Bobcat (the tractor) Action Video

To kick the landscaping into high gear, i rented a little Bobcat. See the Action videos. Everything went real quick after this.
bobcat.mov In Quicktime format.

Spiders & Thistles

Found these interesting things at my parents house a couple weeks ago. One huge spider and its web. And this thistle seed pod from some sort of native plant. Ouch.

Weekend Warrior: Build Castle Wall - Grunt!

This was my Saturday. Woot! We're making progress.
See the building progression in a photo merge animation.

More Mud

This is a classic. Finally I got to use my little Subaru Forester in some mud. A few weeks ago when my sweetheart and I were on a short anniversary outing - we took drive up to Cerrillos and Madrid, NM. Through some mud. It was great! I came up slowly to the huge pond of water which was covering the whole dirt road, stopped, discussed briefly with my bride - which way through to take and then gunned it. As I was just about to cut a bit to the left to higher and more solid ground, suddenly saw a huge piece of metal in the way, thus forcing me a smiggen off course. Plunge goes the right side of the vehicle into deep water and mud. It's spraying everywhere - Daniela is screaming, I'm laughing having too much fun and within a few seconds we were out on solid dry ground. We did it! We passed some folks in a Mini Cooper coming the other direction - told them not to try it. That would've been a sight.

From the Archives

By popular demand. I've posted a photo of the infamous mullet in 1994. Yikes! I'm incriminating myself on this one. The big question is: Why did I or anyone in their right mind sport a mullet in 1994 or 95 or even - i hate to say it all the way into 96. But it didn't get past March or April of 96. I know you're laughing and gasping for air. Me too.

Slowly I Become One With the Mud

"Rain, rain on my face
It hasn't stopped raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become one with the mud

But if I can't swim after forty days
And my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves
Lift me up so high that I cannot fall
Lift me up
Lift me up - when Im falling
Lift me up - Im weak and Im dying
Lift me up - I need you to hold me
Lift me up - keep me from drowning again"

–Jars of Clay, Flood

This song comes to mind often these days because Albuquerque has been breaking records for the amount of rain. It's unbelievable! I've never seen this place so green. I mean - you look out across the river to the west volcanoes and it's green. Not the usual dirt brown. But you know what that means in 6-12 months. It will dry up and all those new weeds, grass and native plants are just kindling for the fires. I hope not. Well, here's to all who normally live in sogginess - I don't know how you do it. Cheers.



Here's my backyard getting drenched (I've always wanted my own swimming pool of mud.) and even better a rainbow afterwards.

1966 Plymouth Sport Fury

No, no, it's not mine. It's my Uncle Denny's - who lives in western PA. Pretty sweet though. I think he's planning on restoring this puppy. An interesting note, is that he and my dad were rummaging around in my late Grandmother's garage and found some actual parts (in their boxes) dated to the late 60's or early 70's, but never used that would fit the Fury. Left overs from the Byers Y Esso service station that my late Grandfather (Frantz Byers) used to own. Wow!

Family Folk

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit my relations in Pennsylvania. We're a strange bunch when all together, but if that were not the case then we wouldn't be family. Here's my sweet Grandmother Byers (Liela) and I, she had just come outside to find a few of us fishing in the lake. And the group shot is the other side better known as the Wolfe's. That's My Sister, Me, Grandpa, Uncle and Grandma. We were trying not to get wet from the rain while having a hard time all fitting on the deck.

The System

I have a friend that would call everything a "system". Even things you normally wouldn't think of as a system - yet he made it work. There are different kinds of systems in this world. You got your money system, highway system, fast-food system, sound system, Lego® system, stack-of-papers system, computer system…the list is endless. Well, I've got another kind of system that I've been working on for a couple months now. It's an automatic sprinkler and irrigation system. That's right, here in New Mexico these are of utmost importance if you want to save water and have a bit of green around your house. The only way to persevere through a project like this is to keep the vision alive - the vision your family and friends (if they remember who you are) enjoying the oasis like sanctuary sometime before summer of 2006 says goodbye.

If you've had the opportunity to build one of these things by yourself (and you're not a professional plumber or sprinkler system dude), you know that it's quite an undertaking. I had to build my manifold and valve/vacuum breaker system twice because of a leak. I had to have a new water line (from the street to the house) put in because the old one was so crusty that no plumber would touch it. I rented a trencher twice. After rototilling the back yard which felt like solid rock - I had my arms surgically removed and replaced with exact replicas. And I haven't done this all by myself - a few family members and friends have stopped by on occasion to help shovel. Not to mention my sweet wife who delicately removed a small boulder from the already finished pvc pipe system this morning.

Okay so you get the picture. It's been a lot of work. Just today we filled in the trenches in the back yard and the sprinklers work! Just in time for the sod delivery later this week. Woot! Here are a couple photos of "the system" which lives in the now ginormous crater in the front yard. E.J. is inspecting Dada's handiwork.

Below are my two fearless and darling helpers dying for a spot of grass.

Carrot Juice

A couple weeks ago I was sick as a dog. So the usual remedy is get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids - mainly fresh carrot juice. And in about a day - I feel much better. But this time around the virus or bacteria knocked me around for 2 weeks. It was awful. I think I drank more carrot (with a bit of apple and OJ) juice than...well I drank alot. Here's my son Emery and I chugging it down.

Secure With Dadda When the Blender Is On

The other day I was making a smoothie in the blender. Before even turning the thing on, my little guy got scared and ran out of the kitchen. So I went and picked him up to reassure him it would be okay. With him still in my arms I turned on the blender and made the smoothie. He watched with wonder and held on tight. But he was safe, because Dadda was holding him.

I wonder how differnt life would be at times If we just remembered that our heavenly Father was holding us in his arms. We wouldn't get scared and freaked out when we encounter things in life that are new or scary. We would attempt and accomplish some amazing things.

The Spaghetti Monster

C:/ This is a blog restart. I had an all time high of one post on my blog one year ago. So with a new passion for chocolate chip cookies this blog has officially restarted.

Here's a new gem. My little guy enjoying his spaghetti just like a little guy does. Smear it on buddy!

See E.J.'s new movie:
The Spaghetti Monster
sml 2MB | lg 8MB
You'll need QuickTime Player