Diana Gabaldon Outlander Series

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Like the Hobbit and Tolkien's Trilogy, these really special books by Diana Gabaldon should be re-read.
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I first read one of these books when I was turned on to it by my ex-wife. I enjoyed it, but did not read the series.
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Almost exactly one year ago (on 19 April 2006) I was still living in Europe. I was visiting the grave sites of our Scottish ancestors, and on the way back down south I stopped in at Stirling Castle.
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I was really delighted to find one of Diana Gabaldon's books in the gift shop.
http://paulgarland.blogspot.com/2006/04/stirling-castle-scotland.html

For the past year I have carried one of her books with me almost every place I have gone. I intentionally have been dragging it out because Claire, Jaime, and the others have become sort of like secret friends. So I use these books as a wonderful escape.

On 21 April 2007 me and my little black dog Inu were camping up in the mountains near the Gila Wilderness. I finished the 5th book in the series. This only leaves one more which I began today called A Breath of Snow and Ashes.
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I just noticed that I bought the copy I am reading while I was in Aachen, Germany. So it was published in the UK and has the price printed on the back cover in British Pounds Sterling, and a self adhesive price tag in Euros was put on in Germany.
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The author says she is going to write at least one more book in this series, maybe two. But at the moment this is the final book.
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So I guess I will drag out reading this one even more, just reading at it when I am in a really special place (physically or mentally for that matter).


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I've Always Been A Little Innocent and Gullible

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Great quote from a friend of mine:

"I may be gullible but at least I still have this magic fish."

Ocotillos in Bloom

The southwestern desert has such beauty.

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A couple of days ago I was tromping around the hills with a guy about my age. And he remarked, "Most people have no idea just how full of life the desert is."

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I agree completely.

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Riveted Metal Truss Bridges

Reading my e-mail this morning I came across this really neat quote, “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”

On highway 152 from Hillsboro, New Mexico up to Kingston going West towards the Gila National Forest you drive through two really fine old historic metal riveted truss bridges.

One has had the signs stolen from it, the other not (yet).

You also pass one beautiful old metal bridge which has been decommissioned.

This is a link to the wikipedia article on truss bridges: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_bridges

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Althought the famous bridge over the Firth of Forth travelling north of Edinburg, Scotland is not technically a truss bridge, it is a riveted metal bridge (a cantilever bridge).

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Built in the late 1800's it is beautiful and a wonderful, elegant reminder of Scotland to many of us.

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LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Bridge_%28railway%29

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Petroglyph Mine - Hillsboro, New Mexico USA

The Petroglyph Mine just outside of Hillsboro, N.M. has been featured in several magazines recently , including the March/April 2006 issue of Rocks & Minerals.

My little black dog Inu and myself spent the night there last night in our teardrop trailer so that we could search for fluorescent rocks after dark.

The petroglyph mine is located at approximately 32.93319N, -107.54436 It is named the petroglyph mine because there are three archaic petroglyph sites nearby.

A high clearance vehicle is an absolute necessity on this dirt road, and 4 wheel drive certainly makes life a little more comfortable.

This area is at about 5,500 feet above sea level and is well away from any cities. So the air is clean and there is no light pollution. The stars were unbelievable last night. After the moon set the Milky Way was very clearly visible. I mean just totally obvious! I don’t think I have see it that well since I was a child more than 50 years ago.

To get there you take Highway 152 approximately 2.3 miles east of the general store in Hillsboro, and turn right (South) on the dirt road which is 0.6 miles east of mile marker 50.

Be certain that you close the gate behind you.

Go down through the gulley and up the hill. The mine and its mine tailings are on the right just next to the road, maybe 150 meters up the hill.

Highway 152 is visible from the mine.

While we were waiting for it to get dark enough to begin searching with the battery powered UV light a deer ran past.

This area is extremely productive for glow rocks. It would be easy for me to use too many superlatives in describing how great this place is.

There was massive calcite which fluoresced in bright red all over the place, some very bright green fluorescing willemite, and lots of minerals that I have not yet identified. Including some with beautiful blue veins.

Embree Hale

Embree Hale is both an old time miner from Hillsboro, New Mexico and a renowned photographer of petroglyphs.

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He is a very polite and interesting gentleman. He owns a silver mine.

I went to one of his exhibitions of photography today at the Art on the Western Edge Gallery in Columbus, New Mexico.

He is currently being featured in a film documentary.

Yesterday we had lunch together, then he took me and Betty Reynolds around to three different petroglyph sites near Hillsboro.

In my experience most native American Indian rock art is made on dark, heavily oxidized rock. The Indian artist chipped a thin layer of the oxidized patina away, exposing the lighter colored rock underneath.

