Spring's a-coming!

Hi everyone –

It’s a beautiful day today in Boise. Amy and I are lazing about, reading, preparing the yard, I organized the cut offs in my micro shop (a long overdue task). For those of you outside of Boise, I’m sorry about your winter. Sounds rough. We have had a really mild one, and it looks like spring is here. I’ll probably see tulips this week or next. We’ll have our first spinach salad next weekend. I’ve been out hiking, as usual, when it’s dry. I will miss winter hiking in the desert though.

Winter Carnival

Amy and I went up to McCall a few weeks ago when the winter carnival was in its second week. We’d never been there for the event before – no reason to go. But we borrowed a condominium, and the weekend happened to coincide with the annual event – snow sculptures, a parade or two, who knows what. So we took a day off, wandered around town Friday, snapped a few photos of the sculptures, and promptly left the town center for the oncoming hordes of tourists. We had a dinner date on Saturday night and could not get onto the highway because of the crowds. I got a chance to go out on my skis, and was reminded how much fun it is. Below are a few of the better shots from the weekend. Imagine though, that every other image is accompanied by the whine of a snow machine and the odor of two stroke fumes. McCall is a year ‘round redneck paradise. The legislature is only seasonal.

The Crafts

I have been busy this winter on a couple of projects. The table below is an arts and crafts side table I completed a couple weeks ago. I really like it. Amy wants me to build another for the fall BUGS dinner/auction. I am currently waiting to see if I will be building a timber framed storage shed, or will start on the storm window prototype I’ve been scheming to build for a bit. We also need a new bed and a bigger sideboard. I’ve assembled most of the tools and ideas for the storm windows. I need to make one, find a glazer, and get the word out. I think I’ll be able to sell them to remodelers and homeowners here in the old part of town. They’ll be well made, attractive, and will increase efficiency without the need of replacing old windows.

The other craft I have begun is bread making. I have mastered the French style sourdough Levain. Here is a photo of one just out of the oven. I now pack them with seeds and grains. The absence of yeast has made a difference in Amy’s and my overall health too, I am convinced. I still get a lot of yeast from beer, though. That’s not likely to change. The next step, once we get some land, is to build a clay oven and wood fire it all year. I’m also making sourdough pizza crusts now.

The house is a little harder to explain. We are trimming the interior. The class I am in (National Certified Sustainable Building Advisor program) is teaching me a lot about efficiency, light, health, energy, materials… I have met a bunch of like minded people with a range of knowledge and expertise. I’m learning about permaculture, net-zero building strategies, HVAC efficiency, and passive solar design, to name a few. Combine this with the LEED project I am progressing through, and you can see that my skills are a-changing. Not only will it be the first LEED home built by students, but I am going to get the state’s first EPA Indoor Air certificate. My program partner just got a state grant to start a wind and solar power training program at the tech center. I’m going to get a thermal imaging camera that identifies energy loss in a building. Next year I’m going to try for LEED Silver, and install a solar hot water system.
There’s more, as there always is. I can never remember it all. My surgery is all done. I’m wearing glasses full time now. The busy time of year is starting. Spring is here and just over its shoulder can see summer. Faint, hiding perhaps, but there none the less.

Portland

For those of you in the family – here is our itinerary for Maine. We’re flying into Portland on Thursday the 17th of June and will stay downtown. We’ll let you know where when we know. Our cabin rental starts on Sunday the 20th. We fly back on Saturday the 26th at 5pm.

I’ll leave you all with a few pics of the pets. Scott

A new year

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year. Technically, according to our Roman dominated calendar, its still 2009. The year has started anew, however, no matter what any glossy photo-rich wall hanging says. Neither Pope Gregory or Julius Caesar, for that matter. Amy and I had a really nice solstice dinner last week with some new friends, tamales, chile verde, and my first attempt at mead. Good, but bound to mellow by the next twirl around the sun. As one of our guests noted – it’s time to make a new batch, let this one sit until next year; keep the cycle going.

I know it’s been an age since I last wrote anything here. Since we returned from England in July, in fact. I had my doubts at times whether or not that would have been my last posting. Here I am though –and here’s what’s up. I am currently convalescing from a visit to the vein doctor, who removed the major vein in my right leg. It’s really no fun given I am restricted in activity, mainly, alcohol, somewhat, and don’t listen too well to my doctor. I really overdid it yesterday. Amy and I are on break right now. I’ve been baking bread –exploring French sourdough methods – and enjoying the results. I am making a shedua (a dark Honduran hardwood) side table for the living room. It’s a bit of a challenge as I want to make the top round and apply an edge, it’s cold in the shop, and I can’t stand too long after “overdoing it”, as I am known to do. I’ll take a phot when completed. Amy has been enjoying the time off but is now grousing about having to plan and grade this week. She is thinking of growing her pony tail again. No hiking, but lots of reading, movies, and time to write this. We’re to see Young Victoria tonight. I saw Sherlock Holmes yesterday and really enjoyed it. I think there may be a place for all of these over-the-top special effects in situations like: placing you in London, circa 1900. They can set a broader stage by bringing the audience into a detail rich landscape. The relationship between Holmes and Dr. Watson is experimented with well and it was fun to see Holmes’ relationship to Mary developed.

The Nieces – and one Nephew.

How about a little photo interlude? I have collected a few photos of the relations and thought I’d share them out. Let’s start with a nice one of Tom, Leslie, and Amy.

We had a Hutchinson Thanksgiving this year as opposed to our long-standing Larson holiday. Jennifer, Jeff and the girls were not there, sadly, but we had a very nice weekend nonetheless.

Here are the rest – a really pretty pic of Anja, Meghan and Makenna Henry with Beck Mueller, and her Royal Highness the Princess Auroroa.

Anja

Meghan, Beck, Makenna

Addie

Finally – an update on Chives. We had to remove his eye about 2 months ago. He’s doing fine, just looks a little strange at times. Here he is snoozing, as usual.

One eyed Chives

The House

A little on the house. I am mid way right now, ready for all of the inspections. We are done with the framing and the mechanical systems are being installed over break. I have received a little press since my news release – two TV news stories, a couple of publications, a promise of a Statesman story in the spring. The school district made this video, posted it on their website and shared it around. I tried to upload it without luck. Here is a link to the one online - http://www.boiseschools.org/newsltr/news/student_built.wmv

The interior picture is a bit technical. I have framed the structure using a new method that reduces the amount of wood required and increases the amount of insulation potential. The windows are really efficient. The heating and cooling system will be high efficiency and installed so as to minimize energy loss. There will be a ventilation system that recovers heat (or cool) and delivers continuous fresh air. The plumbing system insulates and minimizes hot water line length, and will have low flow fixtures. All of these features, plus many more, are what makes this a green house, and will allow it to be LEED certified. It’s crunch time from now until June for me and the kids - I’m a little behind and there is a lot to do.

2 Images

I have come across a couple images lately, saved them, and would like to post them here. They strike me as interesting. The first – scanned from a post card, was taken here in the recent past. I think there is a defunct gas station there, if I have the skyline triangulated correctly. This would have been the Shoshone, part of the Snake tribes, but I don't know their dress well enough to say for sure.

The other is such a perfect image of what Costa Rica is to me that I copied it and thought I’d post it here. I feel an obligation to remind the empire that the place is not always the adventure traveler’s playground so often exploitatively depicted lately.

The Winter

I will try to take a few photos and post a line or two this winter. Amy and I will hopefully get to McCall and Ketchum again. I am taking a 9 month course on Sustainable Building Design that will end in June at which point I will be “certified”. Provided I pass the test. I am going to make prototype wooden storm windows, for our house, that will serve as demonstration models for anyone who wants to order a set. I need to find a glazer. Where would you begin if you needed to find a glazer? I am also tied into prototyping a solar air food dryer, which will involve fabricating a plastic injection mold I imagine. I’ll keep you posted.

Scott