Daily Archives: September 28, 2014

Dogs, Garden

Containment

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Fall                                                                                 Fall Leaves Moon

The visible fence has switched on. This is our attempt to keep Gertie out of the orchard until we move. She has, of late, taken to digging out around the fruit trees. No, no, bad dog. The big girls, Vega and Rigel, dig happily everywhere, hunting for something or other underground and aided by our Greater Anoka Sand Plain soil. I’m thinking the Rockies might not prove so congenial. Actually, I’m hoping.

That mulberry limb, a large one blown over in a storm a month or so ago, finally got taken down today. A few strokes of the large pruning saw and it was on its way to the brush pile. We have many brush piles around the property, handy as places to put, well, brush, but also and more importantly as homes for critters.

Finally, more raspberry picking. The raspberry harvest lasts into October, often accomplished when frost is still on the leaves early in the morning. Not so today, however, with the temperature at 77 already. (11:45 a.m.)

A few small chores done, now the Sunday relaxation begins.

Colorado, Politics, The Move, The West

Oh, Yeah, Can You See

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Fall                                                                                              Falling Leaves Moon

The temperature, the political temperature, of Colorado can be taken in the gubernatorial race between Democrat John Hickenlooper and conservative Republican Bob Beauprez, scrambling over who will control fracking in western Colorado counties, but my favorite is Jefferson County high school students protesting against a conservative school board.

Here’s a couple of paragraphs from the Denver Post that show what the students are mad about. Denver Post, 9/25/2014

“The curriculum proposal, crafted by board member Julie Williams, calls for a nine-member panel to “review curricular choices for conformity to JeffCo academic standards, accuracy and omissions,” and present information accurately and objectively.

Williams’ proposal calls for instructional material presenting “positive aspects” of U.S. heritage that “promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free enterprise system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights.”

Materials should not, it says, “encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.””

Interesting definition of accuracy and objectivity.

Jefferson County is a western suburban county that runs from near Boulder in the north through western, affluent suburbs of Denver to an area not far north of Colorado Springs.

“Jefferson County’s electorate is Colorado in miniature, with roughly equal parts registered Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters.  The geography ranges from close-in suburbs with many students poor enough to qualify for discounted lunches to wealthier areas and mountain towns. Jefferson County is more than 90 percent white but has a growing Hispanic population.” Denver Post, 9/28/2014

I love it that these student have taken the essence of U.S. outsider politics like civil disorder and social strife, utilizing the mildest of these strategies, peaceful protest, and flung it back in the face of a school board attempting to rewrite history. My kinda people.

Jefferson County borders both Clear Creek County and Boulder County. We’ll almost surely land in one of those or even Jefferson County itself. I’ll unpack ready to help.