Sidetracked Charley

The day I admitted total defeat. Sorry Germany for all the accusations I have made about you giving Hitler free reign. I now believe that in any country, in any culture there is a percentage of people that will support a dictator no matter how horrid. The one barrier to a Mussolini, Hitler, or Trump is an awake and conscious population which prevents their election. But once seated at the head of a government it is virtually impossible to unseat them in any way other than an assassin.  Our only defense is that we did not actually elect him. We just didn't prevent Russia from getting him elected. More importantly we allowed two parties to so corrupt the whole process that there were no longer any effective checks and balances. A percentage of our population is still hypnotized by this snake oil salesman, and there appears no way to snap them out of it. That said, short of hiring James Bond to handle this problem, what are we to do? I personally am sheltering in place. The Ne...

The Climb Trinidad, Colorado May has been very busy, sometimes difficult, occasionally exhilarating, often unbalancing, and surprisingly educational. I am glad it is almost over. I am exhausted. The easy part of preparing for a photographic exhibit was done in April. I would not have guessed that would be the case. But I had all photos selected, printed, mounted, and boxed two weeks early for the May 4th opening. Then began my education in patience, flexibility, and tolerance. The new gallery was not granted an occupancy permit until May 11. My work was not hung until May 12th. The Trinidad Photography Gallery  did not have its grand opening until the 18th. And I could not disentangle from all my obligations to make it up to Trinidad, Colorado until May 25th for my introduction to the photographic community there.  I kept repeating to myself the W.C. Fields quote, " Even a dead fish can swim downstream ," as I kept on keeping one day at a time. I would flip from time ...

Lately more and more companies which I buy from on line are asking for reviews of their service and their products. I don't respond to all but if I have something good to offer I will. I had avoided negative reviews until just lately. Generally if I have had a bad experience I will just not buy that product again or worse yet totally avoid that company. Sierra Trading Post, which as a treasured internet company, got my first smash review and I have not done business with them since. Nor will I. On the other end I have, in my haste to prepare for a deadline, bought the wrong product from a treasured online art supply store. My bad but I gave a negative review so others would not make my same mistake. They wrote asking what they could do to make it right. Company A never did. This experience has given way to me mentally writing reviews of people. Which gave way to shortening it up to warning labels. In my youth I internally wrote dire headlines for my mother. Coed Arrested at ...

The  2018 Polytunnel Gardening at 8000 plus feet altitude is never easy but living a good drive from organic food sources has made it essential. When I began this exploration only iceberg lettuce was available at the store nearest me. Over the years I can now get it in gourmet varieties in plastic boxes when seem to be subject to recall from time to time due to various ills trapped inside. And it is hugely expensive. Not that gardening is cheap. It was on the internet I first came across the concept of the poly tunnel developed by an agricultural school in Kentucky to extend growing seasons for large farms.  A friend in Utah built one and sent me info on one he adapted.  Soon there were YouTube videos touting small backyard versions. The first I built was small and just covered two 4 x 4 beds of greens. Success meant they grew. A few years ago I finally upped my commitment to 11 x 20. Other refinements were also made like going from 4 mil plastic to 6 mil, and cr...