Blue Angel Hosta

Our Hosta collection is ever growing. We now have well over 30 different varieties and Deb is always looking for more. She has become obsessed, a real "Hosta Freak". I even see a series of paintings in the near future.

This Blue Angel above is one of my favorites. I especially like the blue foliage. Other favorites include Orange Marmalade, Yellow River, Dream Weaver, Sum and Substance, Katie Q, June, as well as some of the variegated varieties like Patriot, Minuteman, Whirlwind, Wide Brim and Francis William.

At some point I will photograph and document them all.

The Consumer Price Index is a Lie

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Jim Rogers by Ron Hera.


HRN: You mentioned that the US is the largest debtor nation in the history of the world. Do you think that will lead to high inflation or hyperinflation in the US?

Jim Rogers: Well, there will be inflation. First, you have to have inflation before you can have hyperinflation. I mean, we have inflation now. If you go to the shop, whether it's groceries, or education or insurance or health care, prices are going up for everything. The government lies about it in the US. Some countries lie, many countries don't: Australia, China, India and Norway. Many countries don't lie about it and acknowledge that we have inflation. Others lie about it, the UK and the US, but if you go shopping you know prices are up.

HRN: Are you saying that the American Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is a lie?

Jim Rogers: In my opinion, yes, of course it is. Have you looked at it? They've changed their accounting several times in the past few decades. When housing was 20% to 25% of the CPI and housing was going up, they didn't count it, saying rents weren't going up, and then when home prices started going down, they counted it. It's the same with many things. It's staggering some of the tortuous reasoning that the BLS has used over the past 25 or 30 years. When the price of gasoline goes up, they say it's not really going up because it's better gasoline, better quality, therefore you're getting more for your money. I mean, it's endless, the stuff that they say and for some reason people sit there, although more and more people are catching on, and accept what the government says. As I said, in other countries, they acknowledge that there's inflation. I don't know how there could be inflation in Australia and not in the US; how you can have inflation in Norway or India and not in the US, but the US says there's no inflation.

To read the entire inerview go to
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rogers-j/rogers-j99.1.html or click on the link below for Lew Rockwell


Jim Rogers' English language books include Investment Biker: On the Road with Jim Rogers (1994), Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip (2003), Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market (2007), A Bull in China (2008), and A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing (2009).

Some Photos from this Spring

A Luna Moth paid a visit and hung out clinging to the cabin one day. They are common visitors this time of year.

The second photo is our granddaughter helping water the garden. The garlic is taller than she is.

Double Dip Recession?

Double Dip Recession Risk Is Near: CIO
Published: Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010 | 8:07 AM ET Text Size By: Robin Knight
CNBC Assistant Web Producer

The global economy looks set to plunge back into recession as the sovereign debt pressure currently rocking Europe intensifies, Ashok Shah, CIO of London & Capital, told CNBC Wednesday.



"There's a risk of a double dip recession round the corner," Shah said. "Given the sovereign debt crisis that is going around the Mediterranean countries, this is going to put a lot of pressure on Europe."

The economic outlook for Europe is deteriorating very rapidly and that is adding to the factors dragging on the economic recovery, Shah told CNBC.

Concerns over the strength of Europe's power-house economy, Germany, deepened Wednesday after its gross domestic product growth was shown to have stagnated in the fourth quarter. German private consumption fell in the quarter, official data showed, suggesting the country's economic recovery may not be assured.

Germany's Economic Recovery StallsGreek Strike Grounds FlightsItaly Masked Finances Worse than Greece: Pangalos
Shah also pointed out that other major European economies such as Italy have still not escaped the recession.

If the economy does slip back into recession, governments won't be able to tackle the problem with more stimulus measures because they are already doing everything they can in that direction, Shah said.

"Everything that the authorities can do is on the table right now. The key question is can they keep it going rather than increasing it because the room to increase is very limited," he said.


CNBC.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It's too early for debt-laden governments to start cutting their public deficits because the recovery is so fragile, he told CNBC as Greece was gripped by protests against planned cuts to its public spending.

Meanwhile the cost for countries tapping fresh capital is rising, which could be a sign that the stock market is about to stall, he said.

"The credit default swaps on the sovereigns have been rising quite rapidly. This is telling you that the cost of capital is rising and when the cost of capital is rising in essence equity markets really can't make any progress," he said.

