more photos

I remembered to carry my camera as I walked around with Natty today.

The camelias are about to bloom.

The hybrid apple had a productive year. I like to think I finally pruned it correctly but it may have been a coincidence.

I don't recall the name of this purple item but it sure stands out in the winter garden.

Edible raspberries on Nov. 28, weird.

The annex, phase one workparty coming up soon.

The over/under needs a little work. Dabby and I agree on the solution : shore up the sides with wood, rebar, logs, etc and add lots more dirt.

Still life with fungus and feathers. I'm not sure what type of bird once posessed these feathers but it met a violent end. They were scattered everywhere.

This is the beginning of a new trail. I blazed it with a machete a few weeks ago and then Dabby, Jaden and I roughed it in last weekend. These photos aren't very descriptive but the trail goes both ways around this oak...

then down a little drop and into a tight bermed corner leading into a straight section with some dirt ramps built over logs.

Snowberries

Anyone know the name of this little tree with bright orange fruit? Or maybe those are flowers?

photo update

I almost forgot I had a camera.

View from my bathroom window. Sometimes I pretend I'm in Tuscany.

Crazy light at sunset.

Natty in the orchard.

Baby beefa makes my list of top ten toddlers. She's hilarious and so polite!

Dabby finally realized his long talked about dream of bacon wrapped bacon. In this case rare flank steak wrapped in bacon marinated in honey wrapped in bacon marinated in black pepper. 

I found this photo buried on the memory card. One sunny afternoon this spring the phone would not ring at Magpie. I was working with Meghan, Dee and A.J. One of us suggested that we should call off work and have a cookie party instead. We had a quick nextel poll : who makes the best cookie in central Portland? The answers : the Pearl, Pearl, Pearl Bakery, Pearl. So we went there. 

Rip City, baby.

Another glorious Blazer win tonight.
I admit I woke up in a lousy mood today and it only got worse as the day went on, but despite having to watch the game on the internets, in a tiny 4 inch window (fuck you, Comcast) by the start of the 4th quarter I was pumping the French techno and having a dance party with Natty. Victory is sweeter than prozac.

Capsule Reviews!

The Wire, season 5
Somehow I forgot to watch the last season of the greatest TV show ever.
I want more. The wrap up was solid, though, and I was glad to see a few characters turned out OK. Now I can catch up with Heaven and Here.


Ironman
Let me say first of all that I'm glad Robert Downey Jr. is finally a big movie star, he's earned it. Jaden talked this film up so much that I might have been a little underwhelmed. I did have problems seeing Jeff Bridges as a super villain, he'll always be The Dude to me. I think the final 10 seconds were my favorite part. "I am Ironman", and cue the Black Sabbath. Awesome.

Snowflake Ritz
As you well know Ritz is the official snack of Team Wreck. I was stunned when I saw this new product on the endcap of my local Roth's. So stunned that I purchased a box. It turned out to be just like normal Ritz but each cracker was 5% smaller. Seems like a ripoff unless you really love snowflakes, then it might be a deal.


Twin Peaks season one
My DVR has been catching this and I had forgotten how great it is. Nadine's silent drape runners, Albert the forensics expert, Audrey's dance at the diner, Cooper's dreams and of course Leland/Bob, super creepy!
"I've got good news, that gum you like is going to come back in style."

30 Rock
The Kid told me I should watch this and he was right. Funny!

Wow, not only does Sherman Alexie post on my favorite Trailblazers forum but two of his 21 points concern corndogs! We have so much in common!

Beefa's Kickball Challenge is a go for next Saturday, rain or shine. Followed by the TW holiday party at Mace and Junko's. It'll be a day to remember.

Rev. Phil writes in with more updates from the Bikeporn tour of the West.

Mmmm....Cheese Lover's Napkins....

Is this turning into a basketball blog? I hope not, I need to diversify my interests...

Garbage time all-stars

For those (like me) who love basketball, comics and snarkiness this is a rich vein.

Conservation in the hood

Oregon White Oak, "Messenger Oak"
Quercus garryana

Location: Heritage Mall, Geary Street and 14th Avenue SE, Albany, Oregon

B&K pointed out this great news for our neighborhood. I like vineyards but I love oak woodlands.

Swap Meet

This is always a good one. If anyone wants to meet up before I'll be at Joe's Cellar around 9:45.

