Occupation of Independence

For somebody who lives outside the rat-race, a big part of their job is becoming interested in various things, on a daily basis.  On a recent bike ride, I almost laughed at a couple wild turkeys that we frightened.  They sounded like broken helicopters trying to take off.  But they were able to get to a branch in a nearby tree. Still, you have to wonder: how does such a big slow heavy bird find enough food in a monoculture of bark and needles?  Can they sit on that tree branch, evading coyotes, for hours or mere minutes?  They can't migrate south in the winter, so how do they survive? Maybe someday I will learn more biology.  But it is so easy to say that.  Every now and then I will attempt to brush up on a subject by running to Wikipedia, and then seldom last more than one paragraph.   That's the trouble with "book larnin'."  The interesting stuff is diluted with an ocean of jargon or dry technicalities.  It never seems to pertain to the observation or question

  Something tawny crossed the road about 200 yards ahead of me and my dog, while on our morning walk.  I didn't really get a good look at it, but what struck me was how graceful and fluid the motion was. Uh-oh. Can anything move like that except a cat? In cases like this, it is best not to let one's imagination run away with itself.  But laugh it off all you want, it still stays in your head on the rest of the walk, especially if the forest is thick and dark. Early in the morning, spots of sunlight penetrate the forest better than in the afternoon.  I looked out to these bright spots and imagined a frighteningly clear image of a mountain lion growling at me. Therefore I benefitted from this unconfirmed sighting of a mountain lion.  There is nothing interesting about thick spruce/fir forests, visually.  But a little imagination made it interesting. I should feel good about that, and yet, am reluctant to write about such things or to wallow in them, even when they please. Dogs d

I really wanted to drive to town today for the Saturday Farmer's Market.  Two years ago I went to the market despite having low expectations regarding food.  Food isn't the first thing a person thinks about when they think 'Idaho.' One of the booths had peaches for sale.  When I bit into the peach I almost fell over -- it was the perfect peach.  They grew it halfway down into the Salmon River trench.  The river is practically at sea level down there, that is, 1000 feet of altitude.  The deep canyon topography is quite impressive around here. I wanted that to happen again, today.  But I have gotten more disciplined about driving to town just for one errand.  So I didn't go.    That damn Putin.  He ruined my peach-life. Instead, Q.t. π and I went on the perfect bicycle ride in this area.  It was actually a loop ride, which is rare for me.  The terrain was interesting and the road knew how to take advantage of it -- and that is precious!  It brought us so close to the

Well, the Chinese leadership showed that it was sane and adult by not reacting immediately to the provocation of Pelosi visiting Taiwan.  Does that mean that nothing has changed?  Or does it mean that the Chinese are wise enough to choose the right way to retaliate and the right time?  Why should they let their enemy set the agenda and goad them into a possible trap? Time is on the side of  the Chinese, because they will become stronger every year, as the USA sinks.   What do you think their best kind of retaliation is?  They have already cancelled a big lithium battery factory that they were planning on building in the USA.  Lithium batteries might be the best pinch point for them to hurt the political (or regulator) class in the USA, because that class is almost wholly invested in the electric car. If China sabotages the development of the electric car, it will increase its cost at the very least, and create a game of chicken between Green regulators and their timetable and diktats