We're off to Germany!

Oder, wir gehen zu Deutschland!!
I'm so excited I can hardly sleep. This Thursday Annette and I are heading back to Germany. It's been a couple years for her, 40 years for me. She'll be returning to her Dad's 75th Birthday and giving a talk in Heidelberg and I'll be visiting the apartments and the city of Heidelberg, where, oddly enough, I used to live when my Father was stationed there on his second t.o.d. in that country.

I'm curious as to what hidden memories will be stirred as I explore the streets. I have several, like when I took off on my tricycle to do a road trip and got as far as the autobahn before I was spotted by my brother. When that old white Ford station wagon caught up to me, boy did I get a spanking! I was 4 years old at the time and we'd just gotten back from a road trip across the Alps and down to Spain, if memory serves. I just didn't want the trip to be over!

A wonderful drumming experience Sunday before my cave trip into Hurricane!

From Deep in the Sierras

I just got back from a caving trip of Hurricane Crawl, inside Sequoia National Park. I've been wanting to do this trip from more than a decade. Fewer than 100 people have entered this cave, so I felt very blessed to get access with the Park's Cave Specialist, Joel Despain.




It was a grueling trek with narrow passages some over 80 feet high with cascading flowstone of white and orange, grittering in the dark. Deep inside we found large rooms, some with pools, now seasonally dry like this one. The oscillations of top of the water level and the super concentration of dissolved calcite creates interesting textures and formations.

These beautiful formations are decorating part of ceiling of Pumpkin Palace. The photos hardly do them justice.

this answers some of my reasons for my love of the outdoors

ALL ABOARD!!

Ruby's taken an interest in trains as her Dad and her Grandpa Richie are a bit nutts about them. So this weekend I took her to first real train ride at the Roaring River Camp's narrow gauge #1 engine Dixiana runs about every 2 hours. She was a little scared at first, but sitting near the back and on my lap she quickly was more interested and having fun than worried. "Choo-choo!" was her words for the weekend mosty, with each arm moving like a train's pumping pistons. It's really endearing. Here we are at the top of Bear Mountain in Felton, the turn-around point of the trip. Sorry to Grandpa Richie as I know he tried to do this earlier with her, but she was too scared then. I hope we have the chance to do it all together soon!

Hey All!

Harold makes an appearance for those of you who check this site.

By the ways, who is reading this lately? I know between not being able to add fresh material recently and having a silly Facebook account, folks aren't stopping by so much. How's about a comment so I can get an idea of effectiveness of this blog? Thank you so much!!

Wil

Having Technical Difficulties...

Please Stand By....


No it didn't snow here, and no, we're not on vacation anywhere there is snow.

I haven't updated my blog in over a month because of problems with my computer's memory being over-full and I've got no time to really fix it so as to upload new photos. Plus I'm serious about spending less money to buy new gear, so things have to be sorted out the old fashioned way - with a hammer! NO! That would be quicker, but not so sustainable. So come back for more soon....

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

This has been a week of firsts for this boy.

Sunday, at a pool party with one other family and in a moment of stupidity - I was butterfly swimming across a pool that I wasn't familiar with, I did one rep too many and impacted the shallow step which did extend out into the pool by an uncharactisticly 3 feet. Great for the little ones, not so for formally aspiring swimmers!

KRAK! I hit my forehead and nose flat against the step. I came up thinking, "Okay, you idiot, compose yourself, shake off the stars, and get back to entertaining the kiddos." I was cupping my face, but I couldn't see the stars do to the blinding pain that just wouldn't subside. After a moment I could hear my friends asking me if I was okay. Jokingly I said that I might have broke my nose. Then I felt it!! (in disbelief) It was smashed to one side! NO WAY! Then there was a ton of blood and everything was shifted to getting the kids out of the pool and me to the hospital. What a spoiler!

So that was Sunday. Its now Thursday and I've been lying low, taking the week off, healing. Annette's been extrodinarily helpful getting me to both Urgent Care for the initial stitches - 7, and then to the specialist on Monday to get the nose reset. Poke! Snap! Ouch! All in about 20 minutes. It was broken in 3 places. The swelling's been going down and there's a little color around my eyes, though much less than I really expected. Some of Annette's herbs I attribute to this.

Feeling a little more pluck, I decided to test my ability to exert myself by a bike ride to and from Santa Cruz (about 12 miles roundtrip by road and an elevation difference of about 700 feet. On Tuesday I'd done a 2 mile walk and had felt some exhaustion and head weariness. But cabin fever was setting big time I had some errands to run in Santa Cruz. Plus there was Annette's new (via a yard sale) mountain bike. It was exactly like the mtb I have, only this one's a size smaller (and thus lighter!) and 3 years older. It was a great score at the yard sale. And should worse, come to worse, there's the public bus that runs from SC to Felton, so I was covered if I'd done too much.


