Nate Weaver's new Giant Silver Road Bike

Here is Nate with his new road bike as he returns it to the garage in St Cloud. We took a ride to Bravo Burrito's on a clear sunny Sunday and enjoyed Mexican food on 33rd St in the western part of the city. Fun to navigate the back streets, and revisit old St Germain Street that is now bipassed by the major auto routes like Division Street and Roosevelt Road. What I nice light bike Nate has for his commute to eBureau downtown. I really admire, both Nate and Jesse who have avoided car-dependency and the payments that go along with them. Now to get the North Star Rail line completed to St Cloud and the Twin Cities so Minnesota can have real commuter rail! Hope springs eternal, eh? Thanks Nate for keeping a pace where my old mountain bike can keep up.

Jesse Preparing the yard for sod, landscaping with tiller

Since the home is on a place of a demolished building, that the City of St Cloud owned, the new housing was created on somewhat of a landfill. Sue had talked to me on the phone of various chunks of concrete that she extracted from the soil. After some test tilling in the front yard, we discovered a variety of micro soil zones. More black dirt where the water drains to each neighbor and a hard pan in the back yard. Here is Jesse turning up the soil to get aeration down to 6 -8" which is recommended for soil prep for sod placement. Now to discern how much black dirt, with more organic matter to purchase and spread on various low spots and low organic areas for long term sod health, for me, sod that is not dependent on the high water volume and inorganic fertilizer cycle. I pray for support to have a sustainable, simple home and yard for Jesse, that is beautiful and easy to maintain. Sue, Jesse, Amy and I shared a vision for a Ginkgo tree, as a first statement for disease resistance and longevity.
Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba

Jesse's Home Front View - Jesse, Amy and TGW

Here is a photo by Jane of the front of Jesse's home in St Cloud. Amy and I are lending encouragement after moving the big fridge into the basement with a dolly, and then bringing the couch over from his mom's place near the University. Nice space Jesse. Live long and prosper!

Front Porch of Jesse's Home - Trailer for Moving

Here is Jesse getting the cushions ready for the couch we just moved from his mom's in the utility trailer I hauled up from the Twin Cities. Jess purchased his home in a neighborhood of other new construction as you can see in the background. The porches all have a similar design. So grateful the moving has gone so smoothly thus far. Thanks Sue, Jane and Amy for your kind support as well!

Jesse's New Home - Kitchen Food with Amy and Jane

Here is a view from near the front door, with the hide a bed couch that Jess and I moved from his mom's place. Amy is tending to the wok, with Janes supervision, where stir fried vegies are cooking. Grateful for the big batch of guacamole and chips along with the fruit and vegie drink made by Jane and Amy with the Champion Juicer by the sink. Yum! Fun to see Jess settling in to his new digs just a 10 minute bike ride from his work in downtown St Cloud. The light and space are wonderful! Way to go Jesse!

Moving the Fridge into Jesse's New Home

Moving experiences into Jesse's new home. Here are Amy and Jane washing out the fridge that he purchased from Zach Powell's dad. After Jess, Zach and I drove to the lake by Cold Spring to pick it up with my handy utility trailer we unloaded it into Jesse's back yard. I clumsily let the fridge tip from the trailer while still on the dolly, forgetting to communicate my actions to Zach. and it fell to the ground! Oops. Fortunately, after Jess and I wrestled it down the stairs moving it through the house, from the front door (it was too wide to get in the back) he plugged it in to find that it works fine. Here, Amy and Jane cleaned out the mold and took all the shelves out to give it a good cleaning! Great food, fresh sulfur shelf from the woods, stir friend in the wok, fresh vegies and then fresh juiced vegies and fruits.

Choke Cherries Ripening - Harvest for Jelly Making

Here are some ripe choke cherries as I found them this weekend. I harvested some to make into jelly for the autumn harvest time. Thinking about all the fun times harvesting wild foods from the Creation. Yum!