by Winding Pathways | Jun 1, 2023 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Energy Efficiency
Mumbo Jumbo
“That solar stuff is just a bunch of mumbo jumbo,” said the passenger sitting next to Rich on a recent flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Charlotte, North Carolina.
As the plane climbed over urban New Jersey, he could see solar collectors on large flat roofs below the plane. When it descended into Charlotte no solar was visible on similar buildings. Rich’s seatmate was a man from the Charlotte area who told him that solar is mumbo jumbo.
We LOVE this type of Mumbo Jumbo!
Really! Our May 2023 electric bill showed that we owe our utility $12.51. The average Iowa home’s monthly electric bill is $145. Ours is $132.45 lower. That’s neither chump change nor mumbo jumbo.
Our bill is low because we’re careful to turn off electric-consuming devices not in use, and when buying new appliances, we opt for efficient models. We installed a small net-metered solar system seven years ago. It cost about $9,000 but tax credits brought our cost to about half that. We’re reaping Solar’s benefits through reduced electric bills, and our system is projected to last at least 25 years.
Industrial and Commercial Uses
Peoples church installed solar panels after roof repairs and upgrading lights and HVAC.
Solar also disproved mumbo jumbo at Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist in Cedar Rapids. A solar electric system was installed in the fall of 2021. For the prior year monthly electric bills averaged $226. After solar it was $60 but about half of that was the cost of a leased parking lot light. When it was removed the Church’s monthly electric cost dropped to $22. That’s hardly mumbo jumbo.
Practice Conservation to Increase $ In Your Wallets
Some considerations need to be taken into account. These can be overcome when you want to install solar. A recent news article revealed that even people with average incomes lack $400 ready cash for emergency needs – i.e. a new appliance. So, families and businesses, schools and churches need to practice cost conservation from the “git go”. Replace inefficient lights. Turn off lights, especially those energy hog outdoor and yard lights. You don’t need them! Install motion sensors in areas such as classrooms, restrooms, and offices. Turn OFF computers when you are not using them. Leaving them on is just plain lazy. Unplug “vampire” appliances like toasters and coffee pots. They quietly wolf down energy spiking your bills. Turn off and drag up from the cellar that inefficient old freezer/refrigerator or stove. Alliant Energy gives you $ for these dinosaurs. Save that for buying a solar system. You end up with more space, less waste, and money in your pocket. Before you swap out air conditioners for an efficient one caulk your home to plug leaks. Other ways exist to save money and then save for solar. It is worth it.
Look Around for Examples That Disprove Mumbo Jumbo
Thanks to the declining cost of solar and new Federal tax credits, installing solar is a wise financial investment that reduces both bills and fossil fuel emissions. It is NOT mumbo jumbo.
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Solar powers our home and the light needed for the coop.
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The main building of the Leopold Center has Platinum LEED designation. mn
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First net-metered solar panels in the state.
by Winding Pathways | May 25, 2023 | Foraging, Nature
The Guys Do the Work
Some aspects of sunfish sex are bizarre. Here is a huge family of many species of fish where the guys do the hard work caring for their babies. That’s unusual in the animal kingdom, where normally mom cares for the young.
There are many sunfish species. Most are native to the eastern United States but they’ve been stocked all over the world. Bluegills, pumpkinseeds green sunfish, and crappies are abundant, easy to catch, and tasty. That’s why they’re called “panfish.” Largemouth and smallmouth bass also belong to the Centrarchidae, or sunfish, family but most people consider them gamefish.
How It Works
As water warms in the spring, the males of most sunfish species create a round depression in the sand in shallow areas of a lake or pond. Females don’t help a bit with nest building and spend their days cruising the water seeking tasty invertebrates to eat. They visit a nest only to lay eggs, which are immediately fertilized by the tending male. She leaves. He stays. Lots of pesky small fish love eating sunfish eggs, so the poor male spends his days chasing them off. Finally, after the eggs hatch and babies leave the nest, he’s free to join the females roaming the pond.
Many sunfish species nest throughout the warm months, while others, like bass and crappies, have one spawning season. One part of sunfish sex is absolutely strange.
Unusual Area
A four-acre pond where Rich fishes has relatively deep water and only one shallow area suitable for sunfish to nest. It is small so round nests are crowded together, forcing the two sunfish species to spawn near each other.
Green Sunfish are smallish but aggressive colorful fish with relatively large mouths. They usually dwell in rocky areas. Bluegills are one of the largest of the sunfish. When both nest in close proximity hybrids result. They look a little different from each parent species. The strange part is that nearly all the hybrids are males!
Sunfish are amazingly common, fascinating, and often colorful. Males are fun to watch as they patrol their circular nests driving off intruders.
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Sunfish are fun to catch.
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Chunky hybrid sunfish.
by Winding Pathways | May 18, 2023 | Travel/Columns
Winding Pathways has been busy the past several years with features for the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Below are features from the past two years. I will post links to the other features in the Gazette from the past.
2023 to date
April 2, 2023. Agritourism Attraction. (Fair Oaks Farms)
March 5, 2023. Seeking Independence. (Truman Presidential Library)
February 3, 2023. A Gem in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands.
