This and that

 

Before

After

14 pounds of tomatoes and a zucchini the size of a baseball bat. I added canned tomato paste, five teaspoons of citric acid and dried "Italian herb" mix. It was pretty watery as I put it into the jars so I added a tablespoon of Augason brand dried vegetables to each pint.

Gardening fail

On Friday, I picked a half dozen eggplant fruit for a family we see at the gym. They didn't show up. I left it on the counter and now it is wilted and now it is not pretty enough to give away. Who knew eggplant fruit dehydrated so quickly?

Rain

We are looking at an all-day rain. So much for running outside.

One of the finest bit of wisdom I encountered came from a Beginners' Book on Running. The author stated "Our bodies lie to us all the time. They tell us how horrible it will feel to run. Run anyway. Start slow. Give it ten minutes. If your body is still screaming after ten minutes then stop running. If you feel better after ten minutes than it did during the first 45 seconds, then you can probably keep running." 

That wisdom applies to more than just running. Our minds hate uncertainty. Doing something new or different than what you are doing right now is a source of uncertainty.

Give yourself permission to push the mower for only ten minutes. Or tell yourself, "I will go out an pull weeds for ten minutes and then I will stop if it hurts. You don't have to work at top speed. Show up. Do what you can as your mind and your body adapt to the new environment.

After ten minutes, your brain and body might decide that switching tasks is undesirable and tell you "Maybe you should go into the house and grab a hat and bottle of water so we can do this a little bit longer."

Following my own advice, I put on a 40 pound ALICE pack and walked the stairs for 15 minutes. I stopped because it is time to shower before heading to church.

Maybe I will knock out another 45 minutes after we return. 

Thoughts on sprinting

Sprinting is a very specific gait. The heels never touch the ground. The center of mass for your trunk does not bob up-and-down but should move through space arrow-straight and not yaw.

Since your legs are attached to your trunk and since you are violently accelerating them 180 degrees out-of-phase, you must compensate by violently throwing your arms to counterbalance your legs to achieve that arrow-straight trajectory.

Good sprinters have massive shoulders

There may be times when I have to accelerate and move like a rocket. That means I will be sprinting. It is something that I can train for.

I asked AI "Who is Eaton Rapids Joe?"

Overview of Eaton Rapids Joe

Eaton Rapids Joe is a pseudonym for a writer known for his contributions to political fiction and short story anthologies. His works often explore themes of secession and dystopian narratives, reflecting a unique perspective on contemporary issues.

Writing and Themes

Key Attributes

• Genre: Political fiction, short stories
• Themes:
  • Secession
  • Dystopian futures
  • Social commentary

Notable Works

Eaton Rapids Joe shares his writings on his blog "Eaton Rapids Joe" where he engages with readers through various musings and book reviews. His stories are typically presented in bite-sized formats, making them accessible for readers who enjoy short narratives.

Community Engagement

Eaton Rapids Joe is part of a broader community of writers and readers who appreciate political and speculative fiction. His work contributes to discussions around important societal themes, making him a notable figure in this literary niche.

What are the main themes of Eaton Rapids Joe's political fiction

Eaton Rapids Joe's political fiction primarily explores themes of individual estrangement from society and the impact of larger political forces on personal lives. It often critiques contemporary political issues while reflecting on historical contexts and societal decline.

How does Eaton Rapids Joe's writing reflect contemporary political issues?

Eaton Rapids Joe's writing reflects contemporary political issues through plays that engage with ideological divides and identity politics in theater, as seen in works like Heroes of the Fourth Turning, which portrays conservative perspectives sympathetically. His work aligns with broader trends in political theater that challenge mainstream narratives and explore moral foundations within societal debates.

********

I have no quibbles with any of the above although I would substitute "empowerment" for "estrangement" and "...notable..." is not as impressive as it used to be, not with dozens of spiders sifting through every keystroke logged on the internet.

The consultation on an educational orchard

The reader who asked for a "consult" on the orchard that was going to be planted as part of a high school's science program communicated with me.

He and his wife are way ahead of the curve. There was very little I could tell them that they had not already considered. One factor that I thought was exceptionally cool is that the school is a combination middle-school and high-school. Kids in 7th grade can start experiments and will be around long enough to see the results.

The only thing that, perhaps, they hadn't given thought to was touching base with the maintenance people responsible for mowing and spraying herbicide near their orchard. I suggested that near the end of the school year to ask them what their favorite beverage is and to give them a case of it. If day-shift like Diet Mountain Dew and night-shift likes Dr Pepper...then buy a case (24 cans) of each and personally present it to them.

That changes the dynamics. It shows that you appreciate that the orchard complicates their jobs. It demonstrates that you know and honor the importance of what they do. You become real people to the under-appreciated people who could either be extremely protective of your efforts or resentful of it. 

