Peppers-R-Us

Another crop of peppers as the season winds down...the banana peppers are finally starting to get into the act after the cool wet spring slowed them down.  Now with the weather cooling off, it looks like a good start for some awesome (and very spicy) chili---especially those little orange guys! 

Domestic Cover-up

The breakfast nook chairs have seen their fair share of life---cats, dogs, children, holiday cookie decorating, etc. over the past decade.  A bit rough around the edges.

The little woman is getting ready to fix all of that with the help of a pneumatic stapler, scissors and a few yards of eclectically selected material.

Lining up the new covers is critical before attaching it over the cushion.

Feeling the raw power of hand air tools, she begins the re-covering.

The end result is 8 "like new" chairs.

So what's next?  Bring it on says the First Mate with her new favorite toys.

Solar power panel installation

The location of the original solar panel.  It had never worked while we've owned the Time and Tide.

The original panel was a flexible 10 watt bank of cells that had a pretty decent weather-proofing that would be good for sun and rain but not constantly immersed in water.

This is the fiberglass frame that held down the panel.  Under this was a flat area with weep holes to drain water.  Unfortunately the weep holes would collect "gunk" preventing the drainage of water and the panel eventually shorted out some time in the past (pre-December 2011).

 

Recent installation of a aluminum framed panel in the same location.

The panel is rated at 50 watts and easily keeps up with the refrigeration requirements of the crew on sunny days.  The main reason though is to keep the house batteries "topped off".

Old Glory Watching the Sunrise

Watching the sunrise off the back of the Time and Tide.

Now in 3-D!

Breakfast at Moyia's Bed and Breakfast

Great start to the day :)

Sunrise over Green Turtle Bay

A 180 degree panarama showing the sunrise and the sun hitting the boats on the right side of the photo.  First cold front of the season brought temperatures down to 50F and help create the mists over the water. 

Gold Country

Where I spent my formative years in mining-Round Mountain, Nevada.  When modern mining started here in 1977, I'm sure no one thought it would still be in operation in the next century.  The far side of the pit is ~2 miles away. 

50% Complete on the Battery Replacement

The First Mate thinks the new batteries are "pretty".....the other two batteries connected (Bank 2) were having trouble maintaining a charge by themselves and will be replaced on the next trip.

Let's hope these last for a while.....a bit cumbersome getting down into the Time and Tide.

Pound for pound, about ~50% more energy in these bad boys.

Going Green

Installed the first solar fan on the Time and Tide.  Many of the other boats on the pier have similar fans in place on their hatches.  Should help keep the cabins fresh while we are away.

Routed in the 4.25" hole into the tinted plexi-glass

Simple fit with silicone caulk, gasket and interior trim ring.

A smorgasbord of controls on the bottom allow for air in, air out, solar power, battery power and a LED light.

The Nina and Pinta

We had some full size replicas of the Nina and the Pinta (no clue where the Santa Maria is) "sail" into the marina this past week.  Upon closer inspection, if I was the Captain way back in 1492, we'd still all think the world was flat today.

So Who is the "Birthday Girl"?

Happy Birthday to the First Mate of the Time and Tide!!!!

Early dawn looking over Hadley

Back at Round Mountain for a few days this week.  Same things change but most things stay the same---beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Empty Nesters at 54 Holly Lane

It is not only the House Wrens that are "empty nesters" on the cul-de-sac.......

Here is the "Littlest Princess" in her Honors Dorm (Helen Hardin Honors Program).  Let's just say that she is excited and that finally being "nerdy" is VERY cool.

What shall the First Mate and I do now with our shared solitude?  I'm personally thinking of strutting through the house naked singing old 70's rock anthems...Free Bird, Back in Black, Back in the Saddle, maybe some Peter Frampton...we'll figure it out :)

A wee bit rainbow a the end of Pier 4

Moving the Pier 4 Progressive Dinner (eat our way down the pier and visit others boats) under the Yacht Club due to rain worked out well with the rain falling on and off throughout the late afternoon and evening.  Fun was had by all!

2900 CCA to start your day

Well, no 2900CCA today....the battery bank(s) has been a bit under the weather the last trip to the marina or two....further intense (and seemingly speculative) investigation outed a bad battery (far left one).  The first warning signs of electron disparity were nicely heated floorboards and, while I can only dream of the fantasy of hydronically heated flooring, I knew that something was amiss when the battery charger failed to ever turn off when the First Mate and I were aboard.

I've quarantined the bad battery (top battery sans cables) until a suitable replacement can be found.  The voltage measurements also turned up a suspect battery that was, while not technically bad, not quite right.  The solution will probably warrant having a new set of two of batteries and an older set.  I'm thinking that boat maintenance may be developed into a full-time job in retirement :)

(Note the gifted 'Robo-grips" in the top photo----for those of you who do things with your hands working on mechanical things, buy a set (or two) !!!!)

Naked Ladies waiting for me to come home....

These gals were in their late summer splendor upon my return from Chile.  I usually forget them as they pop up in the spring, die off and then flower months later.  I've protected this bunch from mowing and such by moving them near a red maple.

BTW-the term "Naked Ladies" is in reference to the flowers blooming in the absence of leaves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllis