"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun." ~ Pablo Picasso"


The rancho is going solar and will be home of 39 solar panels.   This author has wondered aloud how all those panels will mesh with the quiet majesty of nature at the rancho, but will apparently find out soon, because the engineers will be out to stake out the site over President's Weekend and then the engineering and permitting will begin, with some estimates placing installation as early as March 23rd.  Some coordination and inspection with PG & E will be necessary in order for their approval of said project, at which time, the rancho will be given the go ahead to flip said switch. 

While the ultimate goal was clean energy independence and self-sufficiency, the basic hope is that when we flip a light switch, the lights go on and the well continues to pump water to the house.   Air conditioning in summer would be a close runner up. 

It would be a happy day, indeed, to be able to report that this phase of planning and building at the rancho will conclude the numerous projects that were within the grand five-year plan.  It has come to the attention of one of the ranchers that the other thrives on planning and building things, and that while this very post is being composed, plans are being contemplated to build an annex to the tool shed -- yes, yes, you heard that correctly.  It was suggested that, perhaps, a pre-made tool shed from Lowe's might suffice.  A faint guffaw was heard in response.   "No, no," he was heard to say, "One must be constructed," and off he walked, into the sunset, muttering something about joists and lumber and nails.   That evening, over a glass of wine, it was revealed that the Grand Plan has been expanded.  Perhaps merely installing drawers in the closet and redoing the master bathroom would not be adequate.  Knocking out the front portion of the house by the master bedroom might provide the desired result. 

Could it be that Mrs. Winchester has been reincarnated into this industrious rancher who never seems to stop building?  Is it the vast horizons that are visible at the rancho that motivate a person to be ever expanding over the horizon?  What drives a person to demonstrate such a level of work ethic, perseverence, and schpilkas?  There is a suspicion that it is hereditary, as well as environmental.  I will leave the reader with a quote by one of the geniuses of this world, which may shed some insight on a person who possesses this indomitable spirit to achieve:

"I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well."
Johannes Sebastian Bach

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Central Coast Olive Oil Competition Results and Update

Image
We got word late last week that we received four awards from the Central Coast Olive Oil Competition.  We were awarded a Silver Medal for our Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a Silver Medal for our Lemon-Infused Olive Oil, a Bronze Medal for our Orange-Infused Olive Oil, and a Bronze Medal for our Smoked Olive Oil. We are attempting, ourselves, to make sense out of the inconsistencies between the different judging panels.  The O/C member of our team reviews results with the plan of doing things better each year, and scrutinizes every fact provided but just cannot reconcile the results.  Some might suggest we ought to just celebrate the 12 awards we've received this year, with an additional two Best of Class Awards, but yet, we are left SOH (shaking our heads), as they say.  There are producers who submitted and did not win awards, so we are thrilled that, on the whole, all of our oils are award-winning. So, what mountain is left to scale this year?  One of the...
Read more

Butter to Olive Oil Conversion Chart for Recipes

You might be thinking, I'd like to use olive oil instead of butter more, but how would I possibly go about converting my recipes?  Voila! You're welcome! Butter to Olive Oil Conversion Chart for Recipes Butter EVOO 1 tsp. ¾ tsp. 2 tsp. 1 ½ tsp. 1 Tbsp. 2 ¼ tsp. ¼ cup 3 Tbsp. 1/3 cup ¼ cup ½ cup ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. 2/3 cup ½ cup ¾ cup ½ cup + 1Tbsp. 1 cup ¾ cup
Read more

"The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart." Robert Green Ingersoll

Image
Last week, it seemed that we could barely contain all the happy, good news coming in to the Rancho, but Mother Nature has never been a lady who likes to take the back seat, so we were given a rather cruel reminder yesterday who is really in charge, and it is not the one writing this blog. With all olive trees in full blossom, warnings as to a storm began to trickle in at the beginning of the week.  We took notice, since April has not smiled down kindly upon us in the past.  All weather casts said there would be rain, but in the Bay area, they said wouldn't get this far south.  The predicted winds were checked, all below advisory level. Shouldn't worry, right? Needless to say, the weather people were again wrong again as winds over 50 mph ripped through the olive trees in full blossom and then rain pummeled our hill, just in case there were any blossoms left.  We could only stand and watch.  It was April of 2014 all over again.   There isn't anything...
Read more