Antique Sock Knitting Machine

I have never seen this before. It is so cool!!
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/12/antique_sock_knitting_machines_at_m.html

House for Kevin and Carrie

Great news. We had our offer accepted for a house over the weekend. We signed the contract today. It is a great old house (built in 1900) in the town we were looking. We will be able to walk to the farmers market, butcher shop, library, bike shop, and several cafes and restaurants. All very exciting. I will post some pictures soon.

Enjoy the holidays.
Kevin and Carrie

Tree decorations

In China.

(via BBC news)

Airport Security Goes High Tech

Forget about x-ray machines and metal detectors. Check out this article on new technology that can read your mood and your intentions. Very cool and a little scary at the same time.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/02/airport.security/index.html

Enjoy,
Kevin

Random fiber photo

Over the summer we visited Conner Prairie, a local living history bonanza. There are two areas, one from the 1830s and another from the 1880s. It's a neat place, full of fun, useful info for farming in Indiana.

We visited their fiber area, saw the dye garden and watched a nice lady spin on this giant, complicated wheel. They also weave rugs there for the buildings on the site.

New York Online Farmers Market

http://nyfoodtrader.org/

Funny shoes!

I really want to try a pair of these on!

Green Auto

My company IT guy owns and updates this site: http://www.greenauto.com/

He keeps it up to date with the latest news (especially about the chevy volt) as he gets to go to the media events and see the concepts, etc. 

Check out the redesign of the Chevy Volt! He saw it up close in NYC a couple weeks ago.

Taking y'all back

The Muppets were good when we were kids, they are still good now. Of course the guys in the balcony are the best...

Winter

Last Week:

This week...

Another cool website

Pretty much sums up why I have a job.

http://www.sehinc.com/info/pub/images/aviandi.swf

Be proud of ESF

I was looking at college sustainability yesterday and found these two news clips about ESF. Really cool stuff.....especially the butter one. Check them out.

Flexi-pave: http://www.esf.edu/communications/news/2008/08.25.flexi.htm

Butter for fuel:

–http://www.esf.edu/communications/news/2008/09.12.biodiesel.htm

Kevin

How walkable is your neighborhood?

This is a pretty cool website. Not sure how accurate it is but it probably provides a relatively fair assessment. My current location got a 74, my apartment on Alexander was in the 80's. 

Anything Mountain Biking

Since the mountain biking season is winding down, I thought I'd share some pictures from 2008.

Michael on the Juicy Bacon trail at Dryer Road in Victor.

Finishing up the VERY muddy Raccoon Rally xc race.

Kev getting ready to roll out at Shindagin Hollow.

After a great day at Shindagin.

A family cemetery in Shindagin.

Michael taking a break from enjoying the blackberries at Gilbert Lake State Park.

A cool leaf mud tattoo received by Megan at Norwich/Brookfield.

A view of Letchworth Gorge from the Finger Lakes Trail.

Done!

I finally finished my first quilt!! (actually I had some help finishing it- my mom spent the last few weeks putting the bias tape on during the twins' naps...which I had avoided doing for months!) I can't remember when I started this quilt- except that we had Jingles at the time and our living room furniture was all upstairs in the room that is now a bedroom- so, it was a long time ago!

Now on to one of the other projects that I started but never finished...

Hardware - Photo

something purple

And yummy.

Newborn Twins

Community Garden

Rain Garden

Something old-timey

Hardware - Photo

This example waterwheel is in the park just down the road. I took these pictures after some trail running.

First, Waterwheel is normal motion:

And now in SUPER motion:

Water Reflections - Photo

This is from the local village of Honeoye Falls. I used to live (briefly) at the end of the next street. This was when I moved to Rochester just after graduation.

Enjoy,

Kevin

Beer

Happiness

This was shot in our fantastically productive garden. Sunflowers bring bees.. what do bees bring?

Enjoy.

Newborn Twins...well, Thomas

One dead lawnmower

This gave me a chuckle so I thought I would share.

Baby Bird

Can anyone ID this little guy? He was hanging out in our front yard, under the tree. If it wasn't for the orange on his tail I probably would've stepped right on him!

New Office

They recently moved me to a new office, one of those fancy places where people from other companies co-habitate and share a secretary and fridge. The video below shows why this is never a good idea.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=8704649

Something old-timey

Saw a double feature at the drive in this last weekend. Because the sun doesn't set here until 9:30ish, we were watchin movies until 2 am.

View from here

Some links for interesting photos of Earth from space.

