed material.
16. The actions of national intelligence agencies must not infringe upon American citizens’ Constitutional rights.

OK, the difference is pretty basic conservative v liberal stuff… The right to bear arms. The right to life v the personal choice to abort or not. Prayer in schools is a good topic. The immigration/ sanctuary issue is notable.

Just for flavour let me see what the libertarian of Iowa platform looks like… And I like the site… well done. Very nifty… https://lpia.org/

The sire starts with this:

Now, the thought I have after this bit of research is that I doubt all to hell and back that more than a fraction of the folks who voted actually have reviewed the policies of those who they have voted for. As I say too often, politics today is team sports, its my team/ our team v your team/ that team. It has nothing to do (very little to do) with policies and more to do with personalities. It is the foundation, the core of personality politics.

Which I don’t do, sorry. And I firmly feel that engaged but disgruntled voters like myself may be too well-informed.

See, as I review the policies of the GOP, the Democrats and the Libertarians I find that I cannot agree with any one on all they offer. I cannot support any single, overall.

Of course I can agree on topical matters… yes for guns. I’m too libertarian to say no to abortion but feel abortion has been overused and abused so indeed needs some strict regulations. I feel national-citenzry is a valuable thing so open boarders don’t float my boat. I can never agree that the government can regulate where I live, how I live or who I interact with. If my neighbor, Bert- the chicken fucker, wants to buy a grain of sand from me I shall forever and always say no because I dont like chicken fuckers. And it is my personal choice to decide who I do business with. I think religion is a personal choice though my choice to educate my children must have some boundaries… noting I don’t agree with educating your children to adhere to a midevil system of male dominance and minority abuse, and jihad. Personal property is personal property. I cannot see where taking from the hard-working “haves” and distributing to those less fortunate is something that offers long-term progress. Taxation should never be wealth redistribution but rather should be for infrastructure and admin costs fairly shared through the classes.

And where are we…

More later

Sitting in the back yard as the day slips into night. A powederblue sky with deepgreen landscape contracts nicely. Birds of various varieties chatter, squawk, call, chip and cheep. My old “mrfrog” windchime tinkles above me.

Been a warm one today. Not as warm as yesterday and not as warm as next week, but warm. I don’t like running aircons and there is unusually a breeze. Hell! I was up about dawn (before 5am) and wrapped a comforter around me as I snooz’d and watched newz. this climate is great… 70f/20c – 92f/ 29c. The other day it was 35c to 18c… work it out but it means a great warm sunny day with a cool-ish eve night.

The Plover family are happy, walking along the edge of the sprinkler, catching the mist and preening themselves. The distant humm of the ever-present motor-way. It’s a busy time of day, 516pm. A dog is yapping. My family are all gone or we’d hear screaming kids.

Hung out at the Palmwoods house today. Had a couple gotta-dos get cancelled so I got to spend a day in “basic maintenance” mode.

Basic maintenance is all those little jobs and dutys and needstogetdonez… the back closets and top shelfs of spring cleaning… basic maintenance is the stuff you can always not-do. Until it needs done. Until it really needs done.

So today I decided to run a few errands then  wash the house.

Now, just to bring it all into perspective, washing a house aint like washing yer hands. Nor is it like washing the car – tho some of the car washing tools (like a pressure washer) – can be used for both.

No, washing a house is a pretty big affair… I do have a big house…

So I got Paul and Gracie helping me as we hose n scrub and mix cleaners and wash off dust n grime and detritus. The glass and gutters and downpipes and walkways… it is a big job.

And it got done. The outdoorfurniture and the walkways and slidingdoors, etc, et al infinitum.

Damn, I’m kinda beat.

And life is good.

Smiles

Was moving the cattle and our big arsed bull, Barney, decided I was in his way.

Now this animal is close to 1.5 ton. Maybe more. He is pretty docile and has never given us reason to be fearful but you treat that much testosterone powered weight with respect…

1. We move the cattle and Barney decides I am in his way want to go past me and into the back fields…

   2. So I get a bit uneasy and try quickly to get a gate between he and I…

   3. He ends up giving me a load piece of his mind…

   Gotta luv this farming stuff…

One of the things I find as I travel the USofA is a pervading sense or feeling of poverty. Many, many of the people I interact with verbally claim a financial inability or lack in their lives which feeds a fire of self-need, want, and desire. And unhappiness.

