PN:
Joe’s Comment – Christopher Weyant is a talented cartoonist. This one makes me laugh because occasionally, despite my poor communication skill, the real me shines through. Then it gets interesting!
Jordan Peterson
A recent posting from the Heritage Foundation, where Dr. Peterson offers his perspective on the impact of the radical Left:
Senescent Cell Research
This branch of biological study focuses on the “upstream” effect of aging.
Seems some sort of relationship exists between old tired cells (senescent cells) and susceptibility to health issues.
The “Zombie” cells in your body (senescent cells) accumulate in your tissues. These cells are believed to impair efficiency and release pro-inflammatory factors that increase degenerative aging.
Experimentation with mice has produced a 36% prolonged lifespan.
Human trials have begun to remove senescent cells from ill patients with positive results.
Joe read all.
He says there is no indication of quality of life change, only length.
We remain skeptical and, simultaneously, hopeful.
Joe’s Garage
113 Year Old Machine Shop
Joe says if he wins the Lotto (gotta buy a ticket!) he will definitely collect antique machine machines:
White Oak Down
Anyone who has visited our home in Vernon BC, especially in the good old summer time, would have noticed the white oak tree smack dab in the middle of where a back yard should be.
When Joe and I moved in on January 22nd, 2005, the white oak was there, but not so monster, not so imposing, not so fecund. It was winter time…..
Here is a picture from the property listing the previous year.
The white oak is the big green tree between the house and shop –
The first year (2005) Joe and I thought it was wonderful.
Many acorns that were not picked up in the fall sprouted.
We potted about 150 of them to give away to friends, family, strangers, my grandson’s kindergarten class, whomever.
We mowed grass, pruned, and generally kept our selves busy with yard maintenance.
The white oak was large then, and we were only mildly surprised at how much leaf dropping and acorn production the late autumn produced – two garbage cans full of acorns and thirty bags of leaves just for the oak was typical.
Time passed by.
The pride of possession was gradually replaced by annoyance.
Sitting under the tree in the summer covered you in transpiration juices if the day was hot. White oak sweat is hard to get off furniture, vehicles, and lawn equipment.
The grass struggled to grow under and around the canopy.
We finally said to Hell with it!
doG made the mess, he can clean it up….. (referring to the leaves and acorns and windfalls of sticks and branches). This approach created a wilderness mess.
Annoyance was finally replaced by deep and abiding murderous intent.
After 14 years, it came down to us or her. The big ugly in the back yard. We told her so. Gave her the opportunity to pick up and leaf leave.
She was resolute. She started to bud.
Not again, said we!
A week ago on Sunday we started to trim back the branches looming over the roof of the house. Ours is a tar and gravel roof, with plenty of leaves, acorns, and moss heaped on it, thanks to that monster tree. Dillan and Josh were there to claim the wood if they did the work. A few large branches came down on Sunday.
On Monday it was Joe and I to finish the job.
By Wednesday, the major limbs that might hit the shop or house were down. Here’s a picture of some of the branches and limbs –
Thursday we cleaned up around the yard in preparation to top the oak.
Here’s a few pictures of the top on the ground –
An idea of the size of the top
Picture taken from Suzy Snorkelift high above the fray
We measured the top at 48 feet 6 inches.
Friday is when we dropped the main trunk. Here is a before picture –
Some idea of the size with this view looking toward the house.
The butt of the tree at ground level is 3 feet in diameter.
The main trunk is 27 feet 6 inches long. The butt diameter is 32 inches, and the top diameter is 16 inches. This calculates to roughly 90 cubic feet. White oak green weight is approximately 48 pounds per cubic foot. This calculates to 4320 pounds.
Overall, the tree stood about 78 feet tall. It took Joe and I five days to have it all down and piled, more or less, in an orderly fashion.
A good week!
POLITICS, POLITICIANS, WACKJOBBERY, HUMOROUS, STUPID
SUNDAY SERMON
A real treat this week.
Joe and I are fans of Freeman Dyson.
The Sunday Sermon features Freeman Dyson and Gregory Benford discussing what the world will see develop in the next 35 years:
WEATHER (OR NOT)
This week in Vernon BC was a continuation of the mild Spring weather of last week.
Light rain showers on a few days.
Lots of sun.
Lots of cloud.
Overnight temperatures flirting with zero Celsius.
The snow is gone.
And April 1st is, too.
Joe (outdoorsy) Mekanic
p.s. Ramirez for the seeing –
