So, there's something called the A&S 50 challenge out now, to celebrate the SCA turning 50 in a few years. The idea is to do 50 of one type of thing, or 50 different things, or creating everything that a given persona would have, including knowledge of one's country/time period/culture. Lady Kathleen asked on the Bergental list if some of us wanted to form a team to write 50 poems by May 1, 2015. I think she and one of the other folks will be creating most of them, but it sounds like an interesting project, so we now have a small group started. I don't write a lot of poetry, but I'm sure I can write a few between now and then. As to themes, types of poetry, and so on, that's all yet to be discussed.

Used to write stories as well, but I don't think I could manage more than one or two by then. Although it can be interesting coming up with the premises for them - sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, epic journeys, surviving disasters, all that sort of thing.

Much easier reading than writing them, of course! Current read is The Subtle Knife, by Philip Pullman. A bit on the dark side at the moment; perhaps I should read more Gene Logsdon, and definitely less of the news and stuff on climate change. Fictional scenarios based on that stuff rarely goes well...

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Had to cancel choir practice, of course. So we'll be meeting at 3pm at Wandering Moon, to get in a little practice and warm-up before the demo.

Beans are coming up, lettuce needs picking again today. Strawberries are coming along, should have a couple to nibble on by the weekend. Got a call from GW yesterday about various stuff, including their garden is doing so well we might be getting some veggies from them later in the summer. We have different types of tomato from him, lady_jade_01 et al, so maybe a little trading might be in the offing.

fitzw found this article on grey water: NY Times Grey Water Article

A (r)evolutionary post from Casaubon's Book: Causabon's Book
It's long and there are some excellent comments (including some clearing up of things she wrote in the post). I haven't read all of it, but overall, thought-provoking.

There are some environmental/energy conservation types online who are doing various challenges, one of them starting tomorrow, going from June 1 - 7:
Crunchy Chicken's Low Impact Week Challenge
(The idea being to try having a lower impact on the environment, even if it's just one thing, for a week)

Sharon Astyk of Casaubon's Book and several others are trying to really lower their energy use, etc. over the next year. They've started a discussion group because a number of people are interested in trying it out. Sharon lives in the country and has been doing this sort of thing for a while, as I think is one of the other people, Miranda. They're shooting for a 90% reduction (from average U.S. consumer figures), by the end of the year's time. But one doesn't have to be trying for 90% to join the group. Even 20% would be good (and very, very easy to attain, with only a little thought -- many of the folks who read my LJ are probably already there).

fitzw and I won't make that 90% goal because of our trips to the farm this year to work on cleaning and improvements, and our SCA travel. But we'll do what we think we can do in other ways. The idea is that if we all cut back on even a few things, everyone will be better off for it, both now and for future generations. I'm going to sign up for the discussion list today.

If you're interested in checking it out, the info is here: Austerity Riot and 90% Reduction Challenge

Warning - these efforts come out of people's discussions and thoughts on peak oil and/or global warming. If you think that it's all a bunch of hooha, then don't bother checking it out.

As I've said before, we can't necessarily prove conclusively that humans cause/contribute global warming, but we can prove that clean air and clean water are healthier than polluted air and water.

Personally, I've gotten a real kick out of being able to water the plants with water from the rain barrel for the past few weeks. Just ran out yesterday, and while I'm hoping for good weather for Boredom War, I'm also hoping a good lot of that rain coming through our area comes down in Holyoke!