Hello again from Pine Mountain. Well the first week of the new year is over. The holidays are now a memory until the end of the year. This week I finished taking down the Christmas decorations. They are now in there boxes for another year.
The snowstorm that we were expecting did not quite happen this week. We just had a little dusting of snow. You have to go above 7000 feet to find any real snow. There is about 6 to 10 inches( 2.36cm to 3.9 cm) above that level. Down here at the ranch it almost makes 50 F (10 C) in the day time. At night it is in the 20s F (- 6C). Our ever present wind makes it seem a lot colder. In about a week or two winter will really set in.
Well it is chores as usual here on the ranch. Nothing much changes there. I am glad for my greenhouse. Even when it is winter outside my greenhouse stays nice and warm at around 70 F( 21 C). I get to have fresh vegetables year around. These days with the economy the way it is, more people need to start growing vegetables to stretch their income. The next few years are going to be rough on just about everyone worldwide.
This year I have set aside a small section of the greenhouse to try and grow peanuts which is the favorite food of Squeekers, my African grey parrot. Peanuts need a sandy soil to grow well and they are planted deep about 2 inches deep. The plants need to be spaced about 7 inches apart. I watered them well when I planted them from raw peanuts. You can also plant them from seeds but it takes longer and you usually do not get good results. I waited until they sprouted to water them again. Peanuts have a long growing season about 130 days. They need to be watered sparingly or they will rot. We will see at harvest time if it was worth all the effort.
Well enough about things at the ranch this week we have a story about a sightseeing trip to Tasmania.
If you are new to our newsletter, Here is how this issue is laid out.
Section 1 Ranch news
Section 2 Alternative Energy
Section 3 Travel for Less
Section 4 Lost Treasure
Section 5 Journey to Tasmania
Section 6 Pine Mountain Evening
Each section has links to product websites. Just click on the colored words and you will go to that products website.
Alternative Energy
Visit the Alternative Energy Store for great prices on solar and wind energy equipment!
Looking for a way to cut energy costs but not really sure what you need? The knowledgeable folks at The Alternative Energy Store can help. They can help you plan your system with just the right components. If you would like to research your options yourself, The Alternative Energy Store has a complete library of books and videos to give you the education you need.
Alternative Energy Handbook
Do you need simple and inexpensive ways to save on alternative energy? Click on
==> Alternative energy and learn simple ways you can cut your electric bill.
Hydrogen Fuel
Would you like to increase your gas mileage, reduce emissions, and have more power. An inexpensive hydrogen generator can be added to your present fuel system to save you money.
Go to ==> Hydrogen Fuel to learn more while supplies last.
Ethos Fuel Additive
Do you want to increase your fuel economy and create 30% less pollution? How about increase your gas mileage and increase your power too. 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. Go to ==>Ethos and learn more about this alternative energy supplement.
Travel for Less
Discounts, Incentives, Rebates, and Promotions
Are you tired of paying high airfares only to be crammed into a tight seat when you travel? Find out how you can save hundreds of dollars on your next flight. You may even be able to fly first class for the cost of coach if you know the secret. Learn how you can save enough money to take that once in a lifetime vacation. Go to ==>Cheap Travel and find out now while supplies last.
Travel Writing
Have you ever wished that you could travel for a living. Does the call of far off places thrill you? Would you like to travel the world on your own schedule and see the places that you want to see? Would you like to enjoy your vacation and get paid for it too? Long 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? Would you like to be pampered like a VIP and enjoy life all for just writing about your travel adventures? Do you like to write letters to your relatives telling them about your recent vacation? Then 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 ==> Travel Writing and learn how you to can become a travel writer.
Adventure and Treasure Hunting
Proper Research is the Key
Do you watch movies like Indiana Jones and wish you could do that in real life? Do you like a good mystery and a good adventure? 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 ==>Treasure Hunting and check out his course “Creating Wealth Through Adventure”
And now our feature story.
A Journey to Tasmania
Last week we were in the frozen north. This week it is time to warm up and visit the land down under. Tasmania is a group of islands 150 miles (240 Kilometers) south of Australia on the eastern side of the country. Tasmania is a part of Australia. And since it is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are the reverse of ours. Right now in January it is the middle of summer.
We flew into Hobart the capital of Tasmania from Sidney on Quantas. This time of year it is the dry season but even in the dry season it rains about every second day. The main island is slightly larger than the US state of West Virginia. Tasmania is 26,410 square miles (68,401 square Kilometers). About one third of the island is nature preserves and is in a natural untouched state. The northern coast is the most populous. Today almost 500,000 people live in Tasmania.
We picked up our rental car went across the Tasman bridge and took the east Derwent highway north to Bridgewater. At Bridgewater we turned on the Midland highway. We drove on until we came to Oatlands where we stopped to tour the old historical Callington mill.
Oatland is a town of about 500 people.
After lunch we continued north on Midland highway better known as highway 1. We arrived in Launceston just before dark and spent the night there.
The next morning we headed west on highway 1 through Westbury and turned south on highway 5 at Deloraine. We stopped for lunch at Liffey falls.
We kept heading south and went around Great Lake. We turned on Waddamana road. We took that to Bashan road and took Bashan road to Victoria Valley road. We continued on until we reached the city of Ouse where we spent the night.
The next day we headed south on Lyell Highway. We stopped for lunch at New Norfolk then on to Bridgewater then south to Hobart. We spent the night in Hobart and caught our plane to Sidney the next morning. This was another vacation where we needed more time to thoroughly explore the island. Maybe another year.
That was our Tasmanian journey.
Tasmanian History
The original inhabitants, the aborigines settled in Tasmania over 35,000 years ago. Tasmania was joined to mainland Australia until the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago.The first European to find the island was Abel Tasman in 1642. The island was later named after him.
The native population was about 10,000 when the Europeans arrived. In 1833 there ranks had dwindled to about 300 because of war disease and mistreatment. The last 300 were moved to Flinders island by 1833.
The first european colonies on the island were prison colonies in the early 1800's. Today the island is an Australian state.
It is evening once more and I am relaxing here on Pine Mountain in my easy chair in front of the fireplace. The gas fueled fire in the fireplace takes the chill off the mountain evening. Squeekers my African Grey parrot is sitting on his perch munching peanuts.
I am relaxing with my coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com/. Tonight I am trying Moca Java . This coffee has a distinct taste of Ethiopian Mocha mixed with the distinct taste of coffee from the Java islands . It goes well with almost all deserts. It is just the right drink for a cold evening. Squeekers and I have been watching another Sci fi series called Highlander. Both my coffee and my TV show are over now. It has been a long day. I put Squeekers in his cage, turn off the gas fireplace, and head upstairs to bed. Good night all. See you next week.
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