Pictures as promised

ok it took me a while to get these posted..

The tomatoes are much larger now. The snow picture was taken day on march Ostara.

Health Care - YES We Can

Once again Mr. Obama proves he's not just talk. He promised reform and was able to deliver congress to a very narrow vote.

As was expected the republicans pissed and moaned.. at one point even trying to get the bill sent back for a revote... essentially a ploy to try and kill it.

Obama made a nice, if brief, speech afterward. I do believe that He and Nancy P. have earned their place in the history books.

What a great way to be able to celebrate Ostara (ok a day late but still)..

Hmm let see yesterday was cold and MO is hell. So I guess it's true, it was a cold day in hell when the health care bill passed ;)

Bloody Hell

I'm so sick of this health care bit. Especially republicans bitching about how its unfair how the voting is going, how dems are ignoring them, blah blah blah.. It seems they forget they rubber stamped nearly every thing W suggested..

If it's ok for them then why not for the dems? Oh yea, because its going to cost the upper crust (the top 1%) money.. Wouldn't want that would we??!!!..

I mean come on.. It's obvious that the republican agenda caters to big business and the rich. I don't understand how so many are fooled into thinking otherwise. I mean I understand a lot of folks are conservative with their money. Duh, but theres a difference in protecting your earnings and being fooled into thinking you are.. which is precisely how the republican party works.

I also find it ironic that people are bitching about how gas prices are so high, how high Obama is going to make taxes go, etc... Here's a clue folks. Obama is taking on the responsibilities that previous administrations (since the 60-70's) ignored. Basically we are going to be paying now for what would have cost far less then. For example, If we'd made provisions for health care, responsible emissions, etc at that time, we wouldn't be looking at the debt we are now to get it all fixed. But instead we chose cheap oil and to let big business rule.

Lets face it people have always wanted cheaper... but that cheaper usually bites you in the butt. Do it right the first time and you won't have to do it (or pay for it) again.

You can see this mentality with stores as well. Take a look at Walmart. They roll into town, are give tax abatements to setup shop in the community because it will "bring business and jobs to the community".. Ah but the rub is the jobs it brings are bottom barrel, no benefits jobs. Not to mention it drives local businesses out. So are jobs truly created? or simply juggled for something worse?

Then there is quality. Pay 3X the price Walmart wants and have it last a lifetime, or run to wally world and buy it for 1/3 but have to buy it 3 separate times. Sorry but my time is worth more than that.

This is to say nothing of how the workers who make these products are treated. Hmm wonder why quality is so low? Would you give a shit about quality of a product if you were making below poverty wages and had not benefits? I know I wouldn't.

This is but one of the things wrong with america today. Will we wakeup before it's too late? I hope so but I'm not optimistic.

Changes

Ok I know I haven't blogged much lately. With spring on its way we've been busy with our (hopefully) green thumb. I'll post some pictures of our tomato seedlings in the coming days. Got a lot.. We planted a 36 cell tray with 2 seeds in each hoping 1 each would germinate. Well Most all sprouted. I think we've got something like 50+ tomato plants of varying variety. So much so i had to divide them already. think I've go 20 more in tray two.

Started the peppers but no germination yet. Just hooked the light up over them though so maybe a week or so.

Anyway. Doing a bit of renovation to the site. I put the bumperstickers into a slideshow... Hope this makes the page a bit less time to load. I know it was making it graphics heavy.

Guess that's about it for now.

Vermont is calling

I've been digging through my flickr photos and ran across a couple that are really making me long for vermont

This was taken at the Berlin pond, just outside Montpelier in the fall of 2007.

This one was taken in southern vermont on Kelley Stand Road. This is a lovely 15+/-mile drive with a very lovely campground "Grout Pond" at the eastern end. It doesn't get much more beautiful or remote than this. The playground for nature spirits if anyplace is. One word of caution though, make sure you drive slow and have a vehicle with good ground clearance, this is where I ripped the oil pan off our vdub beetle. No cell service for miles either.. Luckily folks in that part of the country are much friendlier and will actually stop to see if things are ok..

But I digress. We'll be heading up to VT soon (I hope in May). For sure be heading there in August for Witch Camp!!

Spring on its way.

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest, keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Robert Frost

Winter Games and Dreams of Spring

I'm not a big sports fan. I hate football and very rarely watch any sports save maybe a couple inning a year of baseball. But I do enjoy the winter games. Unfortunately, we currently reside with the in-laws, who think football, survivor, and daytime soaps are the only worthwhile pastime..

I did get to see some of the couples ice skating, a little downhill, and some regular ice skating.. It's refreshing to see people who are so enthusiastic and driven. Most Americans do good to be enthusiastic about anything beyond the weekend or their next bottle of beer, or fast food feast. In fact, I'd venture to say, the only other thing most Americans get so pumped up about is religion, and most of the time thats the sunday christian type, not the real christian. But I digress.

Watching the winter olympics makes you think about (or in some cases long for) spring. So, While we are still stuck here in MO... I'll post some springtime pictures of VT. I guess most places look about the same in winter.. minus the Beautiful mountains.. but hey.. I'm posting so I'll post my likes. It only fair since it is my blog ;)