"After the huge rallies of last year I think it's time for the markets to consolidate," he added.

Investors need to see firm plans from governments to reduce their budget deficits, Shah said.

Tim Harris, CEO of Harris Capital, told CNBC that further weakness in the economic outlook could spark a flurry of selling in the stock market.

"People are the conservative side of neutral right now and it's going to take a macro sign, a crack in growth more so than inflation, which is going to get people to run for the hills," Harris said.

© 2010 CNBC.com
Topics:Central Banks | Interest Rates | Greece | Credit | Recession | Politics & Government

Getting Off the Grid by Gwen Caldwell

Getting off the grid and other solutions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our country is bankrupt, untold thousands have lost their homes, food and gas prices continue to rise and the good news is?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Gwen Caldwell
(libertarian)

My energy feels depleted every time I read the news. I am more thankful than ever that I used the television for target practice...I'd probably be suicidal if I had to actually watch the news!

We live in times unlike this country has ever seen. Hope is dwindling in many areas of the country of ever recovering from the inevitable financial and credit collapse. It's not even a matter of if it will happen, in my humble opinion. It's a matter of when. I struggle to get my arms around what that will really mean to us in our day to day lives. Certainly, it will not afford us the current freedoms we enjoy. I see tell tale signs of martial law knocking on our doors. Chaos at best.

Like many other people I am very concerned, because I have a young child at home. I already struggle to keep food on the table and a roof over head. I know with certainty that it's going to get worse before it gets better. How do we adress cost reduction without compromising standard of living? How do we insure a food source? How do we cut safe on energy, heating and cooling bills.

Sustainable communities have sucessfully been transforming lives for decades. They create community, a food source and good health with organic gardening, small animal husbandry, cost effective, alternative, off the grid, alternative energy living environments. It's about making a committment to participate in your living enviroment. To merge into a total living system for sustainability.

There is just that kind of community currently forming on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It will serve as a model community and education center that can be duplicated anywhere, with very little money, a bit of hard work, committment to live a life that is not plugged into corporate America to maintain your standard of living.

People call and ask me about debt, the car they're still making payments on, etc. Get out from underneath your debt! Drive an older model car to reduce cost, insurance, etc. Cut up your credit cards. Consolidate them if possible on a zero percent interest rate. Move into a smaller house to reduce cost. Install a wood or pellet stove. Sell your excess. Use it to stock pile esstential food and living items, especially canned and dried meats, staples, dried fruits, nuts, pastas, beans, etc. I don't really recommend stockpiling canned foods, because they have no nutritional value, with the exception of canned tomatoes and beans. Guns, ammo, water and filters. Convert to solar or wind...make your own it's much cheaper. Make sure you have fishing and hunting supplies. If you're in the country get a few chickens, rabbits and goats. Buy heritage or non-hybrid seeds to grow your own food. Food will be your greatest asset! If you have a guns...get ammo..a lot of it, while you still can. If you don't have a gun., get one and a lot of ammo, while you still can. A bow and arrows, and traps will be useful. Learn to dry and can meat in the event that the grids are shut down, so it doesn't spoil.Canning supplies will be helpful.

Make a mental note of the day to day items you and your family currently use. Do an inventory of what you have for storage and canning supplies. What you don't have and will need buy first, then fill in the other non-essential and creature comforts. I would definitely advise you get a lot of hydrogen perioxide, apple cider and regular vinegar, lemon juice, honey, cayenne pepper, olive oil and cinnamon. All of these can be used medicinally for just about anything that ails you and then some!Aslo non-perfumed bleach to purify water. Vitamin, medicines, herbals and a good first aid kit.

Sh*t is going to hit the fan! Get ready! Your beautiful furniture and decor will not feed you, house you, nor will it keep you warm for the winter. Get rid of it! Buy vegetables when they are on sale and dehydrate them. Buy in bulk. Start a food co-op with your neighbors and share in the cost of buying bulk. Buy a book to learn about local edible plants and medicinal herbs that grow in your area. Learn them and use them for better health and to reduce food costs.

For more information visit www.freewebs.com/voiceofwomensustainabiltyproject

Few of us can easily surrender our belief that society must somehow make sense. The thought that the state has lost its mind and is punishing so many innocent people is intolerable. And so the evidence has to be internally denied.

~ Arthur Miller