Journey to Saint Petersburg

Pine Mountain

Hello again from Pine Mountain. The weather is finally about normal for this time of year. The temperature is in the high 40’s F at night and mid 70’s F in the daytime. Here at the ranch we have our own power. It is furnished by our 2 wind turbines and our water turbine. We also have a few solar panels that charge up a battery bank. Our horizontal turbine looks like a small wingless airplane on top of it’s 80 foot tower. We purchased that one from http://www.bergey.com/. Our vertical turbine we purchased from http://www.pacwind.net/, and our water turbine in the dam of our pond came from an Alaskan alternative energy company http://www.absak.com/. There have been calm days and windy days this week. Even on a calm day we have been able to produce more energy with our wind turbines than we use.

I spent the day working on the barn. The spouting needed some work. The ice from the winter had made it sag and leak in places. I fixed it so that it would drain properly and not make the basement of the barn soggy. Also water is a scarce commodity around here. Our barn and house spouting drain into a big tank called a cistern. I use this water to water the plants in my greenhouse. It is nice to have the greenhouse. No matter what the weather is outside it is still nice inside. I have the greenhouse arraigned in stages. Each stage is about a month behind the stage next to it. That way I always have fresh vegetables.

This week Roxana has been traveling again. This summer she is traveling in Russia visiting friends and relatives. This week she took a boat ride from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. First we have out usual sections on Alternative Energy, Nutrition, Niche Marketing, Traveling and Adventure.

Alternative Energy

Do you like to tinker in the garage and build useful inventions? Today energy costs are going through the roof. More and more people are looking for ways to spend less on energy and reduce costs. A good place to start is the book called the alternative energy bible. This book shows and tells you how to can produce your own energy in easy inexpensive projects. Go to http://deserthab.offgrid07.hop.clickbank.net/ and get your copy while they are still available.

The price of fuel keeps going up in price. Everyone is looking for anything that will increase fuel economy even a little. There is a way to improve your mileage, increase your horsepower, and reduce your emissions all at the same time. You will be able to turn your vehicle into a fuel efficient one with only a few readily available items from your local hardware. The instructions are easy to follow and there are many diagrams so you can see how to do it too. It does not matter if you have a gasoline or diesel engine vehicle it will work with either one. Go to http://deserthab.water4gas.hop.clickbank.net/ to learn more while supplies last.

Do you want to increase your fuel economy? An environmentally safe non toxic product called Ethos will do just that. It improves gas economy by reformulating your gasoline to allow more air to be mixed with the fuel vapor. This causes cleaner combustion and increases power. Your fuel burns more completely and thus produces less emissions. All you have to do is add a couple ounces per tank of gasoline or diesel fuel.

Nutrition and Health

These days everyone is concerned about nutrition and health. Most of our food is over processed and has very little nutrient value. Our food looks great but not much more. If we want to stay healthy in today’s world we are forced to take supplements. The question is: What supplements will provide what you need for the least amount of time and money? I believe one of the best supplements out there is called acaiplus. It is a blend of vitamins and minerals plus acai to promote health and long life. They also have vitamins to help improve your long term and short term memory. They also have an energy drink that gives you steady long term energy. To learn more about these products go to

http://www.acaiplus.com/desertstarproducts. Check out Acaiplus, Feed My Brain, and White Lightning.

Travel for Less

In these days of rising prices, how would you like to travel and save money to? Learn how you can save enough money to take that once in a lifetime vacation. Go to

http://deserthab.airtravel.hop.clickbank.net/ and find out.

There are ways to travel for free. These ways are easy to learn. Go to

http://deserthab.fly4free.hop.clickbank.net/ to find out. You will be glad you did.

Have you ever longed to travel on your own schedule and enjoy your vacation? Would you like to travel for a living and see new and interesting places every day? Do you like to write letters to your relatives telling them about your recent vacation? You have what it takes to become a travel writer. All you need is a little instruction and you can have a dream job too. Go to http://deserthab.wp3033773.hop.clickbank.net/ and learn how you to can become a travel writer.