A quick check offers this: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/us-census-median-income-2017-9?r=US&IR=T

Between 2015 and 2016, US median household income rose 3.2% from $US57,230 to $US59,039, according to a new report released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday.

It’s now the highest income year on record, beating the previous high of $US58,655 in 1999 (all numbers are adjusted for inflation).

The US poverty rate simultaneously declined about 1% to 12.7%, returning to nearly the same level as in 2007, prior to the recession. In total, 2.5 million fewer people were in poverty in 2016 than in 2015.

All good news, but…

This sense of lack, want, need, poverty has led us to what I feel is an unreasoned attack on the social classes that “HAVE”. The social classes that make more, have more, spend more, want less.

An attack on the “1%” of life that “HAVE”, by those who also have but not as much.

My point is this… If you are living in the USofA you already live in the “land of plenty”. You are already part of that % of the planet that “has more”. You already have more, much more than many on the planet we can compare with.

For a quick comparison I go to the Solomons…  https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Solomon-Islands-INCOME.html

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports that in 2001 the Solomon Islands’ gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at $800 million. The per capita GDP was estimated at $1,700. The annual growth rate of GDP was estimated at -10%. The average inflation rate in 2001 was 7.9%. The CIA defines GDP as the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year and computed on the basis of purchasing power parity (PPP) rather than value as measured on the basis of the rate of exchange. It was estimated that agriculture accounted for 42% of GDP, industry 11%, and services 47%. aid receipts amounted to about $137 per capita and accounted for approximately 22% of the gross national income (GNI).

Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Solomon-Islands-INCOME.html#ixzz5VB2B5VOh

OK, I know comparing the US with the Solos is not an equitable comparison. But I wish to note a GDP in the USA of 59.5k vs 1.7k$ in the Solos.

Quick comparisons rarely work…

But my discussion is not about income or GDP. It’s about a sense of want, a financial fear, an inarticulate need. A pervading sense of “poverty”.

Lets check the definition of poverty…

http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/

quick stats…

Figure 1 – Percentage distribution of ages at which girls have undergone FGM (as reported by their mothers)

Figure 2 – Percentage of girls and women aged 15 to 49 years who have undergone FGM, by country

Source : UNICEF, 2013

OK, as the world burns over a journalist murdered in an embassy, and as idiots and fools spread hard-core terror by mail, and as the pulpits and dais’ of the world apologise for generational abuse of a systemic kind…

I hear no one discussing the topic of Female Genitalia Mutilation…

What am I missing… are we condoning FGM?

How can we can cry over 50 year old sins and still allow severe, avoidable abuse to take place in our back yards?

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/fgm-among-us-united-states/

I have been traveling. Bouncing around the planet. I am now back in the land of Oz. Have been here a number of days, but only now, these past two nights, have I been back on the farm.

Golly, its nice here. I sleep better, smile more, relax heaps, and enjoy the Wa of life much, much more.

What is “Wa”?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wa_(Japanese_culture)                                                 Wa (和) is a Japanese cultural concept usually translated into English as “harmony”. It implies a peaceful unity and conformity within a social group, in which members prefer the continuation of a harmonious community over their personal interests.

Of course, being in LA/ Pasadena is rough on my country-boy sensibilities. The noise, the lights, the buzz of the city. I didn’t sleep well. Didn’t wake happy and refreshed.

Here, on the farm, its in bed and asleep by 10 – at the latest. Last night I went down by 930. I sleep with the house open. It gets cool at night. Last night an-almost-full-moon illuminated the windows. As I drifted off to sleep I recall hearing a cow bellow. It made me smile.

I woke at 530. The birds were making too much noise. Its light well before 5 here in summer so the bird life is up and chirping very, very early. Mid-summer the sun is up by 430. Its kinda nice.

I think of the Roman empire… on many Roman Empire “Fronts” it was necessary to build walls to keep the barbarians at bay.  Germany, The British Isles, both had mega-mile walls constructed. Of course the MongoliavChina wall was GREAT.

Why were wall built?

