Today, nature provided me with a cool, crisp fall day, with a clear blue sky and I decided to enjoy the day outdoors. So, shortly after finishing the morning chores, I set myself to the task of extending the inner core of the biomeiler. The first step of the operation was to clear the insulating […]
Biomeiler Inner Core Extension Read More »
Last year, we had a long, gently-cooling fall season which lulled me into complacency to the point that I took too much time with the biomeiler construction, finishing it in below-freezing temperatures. This year, the fall season is cooling at a markedly greater pace. The weather forecast suggests that, even today, if I were to
The 2025 Biomeiler Project Read More »
The period of unhurried color change in the leaves has come to an end. In the last few days, the leaves have swiftly transformed from the greens of summer to the yellows, oranges, and reds of fall. As the local climate has changed, so have the colors. We now have much more red in the
In Alaska, we are blessed to have many beautiful mountains to look at. When I see a nice view I often take a picture, hoping that it will turn out nicely. You only live once. Unfortunately, all of today’s pictures were taken with my cell phone. My Canon camera would probably have done a better
The Looming Effect Read More »
Today was a particularly pleasant fall day and Melissa and I resolved to enjoy it by spending some time outdoors. So, we visited our distant lot to check on conditions and enjoy ourselves. We are fortunate to have low-bush cranberries growing wild on our lot. They are ripe at this time of year and, although
Today’s main image is a picture of the empty concrete slab of my back porch. It lies wonderfully unencumbered for the first time since last fall, giving me temporary relief from the irritation of the local entropy. When I bought the house, it had an apartment in the basement with a 1970s-era avocado colored refrigerator
Nothing to See Here! Read More »
My family and I recently returned from a lengthy visit to the east coast. Our goals were to catch up with our relatives and to give Melissa and me the opportunity to show some of our favorite sites to our offspring. Our travel was, by all accounts, the most convenient of all our family trips
Back From Vacation Read More »
The temperatures in the biomeiler pile are measured with thermocouples buried in several locations. Nine of them are found at three heights (1’, 2’, and 3’ above the ground) in the inner core, outer core, and mantle of the pile. The graph in today’s post shows the temperatures measured by thermocouples at 3’ height. These
July Experimental Results, part 2 Read More »
The graph shows the temperature in the chicken coop, the temperature of the air in the vent pipe coming from the biomeiler, and the temperature of the outdoor air. The electrical energy usage would be shown for any days when the electric heater was used, but it was not needed this month. During the month
July Experimental Results Read More »
This afternoon, while on an errand to purchase groceries at Fred Meyer’s, I was fortunate to spot this double rainbow decorating the sky. In Fairbanks, rainbows are more commonly seen than in other places where I have lived. I surmise that the lower angle of the Sun in the arctic sky may increase the probability