How'd it go today?

[Marc-Antoine]

Trees usually shed only some occasional dead limbs. Here, the whole trees are falling, regardless of the size. Say from 4 " or less, to 24-30" diameter, for an average height around 60-70'. No worry in the middle of nowhere, beside being ugly, but it's a real concern when it's across the paths where people walk around to enjoy the forest, near the fence walls, the lines inside and outside (com and energy), a road, an old glass house, the small cemetery, the buildings (chapel), a set of bee hives...
I had to dismantle the king of the area, a 44" diameter oak, maybe 90' tall, rotten trunk in the middle and at the stump. Three years ago, he lost about 1/3 of his crown, a completely hollowed co dom. Though, the issue was running since a long time ago for this ancestor.

 

[lxskllr]

That's too bad. I hate seeing trees do poorly as a group. Trees die as part of a natural process, and it's sad when a particularly nice specimen dies off, but it's a part of life. When whole groups die from bugs and disease, it's especially shocking.

 

[Knotorious]

Today I'm going out and filming my two part canopy anchor series which will consist of a collection of 12 different options organized as either "basic" or "complex." It will be 42 for today's high, but I'm getting out there by 7am for the "golden hours," when the sun is at the most flattering angles for videography. They occur for roughly three hours, one hour after sunrise and the same for sunset, except the opposite. I've spent quite a lot of time exposing myself to other people's videos online, but none will have the full spectrum of anchors the way mine will; as well as general discussion about canopy anchors and their pros and cons.

I was going to bring my dog, but he has a tendency to be needy and I can see him yipping while I film, looking for attention. Plus, just sitting there he might get cold. Not sure if Labrador retrievers know what cold is, though. Even in four feet of snow and gale force winds, they seem impervious to the elements.

Slept a little better last night on my new air mattress, but not well enough by any means. I was up at 3:30am and didn't fall for fitful sleep until around 11pm. I hate sleeping. Such a waste of time. I mean, I realize that it's probably one of the most important bodily functions, but I really wish it...weren't.

 

[Kaveman]

I've had severe chronic insomnia since I was seven. Been through most every sleep aid on the market. They're all habit forming and many have really icky side-effects. Like Trazadone, which while a commonly prescribed sleep aid, it's actually an antipsychotic, so you get these weird vivid dreams, horrible cotton mouth, and if you're on a high enough dose, long enough, you'll begin to experience psychosis. Surreal out of body like experiences, where dreams and reality meld together in a blur of zombified confusion.

So I don't medicate for it anymore, not in years. Used to drink my self to sleep, but that always sucked because I'd have to get up and pee a dozen times. Pot helps sometimes, but not frequently or well enough to count.

At this point in my life, I've gotten fairly good at developing coping mechanisms for a wide variety of situations. The one for my insomnia goes like this

SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK!

 

[lxskllr]

I can sleep just about anytime, anywhere; borderline narcolepsy. I guess my problem's the reverse. If I have a long drive, I try to plan a rest stop if it's at night so I can take a nap. I don't deal with nights well out and about. I'm always tired, and would rather be home.

Mornings are great though! I recently read that a lot of 'morning people' have some dominant aspects of neanderthal DNA, and they suspect it was a coping mechanism for short days in northern climes.

edit:

Neanderthal DNA may explain why some of us are morning people

Scientists find genes inherited from our prehistoric cousins increase tendency to rise early – useful in regions with short winter days

www.theguardian.com

 

[Mick!]

I hate people who say they’re not morning people as a genuine reason for being late.
You’re just lazy and inconsiderate.

 

[Treeaddict]

Pretty decent day. Found a new discount grocer, and they have some interesting stuff. Scored some FinnCrisp for $3/box

Is that the Lidel (sp)?

 

[lxskllr]

No, It's an indie near BigLots in Edgewood. I've driven past numerous times. I suspected it would suck, but it's a nifty store. I'll be stopping in regularly. Interesting mix of goods, and good prices.

 

[lxskllr]

I wanted to get my daughter+boyfriend a bottle of rum, so I went to the localish "premium" grocery store(Wegmans) so I could get sushi for breakfast. Holy Shit, that was the wrong plan! EVERYBODY was out and about there. I think I have PTSD now :^O Got the rum from the liquor store, and also got a bottle of French brandy, and two bottles of MD rye for me.

I'm pretty excited about the Sagamore rye. They're a MD distillery, and they have very good products, but they're newish, so their rye was made by MGP in Indiana, and it was cut down with MD water(whatever). The bottle I got today was distilled, aged, and bottled in MD. Anxious to see how they did. The other rye was made in Frederick MD. I need to read the bottle closer to see if it's truly a MD product, or made by MGP also. MGP makes a lot of spirit for the "craft" distilling market. The client specifies a mash bill, and they make it happen. It's good whiskey, but it's a little disingenuous for the "craft" makers to not put the origin of the spirit in very big letters on the bottle. MGP is not in any way a small distiller. It's like me contracting stig to log a woods for me, and then taking credit for the logging skill.