Learned a lot of new things about the local geography, history, and demographics - returning via the train tracks was gradual with an incredible view!! And the bike was well up to the challenge, as I was. I did walk up a few steep parts and took a couple breaks but now I'm feeling more like getting back to solarizing the South Bay! (really?) I have been enjoying writing some over the last couple days.

Hope you're all doing well....

Going to the World Music Festival

I took Ruby to the World Music Festival at Grass Valley (sadly Annette couldn't get to come). Good Friends and music all around but a special shout-out to Karen Folger and Jon Bowls for hangin' with me and the Rubster (esp Karen for watching RJ while I had to do those early morning bathroom runs - single moms, how do you manage! Too busy for photos at the actual event, but seeing all that talent (Los Lobos, the Indigo Girls, Om Ensemble, Fishtank Ensemble and too many others) and Ruby dancing on the lawn with others - super great.

I received numerous comments from folks on how great it was to see a single dad taking his daughter to such an event. One guy claimed he was a therapist and after seeing me felt a renewal in his faith in men as fathers. He'd seen too too too many fatherless children in his line of work. Renewed my energy in the moment as keeping track of a two year old while tending to camp needs can be a challenge!

Cat Zen

Thought I'd wish you my own form of happiness and reflection for the 4th. "Zen Out" while you can!

Outdoor Ed

I'm really fortunate as I live very close to Henry Cowell State Park. A short walk links where I live to some wonderful outdoor places allowing me to bring Ruby in touch with fun and nature. She likes both being carried and having time to explore. I've got the irrational fear of some mountain lion running off with her even when she's about 15 feet away - with this underbrush, it is good to keep tabs on her - she can be pretty fast when she's a mind too.

Some Solar Projects are Cool

A living roof garden next to a small array was an interesting and challenging project as it required a lot of work with the home owner and his daughter who designed the project.

A little concern with the sprinklers placing mineral deposits on the system - but that's something they'll work out.


















This very large array we did not install, but were so impressed by the size and ingenuity behind getting this thing on a curved roof that we had to stop and inquire. You're only seeing about a third of the system. The owners were VERY happy with it and the inverters you see on the wall are there for expanding the system. It's unlikely that they'll ever be used here as the system has exceeded the expectations of the businesses using the electricity.

















My good friend and fellow solar wrench turner JB!!

These types of things makes me feel good about what I'm doing for a career. I wish everyone felt moments of gratitude such as this!

Sense of Place

Well it's been a month since Annette and I have moved into our new 3 bedroom home on the San Lorenzo River. Plenty of room for guests and good times to come. Leaving the old, small (illegal), converted, two-car garage had it's bitter-sweet moments, such as pictured here with the growth of RJ documented next to the bathroom door jam. Strange as it may seem, I wanted to strip off that part of the drywall and attach it to some new place here on Lazy Woods Road. But reality set in with so much to do here - and it's looking positive for a house warming party happening here soon. And Ruby's already looking for a new place here to have us track her growth.

We had her last weekend while her Mama was out of town and of course, she was sick, flu and fever. Lots of quiet time and we had the "stay in bed because it's good for you" talk, which she co-operated with quite well - we'll see about that when she's a teen.

Easter time and moving

Well I'm hoping that you've had a great transition into Spring, aka Easter. The family unit of Ruby, her Mom and I, plus several friends gathered at the Sloans for a brunch time bbq and potluck. Really nice day. Ruby and her friends had fun hunting for eggs. She had to be taught the concept of egg hunting, but was quickly getting the idea. Too young for cheap chocolates or processed sugar, the goodies inside were none-the-less yummy or fun.



And now for something completely different:

This boy's done packed up his home near the ocean and moved it up into the Santa Cruz mountains. Just between the towns of Felton and Ben Lomond is Lazywood Drive and I'm now overlooking the San Lorenzo River. I'm happy to be back where the conifers dominate, yet in a riperian zone of lush hardwoods and shrubs. The cats are having a time of acclimation and just made a break for the outdoors. This is on day 3 of living here, so hopefully my critter Mancha will come back for chow!

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Hello Everyone! We've been very busy here. Work, for me, is always demanding, about 12 hours a day is committed to getting me to, at and from work. Not too fun and I'm looking to improve that situation. But it's only 4 days a week. Fridays are for Ruby and I to explore our world.

Last Friday we and a friend Annette went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We didn't realize that it was the premier of their new display of Seahorses, Pipefish and Seadragons. Ehw's and Ah's all around! Annette, having spent part of her career as an underwater archiologist was particularily thrilled.



















