Comments for Wink's Blog

Comment on Cold, windy spring weather by Macatay

Macatay — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:41:16 +0000

So reminiscent of decisions made on overnight passage - do we head to port, or heave to or just figure this is rough patch? Always, in retrospect, it is clear that it is harder to decide in the sleep-deprived dark.

Impressed with your data collection, and understanding of the lay of your land and the way the cloud cover moves.

Hey - we miss you guys, and hope to be able to make a visit next fall!

Best from Mac and Catherine

Comment on Welcome rain by Moni

Moni — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:34:35 +0000

Your hard work paid off! We are still appreciating the generous donation of peaches that you made to the Kids’ Pasta Project a few weeks ago! We have been serving peach crisp, peaches and ice cream and simply juicy peaches for desserts ever since! We have also been canning, freezing and making peach butter. We will send along all of the peach recipes that we have been using and developing when we compile them. Really, the peaches are so good right now that it isn’t necessary to use anything more than nature’s recipe! Thank you!!!!

Comment on Soil Report from Acres USA Conference by Max

Max — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:38:51 +0000

I attended and was inspired by the level of energy of attendees and speakers. One cannot underestimate how good “firing up” feels after a long season of hard work.

Comment on Ecological Footprint by Max

Max — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:49:58 +0000

All I’m saying - it’s a vicious cycle that is very hard to break out of once it’s begun. How do you deaccession 4 tvs. A used tv is worthless. How do you rent a smaller more affordable place to live if you can’t save up for first and last month’s rent? How do you get rid of your SUV without still having to pay for it? In other words, people can be a lot more stuck than we imagine - even smart people. It will take more help than individuals who are stressed already, can summon up to help themselves.

Comment on Ecological Footprint by Wink

Wink — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:16:17 +0000

That’s the dilemma — how to change our expectations about what our lifestyles should entail? You and I both know that there are, among those who we think of as “working class” folks, many who are making payments on multiple TVs in the home; the center piece of the living room is a big screen monster. And they carelessly leave these energy hogs on when no one is watching. Then they maintain that they have to shop Wall Mart because local organic is too expensive. Or our neighbors who seem to feel obliged to put the passing lane to good use ascending the hill out of town in their behemoth diesel pickups, pedal to the metal, spewing clouds of unburnt hydrocarbons onto us poor suckers who keep to the right lane and our foot easy on the throttle. Then they complain about how much it costs to fill ‘er up .
You and I, we hang out the laundry when the mercury is barely over 32. We heat with wood that we gather ourselves. And we don’t even own a TV. We minimize our footprint in many other ways. To us, it’s part of the good life.
All I’m asking is that we all take stock or our levels of consumption through a non-judgmental forum, ask ourselves what the results mean in the scheme of things, and consider whether we might choose to begin making different choices.

Comment on Ecological Footprint by Max

Max — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:01:15 +0000

I must add that I feel I’ve “built up” to the choices I can make today by making many smaller choices along the way. Do working class families have the choice to take public transportation to get to work or not drive their kids to school events, lessons, libraries just for the vanity of lowering their carbon footprint? We can’t expect what looks like deprivation to the American psyche without offering solid socially acceptable options. I don’t see how we’ll change the basis of our economy from consumer driven to something we haven’t invented yet, short of a huge breakdown. And did you see in recent news that tax breaks for the rich do not stimulate the economy, the wealthy sock it away. They already have all they “need.” While poor people fuel consumer spending and services. Well, duh, there’s more of them than the wealthy every day! So is it that we Americans are consuming so much because we want to? Or because it’s in the interest of the few that so many have to?

Comment on My election year priorities by Max

Max — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:08:04 +0000

My dad also used to say “lucky a person that can pay taxes.” I will agree that the tax burden is not shared proportionately and the middle class pays a higher percentage of their income than the wealthy. We’ve basically turned over our governing to the wealthy, privileged and provincial DC crowd who can’t see beyond their own beltway.

Comment on New morning by Max

Max — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:00:07 +0000

Amen - use your wealth to enhance your “health,” or give it up more painfully to contribute to “healthcare.”

Comment on Pleasant excess, ‘07 winding down by Max

Max — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:46:31 +0000

At least there’s opportunity to burn off winter fat while breaking up tree carcass piles in the field. That keeps us and friends warm, life’s basic needs visibly come full circle.

Comment on Solstice Weather Report: by adswider

adswider — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:48:53 +0000

I liked this story, but I did not know you guys showered