SHORTEST HOUSE SIT TO DATE- JUST OVER 24 HOURS

POST # 180

This may be one for the record books, at least as far as house sitting goes.  And unexpected as well.
My friend Mary has friends south of here that called her up the other day to see if she/we would be available for a short term house sit.  Soon after, we were out the door and on our way.  It was anticipated that we would be there for two or perhaps three days, however from start to finish it lasted just over 24 hours.
Here are some photos and videos of where we were during that time.  Enjoy.

THE MAIN HOUSE

PART OF THE INTERIOR IN THE EVENING

SOME UNIQUE FURNITURE

THE HIRED HELP ON THE PROPERTY, TAKING A BREAK FROM THE HOT SUN
(in case there's any confusion, this is just a mannequin)

MAZEY- THE RESIDENT "BONEHEAD"

TWO PHOTOS OF RASCAL-THE RESIDENT "FURBALL"

And last but not least, a couple of videos to round out the picture for today.

The owners arrived home yesterday afternoon, so we were on our merry way shortly thereafter.
I doubt if I will ever have a shorter housesit than this one.

Happy Trails,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

DEAD WHALES AND MORE CLIMATE ENGINEERING

POST # 179

Four more whales died off the British Columbia coast this past week, and the experts seemed to be perplexed as to the cause.  This always seems to be the case.  They will suggest a variety of potential causes, but rarely is the connection made to the fact that humans have heated up the planet to such an extent, that this excess heat is having a very negative impact on life on earth.
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/four-dead-humpback-whales-found-off-b-c-coast-in-one-week-1.2514429

The last time the planet was this hot was 252 million years ago, and at that time ancient carbon was being released into the atmosphere at the rate of 1-2 billion tons per year.  Today, due to industrial civilization and the massive burning of fossil fuels (more ancient carbon), we are releasing 11 billion tons each year.  That fact alone should be enough for the marine biologists to at least ponder the idea that all this extra heat generated from the burning of fossil fuels will have a very negative impact on marine life.  But if that were to be admitted, then of course industrial civilization would have to be put into question.  So instead, the "experts" continue to look for other causes, like perhaps a rare virus that may have caused the whales to die and be washed up on the shore.

Speaking about tons of carbon being released each year into the atmosphere, I came across an article in The Province newspaper, http://www.theprovince.com/technology/environment/Squamish+site+will+debut+device+that+pulls+carbon/11285512/story.html
which talks about a Calgary based firm which is about to open a plant in Squamish that will pull carbon out of the air.   So let's see, it expects to pull 500 tons/year out of the atmosphere, and industrial civilization dumps 11 billion tons/year into the atmosphere.  That's 0.0000045% of the carbon emitted.  The firm "hopes" to build an industrial scale plant in the future that will pull 1 million tons/year out of the atmosphere.  That would put the percentage at a whopping 0.0091%.

The company was founded by "climate and engineering expert" David Keith.  This is the same David Keith who thinks that we can just spray particles in the air to slow the rate of global warming.  More pie in the sky engineering solutions to a predicament that can't be solved.  We're way past the point of no return on this topic.  But the new company gets the headlines and the tax deductions and the "green washing" continues.  Of course the article doesn't mention a word about how much fossil fuel energy went into building the plant in the first place, plus how much additional fossil fuel energy is required annually just to keep it running.

Even if this plant and others like it (which don't exist at this point) could theoretically capture all of the carbon emitted annually, it still wouldn't matter at this late stage in the game, because the methane "monster" has now been released and there's no putting this genie back in the bottle.

The problem with this kind of news article in a mainstream newspaper, is that it gives the impression that "we're serious about climate change and we can tackle the problem".  In other words, someone else is out there taking care of things, and you dear reader, can just go about your business as usual.  I think it won't be too long before the general population realizes that business as usual just won't be viable any longer.

Happy trails,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

A PHOTO OF THE RECENT BLUE MOON TAKEN ON ORCAS ISLAND
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A late update from the Arctic News Blog.  Could the sea ice be gone this September??
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/

FROM ORCAS TO BEND VIA BELLINGHAM AND SEATTLE

POST # 178

CLUNK!!!!! Now that wasn't normal.  I was sitting on board a 737 at Bellingham airport just a couple of days ago.  We had just pushed back from the gate in preparation for our short twenty three minute flight to Seattle, when the clunk sound happened which sent a shudder through the aircraft.  We sat there, not moving, and I for one was wondering just what was going to happen next?  I was relieved when the captain announced over the intercom what had caused this sound.  Apparently, the tug that pushes the aircraft back from the gate, had detached itself from the front nose gear in a rather abrupt manner, and that's what caused the  "clunk" that we all heard.  We would now have to go back to the gate, so they could assess any damage to the landing gear.  It wouldn't be a good thing to land at Seattle and have the front wheel collapse.

