7WB5- Take 3

Where are you and where are you going?
5to9
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:32 pm

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 5to9 »

Our boys love mulberry season. It is like the whole town becomes a berry patch that no one else wants to pick.

7Wannabe5
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Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

@5to9: Yup. I have one very large tree and several smaller ones bordering my properties, so more than I care to eat fresh or can effectively harvest, process and preserve while in season. I am going to attempt to make a very simple solar dryer out of a small screen door and some greenhouse plastic I happen to have lying around. One of the best takeaways I got from reading "The Resilient Gardener" by Carol Deppe was that the know-how for harvesting, processing and preserving food is becoming even rarer in our culture than the know-how for growing food.

Well, my Fails keep rolling in at an ever increasing rate and my Fixes are happening much slower. The Cowboy picked me up and took me away to his realm for pretty much the entire weekend, and then I took my DD2 and her BF out for a belated birthday treat I owed her Sunday evening, and then the Peacemaker took me out to dinner on Monday, and then I came down with a rotten cold, etc. etc. etc., so partial, but not entire list of additional Fails, would include:

FAIL #9- Celebration expense
FAIL #10- Lost last pair of reading glasses
FAIL #11- Too sick to forage
FAIL#12- Caffeine addiction.
FAIL#13- Inadequate air ventilation/flow to render me comfortable with outside temperatures over approximately 90.
FAIL#14-Refrigeration needed for leftover excess cooked food.

Obvious FIXes for 9 and 11 would be doing a better job of planning ahead for such eventualities. I don't see any way that I can be self-sufficient in the realm of reading glasses or prevent myself from either losing or breaking them. So, I'm going to have to permanently budget around $2/year cash to that category. I might make a weak excuse for maintaining some sort of budget for coffee based on the theory that at some time in the distant future I will attempt a project to breed a cold hardy source of caffeine or develop a barter-level social relationship with somebody who grows or roasts coffee. I also thought that I might try collecting free used coffee grounds from local cafes, and then drying them out, grinding them even finer and percolating the last of the caffeine out of them before dumping them into my compost. One time when I was camping far away from any store, and I realized I had only coffee beans, I used pliers and a hammer to smash enough for my morning brew, so I will go to some trouble to maintain this habit.

Under the terms of Rule 3, accepting freely offered resources from my polyamours is allowed, but I am clearly going to have to put some sort of limitations on this form of barter because it makes the challenge too easy. IOW, the answer to the question "Can I easily barter my resources/skills along the range of Midwestern-farm-wife/knowledgeable-concubine/attractive-enough-escort-to-realm-of-valet-parking/post-divorce-conversation-and-cuddle-therapist on my local market in exchange for virtually all the support a person at my level of frugality requires?" would be a clear "Yes." OTOH, unless I wish to exist in a state of celibate social isolation, I have to engage in some level and form of barter in this realm because male dominants become confused, apathetic and/or wary if a female gives it away for free, and it is difficult for me to prevent them from spending money towards their own expedience, comfort etc. while they happen to be in my company. For instance, I can't force somebody to bike downtown with me in order to avoid parking hassle rather than calling and paying for shared Uber service. Shall have to ponder further.

Larger problem would be deciding whether I am primarily going to concern myself with financial frugality or resource conservation? Since, I have decided that I am not going to go entirely without electricity (FAIL #1) , I have been researching and shopping wind, solar and battery banks. Although, due to demolition of houses across the street from me, there is a brisk wind from the west blowing across my property, wind turbine power would still be, by far, the most expensive to purchase or build and the most hassle to maintain. The easiest and cheapest solution for kilowatt hr, if I am more concerned with cash flow than resource conservation would be to purchase a large rechargeable power bank and plug it in at any public source within walking distance. Since it is likely that I am going to go trolling for Wifi in this manner anyways, would not be an additional hassle. However, I think the challenge of meeting as many of my energy needs on site is more interesting, so I probably want to get some solar panels too. Unfortunately, I fear that the risk they might be stolen is pretty high until I get gutsy enough to spend the night at the camper. So, I'm thinking that I will fork out the cash for 60 Watt foldable-portable which will run me around $150. Separate solar vent fan should be pretty cheap. The wiring to the fridge in the camper was chewed on by mice, and it is a highly inefficient 1970s model, so I think that I will just use it as an ice box. I figure I can either carry around little freezer gel packs with me when I visit people who run freezers and/or I can sometimes go to the dollar store and buy something to eat that is frozen. Also, I can try to keep most of my stored food dry or fermented and not cook/wet more than I can eat within safe window, so with better planning I will mostly make do without need for refrigeration.

