Joe Calhoun
@jbc3
#Cville! Co-founder, organizer, Indivisible Charlottesville. Proud rural progressive. Recovering coder.
I don’t disagree with that latter point. But is the answer “build the line that data center expansion needs“ even if the data centers don’t eventuate? Or is it “build the lines that prove necessary for massive electrification”? And maybe they’re the same! I don’t know! But the projections…
🎶 If you visit American city You will find it very pretty Just two things of which you must beware Don’t eat the salads and don’t breathe the air 🎶 (with apologies to Tom Lehrer)
Life finds a way! Meet my Driveway Flower(™️). This healthy rudbeckia (Brown-eyed Susan) volunteer is growing in very compacted gravel against a concrete retaining wall. 🌱
Happy 4th of July on this, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! I’m making lime cordial to stock up for when *It Happens*. There will be dancing and screaming and singing and many many gimlets and the sheer force of joy will uphold me until I finally fall.
I just freaking love fireflies. And until the first spring we were out here, I had no idea there could be fireflies in May. These aren’t your usual July evening ones, they’re a whole-ass other genus! (Photuris) They start in full dark and flash all night. Glorious! (Wish my phone camera was better)
After 5 1/4” of rain over 5 days, the Doyles is looking healthier. Seen here today with mist over it.
I have discovered a hole in the universe. With luck it’s a portal to a better place. I shall report back if possible.
Duck bacon and kimchi pizza (w/fresh mozz natch). Highly recommended. For vegetarians, substitute Fakin’ Bacon (smoke-infused seitan), it is *at least* as good.
TFW your gutting of the Postal Service backfires on you. These came TODAY. 🤣🤡 #VoteYES #SuckItLosers
All right, Virginia, you know what to do! If you didn’t vote early, vote now.
Fresh mozzarella, some of the first asparagus from the garden, and duck prosciutto (added after the oven). First time I’ve made this, and I’ve got to say, it’s a banger!
Welp, was moving 5 bucketloads of compost to the garden, and I was on trip 1 when a snek poked its little head out the throttle slot, startling us both, and pulled back. Finished the trip, dumped the compost, popped the engine cover—no snek to be seen. Four more trips, parked the tractor, oh hai! 🌱
Gardening season has begun here in central Virginia. Today’s haul: five cubic yards of lovely black compost, courtesy of Panorama Paydirt in Earlysville. 🌱
“The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold/his cohorts all gleaming in purple and gold” well you got nothing on a crocus, buddy, go home
Tomorrow’s dinner and another for later: sous vide duck confit, 155° for 32 hours.
Our unsung hero, the chipper-shredder. This pile we made today is about 2 cubic yards: the multiple brush piles we chipped into this would have totaled at least 15’ long, 6’ deep, and 6’ high. And we’ll go through these in no time flat just on garden paths!
Espresso martini because I was absolutely beat from working outside and wanted both relaxation and caffeine. Pretty damn good!
Good night from central Virginia! Hope the first day of 2026 has been a good one for you!