tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23346270245790842642011-11-20T02:47:20.208-08:00In appreciation for my thirtieth birthday present of 30 ties for each year of my life, I would like to give to you a picture a day for thirty days, of me wearing each of the ties.ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-19898286089188503312011-05-10T18:23:00.000-07:002011-05-10T18:26:21.838-07:00

I'm late in posting about the most exciting thing to come to the farm since chickens: BEES! It's been over a week now with the bees. And it was an exciting weekend. Morgan, Jason, James, Neil, and Emily came up for a weekend of fun! I drove down to Vacaville and picked-up the critters to live on the farm. Three queens, each surrounded by 4lbs. of bees. Part of the reason for such a late post

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-12849683211794406552011-04-24T00:37:00.000-07:002011-04-24T00:37:22.679-07:00

Like soldiers in the night the garden rotates its next plotPart soil, part mulch, and clay loamThe goal is a jungle bound But let's just hope for some earthto give our bellies a joyous girth

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-50508132461171067292011-04-21T15:55:00.000-07:002011-04-21T16:03:41.882-07:00

In our backyard, behind Coloma over the American River and around Mt. Murphy lay a misty waterfall oasis. The moderate hike through newly ripened poison oak groves takes you over fields of splendid wild flowers, a couple of which I believe to be the Foothill Pretty Face and White Globe Lily (all below). There were two main falls, the more spectacular set of falls are further up the trail. I can

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-86118662575154229342011-04-18T10:36:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:46:31.848-07:00

For those that are interested, I thought I'd post the cheat sheet (below) that I use to log and account for all the things growing in the garden. It's still a work in progress -- the intent is that it'll be the template for each successive year. It tells me what family of crops to rotate where, the correct spacing of each type of plant, what seeds to save and how, and based on last year's

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-46856419632225981142011-04-17T20:12:00.000-07:002011-04-18T08:12:00.340-07:00

With farm life (and by that I mean tending to a garden, an orchard, chickens, bunnies, quails, dogs, horses, and a cat) you'd be quickly overwhelmed without finding new ways to simplify -- well, if not overwhelmed, at least without much of a life outside of it. I have only begun the rudiments of a farm. The dogs, horses, bunnies, and the cat need to be fed twice a day. The greenhouse and the

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-63208766968156427952011-04-14T19:49:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:52:52.195-07:00

The first veggies of the season are now officially planted in the garden. Those pictured are peas -- Amish Snap and Green Arrow -- that will hopefully, delightfully run up the twine forming nice arches. This whole gardening thing is definitely an experiment. I have no idea if these plants will like the soil they're planted in; whether they'll actually run up the twine; or if they do, whether

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-4344985455625462892011-04-13T20:22:00.000-07:002011-04-13T21:54:21.409-07:00

With the last frost estimated to be less than a month away (my elevation is 2000ft., and at zone 8a - or so they say) and with a brief break in the rainy weather, it was about time we got off our behinds and till! Aliyah and I got up at 6 in the morning to pick up our worker friends, Kacey and Robert, the rototiller, and oodles of coffee and doughnuts. The space we chose to till amounted to a 50

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-86840645487174724242011-03-26T10:18:00.000-07:002011-03-26T11:13:15.844-07:00

While we're having these massive rainstorms and a late spring, I thought I'd give an update on the bee hive plan. After reading more about bees and going to a few great bee classes offered by the UC Davis Agriculture Extension, I've found it is increasingly more difficult to keep bees. Varroa Mites will be a major concern, as well as numerous negative environmental factors such as local pesticide

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-4376777904437329082011-03-10T18:37:00.000-08:002011-03-10T19:01:51.264-08:00

Today, with the addition of hen-laying chickens (pullets), the place is really starting to feel like an organic farm. Using leftover wood and scrap materials, we constructed a box coop with a 13'x21' a-frame run, enclosed all in 1" chicken wire. The a-frame was quite fun to put up, assembling it on the ground and then lifting it up all at once. For this reason, I recommend the a-frame design for

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-42138800668800631992011-03-10T07:16:00.000-08:002011-03-10T07:16:33.390-08:00

