Our New England Life

I’ve been thinking of another series to work on. Every so often I’m going to post something on some enjoyable trip, event or place to visit, etc, that we have done or want to do (the Huntley’s) here in New England. Probably a lot will focus right here around Cheshire County, New Hampshire, but we do get out and about some. Our trip to Acadia National Park this summer for a week was “Be-awesome”

I think there will probably be something on Pumpkin-fest in Keene, and some of our favorite local places to visit. Next week, I’m climbing Mount Monadnock with Jeremiah’s 6th grade class. With the whole Waldorf school actually...it’s Hike Day. Also, we went apple picking at Allyson’s Orchard last weekend…more on that soon.

So, look forward to a new series, “Our New England Life” coming soon. There will also be another post in my “Good Eats in Town Series,” coming very soon…

Verizon Wireless for the laptop

Yes!!!  Tracy bought a wireless modem and an account at Verizon yesterday. We now have high-speed internet at home (faster than the DSL thing at the office even.  We’ve had dial up at 33k speed since we moved here 7 years ago and it sucked! Even MSN home page loaded so slow that I could go MAKE and pour a cup of coffee while waiting.  Needless to say, I gave up playing on the internet at home years ago, only using it out of bare necessity.

The possibilities are endless, but for me, it means checking movie schedules and the weather whenever I want; looking up random trivia that assail my mind during home hours (ha ha); blogging anytime; being able to have time to do the exercises at Spanishpod; and checking E-mail. The E-mail thing is a biggie, since that’s how everyone communicates. I have a daily opportunity to check during the week, but Tracy checks hers and the family E-mail sporadically at best.

So look forward to even more babble from me !!!!  ha hahahahahahahhahaahha

NHANRS - a proud new member

Just found out recently that I was voted in as a new Member of NHANRS - New Hampshire Associates of Natural Resource Scientists. I've wanted to be a part of the membership for a few years now. I'm looking forward to getting to know and developing relationships with this group like I have done with NHLSA.

Frijoles charros de Leo

This is one of my favorite recipes, something that has become a staple in our house...good for breakfast, good as leftovers packed with bread for lunch, good with Dinner.  It's very simple to make, takes little time and you can modify it with your own compliment of hot or spicy. We like these bean with Chipotle flavor (1 chipotle en adobo) and toasted cumin seeds. Usually I use 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of turtle (black) beans, but another option for a smokier taste is to use black-eyed peas. Enjoy! and thanks Leo and Spanishpod!

Ingredients:

2 cans of beans, un-drained

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 chiles, serranos or jalapeños, finely chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

5 slices of smoked bacon

cilantro

salt & pepper

Procedure:

Take the 5 slices and slice them crosswise into 1/4-1/8” strips

Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to a pot. When the oil is hot, add the bacon, onions and chiles, and let cook until the onions are golden and the bacon has begun to crisp. Add the tomato and continue to cook for a few minutes until the tomato has mixed well and reduced a bit. Next add the beans with their juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let cook a bit longer. Add salt, pepper and Listo!

The beans are a bit soupy and can be dished into bowls and served with cilantro, cheese or sour cream. Let the beans cook longer if you like a thicker consistency.

Disfruten!

September 17, 1966 ~ The true year that life began here on earth

Yes it's true...today I am 43 years old. Tengo 43 años. I spent a little time looking back at all the stuff I've done and places I've been over the years. There are some big stretches of time where it was same old same old, especially in the beginning, and a few clusters of a lot of life changes at once. I guess the same old clichés  ring true on the passage of time. A verse that come to mind is:

Life is a short, warm moment
And death is a long cold rest
You get your chance to try
In the twinkling of an eye
Eighty years, with luck, or even less

~Pink Floyd , Free four

Not that I'm melancholy, de hecho,  I think as far as relationships, marriage, health, family and profession, I'm in about the best place that I have yet been to date on this tour. I've been re-born in a sense, after a tough couple of years. I work out regularly, except for the last few weeks, so I'm probably better shape and definitely stronger, than I've ever been. I've also made up a bucket list of sorts, and I've been hitting all the stuff on it. Some stuff is a "do once in your life" kind of thing, other stuff is a change of lifestyle and/or the additional of hobbies and activities that I've always wanted to do...building post and beam stuff, landscaping my yard, learning a language that I love. Family is great, professional standing is good, hopefully I becoming one of those types of surveyors that I always looked up to and admired.

So I thought it would be fun (and I hope interesting) to share a few moments and places I've been at over the past 43 years. Kind of a "this date in history" kind of thing.

5 years ago: 2004 - 38 years old

Working on my second winter here at SVE as survey manager. Living on Poocham Road in Westmoreland with Tracy, Jeremiah & Grace. Drinking lots of martinis and working lots of hours. Not actually a healthy lifestyle...soon to change.

10 years ago: 1999 ~ 33 years old

Living at Stoddard II on Juniper Hill Road and working at Clough Harbour & Associates. First year as the survey manager and NE Region surveyor, licensed as a surveyor in Dec. 2008, all with thanks to Rich Roberge, Mike Hart and Roger Monsell, as well as a many other surveyors, but those guys in particular. I've become professional, have a short hair cut and dress for business most days. Have two crews working for me. Stress level is always pretty high. Jeremiah is 2 years old and our little house is a little crowded. Still have a healthy back (broke it in 2000)

15 years ago: 1994 ~ 28 years old

I'm dating Tracy Pike and we live together at Stoddard I with Roxy, two Kitties (Thelma & Louise) and Bunny. We have an awesome garden and a big open field. Our little cottage is awesome, with a beautiful big deck, but winters are a little chilly - no woodstove allowed (we rent). I'm working at Clough Harbour. I spend a lot of time on the road as a Party Chief or field tech. Recently got my septic designers license. I keep my hair in a long braid or ponytail, down to mid back and usually have a big red beard in the winter.