Unfortunately, there was no mechanic available so we had to wait for a while until they could find someone to check out the landing gear.  Now, because of this delay, we  missed out on the arrival slot that had been designated for us in Seattle.  Eventually a mechanic did arrive, and it appeared that the gear was ok, however now, there was going to be another hour delay (getting slotted back in at Seattle) before we could take off.  When it looked like we were about ready to go, another message from the captain told us that there was a complete shut down of all flights arriving or departing Seattle.  No reason was given for this, and in all the years of flying, I have never had this experience.  So our delay continued.  Finally at 10:30pm we departed Bellingham, a mere three hours and fifteen minutes behind schedule.  Unfortunately for me, and many other passengers, we would be arriving too late, to make our connecting flights, so I would spend the night in a hotel room courtesy of Alaska Airlines, and continue my journey the next day. See below.

This is a major upgrade from my normal accommodation at Sea Tac airport.  See below.

I had a few hours to hang around Seattle airport waiting for my next flight, and while there, I would be subjected to the regular boarding announcements as time went on.
For each flight there would be the pre boarding announcement, which included people with babies  and military personnel and, included in the announcement after mentioning military personnel, were the words, "we thank you for your service."  For some reason this began to bother me, because I don't think the person making the announcement even gave the words a second thought.  It was just part of the script.  Perhaps a more appropriate set of words might go something like this:
"We thank you for being brainwashed enough to join the military in the first place, in order to go kill innocent people in a foreign land all under the guise of freedom and democracy", or something to that effect.  Perhaps words like that might cause a few people in the crowd to begin to question why on earth the US needs to have any military going anywhere overseas.  But this is a question that rarely gets asked.

Eventually it was time for my flight, and I was happy to be on board and away from Seattle en route to my final destination of Bend, Oregon.
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In other news, I see that the Arctic sea ice continues to decline, and each day we get closer to September we get closer to a time when there will be no ice in the Arctic.  When that happens, it won't be long afterwards that the methane escape which has been going on for quite some time now,  really ramps up and the potential 50 gigaton "burp" of methane takes place.

http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2015/08/arctic-sea-ice-collapse-threatens-update-3.html

Things on the climate front are already chaotic, and this is only just the beginning.  Once that ice is gone, I can't imagine that we as a species are too far behind.  At some future point in time, even the military machine will be irrelevant.  At least that, would be a positive outcome.

Happy Trails,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

PS: Another tree goes extinct on Orcas Island. :-(

DROUGHT AND A WISE PASSIVENESS

POST # 177

An unusual event happened this past week here on Orcas Island.  IT RAINED!!!!  Normally, rain wouldn't be unusual here in the Pacific Northwest, however,  the drought seems to have a firm grip on the entire west coast, from California right through to British Columbia, and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight, at least for now.  You know it has to be dry, when even Vancouver is under water restrictions.
Here is a photo looking outside from the back deck of the house I am currently at.  This blue sky has become the normal view this summer.

There is no telling how long the drought will last, and of course most people think that it's great weather for their summer vacation, without giving a thought to the larger picture.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the year goes, what with a super El Nino brewing off the coast.  It appears that the Pacific is going to be pumping out plenty of heat later this year, and that should have some interesting effects, none of which can be considered good at this point.

(A NOAA comparison shows the 1997-1998 El Nino at peak heat during November of 1997 [left frame]. The right frame image shows the 2014-2016 El Nino during its mid July ramp-up. Note the hot blob of water off the US West Coast in the July 2015 image. Heat in this region tends to drive an atmospheric feedback that continues to push more warm water into the Eastern and Central Equatorial Pacific. Note that, due to this and other factors, the 2014-2016 will likely also hit a peak intensity during October or November. An intensity that could exceed the monster 1997-1998 El Nino event. Image source: NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory.)

  In fact, all that extra heat might just be the thing that tips the balance in the Arctic, and causes the sea ice to disappear this September.  We'll see.