Of course, the only reason I can think of to build a wall is either to keep something in, or keep something out. Is there any other reason to build a wall? I ask openly. I can’t come up with another reason why I’d build a wall.

I build walls to develop and contour the land. Retaining walls are common. Is a fence a wall?

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/fencefence                                                A fence is a usually wooden or metal structure that encloses a yard, pasture, or other area. … The difference between a fence and a wall is that you can almost always see through a fence, at least to some degree, while a wall is solid.

Ok, so a fence can be seen through. By my definition something “solid” is substantial, more substantial than something you can see through. So a wall is moe secure than a fence.

Why did the romans build wall?       https://www.ancient.eu/article/942/roman-walls/

Walls more than not a built for defensive purposes.

There is a moving mass of humanity heading toward the southern border of the USofA.

Makes me wonder if this is, again, history repeating itself….

Smiles

It’s an early eventide here in Pasadena. It started raining late yesterday and precipitation has been consistent for 24 hours. In the SoCal/ LA area rain of any kind is grand, and 24 hours of precipitation is Cmas, NewYears and Easter all at once.

The concrete jungle is hapi. The grey dinge and sooty coating that lies on the city has been rinsed off. The air – the LA air- is clean.

The act of moving – no longer residing in a place of habitual residence – “moving”. The act of moving is in all ways cathartic. Nostolgia heightens as one cleans the corners, empties the closets and cupboards. Discarding the detritus of life, as one moves on, is all ways poignant.

For no known reason I find myself stumbling across too many literary memories… its hard to explain… All of the sudden I am thinking of a bit of writing from Herman Melville. Or Hermann Hesse.

“For Madmen Only” was a recent thought. Who recalls that line?

I recently reread Hesse’s Siddhartha. Time well spent. I am currently reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I tend to travel back in literary time these days. Modern authors and wordsmiths hold not my attention.

I wonder if the generation to come will find the works of Jack London riveting. I love the fact that the complete, and I mean complete works of Jack London are available right here…  http://london.sonoma.edu/writings/

Aint that cool? And the works of so many of the classical-greats are available, free of charge. Way, way cool in my books… https://www.gutenberg.org/ 

Just search for an author… Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling… The Man Who would be King… https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8147

The world will be a poorer place when these works are no longer read.

And the beat goes on…

I have just been having a fun discussion with my ol buddy, DB. I am sure he wont mind my sharing…

You make me smile,

My buddy, Big-Gee, is riding his BMW R1200RT north from LA heading for Seattle.

Gee has kept his bike here in Pasadena for a few years. He bought it on the east-coast and rode it west. He’s on his 4th trip riding the USofA.  He’s done the south-west/ Grand Canyon/ Rockies ride. He did the Cali-rides last May. I joined him for a few day on HWY 1 north and south. Now he’ll do the west-coast north to south. and then back down again.

As a well read and thoughtful guy, he is up-to-date on American politics and has decided he’d wear a MAGA hat as he travels.

Aint he cute?

His plan is to record the reactions he gets from folks as he travels. Sort of a sociological study.

Now, Gee is a big dude. An ex-South African pro-rugby player. Over 6′ and big is body and in smile.

If anyone can pull this off it’s Gee.

He has told me about a couple surreptitious thumbs-up he received, and a numerous stink-eye attacks. He recounted one event where a young waitress verbally accosted him.

I take my hat off to him.

And look froward to his stories.

More later

Where are we?

That’s what I thought when waking this morn.

It didn’t take me long to answer my own question… “Pasadena” is the answer.

Traveled some 20+ hours from Aus to LA on “Wednesday”. Due to the time-travel involved I departed Brisbane at 11am Wednesday and Landed in LA at 7am Wednesday.

Two Wednesdays.

Better than two Mondays!

I spent yesterday doing what my family calls “fix’n”.

When you be fix’n you are preparing/ getting ready. Not like fixing dinner or fixing the leaking tap. Nope. Its more like fix’n to fix dinner or the leaking tap. It is preparing to be prepared for something.

So yesterday I started preparing to move out of the Pasadena-pad. In the course of fix’n I went to the bank. Had a burger at BJ’s. Had a chat with the gal who runs the building. Took two naps, a short one at about 11am and another after the burger. I started emptying closets and bathrooms and kitchen. It was a good day’s worth of fix’n. I was up and fix’n until about midnight.

