Beaver mania

I am re-reading "Eager Beavers and Why They Matter" by Ben Goldfarb. These guys could play a very large role in healing our environment. They love water, are dependent on it and conserve it (like me!).

Here is a brief video explaining some of their wonderfulness:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cyPyEQ4OHI 

Boyfriend caught this guy (gal?)

My current aggravation is my neighbor across the street who is clueless about maintaining a resilient lawn and best practices. Every summer once he has started watering, he waters EVERY morning. This prevents the grass from growing deep roots, which help it survive a reduction in moisture (should it occur in this case) and periods of higher levels of groundwater loss. As it happened, we experienced quite an early, warmer spell this spring, and although EWEB had not yet made available weekly watering guidance, I put some moisture into my eco lawn environment. He had a routine, and stuck to it, and within a few days his lawn mysteriously died. I suspect no hardiness had been built up. Sadly, he asked a friend/yard guy (1) what might have happened. He was told it did not look like something killed it (eg: fungus), so it just needed to be re-started. Never mind this was in mid June, warmer than usual (2) June in Eugene. He was told to aerate, then heavily seed, then aggressively water. Of course he is on that path. In addition his sprinklers are misdirected and keep some driveway, side walk, and ultimately sewers well watered too.

He is a good neighbor, and I quite like him. He has done neighborly things for me. I am uncertain if any suggestions from me would be received well, and I don't want to damage our slight, but friendly interactions (I have good reason to not trust my communication skills in this area).

Nursing kit, so cute, and soft!

The fact that North America was beaver infested until it was discovered that the beaver's under coat was excellent HAT material is the genesis of environmental destruction in what was a very rich continental eco system. Beavers CREATE rich eco systems and pump up the water table. The current activities to re-establish beavers in the too dry west should be given more support and resources. STAT! If you want to read more, this article is readily available, otherwise you will need to wait until I return the beaver bible.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impacts_of_beavers#Invasive_impacts

1. What kind of yard guy would suggest trying to revive a lawn once summer has commenced in earnest? I would have waited for spring and delighted in no mowing!

2. Warmer colder dryer (etc) than usual is becoming a problematic assertion. Normal is being revised rapidly. Previous normals will not be returning, perhaps ever.

There's a lot to this TED talk

And some additional connections I made. This is a short, engaging summary of Barry Schwartz’s “The Paradox of Choice.”: https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_the_paradox_of_choice#t-1159965 

Years ago when I had a moho I occasionally wanted to take a two vehicle jaunt with my friend Julie. And it was inevitably more fraught to make a plan than I could imagine. She suffered greatly for fear of choosing a less than optimal option. Consequently, many times we never got to a solution. She stayed home for something she thought might turn out better, and I did my own jaunt. I can somewhat empathize as I often am tortured with a different version of decision paralysis: is there a choice which meets my needs and desires without being unnecessarily complicated with options I don't desire? (smart phone)

I did not need convincing that our choices have become overwhelming and for me burdensome at times. At the end of the talk he hints at a possible re-calibration: The affluent societies (and in the US, the affluent PORTION of society) could voluntarily scale back their acquisition of things and big experiences and reap the benefits of less pressure, more deep appreciation of what is chosen and reduced pressure on the environment. The world is close to or past sustainable use of resources (clean air, clean water, arable land, and many other important components of modern life) and currently impoverishing the planet of biological diversity. Our current pace of using, owning, and despoiling is unsustainable and ultimately a path to a poverty of options. 

I, for one, hope we can choose to limit our impacts before our ability to choose no longer exists.

Sorry, but this topic always takes me to dark imaginings.

Here is an example of what human ingenuity and accomplish toward less destructive life choices:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No6qTbn0J4s

 

 

Heat control triumph

Today I tried out my new air flow car seat. My previous experience using car A/C at 65 degrees resulted in a large demerit to my eco score.  I believe I wrote about this in 2017 when I purchased my recent Prius. At the end of each trip (when I turn the car off) I get a combined score which rates:

acceleration, braking, climate and mileage. 

