Barn Red

My work life has been consumed with one major project - painting barns. We did our first barn painting a couple weeks ago and it turned out amazing. Look for it to be featured in some national media publications (Hallmark magazine, Country Living, etc.)

Agri- Culture: Biofuels

The seven next generation biofuels. Set to replace fossil fuels?? I'll tell you....as soon as I find my crystal ball. Most are set to debut in 2012.

1. Cellulosic ethanol (biological) - 66% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

2. Cellulosic ethanol (gasification) - 66% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

3. Algal biodiesel - 103% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

4. Green gasoline - 100% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

5. Biobutanol - 90% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

6. Designer hydrocarbons - 106% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

7. Fourth-Gen fuel - 103% energy yield compared to a gallon of gasoline

Electing a US President in Plain English (Revised)

Getting Sick on Blueberries

Last weekend I talked Gram and J into going blueberry picking with me. We searched the web and decided on Jones Berry Farm in Michigan on the shores of the lake.Blueberries do especially well there because of the sandy soil and the lake effect weather patterns.We ended up with just under 23 pounds of berries after three hours of picking. We probably would have had even more berries but I have a bad habit of putting one handful of berries in the bucket and the next in my mouth. Yum!! The weather was just about perfect and wasn't unbearably hot or muggy. After berry picking we had lunch and then stopped for some wine tasting at Tabor Hill winery on the way home.

Summer in D.C.

I have done a lot of traveling this summer and my destination of choice has been Washington D.C. While work has kept me roving around the city, I have been able to do a little sight seeing. I've just done the traditional stops: the capital, Vietnam Wall,
Lincoln Memorial,Washington Monument, Korean War Memorial,
Library of Congress, and a handful of others.

The Cornhole Song

Some people are a little bit obsessed with this game.

Corn Hole

A bunch of us got together to play Cornhole. What do you do when you live in the Midwest and you don't have any horse shoes but you do have an abundance of corn? Invent a new game. A favorite of tailgates and backyard barbeques...Cornhole.Apparently Cornhole has a long and steeped history. The game is played by setting two boards opposite each other. The boards each have a hole cut in them. Alternating turns, teams try to toss sacks of corn toward the opposite board. Points are awarded if the sack lands on the board or goes through the hole. Specific rules outline other do's and don'ts.The game is taken very seriously and even has a national association from which championship trophies are awarded to winning teams.

Goslings

How they've grown

Turkey Run

It's pouring down rain but I just got back from a hike through Turkey Run State Park. The park is located approximately an hour west of Indianapolis on the Wabash river.


The river and all of the creeks flowing into it have cut amazing gorges into the landscape.


The hike started off crossing the river on a suspension bridges and then quickly got lost in the maze of creeks, gorges, valleys and hills in the park.

It was raining so water, lots of water, was flowing every where. I ended up fording every creek multiple times.

The trail ran into a waterfall but a ladder was cleverly provided so that one could continue the hike.


There was so much water that my initial choice of trail had to be changed. The way was blocked by a torrent of water racing down a narrow and slippery looking funnel.


I ended up at an abandoned coal mine before crossing the suspension bridge and returning home. I'll have to go back when there isn't so much water falling from the sky.