 

[stikine]

It's like me contracting stig to log a woods for me, and then taking credit for the logging skill.

I'm pretty sure that @stig wouldn't let that go by without comment. 😁
For a while I was thinking that MD was short for Mad Dog... didn't know they got into distilling.😄

 

[Kaveman]

I wanted to get my daughter+boyfriend a bottle of rum, so I went to the localish "premium" grocery store(Wegmans) so I could get sushi for breakfast. Holy Shit, that was the wrong plan! EVERYBODY was out and about there. I think I have PTSD now :^O Got the rum from the liquor store, and also got a bottle of French brandy, and two bottles of MD rye for me.

I'm pretty excited about the Sagamore rye. They're a MD distillery, and they have very good products, but they're newish, so their rye was made by MGP in Indiana, and it was cut down with MD water(whatever). The bottle I got today was distilled, aged, and bottled in MD. Anxious to see how they did. The other rye was made in Frederick MD. I need to read the bottle closer to see if it's truly a MD product, or made by MGP also. MGP makes a lot of spirit for the "craft" distilling market. The client specifies a mash bill, and they make it happen. It's good whiskey, but it's a little disingenuous for the "craft" makers to not put the origin of the spirit in very big letters on the bottle. MGP is not in any way a small distiller. It's like me contracting stig to log a woods for me, and then taking credit for the logging skill.

Dude I hate that crap! I don't mind "white labeling", up to a point, but craft distilling?

While only tangentially related, Arizona ice tea is made in New York, ant that really grinds my gears...

 

[lxskllr]

For a while I was thinking that MD was short for Mad Dog... didn't know they got into distilling.😄

:^D

MD was BIG in rye production years ago. It's a distinct style. Historically you had PA rye(Monongahela), which was rye heavy, spicy, and less sweetness. MD rye was lighter on the rye, so it got more sweetness from the corn. Rye has to be at least 51% rye to be called rye. Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn to be called bourbon. You could have a straight rye, and a genuine bourbon that are virtually indistinguishable from each other depending on mash bill. That concludes today's lesson on whiskey :^D

 

[Kaveman]

I'm pretty sure that @stig wouldn't let that go by without comment. 😁
For a while I was thinking that MD was short for Mad Dog... didn't know they got into distilling.😄

They distill the essence of depression and poverty...or something like that.

 

[lxskllr]

:^D

MD was BIG in rye production years ago. It's a distinct style. Historically you had PA rye(Monongahela), which was rye heavy, spicy, and less sweetness. MD rye was lighter on the rye, so it got more sweetness from the corn. Rye has to be at least 51% rye to be called rye. Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn to be called bourbon. You could have a straight rye, and a genuine bourbon that are virtually indistinguishable from each other depending on mash bill. That concludes today's lesson on whiskey :^D

I was pondering the label on the other whiskey I bought where they stated they use a 'high rye mash bill' to create a MD style rye. That was contrary to what I understood to be a MD rye. So, I looked it up. Here's an article from NYT, that presents a much less clear picture. I can read the article cause I block js. YMMV, if you can read it, and most probably won't want to, but it's interesting if you're a whisk(e)y geek...

Maryland Rye Whiskey Has Finally Returned. But What Was It in the First Place? (Published 2019)

Distillers say they’ve revived a long-lost favorite, but they face a conundrum: Nobody really knows how the old stuff was made.

www.nytimes.com

 

[stikine]

Yeah, that's blocked for me.

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah, that's blocked for me.

I printed it to pdf. It doesn't include pics, and formatting is kinda ugly, but it's readable.

Maryland Rye Whiskey Has Finally Returned. But What Was It in the First Place - The New York Times.pdf

Disroot Cloud - Powered by Nextcloud

cloud.disroot.org

 

[Knotorious]

They distill the essence of depression and poverty...or something like that.

*Triple distill, I believe.

80 proof/40% woe, oppression, and sorrow by volume.

EDIT: Forgot "tincture of strife."

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Lillys Birthday yesterday, so we went out to the House of Ramen she likes, last night, and let her open gifts. Then today, I had a buddy that offered a flight in his plane a while back. So, how about Sat the 23rd.??. Sooo....

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Lilly got to fly it a bit.
Couple of selfies from the pilot.

 

[Treeaddict]

@CurSedVoyce. Hows she doing, Stephen? I think about your situation from time to time.

If this the wrong place to ask, I apologize

 

[Treeaddict]

Friend/neighbor with a homemade wood splitter and I broke down 30” rounds for another neighbor.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

@CurSedVoyce. Hows she doing, Stephen? I think about your situation from time to time.

If this the wrong place to ask, I apologize

Still a struggle. She is living part time with a family that are friends of ours. Husband is a local Sheriff. They have 3 younger girls . They home school. Gives her and Katy a break.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Also seperates her from the druggie crowd she got on with. The last episode, another total blow out that lead us to this result, was her dropping acid on top of her anti depressants. 😔
This family stepped up and offered this plan rather than have a full on run away.

 

[Treeaddict]

Sounds like a creative solution for a very complicated problem. I pray it’s helpful to the whole family.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Thanks