Swedish Candle!

To our right-
The amazing center burning upturned log... no fire pit? no need... this is called a Swedish Candle; by cutting a X down the center of the log, you can start a small twiggy fire at the apex of the X, and it will burn down as far as you made the cut, and put its self out.



Below-
not the most prime example of chainsaw safety protocol, but at least he is wearing glasses right? cut the log, start a small fire, and you have a wonderful instant outdoor fire! you could even bury the log slightly in a pit, combine a few others cut the same, and make a larger or smaller candle!

when we lit it, it was a really nice self controled little fire, and if you cut an X on both bottom and top its a super efficient way to have a small and safe fire, and be efficient with the wood you have.

the X cut in the log allows air to flow through and heat the fire from below with updraft, and when it hits bottom, it smolders out. really cleaver fire making.

i wonder how many other ways you could cut a log, make art, or use this process of burning?

2012

Well here we are folks!

the year has come.... and not a moment too soon! got a computer back to add much much much to the interweb of ever expanding knowledge.

been quite a few months since the past post in september, and the RDNA program at Regenerative Design Institute has been quite a journey. from primitive fire making skills, to natural pigment paint and dye making, we have covered so much in the Permaculture, and cultural mentoring world.

lots of photos (click here) of the Regenerative Design Nature Awareness program, covering tons, although not as many photos as i should be taking there. too busy paying attention and doing! have decided to do my final design project a permaculture design for land Back at Leslie's in Southampton, NY. since i know the land well, and its not fictional, it was the best option to apply a real design with a real client. it will be good for a design portfolio and most of all just practice.



this photo on this post is of the crescent moon over Bolinas lagoon. it sums up the beauty that surrounds us in this world, but especially out here on the Pt Reyes Sea shore.

oiled_1

oiled_1, a photo by jgreenphotos on Flickr.

While down near the Channel Islands this past December, i got to go to Rincon on a very special christmas eve. in our times of peak oil and environmental collapse, these oil platforms, some of the oldest in the country, seemed to set a nice back drop to surfers who are so deeply connected to the ocean and nature... has surfing here every day amongst these old rigs caused a numbness to our impact on nature and the planet? what is the future of these rigs?