Birdfeeding

Today is cloudy and mild.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow.

I saw at least 4 squirrels running around the trees in the savanna and ritual meadow; there might have been 5 of them.

We went out to the Charleston Food Forest where I gathered roots and seeds.  :D

EDIT 11/17/24 -- I fed the birds.  I haven't seen many birds today.

I put out water for the birds and watered a few plants.

EDIT 11/17/24 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/17/24 -- I planted some of the crosnes in two pots.  The large pot I left on the old picnic table, and the smaller one I partially buried in the septic garden, to see how they survive the winter.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Spears

Here's a fun article about making a spear.  It is not a period Zulu spear but was inspired by that and several other things. 

By the way, scarcity of metal isn't the only reason to make a lightweight weapon.  In most cases, you need to be able to carry and wield the thing for a long time.  Three pounds may not feel like much when you first pick it up.  Go smack it against the pells until you feel like your arms are about to fall off.  How long did you last?  Five minutes?  Ten?  Unless you are a blacksmith like the guy who made this, and use to smashing a 5 or 10 pound hammer for hours, you're not going to get very far.  And if this happens in battle, your arms will definitely fall off because someone will cut them off.  So think about weight and balance in consideration of how long the weapon is to be wielded and how much arm muscle the intended user has.

Permaculture Around the World

I got to talking with a friend about permaculture in Great Britain and it kind of snowballed from there...


These are permaculture design principles. They can help figure out how to build a mini-ecosystem.

Here is a handbook for Midwest North America tree guilds. Some of these, like oak and ash, will grow in many parts of the world; and a fruit tree guild can be customized for anywhere.

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Today's Adventures

The weather was clement enough to revisit the Charleston Food Forest for gathering purposes. I packed a plastic grocery bag to carry things, various sizes of ziplock baggies, paper labels to drop in the baggies, a list of planned gathering targets, and a trowel. I should've brought a heavier bag to hold everything, because the plastic one blew around if the breeze picked up. But I managed.

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Murdering People with Heat

Joan Huffman is the reason why Texas prisoners still don’t have air conditioning.

In 2023, Texas experienced a terrible heat wave. This is just a sneak peek at what we must look forward to in the coming years under the climate crisis. An analysis by The Texas Tribune identified at least 41 prisoners who died from heart-related or undetermined causes in uncooled prisons during this time. Relatives and advocates assert that extreme heat contributed to these deaths, especially since many of the deceased were in their 20s or 30s.

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