Perma-Poppy

Thanks for all of the positive messages and kind comments that have been sent our way recently. A lot of volunteer hours go into this blog and it is nice to hear from people who appreciate the work we're doing. We also like to give back - share the love - as much as possible. Today is Father's Day in New Zealand, and this is my tribute to the man I affectionately call Poppy.

Nelson II

And as long as I'm honoring fathers, here is a pic of my father's father, Nelson, with my father, Nelson (aka "Winky").

Grandpa Nelson ("Big Poppy"?) with Winky and his sisters.

Poppy grew up on a farm in New Jersey, although Big Poppy was more of a businessman than a farmer. This is one of the last pictures of Wink at the farm before it was sold.

Poppy and Mum!

Although Wink was blessed with winged feet...

... he never forgot his roots down on the farm.

Poppy's veggies in autumn. Notice maple tree foliage and slate roof on the barn.

He has almost always had vegetable gardens, and I spent many hours weeding one particularly large one as a child. Although I was critical of my conservative schooling in a recent post, I must acknowledge Poppy for planting the seed of gardening in me. (I just did not germinate for over a decade.) Although I have tried to return the favor by giving him a stirrup hoe (my favorite hand tool) and encouraging him to use it, he prefers to stick to his old ways and his new Mantis tiller. But he has made some eco-thrifty renovations of his own lately, like having insulation blown into the walls of their house, which has cut their heating bill by 20%.

Eco-Thrifty Prius in driveway.

A solar-powered clothes dryer has cut the electric bill too.

And it was reported recently that he made pickled beets on his new solar cooker last week. Good on ya, Poppy. I guess the tree doesn't fall far from the apple.

Peace, Estwing aka N3 aka Nelson III