The climate one gets dinged when I use A/C. Although it may not bring my mileage down much, I still don't like the censure. It has suggested I increase my target temperature to lower the impact. Until now, I have been unwilling to do so.

BUT NOW with my powered air flow car seat cover, I can feel air behind my back and under my seat. The air is pulled from between my legs, so I set the car A/C to split between head and feet. When I first got in, I did not know the cover was already on low, and I immediately felt the flow even before A/C! As the ride warmed I was able to increase my A/C to 70 degrees and feel more comfy than with more aggressive A/C alone!

AND my eco score for climate was only a little dinged. As the Brits say, "I am chuffed". A comfortable seat cushion which for a reduced carbon footprint delivers excellent comfort. If only there were a planet wide cooling cushion!

I need to share some humor from an Amazon product deep dive

I need to replace my mesh-back cushion that I use for cooling in my car. It has a 12 Volt plug. The small fan in the middle of the back blows ambient air, which is quite cooling when my back is sweaty as it so often is in temps exceeding 70 degrees. I know, I am a mutant. The plastic netted "cage" the fan is suspended in has degraded due to extended usage, leaving a sharp edge to poke me. And not in a good way.
I recall the slightly springy mesh seat cushions that we used in simpler times. That is what I was prepared to settle for. However, I may buy this one (pictured below). But I decided to scan all 93 questions to see what folks liked and didn't. Here is the humorous question, #61 making the deep dive well worth it:

Question: Does it help with farting passengers?
Response: I sure hope not.

This is likely that the respondent is hoping: The air intake is down at the driver's legs and NOT strong enough to capture exhaust fumes from your passenger.

I'ts been a month since my last post, and I have much to answer for

I may already have disclosed that I am a tad bit compulsive with my finances. A classic example is that when BritBox looked like a better streaming service for all things BBC ($5.99/mo) I dropped previous source Acorn so as not to pay twice for BBC content. However the contents vary over time so I sometimes miss out - a virtue sacrifice. And these details are at my finger tips not because I recall them (OH NO!) but because it is all in my Quicken, documenting EVERYTHING money related since 1997. It's a great resource for nit-picking obsessing. 

I mention this to gently introduce the really shocking truth: I create a yearly budget which I try mightily to stick to. Unless conditions on the ground shift: for example I added a "Tag" to note expenditures and revenues related to Covid-19. This way I could stay cool while hand sanitizer and face masks blew up my "Misc. personal care" budget category. This is important context for the following financial trap I find myself in. 

I am funding a food source for a scurry of Genus Sciurus Linnaeus (tree squirrels), which I have decided belongs in the aforementioned budget category. This category encompasses personal care items (for cleanliness, and less so, appearance) as well as mood enhancers (pot and now backyard hi jinks). I told myself that putting out bird feeders to attract squirrels was for Cleo (inside cat) who needed at least one reason to be conscious. But as is so often the case it was really for me. They provide delight and hilarity which are thin on the ground these days. I purchased two feeders and a bag of critter food with the intention of upping the scurry factor. But the larger one, hanging close to a major tree limb proved to be the preferred source. The small one, hanging from a puny branch ended up being ideal for the putative target audience. 

 

Hard to see gray squirrel on top of feeder.

 Squirrels must have elite athlete metabolisms. I need to refill the large feeder weekly, which I just weighed out at 1.4 lbs. I have seen as many as 3 squirrels pigging out at one time. The preferred method for food acquisition is to hang upside down, three paws clawed in while the squirrel uses one to swing, tilt and shake the feeder creating a pile below, where they can feed without further exertion.

 The rate at which the food disappears explains why, when I found the critter food on Amazon, and made it a subscription, I was informed that most buyers get a monthly delivery. So, yeah, at 1.4#/week I will need about 6# per month. At 8# bags, I will need 1 bag per month, for about $10. If I cut back on purchased news sources, that will have a two-fold impact: saving my mood and some $$ (to offset mask replacement costs).