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Another trip between Georgia and the New York farm

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Its unusual that I make the trip this late in the year. Although it is highly unlikely it would snow (and bring the road salt and all the other bad stuff). It is often rainy. I had excellent weather. The main objective was to bring the brush hog up and mow trails. The trails have been disapearing and there are a number of bush islands appearing everywhere a small finish mower can't do the job. The tractor worked well. Back up over a multiflora rose bush with the brush hog up and drop it down and take care of business --at least for another couple of year or so. I spent many hours years ago yanking these things out of the ground with tractor and chain which yields a more satisfactory long term outcome. I will be doing the same with the largest ones for sure. I understand that these bushes were originally planted as a natural fence. Animals and humans alike don't like the thorns. They are invasive.
I am in Rhode Island at a conference, well it was a conference. The conference has been shut down for security sweep certainly related to the bombing in Boston. I was told to go to my room. Feels a lot like house arrest to me. I am not sure I like all this.
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I am still studying Portuguese (Eu Estudo Português). If you are studying Spanish the following Reggaeton song might help. Nevertheless, you will probably like it anyway. I have a neighborhood party at my house this Friday. I am looking forward to it. I am speaking at a conference somewhere next week and I am taking a couple of days of vacation after that. The weather here in Atlanta was fantastic today. Spring has been a real treat here on the lake. I am taking pics of blossoms that I will post. I had a bit of a tragic event here. My 1970s vintage Macintosh Power Amp leaked just a little bit of smoke out of of the number one magic music generator stack. I had to slip the Dynaco in its place for the party this Friday. We are going to run the Macintosh into the depot for a full diagnostic and refurb. Luckily, I was home and managed to capture some of the smoke in a bag. The Dynaco runs a little hotter, but it gets the job done.
As I become more and more internationally minded I find some interesting insights emerge. For example, I have determined that Countries are very much like dairy farms, The cows are the citizenry. Some counties squeeze the cows harder than others, some farmers make the cows feel better than others. Citizens are owned and branded by their countries. Good cows give more milk (money) and there will always be dry cows. How the farmers treat their livestock is a matter of principle not always profits. The parallels go on and on, have some fun with these thoughts.
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Spring is coming on strong here in Duluth. Between the good job, low cost of living, my house on the lake, short commute and good weather I like it here. I am having a Neighborhood party this Friday at my House. I figured it is a good way to meet my neighbors. Our Neighborhood Association has a beach on the lake, a swimming pool, clubhouse and events of different types including CLIFs, (Cardinal Lake its Friday). The blue trees are part of an art project the next town over. It originated in Australia. I think it will catch on and spread more and more around the world. Blue Trees The other tree behind the glass is my orange tree that has been with me since 1997 when I took an orange seed out of my mouth during lunch, and planted it in a styrofoam cup in my office in Rochester NY. Now it is with me in Duluth, it is asking me to spend more time outside. Things sure have changed, but I enjoy my tree.
This weekend I am in an exotic locale. Atlanta! Exploring is a state of mind not a place on the map or expensive arrangements. I went flying flying Sunday, pretty routine. I didn't take a single pic. Weird. When a bird is alive, it eats ants. When the bird is dead, ants eat the bird. I am planning a cool trip up north, Boston area for my birthday with family, then speaking at a conference in Providence RI and rounding things out with NYC and a nice tour of the familiar Upstate, NY State.
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I was out in Phoenix most of this week. We got to visit the Taliesin West-- Frank Lloyd Wright's Arizona school and home. I thought I saw a quote years ago from Wright where he said, "Don't buy a house for the view unless you own the view." I could not find the quote documented anywhere so I will take the attribution.
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I am back from 8 days in Brazil, both in the North and the South. I had many "peak experiences" during this time. I spent three days in Petrolina which is on the border of Northern States of Pernambucu and Bahia. It is a semi-arid area on the San Fransisco River. The river is damned at this location creating a reservoir only second in size to the "3 gorges project in China". The area reminds me in climate to southern California. The irrigation and the sun makes a great place for citrus and the like. We went to a Gal Costa concert, a river boat ride and lots of other fun activities in a short amount of time. Goat meat (bode) is a specialty in the area and source of local attention. The domestic flight into Petrolini had such a hard landing we bounced enough to warrant a go around. That happens in my little planes as we are learning, it is uncommon with a large commercial jet, for sure. We all lived and the fire equipment stayed at the station. I was very proud of my...