Using the 1.5" potting block, I planted many seeds in the greenhouse: lettuces, arugula, radishes, broccoli, squashes, tomatoes, beets, corn, watermelons, tomatillo, and kale, to name a few.  I wasn't sure how it'd go, but after a couple days all the arugula sprouted. With half of the seeds coming up after only about 6 days, the germination rate looks to be about 90%, which is fantastic. Thank

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-73729747233351945162011-03-07T18:13:00.000-08:002011-03-07T18:13:34.316-08:00

A week ago or so, I put up three bait hives to try and attract a local hive of bees. It took a little bit of planning, but I put the hives about eleven feet up in the air, which is where they apparently like to set up shop. And just these past couple days bees have been all up in the all three hives! Even though it has been off and on raining. It didn't rain today, though it threatened to in the

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-85641090701932715202011-02-17T13:06:00.000-08:002011-02-17T13:06:19.724-08:00

Today it is snowing, but just last week it was 70 degrees. The greenhouse surrounded by river rock (and a couple dragon eggs) With the narcissus bulbs showing early signs of bloom and the recently transplanted pear tree showing full buds, I decided to give the greenhouse a test with some old seeds I had laying around. I had recently read romantic stories of greenhouses covered with snow, but

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-23584974373532812132011-01-31T19:49:00.000-08:002011-01-31T20:54:04.693-08:00

As some of you may now know, I've moved to Garden Valley, California, to help my mother with some things and to start my dream of livin' off the land. At this point, I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it has something to do with stepping out of the commercial distribution of food, making it on my own as much as I can off the land I'm provided with, and simplifying my existence. (Very

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-58918699249245629432010-02-25T02:34:00.000-08:002010-02-25T02:34:11.351-08:00

If I'm home, let it be under the stars, Along a snowy, rocky mountain pass. Take me to a meadow bloom, To fill my big red heart with love. And I will never be without A sacred place to call my home.

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-36628009526343087792010-01-03T12:19:00.000-08:002010-02-22T13:44:54.732-08:00

Well, it's surely been too long since I updated the blog. I left the blog on Day 23, a picture of me driving up to Humboldt County for New Year's in the Wilderness. (Note: while writing this post I am listening to Lights Off by The Dears. To also listen to the song, click here (link will open up in a new window). In this week-long, blow-out post, I finish my journey of wearing 30 ties for 30

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-44009453850436813632009-12-27T16:51:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:31:06.122-08:00

Driving up to Humboldt for New Year's 2009! On Day 23, it was exciting to get out of dodge (i.e., Oakland) and drive up to Humboldt County. This would be my second annual new year's trip to visit Jim and Gail, extraordinary people living along the Mattole River near Whitethorn, CA. I also really enjoyed the drive with my sister Aliyah, in her trooper-of-a-car appropriately named The Metro. Good

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-14455939258182800842009-12-26T16:30:00.000-08:002010-01-08T16:30:56.505-08:00

Oh man, Dexter is a brilliant show. What a great ending to this season! Watching Dexter was made even better on Day 22, the day after Christmas, with good company, tea, chocolate, and a blue checkered tie from the Perry Ellis Portfolio Collection. Thanks friends and family for the enjoyable Christmas festivities, Ryan.

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-68853570114843197292009-12-25T12:29:00.000-08:002010-01-08T16:15:47.835-08:00

Good ol' Christmas Day. For the first time, our family was invited to a Christmas dinner with the Belli family (our soon-to-be in laws, a la Matt and Melissa's engagement!). Not only was the food great--having raviolis on Christmas Day was a tasty surprise--but the Belli family graciously survived the chaos that is the Cline/Walton/Yablonsky clan. Rumor has it they may have actually enjoyed

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-42090617536417068252009-12-24T13:24:00.000-08:002010-01-05T13:26:11.414-08:00

I'm back from my week long hiatus in the beautiful King's Range, Humboldt County, California (tie pictures and posts for each day of the trip to come!) But for Day 20, the highlight was Christmas Eve tennis with a tie. It was a beautiful day in the rwc (Redwood City). To burn a few calories before the eventual onslaught of deliciously prepared dishes-a caloric smorgasbord-Dylan, Rob, Aliyah,

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-61423335754896206442009-12-23T10:45:00.000-08:002009-12-25T11:04:07.050-08:00

