For more efficient hauling of produce and bags of leaves around the farm, I designed a hauling crib that will go on the back of Miss Daisy.  Today I bought a metal lifting frame which will attach to the 3 point hitch.  I also bought the lumber to make the crib which will be 8ft wide, 3ft deep and 4ft tall when finished.

Used the materials I bought yesterday and built the lifting frame for the tractor.  One of those projects that turned out just like I had drawn it up.   Some sunny day, I'll take some photos to include in my Web site.

Lateral Energy Micro Hydro Generation
Imagine wading out in the nearest river to your location.  With you is a 4ft by 4ft square of plywood.  When you wade in far enough that the water is at least 4ft deep, crouch down with the 4x4 sheet of plywood perpendicular to the flow of the river.  Chances are that the flow energy will knock you off your feet.  The energy you experience is the lateral flow energy of the river.  Consider how many 4x4ft squares it would take to cover your river from bank to bank.  Consider the energy potential that could be gathered.  Consider also that similar energy could be collected another 100ft upstream, downstream, and in every river in the world.  Consider that this energy potential is available 24hrs a day - 365 days per year - and that this vast reservoir of clean energy is not being extracted.

I have designed a hydro electrical generation system using this lateral flow energy from rivers.  In contrast to traditional hydro stations that completely block river flow to build reservoirs, my Micro Hydro is placed in only a portion of the flow stream.  Although the energy extraction per generator is far less that traditional hydros (hence the "micro" designation), these micro hydros have virtually no environmental impact, can be placed repeatedly in almost any river, and consequently in aggregate can harvest large quantities of clean energy 24x7x365.  I have assembled sketches and photos on a special Web page: 
http://www.bluebirdmeadows.com/Linear-Energy-Hydro.htm

Made several Mini Iron Stands for quilt shows that are scheduled for us.

Picked the remaining sunflowers for drying the seed heads.

Put up the signs that invite the public to drop off their leaf bags at our farm.

On our Roadside Farm Stand, I set up saw horses and planks to display more pumpkins and winter squash.

Volcano Lancing With Bunker Buster Bombs
In recent years science has made great strides in better understanding volcanoes - watching their changing shape, listening to the sounds they make, measuring their seismic activity and the outflowing gasses.  It seems that the current emphasis is trying to predict when a particular volcano is going to erupt.  I think we should go a step further and control the eruption using bunker buster bombs.  When a volcano becomes inflated and/or seems likely for an eruption, I think scientists and area disaster planners should decide if there is a preferred direction for the volcano to erupt.   In populated areas, the direction of eruption could make a significant difference in the human impact.  Once the preferred direction is selected, call in the air force to drop bunker buster bombs (or an equivalent) on the side where the eruption is desired.   Much like lancing a boil, the pressure could be released before it built too high and lava flows and/or pyroclastic materials could be released in a direction where they would do the least harm.  I think it would be wise to refine this volcano lancing procedure with volcanoes in remote areas - but I think rather than just waiting for nature to select an arbitrary direction for a volcano eruption near a populated area, we should take an active role in both reducing the pressure buildup and controlling the direction of the volcanic releases.

A crack developed in the exhaust pipe for Miss Daisy.  Had to stop and make a weld repair.

Got the first delivery of leaf bags for the fall.

Preparations for the St. Joseph, MI Farmers Market.

Set up sawhorses and planks near our Roadside Farm Stand an put the remaining pumpkins and winter squash out for sale.