So, when I woke at 9am I had a flash of “we’da’fuck’amI”.

Today I posted my “for sale” notices in the elevators. Went to the bank. Had a coffee at Urth. bought some stuff at Target then came home and started cleaning and sorting. The apartment is a confusion of organization… 

I will try to sell everything within a few days.

I tried my darndest to give the stuff away. To donate it to a worthy organisation. Didnt work. The do-gooder orgs are a bit difficult to get in tough with and they simply are not geared up for someone who says “hey, I got an apartment of furniture. Do you want it?”.

This is what I put in the elevators in the building…

Moving overseas … Must sell some good furniture this weekend

Available immediately: All items less than 3 years old…

Nice, large, leather sofa – great to sleep on

asking price $250.00

Very comfortable recliner/ rocker – fabric covering

asking price 150.00

Wood table with four high-back wood chairs

asking price $200.00

Four bar stools with high backs and leather seats

asking price 100.00

Two glass top wooden side tables

asking price $50.00

Wood frame queen sized bed with box spring and mattress

asking price 150.00

Two “Bali type” outdoor box seats

asking price $50.00

Round cane seat

asking price $50.00

Small TV with digital aerial and DVD player

asking price $50.00

Very comfortable inflatable “guest bed”

asking price $50.00

All items available as of this weekend

If interested, please send me a message:

626 298 0689

Sold the inflatable bed. Hoping for more interest soon. Got 6 more days. Plenty of time.

And the beat goes on…

Smiles

It’s a sparkling Wednesday morn here in the Land-Down-Under. Weather systems by the score have been running through the area. Thunder, lighting, wind, and buckets of rain.

One place near by got 55mm/2inches of rain in less than 30 minutes yesterday. We got over an inch/30mm. It has been hard-driving rain. Ground thumping rain. Wind-driven, pounding rain where all small chinks in the armour are tested. Leave a window down a fraction and the water gets in. Let a door opened a crack and not only will it get slammed open by a giant windy jackboot, but the floors will get soaked in seconds.

It has been great.

And today is sparkling clear n clean.

I just drove from Pwoods to BNE International airport. Flying off to the US for a short week. Finally giving up the apartment in Pasadena. Our time spending Pasadena-time is at an end. Its been a  good run. A very good run. But as with all good things, the end has come.

I will fly into LAX and start emptying and divesting. I plan to give pretty much all that’s left away. I’ll have the place cleaned and inspected and hand the keys back. I’ll fly back to Aus in a week.

So a change of address and a change of perspective, noting well that Pasadena is the kinda place I like to spend time. Pasadena-time been a good run for us.

There was a time the US of A gave me the willies. I permanently left the US in January 1981. I was young and uneducated and a know-it-all-know-nothing. I left and have never really called the US “home” since. Tho a good place to visit, and a great place to be from, I have habitually struggled to “fit in” in the US.

Perhaps it has been my sense/ need for adventure?

I like Uncle Teddy Selman’s line… “I read too many national geographics as a kid”.

I too read too many of those mags and fantasized too much to “stay on the farm”. Rudyard Kipling, RL Stevenson, Joseph Conrad, and many others influenced my feet. They planted the seed that has kept my soles itching now for over 6 decades.

I am sitting in the departure lounge for Virgin Australia. It’s a copacetic environment with quiet elevator type musak playing like running water in the background. The smiling and agreeable gals that wait n clean and assist are smiling and agreeable. an 8month old baby boy, big blue eyes and tousled hair is scooting around near by. On his belly, like a camando-under-the-wire crawl. He moves at a rate of knots making happy baby noises as his mom tries to keep up. He makes me smile and laugh.

And life is good.

Where are we with the Bluez-for-today… The general melee of this Kavanagh appointment has been interesting and frustrating to watch. I just saw a meme where an intelligent, sensitive guy I really admire stated something to the effect of “Kavanagh is guilty and if he isn’t it doesn’t matter because he is terrible”.

Other folks I know and respect actually believe the double-standard-bull-shit that the left-of-centre groups are shouting. I do not get it.

