Archive for April, 2009

Weak

Posted in community, Humboldt County with tags , , on April 27, 2009 by inretaliation

About six years ago we lived in a little cabin in the hills on the edge of the ocean.  We had a grand total of 4 neighbors spread throughout the hills.  It was beautiful, maybe even idyllic.  One night I woke up in the pitch black and heard a motor.  I woke Rhett and asked him if he heard it… he did.  We sat quietly trying to determine which of the serpentine dirt roads the car was traveling on and in which direction.  When the tone of the motor continued on unchanged understanding dawned.  Someone was running a generator.  From then on every night if we woke up by chance we could hear the phantom growling of the generator.  That is the extent of my experience with diesel grows in the hills.  It was irritating to move so far out only to hear a motor all night long.

NHS (Northcoast Horticulture Supply) is now selling WhisperWatt generators.  I find disturbing this blatant condonation of diesel grows.  If you live in the hills you can grow plenty in a greenhouse.  If you want to grow indoor move somewhere with PG&E.  Diesel grows smack of greed and indifference for the environment around them.  Greed leads to solecism.  Shame on you NHS, I had thought better of you.ldg5000

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Perplexed

Posted in community, Humboldt County, politics on April 20, 2009 by inretaliation

Rhett and I went to the WoodRose for breakfast yesterday, and if it wouldn’t have been for the Independent on the bar I would have thought we were in SoCal.  I saw minidresses, strappy heels, big hoop earrings,  gold chains, 10 gallon Gucci bags, big studded sunglasses, saggy designer jeans, tight designer jeans, perfectly coiffed hair and blue eyeshadow.  All this might seem a bit p2020916shallow but I was a little taken aback.  Where were all the dready hippies, the long flowing skirts over patchwork pants, the smell of patchouli oil and body odor?  Did the hippies breed and come up with some highly mutant strain or did all these people migrate to SoHum for….what?

Don’t tell me they came for the weed.  I thought pot culture was all about bucking the system.  You smoked pot so you could get lost in the way things should be.  I thought people came here to go back to the land and get away from capitalism.  Did all those hippies have kids that rebelled against their lofty ideals but couldn’t escape the place?

If they are Humboldt County’s next generation.  Their parents didn’t teach them their trade very well.  On the front page of the Independent was a story of a pot bust.  8 people and two cars were parked at the bottom of Bell Springs Rd., where it connects with 101.  A sherriff pulled up and asked if they needed any help.  The smell of weed permeated the air so he called for backup and searched the vehicles.  He found 20 pounds of marijuana and $100,000.  All they had to do was drive up Bell Springs Road 100 yards and they would have been fine.  Oh well, as my grandfather would say, they have to pay their stupid tax now.

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Testimony

Posted in politics on April 8, 2009 by inretaliation

scan00331I was listening to Democracy Now! this morning when I was astonished to hear that a twelve year old girl, Evann Orleck-Jetter testified in front of the Vermont Legislature on behalf of gay marriage.  Many legislators said they were moved by her testimony.

I do not think children should be used to further anyone’s political agenda.  Obviously it is effective.  I just don’t think children should be concerned with or certainly not in the center of  political issues.   They are children, let them be concerned with school, and what to wear, and what friends house they are going to stay the night at.  I don’t think twelve is old enough to have fully formed opinions about politics.

I know that she should feel strongly about this issue because her parents are lesbian, but that still doesn’t mean she needs to testify.  I am glad the legislators where smart enough to pass the bill.  I just hope it was on the basis of their sense of civil liberties and not because they felt sorry for a little girl. Little girl testifies

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Aunt Ruby

Posted in relationships with tags , on April 5, 2009 by inretaliation

Rhett and I will be in the middle of a heated discussion, when he will utter the six worst words he could possibly think of.  “Is Aunt Ruby coming to visit?”  (For those of you who don’t know, he is asking if I am about to start menstruating)  What the hell does he think he is going to accomplish with this question?  

I think he can’t resist because he feels like he has just found the missing puzzle piece and he has to now if it fits right now.

pms1It used to really bother me.  I think it was the implication that I would not be upset or hurt or irritated if it wasn’t that time of the month.  In other words I have no grounds to stand on in an argument if Aunt Ruby is imminent.  This is BS!!!!!!  I still have legitimate concerns.  It doesn’t matter when I am more likely to bring up those concerns.      Dammit, and go to hell.

It no longer bothers me.  I figured out that he is right.  Now, now, stay with me here.  I know it seems unbelievable but it is true.  It is the one time every month where I have the perfect excuse to be a bitch.  I cannot control my hormones and it is not my fault that they control me.  It is meant to be that way.  They have a purpose, something important is going on.  I am not saying its ok to go off the deep end.  I know for me when my hormones kick in I try really hard not to be irritable or short tempered.  I can watch myself lose the battle though, all of which irritates me more.

What’s his excuse?  Did his whole body go through a hormonal change or was he just….tired maybe. (big baby)

So know when Rhett asks me the dreaded question, I say  “Yep thats right so please just say, yes honey, and do the dishes whenever possible.  Then we will get along fine”

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Our Land

Posted in community, Humboldt County, politics with tags , on April 2, 2009 by inretaliation

That one little word conjures up so many emotions for me.  My parents raised me to believe that it was the only worthwhile investment.  My mother also thought that its collection was the best way to save the environment.  She worked for a Federal Government agency that was trying to clean up the messes that logging had made in Trinity County.  She felt cheated when she found out that BLM leases some of their land to logging companies.  Tax dollars were being used to cause the problem and to clean it up.  She thought nonprofits such as Sanctuary Forest were much smarter than activists who insisted the Federal Government intervene to save the land.  (My sister and I thought it was hilarious that she was married to a millworker.)

With the county gearing up for the adoption of a new General Plan, it seems as if our County’s dividing lines are becoming plain again.  Change is soooo scary.  That doesn’t mean that it is not necessary.  I live around a bunch of really big ranches.  I love driving or hiking by big rolling hills and large stands of forests.  I have friends who recently went in together and bought one of these large ranches.  I couldn’t believe it when they were successful in ending their partnership with each of them having their own land and still being friends.  The ranch was made up of several small parcels.  Some part of me was a little saddened to see the ranch broken up into 4 separate homestead sites.  Two of the partners are now selling a total of four parcels that are across the road from where they are putting their houses.  Wells will have to be drilled and the rolling hills will be broken up by houses and outbuildings.

I have been accused of being a hypocrite.  I have my land, now no one else should be able to buy land around me.  I spent 7 years living here and working here and searching for available land before I found it within my price range.  I don’t mind people buying raw land and building on it.  I just want the big ranches saved or at least not broken up into 10 acre parcels.  It takes me 25 minutes to get my daughters to school because I like it that way.  I want to be far away.  I think one of the biggest banes of this country’s existence is suburbia.  I think there should be rural land and urban land, not rolling hills of track homes.  Cities should build up not out.  Or at least up faster than out. Rural land should be for hardy, resourceful people.  Those who are willing to wait and watch diligently for their opportunity.

In preparation for this post I listened to HumCPR’s meeting that happened on March 19th.  The people who spoke were very well informed. It is worth listening to, HumCPR meeting at Healy Senior Center I am not sure I agree with how scary they seem to think everything is.  They very seldom mention the fact that there are four different versions of the plan under consideration.  This is my favorite map to look at. General Plan Map I love seeing how the different versions will effect different places. (Especially mine)

How do we make room for all the people who want to share our lifestyle while retaining the lifestyle?humboldt-county-california-660973-g

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