And though Ruby had some interest in the creatures inside the tanks, she had more fun with a pigeon which was after our brunch break snacks.










































Of course the big aquarium was an interest as was the deep sea exhibit






































Now that was Friday's fun. But Saturday ended up with some big news:
We've got some place new to live. Our little studio is just too small and
the stairs up to the loft sleeping area was too steep for my sanity when
the Rubester was wanting to climb or go downstairs. Moving will be
happening the second week in May, so if you're not doing anything, we
could use your help!! Have a great weekend!

A Long Weekend With Ruby

It's difficult to say how things are going at any given moment. If you'd asked me Saturday, "Challenging" would have been a polite response as the day consisted of trying to visit the Bonny Doon Ecological Preserve, only to discover that it was completely closed due to a massive fire.

In route to Plan B, Henry Cowell State Park, we had a rear tire get shreaded (literally punched open) and thus had to limp to the Sears Automall to get two new tires - oh those Rice-burning Subs can only have sets of tires replaced, not just one! And then, when we're out of the mall, its raining.

Through it all, Ruby is a champ. Sure she wasn't too thrilled to be put back in her car seat shortly after our arrival near the park, but she didn't mind the mall's food court and children's play area. Kinda like a dog-park for many of my older siblings out there. Sit back and watch what kids will do with each other in a relatively safe environment. Of course, with me there, there's one kid who's just too big to jump on things, so I get to spot some of Ms. Ruby's more ambitious climbings.

Now if you were to ask me today, well, despite the hang-over of yesterday - Ruby's angelic resemblances seemed to have disappeared after sundown - today was great. The weather was very chaotic - very sunny, with darkly scattered clouds, which the wind freely, and very strongly, blew about (with some rain!), and Ruby and I had a blast with friends and neighbors and each other.

Ruby's Mama and Nana arrived from their trip late Sunday to smiles, hugs and kisses. A happy ending. Now I get ready for my work week....

Ruby explores Henry Cowell State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Okay, they do have SOME big trees here...

The Ravages of Time

The Weather's really been taking quite the presence on the stage that is Santa Cruz this last couple weeks. With wave surge, the sand makes grand changes to our beaches here. These old piers made their appearance last weekend. Now what do you suppose they used to do?

The storm also dropped three large branches from the neighbor's towering Monterey pines into the back yard, encouraging the homeowner to hire a crew to clean up the remaining branches over the property and the additional sunlight is very nice to have here.

A few months ago, I installed a solar tube (aka fancy skylight) into my kitchen area. Wonderful illumination and a more pleasant place to be in then the place it was which was an over-shaded kitchen cubby.

Today I just finished a nice long mountain bike trip into the Santa Cruz mountains. 26 miles and lots of elevation moved through. The bike's been a great machine, but I can tell it could sorely use a tuneup. I may be pooped, but it feels great!

Got money will power...

Revisiting the world's largest residential solar array, now complete. 150 KW, 720 modules all on a copper standing seem roof, which covers a riding arena. Ah to have mega bucks... All this and MUCH MUCH MORE for a family of 4...

'tis we call 'green washing'...

disgusting.

If you're potty-training a toddler...

... you gotta show her how it's done right!

Yep, she's taking after her old man, though she's still
a little stinker - her diapers don't allow her the liberty to drop her drawers when she needs 'em to, but one thing at a time!

Frosty Morning to you!!

These days I've been carpooling over to San Jose area (aka the South Bay) to work on the world's largest residential pv solar installation. 150 Kilowatts! That's huge, Huge! All on a copper, standing seam roof - about a million dollars to keep the ground below dry - and the 3,000 landscaping lights powered. This place is obscene in its ambitious opulence, but the carbon offset from this install won't change much overall, but every bit helps. We arrive to a very frosty job site, but it soon gets bearable. This picture shows the array about half done, not counting all the wiring - saving that for Monday... Everywhere the modules sit - their all frosty white - is on copper, with each one foot section from rain gutter to peak costing about $700 dollars. Must be nice to have money, A LOT of money...

Good Morning!!

Ruby says hello from the beach. We're having our weekend time a little more concentrated as Daddy's schedule has become a bit more complicated. Changes are affecting so many of us these days. I hope all changes in your lives come to a positive place, even if they look challenging at first!!

You Get What You Need...

I have many stories from my three week visit to Guinea. Some harrowing, others boring to endure in both the experience and in, perhaps, the telling.

These photos are from the village Oroko (or Woroko or Ourouko) I visited. My drum teacher Wadaba and his family call this place home. I am glad to finally see this place. It is an extreme place and the lifestyle here demands everything and in doing so, the interconnections between family and community become paramount.

To get there we had to cross the Niger River, which is very wide, yet very shallow.


Forgive some of the focus problems on this video: low lighting and smoke gave me a challenge, but I hope the fun and mystery of the village Fet, or celebration, is conveyed. The hosts were so generous, they even performed a mask dance, which is unheard of according to many who've ventured to haut Guinea in these modern times.