I personally luv the idea that every woman with a #metoo claim, by necessity of her gender and her claim, must be believed in the first instance. Noting well and fully that #metoo certainly did not help any of the female folk who got too close to slippery Willie Clinton, nor did it stop Ms bats-in-the-belfry Hillary from attacking and in cases destroying those #metoo claimants.

Do any of you recall President Slippery Willie’s televised query “… that depends what “IF” means…”? He proved himself to being a lying sack of presidential excrement then. What makes him golden now?

And what about the “Pay for Play” scam the Clintons had going when Ms batsinthebelfry was secretary of state? Come on… didn’t anyone but me see and question what was going on when the world at large was paying megabucks for “speeches”. A quick search shows that Mr Slippery and Ms Bats are both giving a lot less speeches and that the price paid per speech has been drastically reduced.

I have lived in the Solomons for decades and know well the game of “greasing” officials.

Honestly, that’s what is called in the Solos… “Grease”.

It is required to lubricate the way forward. To buy compliance or favours or receive a desired outcome from a government office.

And both Mr and Ms Clinton are as greasy as a butcher’s prick.

Another one… And this one really confuses me… The left-of-centre thinkers are still of a mind that those who supported/ support DJTrump are lacking in intelligence, deficient in worldly views, ignorant of life’s logic.

Well Hell! We not only attack the man because we do not like, in fact, for some inexplicable reasonings, we hate the orange bastard and by default we hate all those brain-dead deplorables who voted against virtue and wisdom and for the orange-man. And… AND… it was the Electoral College that got DJT elected. Not the intelligentsia of the electorate.

Give me a break!

I am frequently reminded that the average bird on the perch knows very little history and even less civics.

History: Mr Honest Abe Lincoln was a) a republican, b) abolished slavery on a national level in the USA. It was the Democrat Party that supported slavery and all its pros and cons.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it for a minute… The common delirium is that the Republican party is that of greed and dishonesty and human bondage. That the Democrats represent that golden promise of self betterment and freedom.

My views on politics and politicians is well-known. I distrust all.

Another delirium is that the Electoral College needs to be scrapped. That it is not the right thing for our modern age. That the popular vote better represents the spirit of the democracy we live under.

FYI: The presidential elections of 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016 produced an Electoral College winner who did not receive the most votes in the general election.

More History: At the beginning of our Nation’s existence some very clued-up guys put their hand to drafting a Constitution that could possibly stand the test of time.

A big “thing” all those long years ago was that of tyranny and being dictated. The European experience of the day saw the old modes of government cracking, being tested, failing. With the idea that mankind needed governance but not dictators these smart cookies in the new, new land of USA set about drafting a dream.

The whole foundation of the new, new country was to oppose unfair controls as placed upon the citizenry by the hereditary leaders. To gain something unheard of previously… self-determination.

One of the smartest things these dudes did was to create the Electoral College.

Here is the best explanation I have seen in regards to this discussion… “The Electoral College was created for two reasons. The first purpose was to create a buffer between population and the selection of a President. … The founding fathers were afraid of direct election to the Presidency. They feared a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power.”

As I travel and study government processes I note that only 10 countries on our planet directly elect their leaders, President or Prime Minister…   http://www.saveourstates.com/2010/the-electoral-college-versus-the-world/

The article is well worth the read and I note: Comparing America’s presidential elections to the world, we find what we should expect to find: a process that is more democratic than most while incorporating checks and balances in the interest of political stability and individual rights.

I could waffle on about how the Electoral College has the exact same representation as the electorate has at Federal Levels. 2 senators for each states and 1 rep to Congress for every 800 people. It is aiming, as I see it, for a fair balance of voter representation at a national level. And I think it works.

Done, 10 to 10 my time. 11am departure, 14 hours of small chair yoga to come.

And I am ready and hapi and life is undeniably very good.

More later

It is a gentle, wet, chilled Sunday morn here in Morosa Valley. I woke to a light rain on the roof. Over the last few hours the rain has increased steadily. The land sings under the rain. The cattle bear the beating of the rain drops stoically. Heads down, they move slowly as they continue to graze.

I have not moved far this morn. Out of bed, make a cup of tea, wrap in a blanket, watch the daily bluez.