The opposite of discipline is not freedom, it is dependence

The opposite of discipline is dependence  -Seth Capehart

The Siamese-twin of dependency is resentment.

Dr Capehart makes the point that medical science is very good at keeping the husk alive but cannot keep it healthy without your cooperation. It is entirely possible to be feeble and miserable for fifteen years before the Grim Reaper comes to harvest you.

I am not talking about people like my readers K and H who had strokes and are heroically battling. I am talking about the person who passively expects technology to fix all of their problems with no contribution from the patient. They swoon and demand that others catch them.

I had conversations with "grasshoppers" and heard them tell me "I am going to live-large until I can't and then I will commit suicide. I have my doubts. Why would she, in the eleventh hour of her life, do something so out-of-character?

Like the old thrill seekers are known to say "I would have taken better care of my body if I had known I was going to live this long."

World food status

Not all doom-and-gloom for 2026! Next year might be different. 

USDA forecast 

Stockpile carried over from previous year 

2026 production 

United States, incorporating data from the most recent NASS Crop Production report from results in a reduction of 1.77 million MT for total coarse grains production (from 2025). Note that the corn belt started getting rain in late-July after months of low precipitation.

For Russia, strengthening indicators of plant health—measured using normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVIs)—across a number of coarse grain producing-regions contribute to raised barley and corn yields and an overall larger production outlook. If realized, Russia’s 2026/27 corn harvest will be record large at 17.2 million MT. Favorable conditions for crop development were experienced across much of Russia’s winter grain belt, as well as the Urals and Volga regions of the spring crop production zones.

Partially offsetting production gains for Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa (Zambia is projected to harvest a record-large corn crop)!!!, coarse grain production for the European Union is cut significantly this month, on extreme hot and dry weather that has further eroded coarse grain yield prospects for a number of countries,
including France. 

On the basis of newly-released official data from Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (CONAB) and Instituto Mato-grossense de Economia Agropecuária (IMEA), 2025/26 corn production for Brazil is raised 2.0 million MT to 140.0 million. Larger 2025/26 production is attributable to a sizable boost for the second (safrinha) crop corn... 

Today 

I am picking tomatoes and canning them as soup-base. They are going into pint jars. ***Update: 18 pints of soup-base just finished up in the canner with another pint or so for us to enjoy tonight***

My stretch goal is to dig another row of potatoes and to till the patch of ground they were in.

Lifting notes

A screen-grab from the video. Probably my best side.

 

I wore long compression socks. No issues encountered. After my usual warm up I did one set at 205 pounds. Then two sets of 215. Then one set at 225. I attempted to take video but was not successful. 

Exercise notes

I went for a 2 mile run yesterday. I loaded up with technology. I strapped on my $13 wristwatch AND I carried a step counter.

The first half-mile was a struggle. My legs felt like bricks with no spring. i was chugging along. The time was 7 minutes and some-odd-seconds. The mile mark was 13 minutes and some-odd-seconds. The two mile mark was 25 minutes and 11 seconds.

The step-count was 1620ish steps-per-mile or 6.6 feet (2m) per stride.

The last mile of the adventure was the walk-back. I walked the first 1/4 mile to payback some of the oxygen debt. The I sprinted the distance between two utility poles, about 80 yards, and then walked the next 160 yards. I did that three times.

The first sprint was a replay of the first 1/4 mile of the run. It sucked. My left calf was complaining that it COULDN'T do it. It was a liar. 

Tomorrow is a lifting day. Note to self: Remember to wear long compression socks. 

Grocery delivery

The next item on the agenda was to work in the garden with Quicksilver and Mrs ERJ to pick up potatoes and put them in 7 gallon, fabric planting-bags. Then the three of us delivered them to "Brooke" and "Kristin".

By an incredible stroke of good fortune, "Brooke" and Quicksilver's cousins were at home. Not only that, but their pig had given birth to 11 piglets five days earlier. Quicksilver was a hero for delivering the potatoes. She and her three cousins played with the baby pigs for the next hour. 

It took some fancy dancing, but we were able to leave without buying any of the piglets. The main thing that saved us is that they were not Hampshire or Duroc crosses. Small-framed, heritage breeds are not my cup-of-tea. However, if anybody is interested in Kunekune pigs, I know a guy... 

The "Kristin" drop-off was a fly-by affair. I parked, trotted over and left the bag of potatoes on their front porch. Mrs ERJ texted after we left informing Kristin of the gift.

Apples and pears ripening early

The apples look like they are almost two weeks ahead of my expectations. Time waits for no man or woman. 