Christmas present shopping with the brother, wearing a green and black martini tie. On the eve of x-mas eve, Rob and I checked out Berkeley's Street Fair on Telegraph as well as Amoeba Records. I was looking for a $30 secret santa present but didn't find anything. The fair featured nothing too extraordinary, mostly crafts. Boring. But I enjoyed the walk outside with the brother; and with gaudy

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-69826731221225663352009-12-22T14:42:00.000-08:002010-01-07T12:29:38.041-08:00

Last day hangin' up in Placerville at The Cozmic Cafe. We did something entirely different today, we played Uno. We of course also played another game of Settler's of Catan, but this time actually at the cafe. To finish the trifecta of games, we cajoled our mom into playing a game of scrabble. Chris won, as he is accustomed to doing. That smart bastard. It was a long journey back to the bay

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-92146573607814433562009-12-21T14:29:00.000-08:002009-12-24T14:38:52.065-08:00

Rockin' out at The Cozmic Cafe. I didn't do too much of anything different today than yesterday, up in Placerville CA visiting mother. But Aliyah, Chris, and I did do some serious air-band at the cafe. Very nerdy, very fun. On a most unfortunate note, the bar at the cafe began serving Old Rasputin courtesy of the North Coast Brewery (not the unfortunate part), but they were out of it during my

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-71291206973024670612009-12-20T11:14:00.000-08:002009-12-22T21:38:56.325-08:00

On Day 16, I met up with my sister, Aliyah, her boyfriend, Chris, and two pet rats, Fede and Winkle, for a trip up to Placerville, California. We were all going up to visit our mom. (Btw, as I write this, the two rats are climbing frighteningly all over my body.) While we didn't see our mother much, it was a very relaxing time. She owns and runs a wonderful cafe/bar/music venue/yoga studio/

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-3241012719823544872009-12-19T15:35:00.000-08:002009-12-20T18:34:19.093-08:00

Today is the first day of my 30's! The day started out by going to breakfast at Ella's, I ordered the chicken hash with a buttermilk biscuit. I then went for a walk along the bluffs at Land's End. Walking along the wind-blown bluffs I had a chance to reflect. In thinking about all this turning 30 business, I realized I hadn't given it much thought. Maybe I was in denial of my older age; or

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-11356159666189834782009-12-18T22:15:00.000-08:002010-01-07T12:27:56.074-08:00

Today, Day 14 of 30 ties for 30 years, is my actual birthday! The big 3-0. It was another great day. I met some of my oldest friends, Neil and Erica, for dinner in San Francisco. We decided to go to Nombe, a one-and-half-week-old restaurant, specifically an Izakaya, located at the corner of Mission and 21st St. Nombe serves some really exquisite tapas style dishes. While I normally eschew such

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-68142860311775358002009-12-17T16:24:00.000-08:002009-12-20T18:31:48.384-08:00

On Day 13, I met my friend Josh in San Francisco to join in on his weekly Poker game, Texas Hold 'Em style. I had been jonesing for a good poker game since playing a casual game with brothers and friends a couple weeks prior. Wearing the tie for the day, a classic with blue and red stripes, I definitively felt like a real poker player. The game was fun and enjoyable; Josh's friends were a

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-2315257290788369592009-12-16T15:21:00.000-08:002009-12-17T20:21:37.380-08:00

Freedom's Front Door. Where do I start with my day at MEPS? There were so many funny, noteworthy events throughout my long, six hours at the facility. I, of course, wore one of my new ties, a lovely blue paisley tie by Pierre Cardin. I would first like to commend the personnel who assisted me. They were kind and affable, with an exacting efficiency throughout the whole process.   Once I

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-22543445394481051952009-12-15T13:50:00.000-08:002009-12-17T14:13:32.556-08:00

On Day 11, I'm sitting in the Wyndham Hotel Lobby in San Jose, awaiting my medical exam in the morning at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). Combined with my participation in the Fed's unemployment insurance program (i.e., funemployment), I now without a doubt feel a part of the system. I check in; they have playstation 2's, and other games for us to play. But I'm not all that into

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-5409864556459057732009-12-14T19:48:00.000-08:002009-12-17T13:44:12.354-08:00

Day 10: climbing with a tie. As is custom to wear a tie to the most interesting portion of my day, I climbed with a tie at the Mission Cliffs climbing gym, in San Francisco. I met Jenny, Colin, and an ex co-worker and friend of Jenny's, Fritz. After the evening of bouldering at the gym, we met more ex co-workers (including my good friend Josh aka Jarsh) for dinner at Flower & Water, just two