20 years ago: 1989 ~ 23 years old

I'm dating and living with Diane Rickson in Medford, MA, just outside Boston. I work for Steve Marchese Landscaping for $10/hour but have the truck and equipment to use on the weekend, making $50/hour mowing lawns. Cut off my long curly hair and went with a mullet at Diane's request. Duh! Chris Rickson, Dianes brother, is one of my best friends (still is). Hang out a lot of nights in Boston at Bennigan's where Diane bartends.

25 years ago: 1984 ~ 18 years old

Freshman at Keene State College. No girlfriends, I have long curly hair, and I'm living at home for the first semester before moving into Fiske Hall in January with an old buddy. Fantastic grades first semester...no so fantastic from there-on. Lots of parties, girls and beer, thereafter as well. Hanging with Jeremy Westhaver and Jason Kyrousis. First class in Geography that led me to classes on land surveying, that led me to my present career and BA degree in Geography. Klaus Bayr, my geography professor and advisor, with his cool Austrian accent, strict adherence to detail, awesome sense of humor and love of geography really got me started. Thank you!

30 years ago: 1979 ~ 13 years old

Living in  Westmoreland on Glebe Road with Mom & Dad, Dan & Sarah.  My teacher is Mr. Peach. I'm in love with every pretty girl in school...to no avail. My luck with girls doesn't really change till Senior year in High School. Sam Olmstead is my best friend, and has been since I came to school here in 5th grade (still is). Reading The Lord of the Rings and other Tolkien stuff, as well as books by James Michener...first was Centennial, then Alaska, then Chesapeake, then Hawaii, and more. Got my first music device, an 8 track player, and an 8 track album ...Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf. My dog is Shiloh, a big golden retriever, foof dog, my best buddy.

35 years ago: 1974 ~ 8 years old

We're getting back there. I live at 94 Laurel Lane in Keene, NH and go to school at Jonathan Daniels, an open concept kind of school. I'm in Mrs. Mayes' 3rd grade.

40 years ago: 1969 ~ 3 years old

The world revolves around me! ha ah

So there it is, a spin around the life of Russ Huntley. I'm looking forward to a few more years and a lot more fun. Thanks to all my friends and family along the way.

Mahogany and leather bound books

I love books...especially leather-bound, signed copies. My Carlos Castaneda, "The Art of Dreaming" is my favorite. Fun just to hold.

My real favorites are the little blank, bound notebooks... Moleskin with graph paper is my choice, although lined and unlined are good, too. I always carry one with me... and a very fine tip fountain pen and a mechanical pencil with a .05 lead.

You never know when some save the world, blockbuster idea, the plan for the future that beats all or the novel of all novels is going to zoop you in the forehead. Or just the next movie you want to see from the previews.

I love my books...but they're still mostly blank.

 

~Sam & Jen came over 2x this week for a visit. Had Dinner one night and a fire at Brad Pit and yesterday just sat around Brad and chatted.  I love making dinners for friends. We almost never have anyone over except at Christmas and the kids birthdays. Really enjoyed the visits! Brainstormed some cool ideas for  future endeavors.

Late summer garden and a very good day!

What a crazy day...maybe even a crazy week! The day started like any other, Tracy woke first and made lunches for all of us (I love that about when school is in session - She makes the lunches in the morning and they are WAY better than the crap I pack for myself) I got up and made breakfast for all and then hit the road.

At work I had some pictures of the new garden gateway I built this summer. I wanted to share, so I attached 6 pics to an E-mail to my friends at the office, some surveyor friends, Sam, Joe, JP, Leo, Lili, Mom, Dad, Dan, Sarah, Ashley etc. I should have looked at the pic size.... 5mb each This turned out to be a problem I guess. The e-mail was so large I crashed our server for a about an hour and made some real issues for people trying to open their outlook.  Sorry  :)

I thought, oh great this is going to start the day off well, but in reality, it only got better. After a somewhat sluggish summer for work, this week the calls started to really pick up. Yesterday, they really started. I got requests for quotes and just plain handed out some great jobs. Even after I went home last night, one gentleman stopped at my home and asked me to survey his place and I got another call at home for another survey. More survey requests this morning on E-mail.

Another great thing...the weather. It's perfect and looks to remain so for a few days if not a dozen. Temps in the 70's, clear, dry-ish, very sunny, slight breeze and 40's at night, perfect sleeping and fire pit weather. Labor day weekend is coming and it looks to be a fantastic long weekend.

Also, had a nice chat with a friend on Windows Live. I almost never use it, but hit the button yesterday by mistake to start it, so I logged in just to see if anyone was there. Had a fun little conversation in Spanish. It's cool because you have to think on the fly, no dictionary, no spell-check. It's still not speaking, but it's better than just reading. Plus it was just cool to chat with a buddy that I've been getting to know over the last year or so. Thanks, fun talking to ya, JP!

Plus...(there's more? you say), I finally finished mowing the lawn last night and cleaning up the yard, so now it's time for the next project...the shed roof.  AND...Tracy got that badly abscessed tooth finally pulled (for free, yet!) and although it hurts like hell now, we both think things will be on the mend from here out.

So anyway...here are a few pics from the garden gate and the yard...and a link to see more if you are so inclined.  http://picasaweb.google.com/home