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!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

 
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Location: Wheaton Labs, Montana, USA
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BRK #284

Another day on the (quickly shrinking) road to event season comes to an end. Turning in shortly. But first...

After doing a bit of research, I felt I had enough information for using eye lag bolts to secure some more vertical posts to deadman counterweights. The vertical pole has one full bolt going all the way through its 11-inch diameter:



...while the deadman has two eye lags at either end. These will be buried after cable is secured to them and then strung up to the eye bolt on the vertical pole.



Did a fair bit of gardening in the afternoon, despite various event-prep tasks taking precedence. Didn't want to shirk on gardening under nearly any circumstances. I'm glad I didn't since I caught these nice snapshots of some lovely wild strawberries and another bumblebee hunting nectar.







That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!
 
Stephen B. Thomas
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BRK #285

The day before the PDC begins...! Way behind on prep, but that's why the sun is up for so long these days.

Lift up a rock, and suddenly you're reminded that life is found everywhere.



Angle-grinding steel cable for sun shade hanging. Serious business.



Speaking of serious business... Don't mind me, I'm just making name tags for the event attendees...



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!
 
Stephen B. Thomas
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Location: Wheaton Labs, Montana, USA
2325
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BRK #286

It's PDC 2023 Day One...! Massively excited, working through the day on 101 things, and still more to do tomorrow. Meanwhile the class is underway.



Tremendous thanks to returning guest and PDC participant Brent for assisting with the outdoor tasks today. While he was piloting the tractor, it practically glided across the sand lot. Many, many thanks, man!



Also added late this week: Boot Catherine had touched-up the faded ARRAKIS sign, and added linseed oil as a preservative. She did an excellent job with restoring it to its former glory.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!
 
Stephen B. Thomas
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Location: Wheaton Labs, Montana, USA
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BRK #287

Working behind the scenes to catch up to the opening of the PDC. But I still had to spare time to have a look at Batman's AKA Puff's kittens. Looks like they're learning how to use the exit from the kitty-quarium...! (though I also think I may have scared them into using it) I think they're old enough by now to start exploring outdoors.



Prior to that, I spent a few hours working with Shai today between running food for the event guests. The hammock chairs are mounted...! We must have done a nice job, since when Paul came down to scrutinize our work, he sat in one of the chairs for a moment, and then said something like, "I think we need to sit in these chairs for three minutes and ask ourselves where we can set up these chairs for use year-round." ...That's a good sign.



Shai and I also tackled the wedding tent today. I was intimidated when I read in the instructions: "Warnding [sic]: 3 people required for installation." Well: take that, Warnding! We beat you today.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!
 
Stephen B. Thomas
pollinator
Posts: 1246
Location: Wheaton Labs, Montana, USA
2325
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BRK #288

PDC in full effect. Boots are still gardening while it's happening, and finding new things. For instance...

Have a look at this massive toadstool:



The corn part of our Three Sisters plan is in full swing. We ought to have dozens of stalks "knee high by the 4th of July" this year.



One of the Roma tomato plants survived and seems to be thriving after being transplanted. The other is a bit on the yellow side, but nothing that a little magic potion can't fix.



It seems like one of our pear trees picked up some sort of leaf fungus, and Paul suggested that we can take better care of our trees. As a result, we've been clearing away any organic matter from around the base of the trees planted at Wheaton Labs. Here's what one of them looks like at the moment, after our assistance.



Finally: I carried out a demo of the Bun Warmer this evening and answered questions about how it works, how warm it gets, and how it makes s'mores better. Here's the fire, warming our buns.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!
 
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https://permies.com/wiki/270034/GAMCOD-square-feet-degrees-colder
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