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Storms Over Arctic Ocean

The image below shows sea surface temperature anomalies over the Arctic on July 27, 2015.

The extra sunshine has had an impact on the local fruit as well.  I picked this apple a couple of days ago, and I'm no expert on apples, however, July seems to be somewhat early for apples to be ripening on the trees.  In addition to the apples, I've been eating blackberries for quite some time now, and I seem to recall that they are usually ripe in late August or early September.

My first time house sitting here on Orcas was in the month of October, back in 2011. I was picking apples like this off of the trees then, which is the month that one might expect to be apple picking, not July.  Nothing is normal any longer.

Even the furballs seem to be struggling with the heat.  Here we see the youngest of the tribe, trying to stay cool in the bedroom window.

ZIGGY AT REST

Not to be outdone by his older brother.

OSCAR CHILLING OUT

In fact, all of the animals at this house (including the author) have been feeling pretty relaxed of late.  I think I'll blame it on the heat.

And finally, I came across some words written a long time ago by none other than William Wordsworth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wordsworth

The eye it cannot chose but see;
We cannot bid the ear be still;
Our bodies feel where'er they be,
Against or with our will.

Nor less I deem that there are powers,
Which of themselves our minds impress;
That we can feed this mind of ours,
In a wise passiveness.

Perhaps in this world of texts, tweets, Facebook and Smart phones, it might be beneficial to go sit on a beach, or under a tree, and spend some precious time in wise passiveness.  
I'm just sayin'.

Happy trails,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

FURBALLS, FOREST AND BEACH

POST # 176

I've had a week of relaxation here on Orcas.  No need to write about it, when I can post a few photos instead.

ZIGGY, OSCAR AND FELIX RELAXING AFTER THE EVENING MEAL

ON MY DAILY RIDE THROUGH THE VERY DRY FOREST

THE BEACH AT THE NORTH END OF ORCAS WITH MT. BAKER IN THE DISTANCE

A DAILY RITUAL-HANGING OUT AT THE BEACH IN EARLY EVENING


Perhaps by this time next week, I will have a few more words to write.

Happy trails,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

HEADING BACK TO ORCAS AGAIN

POST # 175

Exactly a year ago yesterday, I was driving from Bend Oregon to Washington State.  And yesterday I was doing the same thing once more.  What are the odds??

The journey was via a new route on the east side of the mountains, and via Yakima, a place I had been too only once before, and a very long time ago indeed.  I think I was probably 19 at the time.

This year, instead of being enroute to my regular housesit in Vancouver, I am returning to Orcas island for a fifth time, to take care of the three furballs, Felix, Oscar, and Ziggy.
Orcas is becoming somewhat of a second home to me.

Not sure what I will be doing after the Orcas sit, but I'm pretty confident that things will work out one way or the other.

Also, something unique happened the other day while out for a walk with my friend Mary, in Bend.  We came across this deer, and it was happy to let me walk right up to it. It was a precious moment indeed.

Happy trails,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

THINGS ARE HEATING UP, AND MY JOURNEY FROM THE MUD HUT BACK TO BEND

POST # 174

Well, things are really heating up now.  It seems like everywhere is on fire from California, right on through to Alaska.  British Columbia and Alberta are no exceptions, and the summer has only just begun.  In Europe there is another heat wave, and the Arctic is continuing to get hotter by the week.
I for one will be surprised if the Arctic ice cap DOESN'T melt this summer/fall.  Things seem to be pointing in that direction at least. ( in one 24 hr period last month, the Arctic ice extent declined a whopping 340,000 sq. km)  And once the ice is gone, then the methane which is already escaping in copious quantities, will probably be off to the races.  Looks like we're all in for a long hot summer.

Last Friday I had to say so long to my  friends Guy and Sheila, after spending a delightful week at the Mud Hut in New Mexico.  We were up early for the drive to Tucson, and I made sure to take a photo of them prior to a final hug goodbye.

From Tucson, it was a short 21 minute flight to Phoenix where I had to hang out for a few hours waiting for my next flight to Portland.

Arriving in the early evening in Portland, I was greeted by my dear friend Mary, and from there we drove back to Bend, arriving quite late.  It had been a very long day and I was ready for some sleep.

And on a final note, here is a recent article from my friend Dahr Jamail after he recently interviewed Guy.

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/31661-mass-extinction-it-s-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it

I think the title pretty much sums it up.

Happy trails,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer