El Jobo

Making Cider in Maine

2011-10-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Patrik's Garden

2011-06-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Patrik has a great garden with tomatoes, peppers, corn and greens.

Alburquerque is very dry so irrigatiopn is important.

Patches of greens.

Corn and tomatoes.

2011 Garden Photos

2011-06-20T15:03:00.001-07:00

Lots of lettuce and herbs.

Zuccini Squash and Celebrity Tomatoes.

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes.

New Zealand Spinach.

Red Delicious Bell Peppers.

Marguerita Tomatoes.

White Cucumbers.

More Recent 2011 Garden Photos

2011-06-20T14:52:00.001-07:00

All is doing well.

Potatoe tower.

THE JOBO'S NEW GREENHOUSE

2011-03-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

I BOUGHT A LEAN - TO GREENHOUSE FROM THE BURPEE CATALOG. I MANAGED TO GET IT UP IN ONE PIECE AND IT HAS HELD UP WELL THROUGH SEVERAL GOOD STORMS WITH A LOT OF WIND. IT SAID IT WAS A 60 MIN. PROJECT BUT IT TOOK ME TWO DAYS. YOU CAN SEE THE BASE I MADE FOR IT FROM SOME OLD PLYWOOD. IT IS SITTING AGAINST A STUCCO WALL SO I INSULATED THE SEAM BETWEEN THE BACK AND THE WALL USING AN OLD INSULATION BLANKET.

THESE METAL SHELVES WORK WELL WITH GOOD DRAINAGE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE PLANTS I HAVE GROWN . THE BASKETS ARE FROM THE 99 CENT STORE AND ARE VERY FUNCTIONAL.

THE ROLLERS ON THE DOOR WERE REALL TIGHT SO I TOOK THE BOTTOM SET OFF AND USE BIG PAPER CLIPS TO HOLD IT SHUT. I HAVE STARTED TOMATOES, EGGPLANT, SQUASH, LETTUCE, KALE, MUSTARD, COLLARD GREENS, SWISS CHARD, MARIGOLDS, AND BASIL. YOU CAN IMAGINE IT IS HARD TO WORK THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. NOTICE THAT I HAVE STAGGERED THE SHELVES FROM ON SIDE TO THE OTHER. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW PROBLEMS TO WORK OUT BUT OVERALL I AM SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS.

22 POUND WHITE SEA BASS ON THE TRADITION

2010-08-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

I CAUGHT A 22 POUND WHITE SEA BASS ON A SPOOFER.

I WAS JIGGING A WHITE SPOOFER OFF THE BOTTOM AT ROCKY POINT. I WAS REELING IN 12 CRANKS AND THEN WOULD ALLOW THE JIG FALL TO THE BOTTOM. THE FISH HIT ON THE FIRST DROP AND I MISSED IT. THE FISH HIT AGAING AS SOON AS I STARTED TO REEL AND THIS TIME I HOOKED HIM.

Container Garden 2010

2010-07-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

5 GALLON SELF-WATERING CONTAINER MADE WITH A HOME DEPOT BUCKET

I FORMED THE RESERVOIR USING 1/2" HARDWARE CLOTH
AND COVERED IT WITH PERMEABLE CLOTH

BE SURE TO DRILL A DRAINAGE HOLE.

GREAT TOMATOES !!!

I HAVE FOUR UPSIDE DOWN BUCKETS BUT I DON'T LIKE THE CONCEPT. WATER DRIPS ON THE LEAVES OF THE PLANTS WHEN YOU WATER AND THIS CAUSES PROBLEMS.

I HAVE A DRIVEWAY ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND A SIDEWALK ON THE OTHER. MY BACK YARD HAS A FEW SMALL FLOWER BEDS SO I PLANT A LOT OF DIFFERENT VEGETABLES IN SELF WATERING CONTAINERS, SUCH AS THESE ONIONS.

THESE CONTAINERS ARE 18 GALLON CONTAINERS AND ARE ALSO SELF-WATERING. I HAVE MODIFIED THE DESIGN BUT I GOT THE BASIC IDEA FROM www.josho.com.

EGGPLANT

HELGA BEANS

SQUASH

I STILL GROW A FEW THINGS IN THE GROUND SUCH AS THIS NEW ZEALAND SPINACH WHICH IS TAKING OVER THE BACK YARD.

I ALSO HAVE SOME WAL-MART WINDOW BOX CONTAINERS WHICH WORK VERY WELL. THEY ARE SELF-WATERING AND FAIRLY ECONOMICAL AND GET THE JOB DONE.

LETTUCE

EGGPLANT, PEPPERS, SWISS CHARD, PARSLEY, CILANTRO, AREGULA AND HERBS SUCH AS BASIL, ROSEMARY, AND THYME.

HAPPY GARDENING!

ALBURQUERQUE TRIP

2009-10-25T20:05:00.001-07:00

The new doll house.

Patrick and Shanti

Akeva reading to Shanti

Akeva, Shanti, and Grandpa

Tita and Akeva

Epic Bonita Day on the Tradition 10/02/2009

2009-10-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

WATCHING FLOCKS OF BIRDS WITH FOAMERS BELOW

SEE THEM? TOP LEFT

HOOK-UP

EEEEEEHA!!!!

Went out on the Tradition last Friday and it turned out to be an EPIC day of fishing. We had set up on the Northwest corner of Catalina Island and were fishing Calico Bass. Capt. Steven Conrady spotted a large flock of birds about a mile off shore. He decided to investigate. It turned out to be a huge school of Bonita feeding on bait balls of Sardines and Spanish Mackeral. It was absolute pandemonium for about the next two hours. They would hit whatever was thrown at them. I even caught 2 fish at one time. The 1st fish hit my small jig and it went through its gill plate and another fish hit it. That was a first for me. There were 14 fishermen on board everyone took home limits.

MULTIPLE HOOK-UPS

FULL SACKS

I couldn't lift my sack it was so heavy. I had to hand them out one at a time to get them cleaned.

We really like Bonita. It is very important to bleed them immediately after they are caught. I have Morgan slab them. When I get home I cut the skin off and cut out the dark meat. I usually saute them in taryaki sause and bake them in the oven or grill them over the barbecue. I leave the skin on if I am going to smoke them.

QUALITY BONITA

NEW ZEALAND SPINACH & OTHER GOOD STUFF

2009-09-28T19:06:00.001-07:00

ONE OF THE GREATEST SURPRIZES IN THE GARDEN THIS YEAR WAS NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. NEW ZEALAND SPINACH IN ALL THE MARKETS IN COSTA RICA AND WE HAD EATEN IT THERE. IT GROWS WILD IN VACANT LOTS ALONG THE STRAND HERE IN MANHATTAN BEACH. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTOS THAT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL GROUND COVER. WE PICK IT ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AND IT SEEMS TO IMPROVE WITH PICKING. WE JUST BLANCH IT IN BOILING WATER FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, DRAIN IT, AND SERVE WITH BUTTER.

THESE ARE 17 GALLON STORAGE BINS THAT WERE ON SALE AT HOME DEPOT. TWO HAVE LETTUCES, ONE HAS CILANTRO, AND ONE HAS BEETS. THEY ARE DOING QUITE WELL.

POTATOES, BASIL, AND PARSLEY.

PLENTY OF HERBS.

Driveway Heaven, Just for Johnny

2009-09-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

HAPPY JACARANDA!!!

NO MORE EUCALYPTUS

HAPPY JACARANDA TO YOU TOO.

NO MORE BUMP!!!

THE DRIVEWAY IS IN PRISON

FINALLY!!! A NICE SMOOTH DRIVEWAY!

TRADITION, New Boat at King Harbor

2009-07-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

THE TRADITION IS A NEW BOAT AT KING HARBOR

THANKS TO JACKPOT JIMMY FOR THE GREAT PHOTOS

IT'S A GREAT BOAT WITH PLENTY OF SPACE ON THE RAILS. THE DECK IS CLOSE TO THE WATER AND IS VERY COMFORTABLE TO FISH. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES TO SIT AND IS VERY COMFORTABLE.

HERE IS DERICK IN THE GALLEY. GREAT FOOD!!!

GREAT FISHING!!!

Garden in a Bucket

2009-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

This year I have gone whole hog with a container garden and so far it has been very successful.

Lots of strong flowers on this Early Girl tomatoe.

I still have a few things in the ground. Here are some zuccinni.

Early Girl tomatoes.

Japanese Eggplant

Several varities of peppers.

Even some upside-down tomatoes. Upside-down Romas.

I used 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot filled

with Miracle Grow potting soil. I use a 24 oz.

yogurt container to water them daily.

This is Important

2009-03-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Please take the time to read the following letter from the Baha'i International Community. There are over 30 people currently under arrest for nothing more than practicing their religion. You see there is "Freedom of Religion"in Iran as long as you don't express it. 7 of those that are under arrest were managing the affairs of the Baha'i community in Iran will soon go on trial and may face the death penalty. Tony

