Well, here goes.
Chickens - doing well. Get eggs most every day. And have built up a small number of free eggs clientele - between family, my work and Janie's work. I usually get a small reminder - amy eggs available? We have lost a couple of the Rhode Island Reds as well as a couple of the local chickens. Not sure why but there are no signs of disease. They get quite a varied diets from kitchen scraps, grass, vegetables and the usual staples of corn and layer pellets.
Weather - hurricane season starts in 3 days and I will be undetaking some of the annual preparations that we undergo every year. Communications, generator testing, checking and updating the canned food supply, checking on water in the cistern, hurricane shutters, etc. They are call for an above average number of storms this year so best to be prepared.
Photography - I continue to play with this hobby. I believe that it is the third oldest hobby I have - sitting behind bicycling at about 40 years, astronomy at around 37 and photography at 36. My lens collection is about complete (just the 10-22 wide angle and possibly a 100-400mm telephoto left on my wish list)and I have to say that I am averaging about 100 photos a week. A lot of them get discarded but I do get some keepers.
Travels - I went to Honduras for a long Cayman weekend two weeks ago. It is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere and the sights were an eyeopener. Scenes like young children sleeping on the sidewalks, people scavenging or begging for food, living under a tarp held up by branches, collecting drinking water from a river that runs through town were among the more daily sights.
Horse, bicycle or donkey drawn carts are the norm and most people use public transportation. Some people were collecting discarded water bottles from along the side of the road to sell for some money. Children collecting firewood to cook the meals or walking to get water to drink shows how difficult their lives are. It really made me appreciate how much I, my family and friends have been
blessed. Poverty was much more disturbing in the city. In the country, most people have food to eat but still seek the few limperas that can get for items they cannot produce by selling firewood or a few fruits and vegetables along the roads. I intend to bring the wife and kids there so that they can also see life from the other side. Came back with around 700 photographs.
Other items - I have been busy around the house. Built a few items for the kitchen - cabinet and island as well as planting fruit trees. SO far, I have added 10 mangoes (2 died) and 3 avocado (all OK), 2 limes (1 is struggling), 2 oranges, 2 sweetsop, and will be adding 5 naseberries (sapodilla) as well as an achee.
We curently get a new bunch of bananas about every 6 weeks. Nothing like the flavor of a tree ripened banana.
Still cycling, tinkering and keeping out of trouble. I haven't done any more cooking but with mangoes becoming more available, I am sure some treat will be soon tested!
Other items - I have been busy around the house. Built a few items for the kitchen - cabinet and island as well as planting fruit trees. SO far, I have added 10 mangoes (2 died) and 3 avocado (all OK), 2 limes (1 is struggling), 2 oranges, 2 sweetsop, and will be adding 5 naseberries (sapodilla) as well as an achee.
We curently get a new bunch of bananas about every 6 weeks. Nothing like the flavor of a tree ripened banana.
Still cycling, tinkering and keeping out of trouble. I haven't done any more cooking but with mangoes becoming more available, I am sure some treat will be soon tested!