Women - Who Is Their Makeup For (not men)
Women and their makeup fascinate me - but I question if they understand their REAL motives.  My pondering is best illustrated at formal dress events - weddings, reunions, etc.  Women spent immense amount of time getting their eyes just right, along with their hair, toes, lips  . . . .  Who is it all for?  I think most women believe that they are doing all their makeup for the men's benefit.  Guess what?  Guys don't notice and could care less what shade of eye shadow a woman has on.   In general, I think guys notice hair, lips (they might want to get a kiss so they have to check out the lips), and what is being worn (but not in any detail - just the overall effect) - and that's about all.  So WHO is all the detailed makeup and preparations for?  Other women.  Women perform Olympic-type judgements on each other.  Just like figure skating where there are technical grades and artistic impression grades, makeup assessment categories are if the the thing was put on correctly (technical elements) and the overall effect of the makeup on the person (artistic impression).  Women can do good in one category but fail in the other too:   "I like how she did her toenails, but it doesn't look good with her dress."  In wondering how and when women get trained to evaluate each other's makeup/dress, I have this urge to follow the money behind it all.  I concluded that the makeup (and clothing) industry probably tries to train teenage girls in evaluating each other.  I think the sooner the makeup industry can get girls to be critical of each other, the more sales of their products can be expected.  So there you have it ~ women fuss about their makeup because they have been trained as teens to purchase products that they think OTHER WOMEN will appreciate.

Representatives Voting Along Party Lines
I get a little angry any time I sense something "fishy" going on.  I get especially miffed when I hear that our elected senators and/or representatives "Voted along party lines" for one thing or another.  How strange.  Aren't our elected officials supposed to be voting in a way they believe represents those who placed them in office?  In a given population of elected officials, each voting according to those they represent, wouldn't you expect some variation on the voting?  Since there's no variation, some party boss told them how they should vote.  Just once, I'd like to hear an elected official be honest when asked about their voting on an issue and reply "I voted that way because that's what my party boss told me to do."  That's America for you - politicians getting elected due to the funding of their political parties (and special interest groups) - which makes them obligated to vote in a way as directed by their party bosses so they will get funding for their re-election.  So much for being a representative of those who elected them.  Do you smell fish?

Bottom Weighted Ladder Trading
I have invested in the stock market for most of my adult life.  At times it seems that the more you research a company or the business climate, the more likely it is you will lose money in a trade.  There's also a HUGE credibility void in the stock market - who can you trust?  Of all the people and organizations you would expect to give you honest market information, how many issued "Strong Sell" advice on Enron and other similar stocks that tanked?  Almost nobody had anything negative to say ~ so many hidden agendas that you can't trust anything you hear.  I have reached the conclusion that you make money when you buy-low and sell-high ~ and the market will either go up or down the next trading day, for reasons which may not be apparent right now.   With that as my thesis, I have found that Ladder Trading the NASDAQ QQQQ's has been the most reliable way to invest.  In a nutshell, Ladder Trading suggest you buy shares of stock at regular intervals as prices fall and sell those shares at regular intervals as the market rises.  I selected the QQQQ's as they represent 100 or so companies - so any "funny business" going on with a particular stock is tempered by the others.  Also, the QQQQ's are quite volatile - and in ladder trading, large percentage market moves are a good thing.  Lastly, the bottom weighted part of my strategy suggests I invest more per increment when the market is low (and risks of loss are lower when compared to market highs).  Ladder Trading isn't perfect, but it offers a comfort level when you feel the market overall is going through one of its squirrelly phases.

Revise Baseball
In watching the World Series of baseball, I decided the game would be better if a couple of changes were made.  I'd like to see the pitcher pitch from second base.  That would give the batter more time to get a look at the ball.  Also, the strike zone should be expanded from the shins to the shoulders - a batter should be able to hit anything in that area.  With the pitcher at second base, the second baseman would probably move in near the current pitching mound to take away the bunt, which would otherwise be an easy safe play for the batter.  I think moving the pitcher farther away and significantly expanding the strike zone would encourage more whacking by the batter and therefore more action to the game.

After the onions were pulled, I finished plowing the Blueberry Hill Field and also plowed the Basketball Field.

We got the first frost of the season as predicted (we usually get the first frost about Oct. 7).

Started clipping dead tomato plants from the support wires and pulling out the plants.