Dear readers

I checked my stats and am upset.

Id like to say hello to the French readers out there. Turns out a good portion of my audience is French!!!  You guys have a beautiful country and language by the way.  No chance that Im being overly nice either!

So here is to the French.  Thanks guys!

Now even more interesting is that most people got here via Google search engine.  Well I guess it isnt a surprise seeing as Blogger itself is a Google tool.  The top two things that bring people here?

"zebra brown white stripes"
"portal cake ingredient list"

hahaha.  Now I had the actual ingredients and how to for an edible version of the portal cake.  In fact, there is a hard way from scratch and an easy way from instant cake stuff (like the box cake mix.)

But what truly gets me going...the fact that over 75% of you are using Internet Explorer.





This disgusts me.





Most of you are also on Windows which is understandable but IE????

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The Calling

Has anyone ever sat back and wondered if they should listen to their heart even if it seems stupid?  How about those tug-o-wars between what you have and what you want?

Call me a green witch, call me what youd like.  One this is for sure...I feel out of place in suburban areas...in cities....

I know many people think Im foolish.  I have never lived in snow or far from "civilization" but my heart tells me that is where home is...and you wont really feel "at home" till you are there.

There is something about flower covered hills and tall trees that calls to me.  It tells me to leave the place I have known for so long.  It isnt like my family would be new to it.  Spyro spent a good portion of his life outside and Luna actually "grew up" roaming the hills of Placerville.  Besides, its not like dearest loving Adam goes outside anyway.  

Adam.  I hate to admit it but he is currently a brick wall in that sort of sense.  He absolutely hates the idea of moving out there.  I know living in the wilderness is hard work and some things can be more expensive.  All he seems to care about is internet and house work.  Newsflash buddy...housework is everywhere and city internet is slowed by all the people using it thus, to get a good speed, you pay more.  Just checking prices, I found satellite internet that is just as fast as cable/Stand alone DSL for the same price.  Bad weather knocks out city/suburban internet as well.

I know some people like the fact that they have everything close by.  Here in suburbia, you have neighbors close by and parks.  You have paved roads and stores all within 5 miles.  Here, your trash is picked up every week along with recycled items.  Everything is taken care of for you and, as long as youre willing to do some converting, you will have no problems.

...I am not one to convert....

I constantly feel like Im being torn between everything.  Here...here is where school, family, friends, and work are all conveniently locate.  There is...home.  I feel homesick yet I feel like I have never actually been home.

Now dont get me wrong.  Suburban life can be great for some people and I know a ton of people that love city living.  However I am not one of them.  Id rather make ends meet and live in the country than be comfortably living in the city.  If you are a social butterfly and love for most things to fall into place, urban and suburban areas are for you!  I dont like things to always fall into place.  I like my constants (boyfriend, dogs, things that are for sure) plus the unpredictability of life.  I hate day by day constants like it being rainy or sunny...or just simply waking up with nothing better to look at than my neighbors house.  Dont get me wrong, I have some nice neighbors but...their house and trees look the same every day with few changes in wildlife (birds) and so on.

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NOT ANOTHER UPDATE

YES BUT JUST A QUICKIE..

Ive forgotten what they call them in England, but the Zuchinis as well as the cucumbers are powering on again now that the Nitrates are climbing. Its amazing how quickly they have turned around.

 I should mention I did give everything a dose of Iron Chelate and Im delighted how quickly they color up after this wonderful stuff. Its like Angel Dust for Aquaponic grown plants that are showing yellowing, veiny leaves.

 Its notebook time...

 I thought I might take on the Bio-digester and throw up some sites to deliver an explanation about the principles.  Let me say first of all, if you have set up an Aquaponics system with gravel or expanded clay as your growing medium and you have the system in balance, you dont need a digester. If however you are putting together a system with floating rafts, you will have to have some form of digester so on with todays tour of the net.

First a Commercial look at digesters and the principals behind their existance..

 Here is an extremely exaustive PDF on this important subject.

Im now going to include two sites that give two views and perspectives. They are both giving their views on commercial undertakings, but each of them show several different slants and are worthy of digesting (sorry about the pun). As I was researching todays Blog, I became very aware of the way modern commercial aquaponic systems have become so complex that they could become unviable.

The first is Semper Aquatic Food Exports

Next this approach from Aqua Biologics

Next I would like us all to consider the fundamental reasons for embarking on the Aquaponic and sustainability road. This next site shows a number of videos, some of them may make you feel a bit uncomfortable but they will also remind us of the state of this planet and many of the communities that can be helped through the push for Aquaponics and a more sustainable approach in all things human, by humans, for humans and it only takes an effort by people with time on their hands.

Now a little closer to home...


Aquaponics and Organic Gardening

Im going to blackout proof my planned, larger, aquaponics system by building an electrical backup.

By the time this blog is posted, I’ll be on the Big Island in Hawaii getting a fast-track immersion in aquaponics

Transition Steamboat Urban Garden Tour attendees visit the Community Roots Garden

WARNING WARNING We have completed the first cell which we can now easily duplicate.

 Thats it till next time

 Enjoy yourself and be good to each other
       OZZIE

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Shout out to readers!

My "Audience" for this past week
One thing that keeps me posting is knowing folks read the blog.

Luckily for me, blogger gives me access to stats on trends, as seen in an example above. The stats are pretty coarse, so no one need fear that I can reverse-engineer the statistics to find you.

But if you want to be found (aka have a question to which youd like an answer), you can send me a message. I think folks have been googling up my personal webpage (megstout.com) and using the contact form there. Such a nice break from spammers offering to increase traffic to my site...

So across the US and the world, hello!

[I just added a "Follow by E-mail" gadget, should you feel so inclined.]

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