The three sites that we went to yesterday are very different than this norm. All three are chipped deeply into unoxidized limestone.

At one of the sites we saw where someone has vandalized the site with a drill, stealing one of the prime petroglyphs.

Hueco Tanks State Historic Site

I got a call today from the folks at Hueco Tanks letting me know that I have been chosen to be trained to guide people to the pictograph rocks at at Hueco Tanks.

This is excellent news!

LINK: http://hpgarland.blogspot.com/2007/01/hueco-tanks.html

Sicko

I once met and talked a good while with Mike Moore. He is the ex-head of the WTO and an ex-prime minister of New Zealand. He is a really brilliant and funny guy.

Michael Moore is the pretentious fat ass film maker. But I have to say that from initial reports his new movie called Sicko may be right on target.

I was in business for more than 25 years. For the last 15 years of my career I was General Manager of the European Division of a multi national food company. One would think that would suggest that I am at least somewhat emotionally stable. Certainly I believe in competition and the profit motive. Many people with this type of job would be a Republican.

I also have compassion. President Bush spouts this word like the word brocolli, but he is not compassionate. He talks the talk, but he doesn't walk the walk. He is an elitist, and he doesn't care about poor folks. Not to mention that he is very narrow and poorly educated.

For almost 20 years of my life I lived in Europe. I am as philosophically opposed to the welfare state as any American businessman. A gut reaction I guess.

But guess what? I never once waited for any health care in Europe. When I needed a cat scan I got it right now. The doctor's office scheduled my appointments around my schedule, not theirs. When I went to the pharmacy with a doctor's prescription it was always filled FOR FREE. Yes, no deductible, no co-pay. Totally free.

It is absolutely sinful, sick, and just plain revolting for a country as rich as the USA to have 47,000,000 uninsured people.

And I'm one of them. I'm 58. And I have malignant cancer. The company I worked for was sold, and they wanted to put in their own managers. So I'm early retired, and am among the 47 million uninsured Americans. What an absolute bunch of horse hocky!

Shiba Inu

Inu is such a smart little doggie. He likes to relax laying on the pillows at the top of the bed. He has figured out that most of the time either the ceiling fan is running or when it gets hot the refrigerated air conditioner automatically wakes itself out of power saving mode and turns on. So this is the most comfortable room in the house.

In this picture which is illuminated with a strobe light flash he is readily visible. But imagine a dark little doggie laying on navy blue pillow cases in a semi darkened room.

It is almost like he is wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak.

More Cowbell

Well worth watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7raPB7ZTXsY

Morning Walk Report

I did not check the thermometer when we went on our morning walk in the desert this morning, but it felt like about 28 degrees C. There was a light breeze blowing and it was cloudy. So it was really nice.

Since the weather was so pleasant my little black doggie and I walked a little further than usual. The trip odometer on my handheld GPS said we went 1.82 miles (2,9 km).

What with the hard rain night before last, there is some erosion. Lots of stones which were covered by sand have now been uncovered.

I picked up this little rock that sure looks like some kind of a Neolithic tool. It is sharp as hell. But I don’t really think it is from the American Indians. I think probably it is just a nice little rock. But for sure the Jornada Mogollon Indians were living right in this area about 500 years ago.

I also picked up this nice little (about 50 mm wide) piece of chalcedony. When I got home I turned on the UV lamp, and sure enough it fluoresces brilliantly.

The literature claims that this green fluorescence is caused by trace amounts of uranium. But in my blissful ignorance I have my doubts about this.

I knew this material was relatively common as desert roses in southwestern New Mexico, but until now I had not realized that it was also spread all over the desert here in west Texas.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Prognostic Indicators

There are all different versions of CLL. Some just poke along as a largely indolent disease that don’t really cause a lot of problems. Some people have a different type of CLL though, that is far more aggressive.

And of course technically this disease, this type of leukemia, is a melanoma - a Malignant Cancer.

Everyone reacts in their own way to hugely significant life events. Such as the day that the doctor tells you that it sure appears that you are afflicted with a non-curable form of cancer that affects the bone marrow, the blood, and the lymphatic system.

But that everything is going to be OK because they can make you feel better by filling you body with various poisons and chemotherapy. As long as your money or your health insurance holds old. Say what? Would you mind repeating that last part doc?

Early on in this journey it was very important to me to know my prognostic indicators. Statistically where did I sit in that bell curve? On the left side it says Death, and the right end of the X axis the curve is labelled Long Life/Minimal Problems.

I was very fortunate that at the time I lived in Europe and had a good job. And I was equally blessed that Dr. Terry Hamblin in England was willing to see me and test me for my prognostic indicators.