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ipy/

At least we get some cool photos as a direct benefit of the space program - yes, I know we also got Velcro and Tang and I am sure a number of other interesting and beneficial stuff.

I <3 Modern Art

Real Snail Mail.

Bill sent me a message and I am anxiously awaiting it, even though I know it could take months. I suspect this is the point...to force me to learn to calm down.

I LOVE IT!

Rust

Bucket o'tetanus

Photographers. Start your....shutters?

The scavenger hunt list on the right -->

Post 'em when you got 'em! If you feel adventurous, label them "summer photo."

Scavenger Hunt list

Here is the list so far. Any comments/additions/deletions?

gaggle of geese
something purple
happiness
a red button (my fav on the list! so simple, but so many options.)
water reflections
a community garden
rust
a discarded couch
potential energy
lightening
cleanliness
messiness
beer
neighborliness
anything mountain biking
a mammal
kites
hardware
something old-timey
a sign of autumn
cheese
wonkiness
excitement
serenity

Want to start Memorial Day and run through Labor Day? Post here? Or are there other ideas?

Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt?

Is anyone interested in doing a summer-long photo scavenger hunt? We could make a list of things as a group and then spend the summer sharing the photos we’ve taken. They could be specific things (a gaggle of geese), more general things (something purple) or themes open to wild interpretation (happiness). We could post the photos here, or on another blog…or anyplace that would be easiest.

Any interest?

You mess with one of the family, you mess with the WHOLE family!!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Happiness is a warm but

Checkit: http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/01/19/funny-pictures-a-warm-butt/

Puppies with a nose for Trouble

Article and cute video on beagles being raised for border patrol in New Zealand.

I like how they say "Walks often take longer than planned because of sensory diversions." Thats one way of putting it!

:)

Anyone on Good Reads?

A friend of mine just notified me of this site where you keep lists of books you've read and want to read. Is anyone here on it?

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/976686

30+21=9

Michael and I find this entertaining, maybe you'll laugh with (or at) us as well.

Photo for the (almost over) week

From a xc skiing trip during our new year's stay in the 'daks.

America's Environmental Report Card

I was just looking through the American Environmental Literacy reports.
Interesting, but also scary. Apparently, 45 million Americans believe that the ocean is a source of freshwater. Check it out: http://www.neefusa.org/pdf/ELR2005.pdf


This report, and lots of others, are put together by the National Environmental Education Training Foundation. (http://www.neefusa.org/resources/publications.htm#neetfpubs)

Thursday photo

Lucky shot from our back yard.

Reviving the picture of the week posts

A pic by Bro took in AZ on our recent Christmas pilgrimage

How was New Years?

Photos? Stories? Any more doggies that refused to go home??

The best new tech ideas of 2007

Allegedly, but still a great read: http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2007/12/08/magazine/index.html

Invasive Species News in NY

SPECIAL UNIT TO TACKLE DRAMATIC RISE IN INVASIVE SPECIES
New Office Will Coordinate Public Outreach, Legislation and Research Needs

With invasive species proliferating throughout New York’s waterways, forests and farmlands, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today the formation of a new office within DEC to focus on one of the state’s fastest growing environmental threats.

The new Office of Invasive Species will bring together biologists and foresters to develop ways to combat the problem, and work with universities, other state agencies and non-profit organizations to support research and raise public awareness. From zebra mussels to Eurasian water milfoil to Sirex wood wasps, hundreds of non-native plants and animals have invaded New York – especially in the last decade, thought to be linked to the rise in global shipping – posing threats to ecosystems.

“These invasive species have a devastating impact, not only on the environment but also the economy,” said Governor Eliot Spitzer. “They have wiped out certain tree species, hurt recreational and commercial fishing, and tainted water supplies. This new office will bring a much needed focus to a problem we cannot ignore.” “Invasive species compete with, prey upon and can substantially alter the environment of our native species of plants, fish and wildlife,’’ Grannis said. “Even though many of them have been around for years, we have never had a coordinated system in place to attack the problem, a system that threads together the issues of public outreach, funding and legislation needs, and research.”

Earlier this year, Governor Spitzer signed a law to create the New York State Invasive Species Council, comprised of representatives of nine state agencies and an advisory committee of business, academia and conservation interest groups. In addition, the 2007-08 State budget included $5 million for invasive species programs, including grants for municipalities to eradicate problem species, public outreach efforts through Cornell Cooperative Extension and a plan to develop “clean stock” at the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva to provide fruit growers with a virus-free planting stock. Plans also call for creating an Institute of Invasive Species Research at Cornell University.

Full article at http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/40816.html