Steve Nash

Yes we can!

"He was a man of his time and he limited it. "

David Foster Wallace, RIP.

When DFW killed himself last month I was shocked and saddened. I wrote some dreck and then deleted it and tried to forget about it. Then today I happened across this McSweeney's page of rememberances and was ensnared for an hour or so. According to my informal count I laughed out loud 7 times and cried 3 times. Why? I don't know. I mean I really enjoyed his writing and read all his books (except the one about infinity), but we weren't friends, I never met him or even saw him at a reading. I guess I just identifed in a twisted way: "That's how I would write, if I were smarter and a better writer", maybe I'm just super fucking anxious about the election tomorrow. Maybe it's that I started Infinite Jest just as I was falling in love for the second time. Maybe I am just a sap, or carrying so much sorrow that it's inclined to leak out at the slightest provocation.

Capsule Movie Reviews!

Religulous - Jaden's Grandpa, Bop (a fairly liberal Roman Catholic), suggested that the 3 of us see this together and have a discussion afterward. We ended up talking about politics instead but the movie was good. I doubt it will change many minds though. What's the opposite of preaching to the choir? Cursing towards the atheists? Asking difficult questions of the agnostic? It was like that but also funny.

Into the Wild - I devoured this book, staying up late to finish it even though I knew how it ended. Maybe that's why I waited so long to see the movie, I didn't want to be let down. For once I wasn't. The photography was fantastic and the casting inspired. Hal Holbrook was perfect as Ron Franz. What I did not like was the music. Eddie Vedder does nothing for me. Also, is Slab City a real place? If so I'm putting it on my list of places to visit.

Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull or Whatever - Disappointing. I should have watched "Raiders" for the 20th time instead.

Grindhouse : Deathproof + Planet Terror - Awesome. Kurt Russell was great and I really appreciate seeing Rose McGowan in both films.

House of Games : Not as good as I had remembered it. I almost hope The Spanish Prisoner never comes out on DVD.

Charlie Wilson's War - Another book I enjoyed. The movie was more of a trifle but Phillip Seymour Hoffman was terrific as usual.

Superbad - Hilarious. I finally get all the McLovin refernces I've heard over the past year. I watched this one twice and laughed just as much the second time.

NBA Update!

I'm glad G.O. is staying busy.

Nicolas Batum has been a real surprise. He defended both Parker and Duncan in the Spurs game, that's versatility. If I get a new jersey this year it will be #88 for sure.

Mailbag

Beefa writes in : 

I officially challenged Team NUTRIA to a game of kickball. I'm still working out the details and the prizes.

 Could you post this on the PUMA site? The gauntlet has been thrown and, with vigor!

Steve Hearty

It sounds like this may happen Saturday Nov. 22, before Mace's party. Stay tuned.

A missive from Sweet T : 

ryan let me know when we are building some sweet jumps at your house i got a new bike i want to go huck and i think i am gonna get it custom painted TEAM WRECK 
Sweet T

Soon, very soon. This afternoon Uncle Bill clued me into a possible backhoe connection and showed some interest in helping, so I've got that going for me, which is nice. I am still lacking a comprehensive master plan but I've been making sketches and putting little pink flags in the ground and I feel ready for phase one. Plus it makes sense to get started before mud season and as soon as things are laid out I can start thinking about where to plant trees.

So...assuming we can get a backhoe and moderately skilled operator for 3 to 4 hours this is what I would do :

scrape down a few inches with the bucket, describing whatever path we decide the track should take. This will give us a smooth riding surface and make it easier to lay out the berms and jumps.

retrieve some of the huge logs we pushed into the fence row and place them where large things will be built, that will save some dirt moving.

moving to the southernmost oak tree in the annex I would push the blackberries into the fencerow and retrieve whatever logs are buried under the brambles for use in construction, then scrape all the blackberries out. That is a beautiful tree and a nice shady spot in the summer.

next we move to the low spot in the annex and dig a giant hole. I have plenty of crazy plans for lined ponds, dirt velodromes and sandy beaches but for now I'll settle for lots of dirt being moved into piles.

then if there's time,use the bucket to move as much dirt as possible and maybe do a little wheel rolling. Compaction is key.

Maybe next weekend or the one after...I'll see what I can work out.