How about a 3-way

Denman Island has no traffic lights and no 4-way stops.... come to think of it, we have no 4-way intersections. All the intersections on the island are 3-way ... and some do include a stop sign... well OK, not stop so much as... slow down just a little.

Straw Bale Update: After clearing for the slab foundation, we decided that there were a few trees too close to where the house will be. We want to save all the trees... but remembering last winter's storms brought out the reasoning in us. This picture is of Dusty dropping the trees in question, with remarkable accuracy onto the building site. The trees were then cut into usable lengths and will be milled on site over the next couple of weeks. We'll use the lumber for the outbuildings etc. The table set up in the forefront of the picture is where Kari was slapping a coat of oil stain on the floor joists of the "power shed" that I'm currently building next to the house. The oil stain will discourage the bugs.... we're doing our best not to use any pressure treated materials. The shed will be home for the new generator and well pressure tank etc. Last week, I placed an ad in the local Buy-Sell-Trade newspaper in an effort to find the nearest straw bales. It seems there will be straw available from Vancouver Island, as I've had a couple of answers to my ad. This is great news and I hope the straw will turn out to be acceptable quality.

Little known Fact: one tonne of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere for every tonne of cement produced. Manufacturing concrete creates about 7% of all made-made carbon dioxide. Imaging the contribution of Yaletown alone. This is one of the reasons we switched out of our Insulated Concrete Form house plan. We'll make every effort to reduce the amount of concrete used in our home.... no, we haven't committed to earthen floors....yet.

Last week's fire practise exercise was to re-fill the large (reserve) tank at the fire hall. Two tankers were to run shuttles back and forth from the marsh which runs through the centre of the island. One tanker, which is due to be replaced after reaching it's 30th birthday was driven by yours truly. On the very first trip she died on the bridge spanning the marsh and had to be towed (by the second tanker) to the top of the hill where she could coast back to the hall. This was a little tricky as both the steering and brakes are power assisted. As we're coming into the dry season, (with a fire ban in effect) it's a lousy time to be down one truck. It may be some incentive to secure a new truck, (which has been promised but has failed to materialize.)

Cheap Dave's Wine Corner: Goundrey Homestead Chardonnay Unwooded 2005 ($14.99) I've been meaning to try this wine for quite some time. It's been hyped on several wine websites. It placed first in it's category with a score of "90" at the 2006 Wine Access. I found it crisp and clean. It reminded me of a dry Bacchus wine. Just a little citrus refreshment. Gismondi: (89) "This is a terrific value white wine that delivers on all accounts without the use of any oak. The fruit comes from south Western Australia, including the cooler Mount Barker region where Homestead is located. We love the cool minerality and tight nervous palate that shows just enough fruit to balance it all out. Not your typical fruit bomb as one judge remarked. Killer value."