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-87266565093314626522009-12-13T09:57:00.000-08:002009-12-15T10:13:01.020-08:00

Day 9's picture shows me coming home after an amazing, but long weekend. The Sunday was spent mostly relaxing with my brother Matt. Dylan, Kate, Matt, and I also went to a persian restaurant in the rwc (redwood city), called the Paradise Kabab House. If you are in the area, drop everything you're doing and go there! Not only was the food delicious, but before the meal began the owner came over

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-56273139676292889142009-12-12T20:06:00.000-08:002009-12-14T00:23:03.630-08:00

I cannot formulate into words my feelings of utmost affection and gratitude toward you'all, my friends and family here in the bay area. You have been so very kind, loving, and sincere, in being there for me this past year. I've had one of the best years in my life (this my thirtieth); and it is because I have been here in the bay area with the friends and family that I love.As you (my friends)

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-78422619183741452792009-12-11T12:59:00.000-08:002009-12-13T21:35:16.648-08:00

Day 7 started out disappointingly, at least as far as ties are concerned. In the morning, I left my apartment to meet my friend, Jenny, for a morning of rock climbing at the gym, in Berkeley. But I forgot the tie I was supposed to wear for the day. Though I moped inwardly about my dire, tie-less situation, the rock climbing was great. We bouldered for a while, scrambling up some V2's, then we

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-57604441239804328432009-12-10T12:58:00.000-08:002011-03-27T22:22:26.349-07:00

Day 6 was a great day. Met Jason and another of his friends, Jesse, at Mission Street Food for an offal dinner night. I never thought exotic meat parts could be so exceptionally delicious; but there was nothing... (wait for it) awful about it. Each of the dishes featured quite complimentary flavors and textures, such as chicken-fried liver with a dill buttermilk sauce. I was happily surprised at

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-60340003996794534692009-12-09T12:51:00.000-08:002009-12-12T13:52:46.192-08:00

Behind Oakland there is the Redwood Regional Park, a marvelous place to go for a bike ride. After the birthday party last night, and debauchery with the brother (r-o-double b!) the night before last, it was seriously time to take a long, late evening calorie-burning bike ride around the park. Of course I took with me the tie marked for day 5.The temperature outside was, to put it bluntly, ice

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-49170915516423482712009-12-08T12:47:00.000-08:002011-03-27T22:25:10.328-07:00

Day 4's picture is a mobile email. It was another busy day today, primarily it being Megan's 29th birthday. She had about 10 of her friends over for a small, makeshift dinner party. She prepared several styles of marinated shrimp and chicken tacos, in her terribly small kitchen. Oh so good. As shown in the picture below, near the end of the night we all sat in Megan's living room and chatted;

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-43507652963954262362009-12-07T12:45:00.000-08:002009-12-12T13:53:15.863-08:00

On this balmy Monday night, I was welcomed by a surprise visit from my brother Robbie (r-o-double b!). He was going through some relationship troubles with his girlfriend of two months, Rachel, and wanted to hang out. So that we did. Nothing too out of the ordinary--we talked, we watched the latest episode of the Office, and we contemplated delivering food in (which, as of this writing, was

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-12289075571663619202009-12-06T12:44:00.000-08:002009-12-12T13:53:30.267-08:00

On day 2, I decided to go with the YSL tie, a brown tie with light brown and cream colored stripes. I felt the tie matched well my velour long sleeved shirt and beige corduroy pants. The picture was taken by Megan as we contemplate what to order for brunch at Bellanico, a somewhat new brunch place by my apartment in the Glenview district of Oakland. Should we go with the eggs florentine or the

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334627024579084264.post-90970313417450412322009-12-05T12:39:00.000-08:002009-12-12T13:53:38.722-08:00

Thank you so very much for my thirtieth birthday present, of thirty ties for each year of my life. I am very touched by its thoughtfulness. In appreciation, I would like to give to you, a picture a day for thirty days, of me wearing each of the ties.So, without further ado, here is day one, a picture of me wearing my first tie. The picture was taken on a random industrial street, somewhere in the

ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156500133611554853noreply@blogger.com0