Of course, the main buzz is about this past few week’s of supreme court nominations and associated political intrigue and utter bullshit.

WTF? What are we coming to? We used to know which media sources were bullshit and which were dependable. Not any more. There is little NEWS these days. Its mainly contrivance and manipulation.

And it gets worse… We used to know that rumours and innuendo and unprovable claims were not something to be feared. We knew we had a system where burden of proof was that of the accuser.

Not any more.

Sadly, not any more.

In many ways the genie is out of the bottle. The box has been opened. The plague is upon us. No one is safe. Never a again. Sleep shall be shallow. Rest shall be infrequent. Get used to looking over your shoulder.

That girl you kissed and placed a clumsy hand on when you were 16 has your number. That friendly “streak” you did at the home-coming game in 1975 is now evidence you are a predatory pervert. That woman you terminated for theft in 1990 can now totally screw you.

No one is safe or secure or not suspect.

Do not ever rise too high, amass too much, or allow your name to go public. Not unless you have the money for a damn good lawyer.

It really pisses me off. All this expensive circus. All this distraction.

And it scares me too. I am a believer in the “prestidigitation” (it is a word look it up) nature of politics. The slight-of-hand that gets us looking at the wrong cup and missing the pea and losing the 25cent wager.

But, the stakes are much higher now.

When I see so much energy spent on distraction I wonder what is really going on behind the curtains.

So sad…

Enough on the BS of the day. I prefer to think about happy things…

Last day of the month. 9th month of the year gone. Is that happy? The fact that the year is rushing past and I am getting older with every tick of the tock? Maybe. Maybe, yes, very much. Life is grand and glorious.

Its about 3pm, Sunday afternoon. I am on the farm by myself.  Joe went to visit his mother. Gracie went back to Palmwoods yesterday. I have not been outdoors much today. Spent the morning wrapped up in a blanket. Went to town between rains for some supplies. back home and under my blanket now.

It is a relaxed and calm Sunday.

Though I talk a lot of the rigors of farming, it ain’t all that bad… The house is situated in a manner where you can check out the paddocks from the house. Basically 360 views of the property from the house. So I can oversee the stock without really getting my feet wet.

The four “dry cows” in the south paddock are OK. The nine “weaners” along the lane-way are fine. The eighteen new imports (9 cows each with calf) out front in the richest, greenest paddock are more than hapi. The main herd is out-back and out of sight. I am sure they are fine. I think they’ll be back under the trees, out of the rain.

And life is indeed grand n glorious.

I have a nice pot of stew cooking… Potatoes n beast n pumpkin n veggies. It’ll suit the chilly weather well. I’ll let it stew for a few hours and enjoy it much later. I like my stew to be almost soup, but thick n chunky. This one will be killer when ready. And will last for several days. I am an economy cook and eater. Good food that I’ll add more good food to each day until its nothing but a chunky gravy I’ll add curry to and have on toast.

Had a surprise visit the other day from Meredith Sheers and Digby Williamson.

Meridith and Digs were Aussie-Vols in the early 80s. Worked for SIDT and lived at Kuzi, Kolombangara. I worked as the “Community Education Officer” for the West those days.

Mer n Digs n I toured the west as only the young and wild can. Small canoe with a small engine. Going from one large village to another holding meetings/ discussions on matters such as population, gender equity, child education, sanitation, and more. Sleeping in community rest houses on pandanus mats. Eating whatever the village folks shared.

Those were the days, my friends…

Golly, It was great to see them after something like 34 years… Gracie allowed us to attack her stash of “Hard Navy Biscuits” to celebrate the event.

And the beat goes on… and life on the land is fan-fucking-tastic… 

Big smiles

More later

Where are we… Golly! I think its September, almost October. Damn! Where did all the fun go? Time flies when you’re having fun, and time has flown.

I started this last Sunday, five days ago…

A luvely, warm, spring afternoon.

Got a lot going on. Hans is showing up sometime today. Invited him to come for beer, beast n beans. Beans on the stove. Beast soaking in oil n salt n pepper. Beer? Yes, please, thanks.

This life as a retired olfart is rather demanding.