His tests determined that while I was not at the very far left hand side of the curve, that unfortunately I was unmutated which meant that I was well left of center (sounds like my political and philosophical leanings). The overall result of his testing was that I was somewhat more likely to have major problems (read suffering and then a slow painful death) with the disease somewhat sooner rather than somewhat later.

I guess there is a natural progression in life. And if you are somewhat lucky you get towards the final chapter(s) of this journey, and you look back, and are rather satisfied with your life. I don't have many regrets.

I have been so lucky. I’ve gone so many places, done so many different and interesting things. And along the way I’ve been fortunate enough to have done a few really beautiful and wonderful ladies too.

Now I just enjoy each day as it comes. And at night I prefer to snuggle up to my little furry black doggie rather than a really hot woman. If today I get to the end of the final chapter, that is OK. I would prefer that it continue on a good bit longer, but only if I feel pretty good, and I am happy, and I continue at peace with myself.

I have seen far too many people suffer horribly for the last year(s) of their lives. My aunt Friede, my Grandmother, and from long distance on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean my Mother.

I really don’t want any part of this shit. Honest. That is why the Good Lord made Dirty Harry Special 44 magnum handguns with hollow points. A rather permanent solution when applied to the head, for sure.

John Lennon described it as getting out of one car, and getting into another. Well…maybe. Time will tell, huh?

16R - One Six Right

My uncle Joe Sides had a Beachcraft Bonanza. He also owned the airport and the Pontiac dealership in Carlsbad, New Mexico. My mother was sort of a gutsy chick. She was also a private pilot who loved aerobatics.

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She took me up flying while I was still a baby in arms. Years later when she was an old lady, I took her up flying a little after midnight to see Halley's Comet far away from the light pollution of the city.

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In 1984 I got my private pilot's license, including the instrument rating and multiengine rating. I've got a little over 2,000 hours logged as pilot in command. Some of it in very real instrument flying conditions. My favorite flying has been low and slow in uncontrolled airspace over the desert.

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Once my second wife and our kids flew 1.000 km over to California to join a whale watiching expedition. Flying the Piper turbo aero back at night the alternator failed. So I flew from Southern California back to El Paso with the electrical system shut off, using the north star for navigation. My lab science in university was astronomy, so I didn't see this as any big deal. My ex-wife might have a little different take on this flight.

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I guess it would not be over the top to say that I love aviation.

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One Six Right is a really enjoyable DVD. It may well be the very best aviation movie ever made.

All pilots and anyone who has ever had any interest in flying should be required by law to see this movie.


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LINK: http://www.onesixright.com/

Sand Art

Llana Yahav does some amazing stuff: http://www.sandfantasy.com/videoclips/videoclips.htm

Conversations With Yourself

A cold front came through last night about midnight. It is kind of neat to be able to watch real time color Doppler radar on three different TV channels. There was some moisture in the system coming out of Mexico, the Gulf of California.

We got a nice little thunderstorm out of the system. Probably about ½ an inch of rain, give or take.

So it was nice and cool this morning when the dog and I took our 1-1/2 mile (2,4 km) walk out in the desert. With the rain last night everything was clean and crisp.

This little stone that is about 35 mm wide caught my eye. I thought to myself, “Self, you don’t suppose this is chalcedony and might fluoresce under the black light?”

My Self agreed with me completely. It is so nice to talk with someone who almost always agrees with you, and in fact often times thinks you are rather brilliant and witty. My Self suggested to me that I put it in my pocket and take it home.

Hillsboro, New Mexico USA

My little black dog and I took our little teardrop trailer and the battery powered ultraviolet lamp and went up to Hillsboro, New Mexico yesterday. From El Paso it is a 121 mile drive (195 km) which going slow to conserve fuel and with numerous stops along the way takes us about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Hillsboro is an old mining town that was founded in 1877 after gold was discovered.

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Between 1893 and 1898 100,000 troy ounces (3,000 kg) of gold were produced there.

It is located up in the rocky mountains west of the Rio Grande rift valley and Caballo lake, and just east of the Gila National Forest and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness. The town itself is at 32.92008N, -107.56995W.

It is a beautiful little town at about 5,500 feet above sea level (1.700 meters above MSL).

I visited a friend of mine there in town. She wanted to go to lunch, and we walked over to the restaurant. Since Betty has a cat I left my little doggie Inu in her front yard.

We walked down Elenora Steet, turned left on 2nd street, and when we got to Highway 152 we turned right and walked to the General Store which is also a nice little restaurant.

I guess we had been sitting there in the General Store for about 10 minutes when we saw this little black doggie stick his nose up to the screen door so that he could sniff inside. I was truly amazed. Inu had never been to Hillsboro before, and he certainly had not walked around the town. I guess he had jumped or climbed over her fence and then had tracked my trail over to the General Store using his wonderful little cold wet doggie nose!

