Backyard Garden...On a Raised Bed & Some Pots Too...

The raised bed garden with walls

So the wife and I have always wanted a little garden for us to get food off of but our failed attempt to get a good one going in NC had left a sour taste in our mouths...At the time, I had done everything right except choose an adequate spot in the yard that gets lots of sun...I had bought and installed a rain barrel, had some beautiful compost going, and installed an awesome raised bed...It just did not grow the yields we wanted because out backyard had very little sun and I chose an area that was just not adequate...My wife was

Spring is here! Been a Busy Bee Lately

Our "Yawl" rigged Tartan 27, Destinada

A tradition that started last year in my first sailing season, this time of year is very busy for me. The reason being is because we have a 27 foot sailboat! Back in August of 2011 we bought what is considered in the sailing world as a "Good Old Boat". In many or all cases, those who buy good old boats are regular people who want an affordable boat to sail with who would otherwise not be able to afford a new sailboat. Good old boats are also classified as fiberglass boats from the era where boats we built with solid, almost 1 inch fiberglass, thus they are generally heavy and

Beautiful Weekend on the Southcoast!

Biking along the bike path in New Bedford's South End

This past weekend was the kind of weekend that reminds me how much I enjoy living where I live. It was so nice to start seeing sailboats out in Buzzards Bay and in and around the New Bedford Harbor. I rode my bike with the New Bedford Bicycle Committee for their Saturday Morning Ride around the city. It was so nice weather wise that I was glad we have events like this to on a Saturday morning. We rode from downtown New Bedford down to the South End, to the Hurricane Barrier, then back to downtown for

Down but not quite out...My reflections on the Boston Bombings

Carlos Arredondo (left) is a true hero

Since the Boston bombings, I've been a little depressed and discouraged by the whole ordeal. It wasn't just the bombs, the suspects or the victims...That whole ordeal is depressing enough and I am deeply sorrow for those families that have to deal with this. The combination of the media, our people's reaction, the police state in which too many people gave up their rights, and the negativity it has brought with it has been even more disgusting for me. This was a sad time in our Nation but it was more depressing it led to

What do we Value in America?

Nephew & his wife/kids, my mother, brother and I apple picking

A cousin of mine posted something on Facebook this morning that I believe everyone should read and analyze. It's actually something I've thought about before and have given some deep thought about. Today though, it brought me into a deeper thought again about the kind of lives we lead. Here is his post:

"As a person I'm different among everyone maybe I'm not meant to win the lottery, have the most luxury, meet the most famous people, and not be in the spot light in general for a reason. Maybe it's because my life shows more significance in my family, friends, and the love I have for them. The little things in life is what is needed not the gigantic things such as currency cars and women. But having the little things close to you at all times shows that those are the most significant and gigantic things in your life. Always love your family"

Culture has always been important to me. Probably due to the fact that

Providence: A Little City by the River

Providence still has a lot of original architecture

I am not saying Providence is perfect as it has plenty of problems, but each time I visit Providence for some fun, I always have a blast. The city is old, small, and dense. It has hills, a river running through it, and collection of great original architecture. The city has embraced it architecture as one of its strong assets and helps its community rebuild and maintain this original character. It has a very strong Preservation Society that worked had to get the long time mayor Buddy to buy in. As a result, the city benefits from the beauty of these old structures to give it the old charm an old European city would have. In fact, some say Providence has the closest resemblance to Europe in America. Many of the old buildings now house the many students that attend the top Universities in the city and old buildings were retrofitted to meet today's standards and demands.

MassSave Home Energy Assessment

So a new neighbor of mine recently told me about their experiences with MassSave. They just bought a wonderful old house in our neighborhood and needed to get some work done. He went on to call MassSave in order to get an energy assessment to see what the house can be improved upon.

So he went on to say he got free CFL light bulbs & they strategized which parts of their home could use new insulation. So I had called MassSave and arranged a visit...Overall, it was pretty educating...I thought I knew everything but the representative actually thought me a few things. I already had all light bulbs changed over to CFL but, he talked about a few other