Bunsai!

Bunsai is the art of making beautiful, small, zen-like—dinner rolls.

But why make only buns when you can make bread...

Sue has been busy bunzaiing on a chilly, mostly cloudy November afternoon,.

Pax and I tried to go for an afternoon bike/run, but Pax found the condtions too freaky for enjoyment—a home football game here at the home of UWW, with an overly enthusaiatic annoucer on the P.A. and fireworks after every home touchdown. (Since Whitewater is in an atheltic division with schools about one tenth its size, touchdowns happen with great regularity.) Although Pax and I headed directly away from the all athletic excitement, the noise found us just the same, and we had to slink home.

Tonight, for dinner, homemade rolls and grilled steak-beef-barley-vegetable soup. This is nothing at all like fresh lobster, of course, but it still has a wholistic, zen-like quality.

Bring in the Rosemary

A chilly November day with a mix of sun and cloud, actually what you might expect at this point in the calendar. Taking advantage, we did one last leaf cleanup in anticipation of snow—the forecast for the coming week suggesting a return of the polar vortex (which is different from polartec goretex, btw).

The rosemay bush, which is now three or four years old and looking scraggly, has been sitting outside these past many weeks, under the eve and next to a stone wall so as not to be frost bitten; but it will have to come in now. And the hose and hose-reel will have to be drained and stowed in the under-garage bsement. Winter is coming. The big question: will it be like the last one? Will we be vortexted?

As I was working on the leaf situation Pax was patrolling the property. Then neighbor Vi had company arrive, and Pax, a natural-born greeter, went to greet them. (He knows the diffference between people who are nice and welcome and people who are not.) Anyway, when he finsihed schmoozing the bunch of old ladies I called him home. And that resulted in one of his flying leaps up the 3-foot concrete wall between Vi and us. Pax miscalculated and landed badly.

Another leg blown, I thought. But a couple of hours and a nice raw egg later, he was back to his old self and we took a fast, though chilly, bike ride/run to the prairie.

'''''''''''''''''''''""""

Sometime you can only know that you have seen something after someone else tells you what you saw.

      — Mathew Stewart

Drab and Colorless

Drab and colorless flood plain on the Crawfish River

Cold and gray, with a raw north wind. But, on the bright side, Sue and I went for a late lunch at Paddy's Irish pub in Fort Atkinson (Guinness and a prime rib sandwich split between us) and then for a browse at the great D. Foster Public Library. Pax had no real interest in the library, and unfortunately there were no sandwich leftovers, but he did enjoy a chilly ramble along the Crawfish.

Post Mortem

The mid-terms elections were a disaster for the environment, with the oiligarchs and oligarchs having successfully purchased many winning candidates. Now, at least for the next two years, there will be attempts to disable the EPA and to build the Keystone pipeline. There will be no chance of any kind of climate treaty, and no investment in sustainable energy. It is interesting to me that these people are willing to sacrifice their home planet for the sake of money. Sure, they can live in gated communities but they still have to live on earth. (Or do they have tickets on the next interstellar flight in search of Earth-like planets?)

On the positive side—every ballot initiative that I know of, asking voters to decide on significant issues like raising the minimum wage or making sure health care was available—passed overwhemingly.

Here, for example, is what happened in Illinois: 

"There were three ballot measures approved overall by voters throughout Illinois.  These statewide advisory questions are included on the general election ballot to gage public sentiment on a certain issue.  The result of this will provide the legislature backing if they move to pass laws concerning these issues.  The three ballot initiatives were raising the minimum wage to $10.00 an hour, requiring health insurance plans covering residents of Illinois to provide prescription coverage of birth control and requiring those who make more than one million dollars a year to pay an extra three percent in income tax, which will go to schools to fund education."

All of these were approved by voters. And across the country, every vote on raising the minimum wage carried by something close to a two-thirds majority. 

It goes without saying that measures like these would never be passed by elected officials beholden  to the Chamber of Commerce, the Club For Growth, or the Koch brothers. 

So what I am saying is: it is time to dispense with a system of government that has paid lackeys going to Washington to represent the 1%. It's time to go back to what they used to do in Athens—let the people decide directly. I vote for the plebiscite! 

A few low-level hangers-on

Election Day

These occupants must have cast absentee ballots, for they are long gone, off to softer climes. And tomorrow we responsible folk will pull down our lawn signs, although the giant Walker and Fitzgerald banners will probably stand until some blizzard flattens them. 