January 6, 2023. Ike’s Town. Abilene, Kansas & Western History.
2022
December 4, 2022. Trap Shooting.
September 6, 2022. Riding the Rails (Alaska by Train)
July 17, 2022. Backyard Adventures. (No link to date)
July 11, 2022. Casper, WY, Gateway to the West.
May 12, 2022. Hobo Convention.
May 8, 2022. Splish Splash! Whitewater Kayaking in Iowa. (No link to date)
April 22, 2022. Finding America On Roadways East.
April 13, 2022. Muscle Over motor When Boating.
March 21, 2022. Rockhounding.
January 30, 2022. Backpacking Bonus. (8B of GZ. No link to date) Available Green Gazette.
January 24, 2022. Distinctive Religious Structures.
January 16, 2022. Hiking Wild Areas. (no link to date) Available Green Gazette.
2021 balance of the year
The first part of the year click here
December 2021. Country Schools. (no link to date) Available Green Gazette
November 15, 2021. Making a (Mini) Pitch for Soccer.
October 6, 2021. A visit with Midwest’s Pioneering Authors.
September 8, 2021. Taking a Slow Boat to Cassville.
September 6, 2021. Camping in Iowa’s Trout Country & Decorah’s Celebrities.
August 4, 2021. Parking While Headed East. And Solar Panels at Peoples.
June 13, 2021. Alaska Recreation.
May 22, 2021. Museums of Quad Cities Area. https://www.thegazette.com/recreation/the-many-museums-of-the-quad-cities/
2020 Gazette Features
Although readers have to be subscribers to the GZ, non-subscribers to the GZ can browse the list and catch up on what we write about. Some content on Facebook also.
by Winding Pathways | May 11, 2023 | Reflections/Profiles
A good friend
The Blue Bridge is gone! Well, it was still there, but when we saw it on April 4, 2023, its back was broken and its span sagged down into Indian Creek. Seeing the prostrate structure and after thousands of crossings on that historic iron bridge, we got a case of the Blues.
From Horse-Drawn Buggies to Modern Vehicles
Spanning Indian Creek near the Indian Creek Nature Center, the blue bridge was built in 1876 for horse-drawn vehicles. It easily made the transition to cars early in the 20th Century but only got its name in 1991 when Linn County painted it bright blue. For decades it was one of several iron bridges in Linn County. Few remain, that we know of, all dating from the late 19th Century.
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Will a new bridge last this long?
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The remaining iron bridge over Indian Creek.
The old span was rugged. We watched it flex when flood water pushed against it. When the water receded, the county was able to quickly reopen the undamaged span.
The old bridge remained functional but, in the eyes of traffic engineers, it had a major flaw. It had but a single lane, meaning when two cars approached from opposite directions one had to wait for the other to cross. It also wasn’t aligned perfectly for speed.
Civility vs. Speed
“I loved the lesson in civility the Blue Bridge provided. I’ve crossed it every day for years and when I wait for another car to pass that driver waves and smiles in thanks. The bridge may have lacked efficiency but it fostered courtesy,” said Jean Perkins, a local resident.
Speed counts these days, and the County is building a modern double-lane concrete bridge with a straight alignment. It is expected to open this fall, allowing faster-moving cars to pass each other as they cross Indian Creek with nary a nod to acknowledge the other.
What’s Lost
Here’s what society lost with the passing of the Blue Bridge:
- History.
- Courtesy, smiles, and polite waves from waiting and passing motorists.
- While waiting for another car to transit, a motorist had a few seconds to enjoy the balm of Indian Creek, nearby trees, and trail users passing under the approach.
What’s Gained
- About 15 seconds of time gained by not having to wait and a faster speed limit.
- Heavy vehicles can transit it.
Goodbye to History and Beauty
The new bridge is a concrete structure that will look like dozens of similar bridges. The Blue Bridge lasted 147 years. It’s hard to imagine its replacement having a useful life that long.
We’ve traded the history and beauty of the old bridge, along with courtesy, for speed and efficiency. Perhaps we’ve lost more than we’ve gained. That gives us the Blue Bridge Blues.
Bridge at Motor Mill in NE Iowa.
Post Script: Recently we visited Motor Mill in NE Iowa and found a lovely steel bridge that had been rebuilt to modern standards and which retained the old feel.
by Winding Pathways | May 4, 2023 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Travel/Columns
For nearly a decade we have been posting Winding Pathways Blogs mostly about various items of nature, especially those encountered in yards and around homes. Topics appear seasonally and we can usually find a new “spin” to keep blogs fresh. We have a large inventory of free information on our website, Winding Pathways.
Branching Out
But, change is good, so we decided to shift the focus somewhat and branch out. We will incorporate aspects of our travels, especially those with a nature focus. We will encourage readers to look at familiar and unique places with new eyes. We might address issues and topics of broader interest.
Perhaps a look at the emotional and experiential aspects of yards, nature, and exploring our world. There is always something new to discover and consider both around homes and farther afield.
Stick with us and consider occasionally sharing your experiences, too. As editors, we weave these in as they fit our needs.
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Early spring flowers
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Wobbly legs