Letter From the Baha'i International Community, this is important

2009-03-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

4 March 2009
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
Prosecutor General
Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Honor,
Your recent announcement regarding the administrative affairs of the Bahá’ís of Iran has
brought to the arena of public debate issues which not only affect the safety and livelihood of
the members of that community but also have profound implications for the future of every
citizen of that esteemed nation. The steps that have been taken to formulate the response of
the Iranian Bahá’í community to your announcement have surely been communicated to you.
The Yaran and the Khademin, the small groups that have been attending to the spiritual and
social needs of the several hundred thousand Bahá’ís of Iran, the former at the national level
and the latter at the local, have expressed their willingness to bring to a close their collective
functioning. This decision has been made for no other reason than to demonstrate yet again
the goodwill that the Bahá’ís have consistently shown to the government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran for the past thirty years.
The Universal House of Justice has assured us that the disruption in the functioning
of these groups need not be seen as a cause for concern. There is no doubt in the minds of
millions of Bahá’ís residing in virtually every country around the world—nor in the minds
of many others who are watching these events with impartiality and who are aware of the
historical development of the Faith—that the Bahá’ís in Iran will find ways of managing the
spiritual life of their community, as they have done for generations over the past one hundred
and sixty-five years of persecution. However, given the gravity of the accusations leveled
against the Yaran and the Khademin, we feel obliged, as the representatives at the United
Nations of one hundred and seventy-nine National Spiritual Assemblies encircling the globe,
to bring certain fundamental points to your attention in an open letter and request that you
examine them with the sense of fairness they deserve.
In reference to Article 20 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran pertaining
to the rights of its citizens, as well as Article 23 related to freedom of belief, you have stated:
“Adherence to a principle or belief is free [to anyone], but to openly express and proclaim it in
order to cause deviation in the thoughts of others, to manipulate, pretend, disseminate [ideas],
and otherwise attempt to deceive and confuse people will not be permissible.” Such a statement
tests credulity to an extreme. It is widely recognized that similar statements have been used by
BAHÁ’Í
INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY

United Nations Office
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120, New York, NY 10017 USA
Telephone: 212-803-2500, Fax: 212-803-2566, Email: uno-nyc@bic.org
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
4 March 2009
Page 2
repressive regimes throughout the centuries to justify the arbitrary suppression of conscience
and belief. The suggestion that it is possible to separate the convictions held by an individual
from their expression in words and action begins an entirely false line of reasoning. To see its
absurdity one need only ask oneself what it means to have faith if it is not consciously
manifested in one’s relationships with others. Qualifying the argument by implying that only
those expressions of belief which cause deviation in the thoughts of others are objectionable
may appear reasonable at a first glance. In reality, of course, it is a means of granting license to
those in authority to suppress whomsoever they wish, for it leaves open the possibility of
labeling any action or comment not to their liking as a cause of deviation in the thoughts of
others. In any event, the record of the Bahá’ís of Iran is clear in this respect. They have never
sought to cause such deviation, nor have they ever attempted to deceive and confuse people.
Since you have raised the issue of freedom of belief in the context of the articles pertaining to
the rights of Iranian citizens, knowing full well the Bahá’í record, we can only assume that you
have made curtailment in the functioning of the Yaran and the Khademin a condition for
according the Bahá’ís at least some of the rights which they have been denied for some thirty
years now.
The facts of the matter are, of course, well known to you:
· Following the Islamic revolution in 1979, the Bahá’ís of Iran, who had long been the
victims of periodic outbreaks of violence, the later rounds of which had been instigated
by the notorious SAVAK, were subjected to a fresh wave of persecution.
· In August 1980 all nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
Iran—a national council whose election and functioning are prescribed in the Bahá’í
teachings and which forms part of the Bahá’í administrative structure in all countries—
were abducted and disappeared without a trace. Undoubtedly they were executed.
· Members subsequently elected to this council, as well as scores of individuals with
influence in the Bahá’í community, including several members of Local Spiritual
Assemblies—councils operating at the local level—were executed by the government
in the years immediately after.
· In response to the announcement made by the Prosecutor General of Iran in 1983
calling for the dismantling of the Bahá’í administrative structure, the National Spiritual
Assembly of Iran dissolved itself and the rest of the administrative structure in the
country as a demonstration of goodwill towards the government.
· Subsequently, ad hoc arrangements were made to tend to the spiritual and social needs of
the 300,000 Bahá’ís in Iran through the formation of the Yaran at the national level and
the Khademin at the local level.
· For some twenty years, government agencies had regular contact with the Yaran and the
Khademin—some times friendly and other times in the form of unreasonably long and
aggressive interrogations—consulted with their members and were entirely aware of
their activities. The possibility of some degree of dialogue between the Bahá’ís and
government agencies seemed to be emerging.
· During that same period, however, a 1991 memorandum signed by Hujjatu’l Islam
Seyyed Mohammad Golpaygani, then Secretary of the Iranian Supreme Revolutionary
Cultural Council, came to light. It called for the “progress and development” of the
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
4 March 2009
Page 3
Bahá’ís in Iran to be “blocked” through a number of specific measures it advocated
and for a plan “to confront and destroy their cultural roots outside the country.”
· While the harassment and ill-treatment of Bahá’ís continued uninterrupted during this
period, they have been taken to new levels of intensity in recent years as certain elements
that have historically been bent on the destruction of the Bahá’í community have assumed
growing influence in the affairs of the country.
· The official campaign to malign the name of the Faith through the mass media—through
newspaper articles and Web sites, through radio and television programs and films—
escalated around 2005; it has proceeded unabated to this day. There can be little doubt
that systematic steps are being taken to implement the provisions set out in the 1991
memorandum.
· In March 2006 a confidential letter from the Iranian military headquarters, dated
29 October 2005, asking various intelligence agencies and police organizations, in
addition to the Revolutionary Guard, to identify and monitor Bahá’ís around the country,
came to the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief,
raising great concern throughout the world for the safety of the Bahá’ís.
· For more than two decades young Bahá’ís were barred from entering university through
an application process that would require them to deny their faith. Though a modification
in the process, achieved through worldwide public pressure, enabled a few hundred to
register at the start of the 2006–2007 academic year, their hopes of pursuing higher
education were soon dashed. That same year the Ministry of Science, Research and
Technology issued a letter to eighty-one universities, instructing them to expel any
student known to be a Bahá’í.
· The abovementioned letter was followed by another in April 2007 from the Public
Intelligence and Security Force restricting the involvement of Bahá’ís, already barred
from employment in the public sector, in some twenty types of businesses. The
document reinforced ongoing efforts to strangle the economic life of the Bahá’í
community.
· In these past few years, the number of Bahá’ís arrested without cause has climbed; the
confiscation of Bahá’í personal property has grown; attacks on Bahá’í homes have
escalated; acts of arson against Bahá’í properties have proliferated; the desecration and
destruction of Bahá’í cemeteries have spread; the sealing of shops owned by Bahá’ís
has increased; refusals of bank loans and business licenses to Bahá’ís have multiplied;
harassment of landlords with Bahá’í tenants has intensified; threats against fellow citizens
who associate with Bahá’ís have mounted; and the vilification of Bahá’í children in their
classrooms by teachers has been on the rise. That such acts are being systematically
orchestrated city by city is unquestionable.
· Then last year the seven members of the Yaran were imprisoned, one of them in March
and the remaining six in May. For some time they were held in solitary confinement and
denied access to their families. Although eventually family members were allowed brief
visits under strict observation, the prisoners have yet to be given access to legal counsel.
The conditions of their incarceration have varied in degree of severity over the course of
the past several months, with the five male members confined at one time to a cell no
more than ten square meters in size, with no bed.
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
4 March 2009
Page 4
· Finally, after some nine months of imprisonment, during which time not a shred of
evidence could be found linking the members of the Yaran to any wrongdoing, they were
accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the
Islamic Republic,” and it has been announced that their case will soon be submitted to
court with a request for indictment.
· This announcement was followed almost immediately by news reports which indicated
that you had written to the Minister of Intelligence stating that the existence of the Yaran
and the Khademin in Iran is illegal, while at the same time raising the question of the
constitutional right of Iranian citizens to freedom of belief. You then made an official
announcement to this effect.
*
Your Honor, the events of recent years and the nature of the accusations made raise
questions in the mind of every unbiased observer as to the intent behind the systematic
perpetration of injustice against the Bahá’ís of Iran. Even if there might have been some
misunderstandings about the motives of the Bahá’í community during the early turbulent days
of the revolution, how can such suspicions persist today? Can it be that any member of the
esteemed government of Iran truly believes the false accusations which have been perpetuated
about the Bahá’ís in that country? Are not the following facts well known to the authorities in
the various branches of the government?
· In whatever country they reside, Bahá’ís strive to promote the welfare of society. They
are enjoined to work alongside their compatriots in fostering fellowship and unity and in
establishing peace and justice. They seek to uphold their own rights, as well as the rights
of others, through whatever legal means are available to them, conducting themselves at
all times with honesty and integrity. They eschew conflict and dissension. They avoid
contest for worldly power.
· It is a fundamental principle of the Bahá’í Faith that its followers strictly refrain from
involvement in any partisan political activity, whether local, national or international.
Bahá’ís view government as a system for maintaining the welfare and orderly progress
of human society, and obedience to the laws of the land is a distinguishing feature of
their beliefs.
· To take any action in willful violation of allegiance to one’s own country is explicitly
proscribed in the Scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith. Adherence to this principle has been
amply demonstrated by Bahá’ís everywhere.
· The Bahá’í administrative structure, which is established in more than one hundred and
eighty countries worldwide, is a means for channeling the energies of Bahá’ís in service
to the common good and for organizing the religious and social affairs of the Bahá’í
community itself. For Bahá’ís, the concept does not imply in any way the existence of a
political agenda or any kind of interference in the affairs of the government.
· The international headquarters of the Bahá’í Faith is located within the borders of
modern-day Israel as a result of the successive banishments imposed on Bahá’u’lláh in
the mid-nineteenth century by the Persian and Ottoman governments. Exiled from His
native Persia, Bahá’u’lláh was sent to Baghdad, Constantinople and Adrianople and
finally to the fortress-city of Acre in 1868, eighty years prior to the establishment of the
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
4 March 2009
Page 5
State of Israel, where He eventually died in 1892. That Bahá’ís in all parts of the world
are today in contact with the international headquarters of their Faith regarding their
individual and collective affairs is entirely natural and is a well-established fact.
· Bahá’ís have the highest respect for all religions. Our Writings refer to Islam as “the
blessed and luminous religion of God” and the Prophet Muhammad as “the refulgent
lamp of supreme Prophethood,” “the Lord of creation” and “the Day-star of the world,”
Who, “through the will of God, shone forth from the horizon of Hijaz.” The station of
Imam Ali is described in terms such as “the moon of the heaven of knowledge and
understanding” and “the sovereign of the court of knowledge and wisdom.” In the Tablet
of Visitation revealed by Bahá’u’lláh Himself for Imam Husayn, He refers to him as “the
pride of the martyrs” and “the day-star of renunciation shining above the horizon of
creation.”
· Bahá’ís are exhorted to evince a high sense of moral rectitude in their activities, chastity
in their individual lives, and complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings with
people of every race, class and creed.
*
In light of these well-established facts, Your Honor, it is difficult to understand how
words such as “manipulative” and “deceitful,” “dangerous” and “threatening,” can be applied to
Bahá’í activity in Iran. Do you consider dangerous the efforts of a group of young people who,
out of a sense of obligation to their fellow citizens, work with youngsters from families of little
means to improve their mathematics and language skills and to develop their abilities to play a
constructive part in the progress of their nation? Is it a threat to society for Bahá’ís to discuss
with their neighbors noble and high-minded ideals, reinforcing the conviction that the
betterment of the world is to be achieved through pure and goodly deeds and through
commendable and seemly conduct? In what way is it manipulative for a couple to speak in the
privacy of their home with a few friends confused by the portrayal of Bahá’ís in the mass media
and to share with them the true nature of their beliefs, which revolve around such fundamental
verities as the oneness of God and the oneness of humankind? What duplicity is there if a child
at school, after listening to offensive language about the Founder of her Faith Whom she so
loves, politely raises her hand and requests permission to explain to her classmates some of the
teachings she follows? What deceit is there if a young person, committed to the acquisition of
knowledge and learning, seeks the right from the authorities to enter university without having
to lie about his faith? What harm is done if several families gather together periodically for
communal worship and for the discussion of matters of concern to them all? Given that the
human soul has no sex, is it so alarming for someone to express the view that men and women
are equal in the sight of God and should be able to work shoulder to shoulder in all fields of
human endeavor? And is it so unreasonable for a small group of people, in the absence of the
administrative structures prescribed in their teachings, to facilitate the marriage of young
couples, the education of children and the burial of the dead in conformity with the tenets of
their Faith?
These are but a few examples of the various endeavors for which the Bahá’ís of Iran are
being so grievously persecuted. It is the right to engage in such activity that has been denied
them for thirty years.
Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi
4 March 2009
Page 6
Your Honor, many times over these twenty years the Yaran and the Khademin have been
told by government officials that they are in fact protecting the Bahá’í community from those
who regard its members as a negative element in society. It is true that there may be a small
fraction in any populace who, succumbing to the forces of hatred and enmity, can be incited to
perform acts of cruelty and oppression. But, in the main, our vision of the Iranian people does
not correspond with the one projected by such officials. Narrow-mindedness and pettiness are
not the qualities that we attribute to them. Rather do we see the staunch commitment to justice
evinced by the citizens of one town who petitioned the government when several shops owned
by Bahá’ís were closed without reason. We see the fidelity shown by the young musicians who
refused to perform when their Bahá’í counterparts were prohibited from playing in a recital.
We see the courage and tenacity of university students who stood ready to prepare a petition
and to forgo participation in examinations that their Bahá’í classmates were barred from taking.
We see the compassion and generosity of spirit exhibited by the neighbors of one family, whose
home was attacked with a bulldozer, in their expressions of sympathy and support, offered at all
hours of the night, and in their appeals for justice and recompense. And we hear in the voices
raised by so many Iranians in defense of their Bahá’í compatriots echoes from their country’s
glorious past. What we cannot help noting, with much gratitude towards them in our hearts, is
that a majority of those coming out in support of the beleaguered Bahá’í community are
themselves suffering similar oppression as students and academics, as journalists and social
activists, as artists and poets, as progressive thinkers and proponents of women’s rights, and
even as ordinary citizens.
Your Honor, the decisions to be taken by the judiciary in Iran in the coming days will
have implications that extend well beyond the Bahá’í community in that land––what is at stake
is the very cause of the freedom of conscience for all the peoples of your nation. It is our hope
that, for the sanctity of Islam and the honor of Iran, the judiciary will be fair in its judgment.
Respectfully,
Bahá’í International Community
cc: Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

MISSISSIPPI ROADHOUSE II

2009-02-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

ONE PROBLEM WITH BEING A FISH-HEAD IS THAT THE TENDS TO FILL UP WITH FISH LIKE THESE NICE SAND BASS. THE SOLUTION IS THE ANNUAL MISSISSIPPI ROAD HOUSE AT THE SCHMITZ HOUSE. IT'S PRETTY MUCH AN OPEN HOUSE AND WHOEVER SHOWS UP GETS FED.

HERE IS DANIEL AND ANN COOKING WITH KITTY AND ALMA GIVING INSTRUCTIONS.

YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB DAD!!!

LARAPIN!!!!

LOTS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS.

THIS IS THE FIRST FISH I CAUGHT THIS YEAR. NICE YELLOWTAIL.

MY FRIEND YAS INANAGA IS A REAL ARTIST AND MADE SASHIMI WITH THE BELLY OF THE YELLOWTAIL. HE BROUGHT HIS OWN SOY SAUSE AND MUSTARD.

KONICHI WA YA'LL

New Shine on an Old Stove

2009-02-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

WELL WE FINALLY FOUND A SOLUTION TO THE DIRTY OLD STOVE! A LITTLE BIT OF ELBOW GREASE AND IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE NEW.

Daniel and I looked all over the place for a suitable replacement for

the old stove but found none the would be anywhere as good as

the old stove. Didn't it clean up nicely?

We even borrowed Charlie and Ann's labeler and made new labels.

More Photos From The Trip

2007-10-01T19:12:00.001-07:00

The brothers

The sisters

The view from Sina and Don's.

Looking good!!!

Who let the dog out???

We visited Uncle John at the beginning and at the end of the trip.

SINA AND DON'S

2007-10-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

This is Sina and Don's new house. It is in a beautiful spot overlooking Chehalis. The house is a doublewide and they have a large detached garage and guest room. It is a neat place. That is Don's Koi pond in the front.

Our beautiful Mother was there.

Our friends the Solans showed up.

Tom and I deep-fried catfish.

We caught them at Tio Coscotino!!

Everyone enjoyed the catfish.

Jerri.

Donald Dean likes the catfish too!!!

What are you doing Grandpa?

SNAKE RIVER CATFISH

2007-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Mike Schmitz

Mar 12, 1938 - Feb 7, 2003

Our brother Mike loved to fish for catfish on the Snake River near Huntington Oregon. My brother Robert and I along with his girlfriend Gloria decided to make a pilgramage to the Snake River and remember all the good times we had with our big brother on the Snake River fishing for catfish. Mike's spirit was with us on the river.

Gloria was the first to catch a fish but it is a smallmouth bass.

We did have shade and a place to lay down.

Quite comfortable!!!

Robert caught a fish also.

Tony lost a really big catfish.

Gloria caught the biggest catfish.

Lots of deer came down to drink at dusk.

The wind started blowing really hard and blew our tent down. This is what it looked like as we loaded up the truck to move to a motel.

AKEVA (and CAROLINES) VISIT

2007-08-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

HI, MY NAME IS AKEVA

CHECK OUT THE COOL BLANKET MY FRIEND CANDICE MADE FOR ME

AKEVA WITH CAROLINE

I LIKE TO PLAY A LOT

BLOCKS MAKE ME HAPPY

BATH TIME

BYE, I'M GOING TO SLEEP NOW

ABOUT MY GARDEN

2007-08-23T08:14:00.001-07:00

IT'S A SMALL GARDEN
WITH A FEW TOMATO PLANTS
THIS ONE IS HEALTH KICK

AND A BEEFSTEAK

AND THIS ONE GREW TALLER THAN ME

IT'S A BIG CHERRY TOMATO

JACKPOT YELLOW

2007-08-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Spitfire is a great Boat

This is the closest competition

But mine is heavier

27 pounds

ONE HAPPY FISHERMAN
JACKPOT!!!

Great Day on the Spitfire

2007-06-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

JUST LIKE THE FISH ON MY HAT

THAT IS CATALINA ISLAND IN THE BACK
MIGUEL AND JONATHAN WITH SOME NICE CALICO BASS
BY THE WAY MIGUEL MADE THE HAT
YOU CAN SEE HIS CUSTOM EMBROIDERY PRODUCTS AT
www.allfishwear.com

THE RAIN IN MAINE FALLS .....

2007-06-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Maine has beautiful light houses.

A rainy day at Scarbourough Marsh

This guy didn"t care.

I left Mississippi and had a 4 hr. layover at Laguardia in New York. They cancelled all flights right about my boarding time. My 4 hr. layover turned into a 17 hr. layover. Rain, rain go away come again another day.

Chestnut flowers

It was raining and everything was blooming,

Erica and Daniel framed in these beautiful azelias.

Daniel and his dad at the grill.

It was raining so they put me to work.

Well yes, I would rather be fishing.

Erica working on her shelf.
Great job!!!!

Yes that is a cute panza! Congradulations!

Missin' Mississippi

2007-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

How to get into paradise.

You put a ladder into your pickup truck and let the tailgate down. Then you back up to the fence and put the ladder on the other side, Step off the tailgate onto the ladder. That way you don't mess up the fence.

Here you see Hayward fly fishing on the North Pond. Doesn't it look like paradise?
Here is Leroy giving me some good fishing advise.

Thank you Leroy!

Here is Hayward with a good mess of brim.

And Javier frying the fish for fish tacos.

We all had fish tacos with mango salsa. Here is Leroy's mom and aunt in the back. Leroy and Candice in the front.

McGumbo - McVisit

2007-05-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

I really like to cook for folks so we were really happy to have Jere and Julie come to visit us for a couple of days. We had a really good time with lots of good company and lots of good food.

Chef Tony with his supper pot cooking up a pot of file gumbo. I don't think I could have made it taste any better. It was absolutely larapin.

A green salad to go with.

Starting with Chef Tony with their front names are Tod, Lua, invisible Jere, Kitty, Babs, Andy, Nick, Kate, and Julie. That can't possibly be Chef Tony, The hair on the back of his head is too grey.

Barbara showed up too. It was great fun. Lua, Barbara, Jere, Andy, and Tony.

Albuquerque Trip

2007-05-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Patrik, Akeva, and Caroline

Akeva in her bumpa seat

Papaw with the sweetest baby!!!

1, 2, 3, 4...YES...4 generations !!!

David playing soccer

Sammy and Sergio were there too. We all enjoyed a seafood soup that Tony cooked.

Old Guys Rule on the Soccer Field

2007-04-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

The Red Shirts

Patrik plays soccer on a team of friends and some of them are not so young anymore. I heard one of the players on the opposing team say "So, we should be afraid of a bunch of old guys?"

The "Old Guys" at work

Well, it was a great game!!! The "OLD GUYS" beat the younger team 5 - 0. Una ves mas, "El acido viejudico" y la experiencia gano sobre la juventud.

Patrik takes a break with his family after scoring 2 goals

A Day of Rockfishing on the City of Redondo

2007-03-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Photo by Kenny Mac

You can see this photo on www.976-tuna.com in a story about the Redondo Special. This Red Snapper bacame part of a fish chowder that we will use to break the fast tomorrow night at the Serrano's house.

Encounter With A Water Opossum

2007-01-30T19:43:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I was traveling with a family from Florida with 2 teenage boys. We were staying at the Selva Verde Lodge, on the Sarapiqui River near Puerto Viejo. The boys were eager to take a night walk along the river, as night walks can be very productive, and this one was no exception.WATER OPOSSUM
ZORRO DE AGUA
Chironectes minimus

We shined our light on what we thought was a frog and were making a move to grab it but to our surprise it turned out to be a Water Opossum (Chironectes minimus). Having heard of this rare marsupial for a long time, I was very excited to see one for the first time.

We had approached it in a very agressive manner and it swam away from us very quickly, but we were able to follow it with out flashlights. It did not swim in a straight line but had an evasive pattern of very tight circles, more like that of a moth caught on the water surface.

The water Opossum or "Zorro de Agua" is only one of nine different opossums found in Costa Rica. It is found almost everywhere in the country from sea level to about 1800 meters. It is almost always found near rivers, streams, or lakes. It is most common around fast moving water in the hills and mountains and is rare or absent in the slow moving waters of the lowlands.

It is common in many areas althoa few people have seen them as they are exclusively nocturnal and spend their days deep in their dens dug into the banks of a river or stream. They buid their nests of leaves and grasses.

These Water Opossums are marsupials and have a very interesting pouch with the opening towards the rear. They usually bear two to three young which are carried in the mother's pouch. The pouch has a sphincter muscle which keeps the young dry while the mother swims. The male also has a pouch.

The Water Opossum is a strong swimmer and have large hind feet which are completely webbed. At night they move over the rocks along the shore searching for any small creature they might eat. The palms of their front paws have very rough skin which helps hold onto their prey.

Tayra, The Baddest Critter Around

2007-01-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Attitude! You haven't seen attitude until you have seen a Tayra. I really believe a Tayra would take on anything. Mike McKoy once saw a Tayra take on a White-faced Capuchin Monkey, kill it and eat it. The monkey was quite a bit bigger than the Tayra.