George the original one
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Location: Wettest corner of Orygun

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by George the original one »

How about some sort of retractable shade canopy for the camper? Not a side awning, but a cover for the whole trailer, with an air gap, to prevent the relentless sun from heating up the interior.

Hmm, a large solar panel array spaced a some distance above the trailer might help and thereby perform dual function.

tommytebco
Posts: 257
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:48 pm

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by tommytebco »

here's a guy living in the Texas desert with a cabin like George TOO is suggesting. He's also off grid. lots of ideas there
http://thefieldlab.blogspot.com/

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9369
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

George the original one said: How about some sort of retractable shade canopy for the camper? Not a side awning, but a cover for the whole trailer, with an air gap, to prevent the relentless sun from heating up the interior.

Hmm, a large solar panel array spaced a some distance above the trailer might help and thereby perform dual function.
I was thinking about parking my camper inside my geo-dome this winter for the opposite reason, but I think the shoulders of the camper might not fit. The bendable solar panels are more expensive but I could intersperse some of those with the shade cover for my dome, and that would be pretty cool (both senses of word.) The Permaculture Manager has a plan for rebuilding my dome in more of a hoop house shape, secured at a higher level on some sunken posts he salvaged for me, so it's just in pieces in buckets right now,, until the hugel-kulture is completed.

But you got me thinking that a simpler solution would be to expedite my plan to have the camper towed to the back of my lot where it would be half-shaded under some scrub trees and grape vine for most of the day. I could probably get the grape to arch right over it with a simple structure. In its current location it is fully shaded by neighboring house in the morning, but cooking in the sun in the afternoon. The interior walls and ceilings weren't overly warm to the touch, so I think it is mostly a problem of circulation, even though there are windows on 3 sides and a roof vent.

@tommytebco: Nice link!

I completely neglected to mention that my number one problem on site right now is lack of water. It has been extremely dry for June in Michigan, and since I have many newly transplanted trees and a large annual bed, I need to water them. Precipitation in Michigan is usually moderate and fairly steady, so this time of year everything would be typically be pretty lush and green, but all the lawns that were shorn short are browning up like it is August. My left longer "lawn" full of chicory, clover and dandelion is still quite green, so it is absorbing all the little misty rains we've been having and nothing is running off into my tiny relatively low spot swale system. So, I have to haul water in a 16 gallon tub in my garden cart OR have the Cowboy haul 64 gallons for me in his motorized vehicle under terms of social barter OR break down and purchase giant food grade container and have the fire department fill it for me OR make month-to-month contract with Greek guy next door to use his hose. I did spend $5 yesterday to purchase some containers that are the right size to catch run-off from the roof of my camper, and the results during tiny shower were quite proportionally successful. In adherence to the maxims of "If you have lemons make lemonade" and "Make hay while the sun shines" , I decided to make use of the continuing drought conditions to construct and test a solar food drying system. Pretty much just an old screen door, propped up on a sawhorse and a tire, covered with a sheet of greenhouse grade plastic. I put some thick rods of the weird wild Michigan-hardy bamboo I have growing in one corner over the screen at intervals to keep the mulberries from rolling.

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Okay, making some kind of progress in tinker, ratchet, apply duct tape to house o' cards mode. I ordered 23000 mAh portable power pack, 60W foldable portable solar panels, 340 lumens USB LED camplight, and small USB fan for a total of $280.63 less my 5% cashback credit. I will not consider this expenditure a FAIL since 4% of $280 would be $11.20/yr = approximately 93 kilowatt hours, and I hope to double that with my combined solar-mooching system.

The Cowboy gifted me with a keyed deadbolt and installed it for me. He also pickaxed out some more urbancore from my hugelkulture bed for me, fed and housed me for most of the weekend, and sent me home with a bag of chocolate, a bag of plums, and a bunch of single serve hotel coffee pods. His avid gardener housemate gave me some very nice potted blackberry and blueberry plants. My sister gave me some smoked fish that didn't agree with her. The Peacemaker gave me a 2000mAh power pack, some spare tubes for my bike and is feeding me at some very nice restaurant downtown tonight. So, I'm pretty much the most disgraceful boutique-style survivalist since some Victorian British guy went to Africa and brought along a servant to set up the table under the awning for tea.