Adventure and Treasure Hunting

Do you watch movies like Indiana Jones and wish you could do that in real life? Do you like a good mystery? Would you like to use modern methods and tools to find long lost treasure?

All this is possible if you learn from the best. Stan Grist world renown adventurer and treasure hunter has written a course complete with step by step instruction on how to become successful. Go to http://deserthab.infoshare2.hop.clickbank.net/

And check out his course “Creating Wealth Through Adventure”

And now Roxana’s story.

A Journey to Saint Petersburg

The warm days of summer are here at last. Suddenly we decided to take a trip to Saint Petersburg. The city of over 5 million people is the Russian jewel of the north. Built by Peter the Great 305 years ago it is the Venice of the north. It has 365 bridges over an extensive array of rivers and waterways. Peter the Great spared no expense in building this city patterned after Renaissance cities of Europe. Each Czar that came after Peter built their own palace in the city that was the Russian Capital for many years. It was only after the Russian revolution when the Communists took over that the capital was moved to Moscow. Saint Petersburg fondly called Peter by the locals has over 200 museums and many parks. The weather can change in an instant. It can go from warm and sunny +25 C to cold and rainy. In winter it can go to -20 C and even as low as -35 C with heavy snow.

Our journey began in Moscow. Moscow the capital of Russia is a city of over 9 million and is a bright and colorful city. It is much different from the old cold and gray city of the cold war era. The red brick walls of the Kremlin open onto red square. Red square used to be reserved only for military parades now it is like an open air market, Buses are crowded but the underground railroad or subway will take you rapidly to your destination.

Leaving Moscow we travel by ship on the Volga river and the linking canals. We stop at the small town of Staritsa. In the small towns time stands still. Country life is very different from life in the city. Everyone works hard during the summer to prepare for the hard winter ahead. In the town tours of the small wooden houses show life on a simpler level. It is expected to give the
homeowner a small donation for the privilege of the tour.

Traveling on the picturesque landscape is a show in itself. On board ship we had many great meals including a Russian Tea ceremony performed with Vodka. Tea is made in a samovar and served with cakes and biscuits. If vodka is too strong for you, cold beer is available too. The crew does not drink so the ship can navigate the river and canal properly without crashing into things. We pass the ruins of the Christbirth church near Cherepovets, which was flooded in 1960 to make room for the Volga Baltic waterway. We stopped in Karelia and watched native Karelian dancers performing dances that originated in Finland. Twenty two percent of Karelia is covered by rivers and lakes.

Traveling on we pass the wooden church with 22 domes on Kizhi island on lake Onega. The domes are made with aspen shingles and were assembled without nails.

Now we are at the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. We see the Oreshek fortress. It withstood a 900 day siege by the Germans during world war II. Saint Petersburg shows its best side from the water. World famous for it’s white nights in June, Saint Petersburg has 200 museums. One of the most famous is the Hermitage.

It was here that the Bolshevics broke in and took over the government in 1917. Neva Prospekt is one of the busiest streets in Saint Petersburg. The 4 kilometers have many shops and stores selling international wares. In restaurants a favorite dish is borsch. It is made from cabbage and beets and secret spices. It is served with a dollop of sour cream. Each cook has their own secret recipe. In winter people drink tea and vodka with tea biscuits to pass away the long dark hours. 5 cups of tea is a compliment to the host. Saint Petersburg even has a vodka museum. Average consumption is 12 liters per person per year in Russia.

Pine Mountain Evening

I am sitting in my easy chair by the fireplace.This weeks coffee is Organic Rain forest. This jungle brew medium blend is rich and full bodied. It is an interesting taste. Squeekers my African grey parrot is on his perch munching peanuts. I have just finished my coffee. I put squeekers in his cage and turn off the fireplace. I am ready to go to bed. Good night all. See you next week.