In 2019 I had the goal of posting weekly. 2020 I was tired… But, this year, 2021 I plan to post monthly.

Happy new year everyone!

I hope January has been everything you wanted, and better than 2020. It is for us!

Tiva Update

I’ve been wanting to write about this for some time, but wasn’t sure how to best mention it. We now have 1 less person living at our house. Tiva moved into a group home in Brentwood on Dec 9th 2020. Tiva has been not wanting to live with us for a long time. More than the “typical teenager” We are grateful that Regional Center of the East Bay could work with us to do this. Also, grateful that Covid lightened up for a bit so she could make a transition. We talk with Tiva weekly and she sometimes emails Hannah and I for things. It’s been a great thing for every member of the family. Hopefully, Tiva can get the direction she needs to be as independent of an adult as she wants to be!

This was a hard decision. Both Hannah and I initially struggled with the idea of having an institution help Tiva. However, over the course of last year and several events we started to realize Tiva, and we, need more help. When we finally toured the home and realized the services they could provide to her. I felt ‘How could we not give Tiva this opportunity?’ For anyone who thinks “A nurturing parent is all a child needs” take a listen to act 2 of this podcast.  https://www.thisamericanlife.org/317/unconditional-love

Tiva seems to be as happy as ever in a group home. We are glad that this last month and a half has been working out.

Family Vacation

We have been wanting to take a vacation for a long time. We missed our chance to go to Hawaii  last year due to covid. We still have plans this year, but plans aren’t enough. The timing was just right that we decided to make a trip up to a friend’s cabin in Arnold. It was tons of fun, even though a blizzard hit and took the power out. There was tons of snow!!

First day there

Second day there

We sledded and just had general snow fun.

We are grateful we have friends who share their cabin!

Aquaponics setback

If you look back at my post about gratitude, you’ll see a pretty Greenhouse. Hannah and I built it some help from the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Well… while we were gone in a blizzard, a terrible wind storm hit our home. This wind storm turned my greenhouse into an expensive kite. This kite then destroyed a fence post, and the piping around my well.

However, this wind storm luckily grazed a wire on the pump. Having hit the wire it stopped the pump from running. Otherwise, it would have been running constantly until my neighbor noticed (about 24 hrs).  God is still looking out for us. Even if I don’t appropriately affix my greenhouse into the ground.

New tree and new sprinklers

On a good note, I successfully put in 3 of my 5 sprinklers and spread my mini-clover seed. They are starting to bud out. Also, because I started my trees from 2 yr old roots, none of them were damaged by the wind. I also replanted my apricot with the best variety the blenheim apricot.

Aquaponics now?

I hear you asking, Ben how will you continue your dream of an aquaponics farm stand/ olive oil farm. Great question! I think I’m going to forget the greenhouse for now and just do it outside. I live in CA where it is not very cold and rarely snows. It’s worth a shot. Here is a picture of outdoor aquaponics.

I took this image from here:

Everything you need to learn about aquaponics

If you don’t know what aquaponics is yet they give great information!

I think if I bury the fish tank mostly and the sump, it should work out… so long as I don’t get frequenting herons.