One of things I have written about in the recent past is the amount of walking we do here. We do several klicks/ miles of walking most days. We walk to check on the herd, open and close gates, fetch various n sundry from any one of the four storage sheds. When we fence we walk the same fence-line numerous times dragging out wire, tensioning, pounding staples in, etc. We’ve laid over 2ks, over a mile of fence since we moved in.

The walking has made me very happy and much healthier than I was before we started this farming-stuff.

Today Joe decided we’d go up the hill and see what we can see. We took the 4×4 buggy out the back way and drove it a-ways uphill before we had to abandon it. The hill was simply too steep. So we shut the buggy off and started climbing.

I would rate the grade at an average of at least 45 degrees and maybe as steep as 60 degrees in some places. It is grass covered rubbly ground. Small rocks, larger mini boulders make for difficult treading. Like walking on marbles.

So we trudge n slip up hill. I pant and blow and suck wind like a wheezy bellows. We take numerous breaks. Climb a bit, pant n enjoy the view, climb a bit more.

As I age I spend a lot of time in the past. I spend a lot of time recalling times past. Recollecting and remembering in a nostalgic manner. And I do recall a time when I could trot up hills like this without getting winded. Without panting and puffing and nursing my bum knee.

I remember a chilled spring morn in North East Iowa trekking cross country with Hal Rowe. Covering mega-miles through country side to reach the bluffs that make that region famous. Then climbing up and down the bluffs all day. Exploring and enjoying the world as a youthful, uninjured, unimpaired guy.

We were young and beautiful those days. Still immortal, still bullet-proof.

Not any more. I’m over 60, Joe is over 70. When Hal and I trekked across NE Iowa in 1978/79 we were still babes. My recollection of that day so many years ago has no reference to pain or anxiety or being out of breath.

I think of that day as I hang on a small tree and pant. I lean on my walking stick and feel the sweat drip down my neck. The sun is warm, the air is cool, I am sweating. The climb up thus far has been difficult going. We’re only about half way and I am thinking this was not a smart idea, no, this climbing up n up n up may have been less than a stellar decision.

But we can’t go down the way we came. Its too steep. It is steep enough to be treacherous and though my old knees do the uphill thing reasonably, well the downhill gig is foolish at best.

So we rest a bit, enjoy the view and move on. Climb a 100 paces or so and pause, catch my breath, move on.

A fair amount of evidence of deer hanging around here. You can see their trails, note their scat and find the occasional rub or dig. Same with the kangaroo. Though their traces are smaller.

We summit and find a higher hill to our west and hear the cows down below to our east. Prudence guides us over toward the farm.

We started this enterprise following the advice from the previous owner. She had said that there was a road along the boundary line. We’d started this trek aiming to find said ring-road. Now we obviously did not find the said road on the outset of this adventure but once we gained the summit and explored a bit we indeed found the road. It started up hill from the opposite side as we started out on. Which meant we had easy going down hill.

So we look around. Find the boundary fence. Note the “almost service road” beside it.

It has been a few years since anyone has been up here.

This area is not very useful for our farming purposes. There is little feed for the live stock. Mostly woodlands. Good habitat for for many a’ species. We’ll leave it be. Save it as a nature preserve.

Its main magnificence is the God-given view that allows one to see well out to sea. I check and note 1600ft altitude.

Since that day we have done a mountain of work here on the farm.

And life is very good.

I am enjoying the farming soooo much that I have not been watching the Bluewz/newz.

I recall a while back the New York Times published an anonymous letter tot the editor.

I thought that this was a low, even for the NYT.

Now a lady decides the Justice nominate Kavanagh jumped on her when they were high school kids.

OK, sure, abuse is abuse no matter how old, but, please, lets allow some common sense into the room.

I’m not going to make a case but the fact that a) an anonymous op-ed/ opinion is not newz or even worthy of print. And b) a 35 yr old childhood situation does not belong in the arsenal of politics.

All I can say is “Wake UP”.

And I just luv the idea that all white men are guilty of being white men who protect white men.

Their accusers appear to me to be made up of a large percentage of white women.

Can I just say “Fuck OFF”.

You don’t know me. Don’t judge me. It really pisses me off. Is the world’s general population that fucking stupid to fall into childish generalizations and stereotyping?

And the beat goez onnnnn…