The Field Lab

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

Due to a little storm last night, the roofing delivery won't be coming till next Tuesday.  Started shuttling the siding materials over to the job site.  88,95,70,0,B

Broke out the old table saw and put a new blade on it.  Been over 10 years since it had new teeth.  I wanted long length 1x4 furring strips which McCoys doesn't have.  They only sell 1x2 and 2x2 in 8' lengths.  Ripping 2x4s was my best option and cheaper than buying their standard 1x4s.  76,99,76, .23",B

Some house finches have taken over (and refined) and old dove nest under the SW corner of the greenhouse.  There are 3 eggs in the nest.  I am monitoring it with my webcam and you can view it on my nightly live stream on YouTube from 7:15 to 8:15 PM CST.  91,99,74,0,B

1 John 4: 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

The story behind the tire tumbleweed:  Tires for Sisyphus is a performance video utilizing a spherical tire clad sculpture. Angel Fernandez pushes the object on a 42 acre property in Terlingua Ranch, near Big Bend, Texas. Winter Rusiloski is assistant director, Persephone Battle is drone camera operator, and Christian deLeon is responsible for editing and sound. The video was included in exhibitions at KSpace Contemporary in Corpus Christi, TX and the CICA Museum in South Korea.  
The work is a performance video utilizing a spherical tire covered sculpture. The device creates a drawing on the sandy 40-acre surface on our property in Terlingua Ranch. I document the process and finished marking via drone photography as well as on the ground footage. While traveling from South Padre Island to the Big Bend along the U.S. and Mexico border, I encountered chained tires that the Border Patrol uses on the American side. Their white Suburbans drag tires to clear tracks on the dirt paths. This clearing or erasing of tracks allows them to monitor fresh foot traffic. Native Americans used this method to track and hunt various animals. This technique sustained their livelihood, which at times was unpredictable. Tires are symbols of progress, movement and date back to Sumerian culture’s invention of the wheel, one of the most revolutionary inventions of civilization.I intend to use the tires differently from the subtracting and destroying quality. In Tires for Sisyphus, they are a creative and mark making tool. The tires and my shoes leave impressions on the earth the same way that immigrants leave evidence of their passage. This drawing is a record of the journey. The process of pushing this object on the desolate landscape suggests a perpetual struggle, one filled with tension, pain and hard work. Our existence leaves a mark on the land, good and bad. This same existence also makes impressions on our collective identity, shaping the psyche of this country.Tires for Sisyphus is a reminder of the great cliché that great things come from hard work, risk and adventure. Immigrants make up the greatest part of our American identity and they embody the entrepreneurial American spirit that helped individuals traverse the Atlantic Ocean on their most perilous journey to this amazing land of opportunity. Presently, people come to this country and risk everything, including their lives. People are caged, turned away, and mistreated. Many will come back and try to find a different way to enter this country. This process is part of the unending cycle, a Sisyphean task, and the pursuit of a better tomorrow that may never come.

Taped all the sheathing seams and installed some peal and stick leak barrier on the ridge and at the roofing transition.  83,97,75,0,B

Got a little repair job coming up for a friend as soon as the insurance claim is finalized.  His house got pounded on the north side by some pretty large hail.  89,98,68,0,B  

First time I've been on top.  Finished all the roof fascia and some final sheathing nails.  Prepped for underlayment now.  Tin arrives next week.  In other news: didn't find any hornworms on my tomato plants - just a couple of grasshoppers doing a little leaf chewing.  81,99,73,T,B

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

A couple of days ago, I noticed the first evidence of tomato hornworms on my plants.  Haven't been able to spot them yet.  Did a quick internet search today and discovered they are easy to find after dark if you use a blacklight - they glow bright green.  Dug through one of my old boxes of electronics and found a black light that I probably bought over 10 years ago...and it still works!  Going hornworm hunting tonight. 75,94,70, .08",B

Today's holiday task - figuring out the gable fascia.90,100,72, .13",B

The rattlesnake skin is finished and shipping out Monday to its new home in Estonia.  My friend Herbert Murd is going to put it on display in his Texas themed restaurant.  90,100,74, .05",B