The great thing is, we have not watched live TV more than 15 minutes since we got back from Canada (which means that every minute we have watched cost us about $37.50)(but I'm working on rectifying that.)  So we have been spared all the vitriolic garbage. Truly, life is very different when you don't watch TV—vastly better. (Nota bene: Streaming Netflix is okay.)

I've long maintained that televison is an insidious poison capable of destroying almost any thing of value. Can we imagine political campaigns in which there was no TV? Voters would have to either listen to the candicates in person (or on the radio) or actually read about them. Of course reading requires a certain level of cognitive skill that may be mostly missing in the modern electorate.

Cynics of the world, unite!

Under the Old Apple Tree

Supposedly, the apple does not fall far from the tree. But on this old timer in Madison, they  don't seem to fall at all. (I should have tasted one of the few windfalls —this might be some precious heirloom.)

And, tomorrow is election day. I'm bracing myself for another demonstration of the incompetence of the American voter—all those who vote against their own self interest because of attack ads paid for by billionaires or because they think they are voting on hot button issues like gun ownership, abortion, or the pledge of allegiance. 

What matters, I think, are the environment, climate change, education, opportunity, employment, and fairness—and some hope of maintaining a democracy rather that an oligarchy or corporatacy. (I encourage everyone to read Fredrick Pohl's The Space Merchants.)

How do you build a strong, vital, robust country? It's simple: the best educational system money can buy, accessible to every single person no mater to whom or where they are born; top quality health care available to everyone; and affordable high speed internet. (Of course this implies a planet that can continue to support human occupation.)

Pax is well aware of all this, and what he says is: Burke, Burke, Burke! 

Early Evening

Slight disorientation caused by the time shift.

Exactly how light should it be when it's time to get up? When's nap-time? Geez, it's dim—shouldn't I be finishing the dog walk instead of just starting it?

And how can it be this dark at 5 p.m.?

Been reading about trows.  

According to Sir Walter Scott: 'Possession of supernatural wisdom is still imputed by the natives of Orkney and Zetland Islands, to the people called Drows, who may, in most other respects, be identified with the Caledonian fairies.'

I know this is not Shetland, but both Pax and I think there may be some of them, or their relatives, hanging around here. 

Very much enjoying Ann Cleeves series of books set in Shetland:  Raven Black, White Nights, Red Bones.  And, there is a BBC series based on these books that we are looking forward to—once all the books are read.

Coals to Newcastle

Yesterday' pile is today's lawn.

The great bulk of oak leaves has been shipped out, and any remainder is garden compost.

Our regular morning loop walk today was interrupted about mid way by shotgun fire—but way, way off to the north. In spite of the distance Pax seemed convinced the apocalypse was at hand, and the final stretch to home became a mix of low slinking and attempts to hide under bushes. (That's what Pax was doing, not me.) How can a killer be so gun shy?

Mostly sunny, cool, calm day here on the first of November, with the barometer very high. 

Homemade chicken soup tonight in honor of Sue's cold, which, while long avoided, has finally arrived.

Happy Halloween

Morning light brought evidence of the first snow of the season, along with a cold and mighty wind. Near record waves on Lake Michigan, some of them flooding Chicago's Outer Drive.

The early afternoon brought Becca, Will, Maddie, Ellie, and Katy, and Renee and Abby for some fun in the lower level playground—including a ghost walk illuminated only by eerily  glowing glow sticks. Then outside to jump in the leaf pile and for swinging underdogs, then back in just as Bri and Tony arrived. The kids had a dinner picnic right inside the glass front storm door, watching for early tricksters. And then, bundled up, we all went trick or treating ourselves, all the way around the big neighborhood block.

A dark and windy night. Leaves crunching underfoot. A couple of bonfires. And lots of friendly houses. Katy and Ellie are at what is perhaps the optimum age for trick-or-treating—running up to each house, knocking boldly or taking turns ringing the doorbell, and always saying thank you, even to singing witches.

Where's William?

Getting Ready

Two Elsa's, one Anna, Superman, and the Boulder are stopping by tomorrow afternoon to Halloween our neighborhood, and someone will have to hold the fort while they are out and about. Adequate supplies are essential.

A chilly gray day, feeling almost like November. 

Working on some ideas for the Great Lakes Commons

http://www.greatlakescommons.org/

and would encourage everyone to sign the Charter.