Cash flow

Unexpected truck repairs and the work done by the contractor both experienced mission-creep. I am dragging my feet sending off a purchase to Amazon, primarily to ensure that it lands on next-month's bill. The order I would have hit the "send" button on two weeks ago is still twiddling its thumbs, waiting.

I am seeing some advantages. I have more time to question "Do I really need that?" and "Do I need that many?". Another advantage is that there are some small items that benefit from the free-shipping option of a larger order. If I only made one purchase a month, then I can think about how I want to solve a problem and give the solution time to evolve.

A simple example: The Ruger SR22 and the Kel-Tec P-17 are very similar in size but not identical. A polymer holster designed for an SR22 might need slight modifications to securely hold a P-17. Those modifications can be made with a laminated mandrel inserted into the holster and the judicious application of heat from an electric heat-gun. Having a month to think it through results in the most elegant (i.e., easiest for a lazy person to make) mandrel. 

Burning brush and eclectia

Burning brush

Early

 

Moon in background behind trees

It is good to have some less aerobic chores for those times when you are not feeling quite 100% or just want some down-time.

Marketing channels

I informed Mrs ERJ that I had contacted my nephews and nieces and asked them if they wanted any potatoes. She asked me how many had responded. I told her "Two."

She asked if I had contacted my nephew's wives. I said "No."

Mrs ERJ does not have a dramatic bone in her body. She asked "Do you mind if I call them?" 

"I think that is a great idea" I replied. To my way of thinking, I would be disrespectful if I went over my nephew's heads and contacted their spouses. However, there is nothing wrong with two executives on the same level of the org-chart reaching out and making contact.

Fifteen minutes later...."Brooke and Kristin both want potatoes".

Well, that was easy! 

Empathy without discernment

My mind still boggles when women get shit-on by guys and then they take the same POS back after six months.

In more civilized times, loving family members of the woman could have a discussion with the creep, with pick-handles if warranted, and resolve the matter. Nothing too damaging the first time the discussion was had, just deep muscle bruises. 

Olive burger

Seth Caphart MD channel

Visualize Aesop (the blogger at Raconteur Report), send him to charm school, then to Medical School. Picture him with a very dry sense of humor and add 150 grams of humility.

Three sample videos

The last five exercises I would give up

How to survive a tough day after a bad night of sleep (and how to not repeat the cycle of bad-sleep

Rucking 

A Biblical passage on "prepping"

“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ 

While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’  But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”     -From Matthew 25 

While Jesus is speaking about salvation in the spiritual sense, he is using the reality of being prepared in the physical sense as springboard for this parable. He accepts as a given that people who are prepared for foreseeable events are "wise" and to not be prepared and to trust your fate to the generosity of those who are prepared as "foolish". 

Furthermore, he implies that those who prepared do not have a moral imperative to share with the foolish.

Digging potatoes and visiting a farm-stand and a playground

I dug 100 feet of row in 73 minutes. That is substantially faster than the foot-per-minute I had been averaging. The difference is that I used the electric hedge-trimmer to clear the tall weeds off of the plot before digging.

My rate-of-digging was limited by heat and lots of bending over to move potatoes to the side so the next shovel full of dirt would not cover them up.

My lower back aches this morning but it is the kind of ache that goes away after moving and stretching.

I think I am running a little bit less than a pound of potatoes per foot of row. That is an estimate. When all goes well, I expect to get three times that amount.

Mrs ERJ tells me that we will have more than enough potatoes for our personal use.

Denny's Farm Stand

Yesterday, Quicksilver and I took a field trip to Denny's Farm Stand in Saranac, Michigan. No pictures were taken.

We purchased three pies and some donuts. Denise, the woman behind the counter was charming and gracious.

I had eaten a slice of their mixed-berry pie at a family event and it was awesome.

After visiting the farm stand we went to a playground just south of the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds. The equipment was squeaky-clean and there was a towel draped across the chainlink fence to dry the dew off of the slides and swings! The "gravel" was ground up tires so it was springy.

Quicksilver gave the donuts and the playground two-thumbs-up. 

 

They grow up so fast

Quicksilver marched into our house when she was dropped off this morning. She bee-lined to the book-shelf next to Mrs ERJ's reading chair and grabbed her phone. Then she came over to my recliner and hopped up into my lap.

She immediately started calling friends and having conversations with them, almost totally ignoring me. The conversations were animated and complete with hand and wrist motions. I was only able to understand every fourth word but the other party didn't seem to have any problem understanding what she was saying.

I took a picture of her after she put it into speaker mode. 

Random fungi pictures

Maybe some kind of bolete?

I am an absolute coward when it comes to eating wild mushrooms.

Bottom of the cap. Much wider than the width of my hand.

 

The stem