OTOH, the hodge-podge solar food dehydrator I constructed all by myself works perfectly! The mulberries I put on it came out very tasty, mostly crispy, just a bit chewy. My sister insisted that I harvest 6 qts of mulberries for the freezer before I dry anymore, so I will test it on my black currants, which are almost ripe next. I also did some interesting reconnaissance work. I determined that my closest "natural" source of water for irrigation purposes is a storm drain trench a few blocks from my garden. However, it has been so dry, the trench is full of cattails. I looked down into a vertical pipe and saw that the water was at least 6 ft below ground level, so I would have to lower a pail on a rope if I wanted to get any. My nearest source of public drinking water ought to be the park which is just a couple blocks away from my garden, but some copper bandit broke the drinking fountain by trying to wrench out the metal. My water catchment system is also working perfectly, but there hasn't been anything but one tiny little misty rainfall to catch.

I was a bit mystified about why my newly planted fruit trees all seem to be doing much better than my nut trees, but it finally dawned on me that the damn squirrels are actually digging at the roots of the hazels. Well, two of my heartnuts seem to be thriving, and my cold hardy fig looks fantastic, and I located at least 10 other mulberry trees on public land, so I am not yet feeling compelled to hire any of the local youth to impact the rodent population with small projectiles.

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9369
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Okay, I am back after period of decline into decadence and chaos which my sister described as looking like a 51 year old woman living the lifestyle of a popular high school girl. All I seemed to be doing was watching music videos,lounging about in stretchy clothing drinking coffee until I was amped enough to do my workout, and then getting dressed to be picked up to be taken out to dinner by some man or another.

My phase of overt practice of poly-amory has also come to a sudden conclusion. I pretty much put an end to things with the Peacemaker after dinner last night, and the Cowboy over lunch today. I left opening with each gentleman to feel free to contact me in the future if they get their acts together in a variety of ways. Therefore, I shall for a time be practicing at celibacy, even though I have very, very strong misgivings concerning the poor health effects and likelihood of adherence.

The good news is that prior to dinner and break-up yesterday, the Peacemaker hitched my camper to his SUV and hauled it across my lot to its new location. The Permaculture Manager also came over and we FINALLY finished the giant hugel-kulture bed. So, I am ready to make my next attempt at urban survival living starting tomorrow.

BRUTE
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by BRUTE »

brute is continually confused by the strategy 7Wannabe5 employs with regard to social capital.

7Wannabe5
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Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

@BRUTE:

strategy : a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.

My major or overall aim is completion of my permaculture project and achievement of financial independence by harvest time 2022. Since, even though I frequently whine like a baby, I also think that Zone 0 (boundary being the skin I am literally in) is very important, I have decided to add specific goal of achieving fitness level exhibited by Iskra Lawrence, rationally age-adjusted, to my major aims.

My understanding of the notion of social capital is informed by Bourdieu and Taleb. A number of years ago, I was wondering how somebody, such as myself, with very little financial capital or expenditures could be leading such a lush life. Then I skimmed some of Bourdieu's work and realized that I was largely skating by on a combination of social, cultural and sexual capital. So, I have been rather fascinated with this model or perspective for a while now. Then I more recently noted that Taleb classified friendship as fragile, kinship as robust, and attraction as anti-fragile elements or vectors of relationship within the social field.

I am in possession of two levels of strong kinship ties. I have close, loving relationships with my 3 younger sisters, and my two adult children. I feel no need for more family. I belong to this "salon" and two others. I am involved in 3 community groups and 2 recreational activity groups. I was recently engaged in some level of sexual/romantic relationship with 3 men. I like to spend a good deal of time engaged in reading or other solitary activities. Something had to give. Since, for a number of reasons, the practice of polyamory with my recent partners was not even fulfilling my preferred overall sexual activity standards, I chose to stop investing time and energy in those relationships that were least satisfactory. I am maintaining my relationship with the Permaculture Manager because he is giving me direct assistance with one of my primary aims, and the ratio of his demands for such functions as "empathetic listening" to his provision of functions such as "seriously strong sexual performance" has historically been very low. I very much enjoy being taken out for restaurant meals or to the theater, and receiving gifts or compliments, but not enough to have to exhibit life energy draining "good woman" behaviors absent some strong action to re-charge my Energizer bunny batteries. The Peacemaker is a very mature, evolved person, so he was completely understanding that he was asking too much of me, and we agreed to attempt to re-establish our relationship as platonic friends at some point in the future. The Cowboy is not quite so mature, so he squawked a bit, but then finally copped to the fact that he wasn't exactly making "flying me to the moon" his top priority and wished me fair "Adieu." I am not exactly thrilled with that fact that I am back to the drawing board on the task of getting my minimum sexual standards met within the context of amiable relationship, but my decision-making was not entirely irrational or impulsive.