I went outside and talked to him for a moment, and explained to him that this restaurant did not allow black dogs inside, so he would just have to wait outside right next to the highway. Without a leash or anything.

So just like at Wal-Mart, Inu became the greeter, saying pleasant things to everyone who came in or went out of the restaurant. In between greeting times he wandered around town, doing the sniff and pee routine.

While we were eating lunch my friend asked some of the other locals about nearby mines and mine tailings. I got some great advice. So after lunch Betty, Inu, and I drove over to one of the places. The road really demanded a high clearance vehicle and 4 wheel drive. I should have been in our Toyota 4 Runner, but I wasn’t. But the little Toyota Corolla came through! We left the teardrop trailer out there in the outback and brought Betty back to town.

We were at 32.92877N, -107.55885W. This is an old late 1800’s placer gold mining area. It is beyond a chained gate, but there is no lock on the gate, and it really is OK to open the gate and go through. Just be certain to shut it correctly behind you. There are lots of tailing piles and rocks left behind from the placer gold mining operation.

After leaving my friend off back in town, Inu and I drove back to where we had left the trailer. Sure enough, the Corolla got up that really steep hill much easier when it wasn’t dragging a camping trailer behind it.

We wandered around a bit, then a very nice thunderstorm came up. Inu and I had to run and get inside of the teardrop. There was a lot of New Mexico style Thistle in bloom. There was an absolute orgy or polinating going on. This Thistle is a little paler in color than what I am used to in Scotland, but it is just as pretty once you get used to it. One of the bees had an absolutely Satanic look on his face. I had to make the sign of the cross!

After the rain stopped I sat in my lawn chair and read my Diana Gabaldon book until it started getting dark. Inu wandered around chasing rabbits and lizards. From time to time he would come back to camp and jump up onto my lap.

About 8:00 pm it was just about dark enough to begin searching for glow rocks. We got out Don Newsome’s Superbright II and started walking. This really is Don’s own personal light and battery. I bought it from him at the Tucson mineral show this year.

We were not disappointed, that is for certain.

It is really just so incredibly neat to wander around after dark in the wilderness with only an ultraviolet light for illumination. I own a black cloth barbecue cover, and I can go hunting during the day. But it just isn’t the same.

When you go out at night, and the stars are illuminating the clear western sky, and down below you occasionally there is a bright flash sort of like the reflectors that your headlights illuminate at night on the highway.

The dog is wandering around on his own. It is his job to not lose me, not my job to keep up with him. And from time to time he needs to show me the correct path back to camp. He generally takes his job very seriously. Unless a rabbit wanders by, and then he simply forgets that I even exist.
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PRICELESS. Really.

And you don’t even have to use your credit card.

Saint Peregrine Laziosi

I am not a Catholic, but I find their interest in all the various Patron Saints kind of interesting. Sort of in the same way I find astrology neat. Its like a couple of thousand years ago the various religions that had all sort of multiple gods. I was raised as a Christian, and as a young man even wore the black dress and served in the Episcopal Church services on Sunday mornings.

Nowadays I am not even an agnositc. I have progressed well beyond this, and I am now actively opposed to all known forms of ORGANIZED religion.
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Over the weekend I went to Las Cruces, New Mexico. At the outside downtown mall they were holding an alternative energy get together. Lots of vendors and stands for NGOs relating to solar energy, conservation, wilderness, etc. There were the standard ex-hippie freaky people selling mystical crystals and rocks, incense, home made jelly, candles, etc. Really very nice indeed.
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One of the vendors was an old man who was hooked up to a jug of oxygen. His stand was selling framed paintings of various patron saints. His wife does the painting and he custom makes the frames. I saw one labelled Cancer. In all honesty (and ignorance/innocence) I asked him if this was for people with the astrological sign cancer, or for folks afflicted with the disease. He didn't understand me properly and came back with an answer that could be taken either way.
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Well from the old man I bought one of these paintings of Saint Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer patients.

LINK: http://www.servidimaria.org/en/spirit/s.peregrine.htm
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Now this morning on ACOR which hosts the prime internet support group for CLL I see that some lady is suggesting that my British Doctor be cannonized as the patron saint for CLL. I don't imagine she meant it literally, but why not?
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Professor Doctor Terry Hamblin is indeed a very humble man, and it sure seems like a miracle for a man of his talents and expertise to each day be on the internet providing leukemia patients with open minded, unbiased advice. And he is funny as can be.
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The only problem is Dr. Hamblin is not a catholic. Oh well, maybe this too can be overcome with some kind of miracle. If a virgin chick who has never had sex can get pregnant then just about anything is possible.
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