Scot Bontrager

YouTube video by Farm Boy Engineering Plant Bucket Holder

Starting something new:
youtu.be/TdCx8oRtzLM

Project almost done: "toy" chest for Jen's office. She has one that she uses to store office and craft supplies. It has some water damage from past carpet cleaning and it doesn't quite fit the space it is in. So, I made this. She'll paint some colors on it.

Sr. Abby and Br. Jim

Sr. Abbot Heather in cathedra and Sr. Celia presiding.

Learning DaVinci Resolve. My last video was iMovie. I figured I'd give Resolve a shot. Looks quite good.

Building a toy-chest for Jen. The basic form is in place. I'll do the lid and the trim when I return from the OSL retreat.

Other news, but I can't share it yet. I'll know more tomorrow.

YouTube video by Scot Bontrager RTRWRA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVJs...

Dropped a new track and video

brown soap shaped like little mice, with dark freckles

mouse-shaped soap

The turmeric soap for Trish. The freckles are parts of the extract that didn't dissolve in the glycerine.

Finished the new shelves for Jen

Open Social — overreacted The protocol is the API.

overreacted.io/open-social/

Turmeric distillation coming along. Second batch done and cooling. I'll start drying tonight.

First time losing blood on a table saw.... pinched my finger on a feather board. The device that is there to keep me safe hurt me, not the saw. *facepalm*

A carolina wren got caught in the bird netting we have over the sweet potato vines. Jen and I cut it out. Sweet bird who was very happy to escape from those crazy humans.

Next project: new plant stand for Jen, going to integrate LED grow lights into it. If I'm feeling ambitious I might add some Arduino/ESP32 automation into it... I do have those Xiao microcontrollers sitting around.

Set up soxhlet extractor with tumeric

Fuzzy close-up of the turmeric rhizomes being extracted

close up of the condenser in the clamp

I'm making another batch of turmeric soap for my friend Trish. It takes 2 days to do the soxhlet extract, a week to dry it, and day to add it to the glycerine. It's good for her "highly melanated" skin. She said my first experiment last year was better than any of the commercial versions.

Physical results: cholesterol is very low; A1C in good range. Diet and exercise work.

Last week's project: replacing all the rotten boards on the picnic table with new. The goats and chickens appreciate the upgrade to their favorite play-space.

Previous project: a lovely chair-side table for Jen; not perfect but I'm proud of how it came out, especially the finish.

I've not touched my camera in too long. I need to take pictures.
I've not recorded any music in too long. I need to make some songs.

I have written a lot of code. I'm proud of that.
My brain relaxes when I can focus on a hard programming problem.

Dinner with Geoffrey and Heather. Good laughs and conversation.

I needed that.

The weather today was absolutely lovely; first open-window day since summer.

Almost finished with Jen's side-table. The first coat of stain is on, it should be done tomorrow or Monday.

I need to remember when my heart gets wonky that I just need to take some motherswort. I need to brew more extract, but just eating a fresh leaf or two (oh, god, the horrid taste!) is good enough to get my heart to slow down and beat in rhythm. At lunch it was so bad my watch wouldn't even record it

TIL : Skull for Adam, crossed-bones for Christ. 13th century symbolism. Neat.

Lovely rain yesterday, muggy and cool today.
Made a balsamic glazed chicken for dinner. Smelled amazing, tasted just fine.
Got some OSL work done, getting reaffirmation forms ready and budget stuff sorted out.

More woodworking the past few days. Almost finished with a project for Jen. Already did a shelf for her for out by the front door. Got our 20-year-old rocking chair fixed up. Refinishing some stools.

Some programming. Some house work. Some Reading. Some writing. Lots of prayer and meditation.

Bobcat came back again, killed another chicken. I chased it a few houses over and it dropped the bird. That's twice it has killed one of our birds and not gotten to feast. Hopefully it will learn that our house isn't worth the effort.