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I don't know. Maybe I did kind of throw out the baby with the bathwater. One of my perpetual problems is that I have a very long fuse, but when it finally blows, I am done. I just suddenly reached end game on tolerating comments such as "It is my plan to speak with my wife about resuming sexual relationship with you after we return from our trip to Ireland." or somebody else laying on the horn and making uncivil gesture because a pedestrian is in the crosswalk. I just strive to be too damn open-minded, and then I find myself in Islamic marriage contract, or mistress to a married man, or dating somebody likely to vote for Trump. Also, there is a level on which I am a very grouchy old woman who didn't really expect to have any sexual capital left to spend at the age of 51, so I'm just burning it up like the last $5 on a Starbucks card found in the pocket of an old pair of jeans about to be pitched into a street side donation bin.

Note to Self: In the future, it might prove best practice to confine your incessant need to engage in Socratic dialogue to the region of Zone 0 located above shoulder level.

George the original one
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by George the original one »

It is said that nature abhors a vacuum, so I fully expect the gap you are experiencing to be filled soon ;-)

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

@George the original one: Thanks for the optimistic take on my situation. However, I already ate a pint of ice cream for my supper, and I am currently wearing a burka of grouchiness. guilt, self-pity and chagrin. I sat at my camper today in quiet solitude and read my library book, and nobody messaged, e-mailed, called or dropped by. Apparently, I have been quite successful in my brief campaign to render myself no longer popular.

OTOH, it is really very pleasant being at my garden now that the camper has been moved to a spot under some trees at the back of the lot. It feels like I am both less exposed and better able to view my surroundings. I might be brave enough to spend the night there tomorrow. I am going to make a plan for how I will get through the day meeting my basic needs, and I am going to give myself $5/day budget for consumables and $500 reserve for other core elements or tools I might decide that I need. I already plan on getting a large food grade liquid transport cube for back-up water supply, and that will cost me about $70, and I need to rent an auger to sink the posts for my new and improved greenhouse dome and the low fencing along the front which will be made out of pallets. The plan is finally coming together. A young seminary student who is volunteering with a group which is making a directory of local gardens came by to interview me and photograph my project, and I wasn't totally embarrassed about the state of things. My hugel-bed is pretty darn cool. It is covered with a layer of straw, so it looks like some kind of giant sleeping animal. I ate 3 dirty Brandywine tomatoes and a couple halal chicken legs from the corner market for my first meal of the day, so hopefully the ice cream won't kill me.

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I am sinking into Nihilistic depression. Hopefully, the venture into masochistic deprivation entailed by attempting to live in my camper will break me out of this funk and grant me fresh eyes.

tommytebco
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Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:48 pm

Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by tommytebco »

I love my visits here, and especially 7WB3 thoughtfully worded posts. Thanks for those.

The term "nihilistic depression" caused me to research the term. It felt familiar, but I couldn't place "nihilism". A quick check say it is a belief system, wherein "everything is meaningless".

But, my search also brought a comment about the cure, called "Dudeism".( http://dudeism.com/whatisdudeism/ ) This appears to mean "just be a dude" as in "cool, man." "it's all good." type of philosophy. AND the roots are based in Taoism, which is shrouded in old Chinese phraseology.

This tickled me and so, I share it with you. The cure is to "Dude out".

I(E)reland
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by I(E)reland »

Well it's either to dude out or go out with a dude....

BRUTE
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by BRUTE »

7Wannabe5 wrote:I am sinking into Nihilistic depression.
good. only after 7Wannabe5 loses everything is she free to do anything.

enigmaT120
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by enigmaT120 »

The Dude abides.

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

tommytebco said: This tickled me and so, I share it with you. The cure is to "Dude out".
Thanks :) That was helpful. I'm not sure if my recuperative practice is entirely in alignment with "Dude-ism", but after 2 donuts, 8 cups of coffee, and 30 loops of this, I am feeling a bit better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9rmRxBA0I
Last edited by 7Wannabe5 on Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

7Wannabe5
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

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Hugel-bed
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Eggplant
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Personal Grid and Cooling System
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Raised Annual Beds with Swale

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Water Cache with Paw Prints
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Cherry, Apple, Black Currant, Alpine Strawberries, Black Raspberry, American Plum, Gooseberry, Heartnut, Potatoes, Hyacinth Beans

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jennypenny
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Re: 7WB5- Take 3

Post by jennypenny »

I love the camper! (the garden too, but that camper ... *swoon*)

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