There is a trail in Sarapiqui that I like to hike. Often I would find porcupine quills stuck in the bark of of trees on this trail. It was as if some animal had slammed the porcupine into the tree sticking it to the tree so that the poor creature could be eaten in safety. Could that be?

A Tayra lived on that same trail. I would stand in a certain spot and clack my teeth together through cupped hands. This almost always brought out the Tayra and always had a chalenging look as if it were looking for a fight. I really think the Tayra was killing and eating the porcupines.

PHOTO BY JERE MCKINNEY

I once took my kids to the San Diego Zoo. They had a Tayra exhibit but the Tayras were in the back of the exhibit where they couldn't be seen. I was really disappointed and so I clacked my teeth together and out they came again as if they were looking for a fight.

Mississippi Roadhouse and More

2007-01-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Tony, Daniel, and Patrik

and cousin Steven

were the cooks at the Mississippi Road House on Christmas afternoon. We fried about 30 pounds of fish as well as hush puppies and deep fried pickles. There was cole slaw and rice and plenty to drink.

Photo from Sam and Sergios wedding on the 23rd.

All my kids were there. Caroline, Akeva (my grand daughter) and Patrik, Samantha and Sergio, Erica and Daniel. My family has grown a lot this year.

I also got to meet my new grandsons. Gati, Mathew, David in the back, and Sergio. They helped catch fish. Welcome to our family.

Mathew caught a nice sand bass.

Patrik caught a nice Calico for the fish fry.

Even El Jobo may have added a few nice fish to the mess.

A Mouse Between a Bus and a Tough Character

2007-01-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

GRISON or HURON
Galactis vittata

One day while driving along a back country road in San Carlos in northern Costa Rica a small mouse ran out in front of our bus. The driver hit the brakes and the bus and the mouse skidded to a halt. A grison, a badger-like mammal in the weasel family, appeared out of the grass and was in hot persuit of the mouse. The bus had scared the mouse so it turned and ran back towards the grison. Realizing it had made a mistake it again turned back towards the bus. Having made another mistake it came to a complete stop. The grison paused as it was also confused by the situation and this gave the mouse time to make a decision. It made a 90 degree turn and made a b-line for the tall grass at the side of the road followed quickly by the grison.

The drama wasn't over yet as another grison appeared from the same spot as the first and followed the first into the grass. From the bus we could see the patterns made in the grass by the mouse and the two grisons. We couldn't tell whether the mouse met its end or escaped but somehow we suspect that the mouse was a lucky mouse and lived to evade the grison another day.

FAST CATFISH LIMITS AT IRVINE

2006-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

PATRIK AND I LEFT FOR IRVINE IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON ON SEPTEMBER 8 AND ARRIVED ABOUT 4:00, WE LAUNCHED THE CANOE AND TRIED ONE SPOT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BUT GOT NO BITES, WE STARTED RUNNING PATTERNS NEAR THE RED CLAY CLIFFS AND RAN ACROSS A DEEP SPOT THAT WASN'T VERY BIG AND DISAPPEARED VERY QUICKLY OFF THE DEPTH FINDER. WE WERE GOING IN CIRCLES TRYING TO FIND IT AGAIN AND ANOTHER BOATER ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. HE TOLD US HE HAD JUST CROSSED THE SAME STRUCTURE AND FOUND IT FOR US. WE ANCHORED AND STARTED CATCHING FISH AS FAST AS WE COULD BAIT OUR HOOKS AND GET THEM BACK IN THE WATER. WE HAD OUR LIMITS IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WE WERE FLY LINING LARGE 4/0 HOOKS WITH BONITA BELLIES AND NIGHT CRAWLERS.

YOU CAN SEE MY CANOE IN BACK OF PATRIK. IT IS 14 FEET LONG AND HAS OUTRIGGERS WHICH MAKE IT VERY STABLE. IT ALSO HAS AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT WILL PUSH IT ALL DAY LONG. iT IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A HUMMINGBIRD FISH FINDER THAT HAS ITS SCREEN ON A WATCH BAND. IT WORKS VERY WELL AND TAKES UP NO ROOM ON THE BOAT.

THE WHOLE THING WEIGHS ONLY ABOUT 70 POUNDS AND IS VERY EASY TO PUT ON TOP OF MY CAR AND IS ALSO EASY TO LAUNCH. I CAN EASILY LOAD AND LAUNCH IT BY MYSELF.

EL JOBO'S DORADO

2006-12-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

THIS IS A NICE 15 POUND DORADO I CAUGHT ABOARD THE PACIFIC DAWN LAST JULY, IT WAS A PERTTY GOOD TWO DAY TRIP. I CAUGHT 7 YELLOWTAIL AND 2 ALBACORE. THE LARGEST ALBACORE WAS 46 POUNDS AND WON THE JACKPOT.