Michael Levin's Blog (509)

The sun is just peeking through the clouds so I'll keep this short. Nearly time to go to the garden and do some work in the dirt!

I was looking through the local craigslist bike ads as I often do and ran across an interesting ad.

"I'm selling my 1970's Austro Daimler Vent Noir II. All original parts including the gold gears.…

(photo from Gruitale)

Fred Johnson posted a blog post that he intended to get several new batches of brew going and asked for crowd favs. I said I loved stouts and asked for a recipe. This is what I got.…

(Photo from Powell's)

Self publishing is coming of age! First, we had parchment and pen. Then, the printing press came along. Ever hear of Zines? They're basically books self published using easy means like copy machines. Electronic publishing is all the rage. Can you believe how people love e-book readers like Nook? You can check books out of the library electronically now using apps like…

Hi to all here at Zoobird! Those sprouts you see above are in my garden now. If you garden, how's your Fall garden doing?

The community garden I am so privileged to be a part of is crazy beautiful these…

(from http://greenroofgrowers.blogspot.com/2012/03/lets-make-sips.html

What a great idea! Take a 2-Liter plastic bottle, cut it in half and use little strips of cloth to wick the moisture from water to irrigate your plants, especially if you aren't around to water them yourself.…

This tiny hummingbird was having a feast on the nectar from brightly colored flowers in the Haile Plantation, Gainesville, FL Butterfly Garden.

Click …

(Photo from Irish Times)

Continuing on the rampant bike theme...I like everything about this bike. It's super cheap ($20) and made from recycled materials. When it wears out, you can turn it back in to recycle it into another bike! …

This is Eric's Independent. According to Eric, it's a Boston, MA, USA built steel bike with state of the art carbon fork and components that will make you drool (if you're so inclined ;-) It's got vintage, classic touches like the deep V rims and the Fizik saddle is nice. I'll let Eric fill in the details. He'll drop by,…

Hello, Zoobird! I hope you all are doing well! I thought I'd just throw out some random updates and let you all know how I am doing personally, not from so much a Zoobird standpoint but from a Michael standpoint. Where to begin?

My most exciting news has to do with a new bike ride I've worked into my day. There's a park called Kanapaha nearby and a…

Birdsongs (click the link to listen!)

Every morning here in Gainesville we wake up to a menagerie of birds. They sing and sing! I know there are some of you out there who either don't have the luxury of having birds…

Groovechamber is a graphics art, animation and film making company "In a country called Canada". That's from their FAQ. They do some absolutely amazing animations and games, and the music accompanying is fun, too. I keep thinking of them, then forgetting their name and losing contact with the site.

It's fun to watch "Field Guide to Snapping" and "…

You gotta love the Instructables. What do you think of this bucket pannier idea? I'll say one thing. They sure will carry more than your run of the mill panniers.

 …

I was told that the chapter on Training the Mind in Sogyal Rinpoche's "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" was a great intro to meditation. The nice thing is that you can read a lot of it on the web here at Google Books.…

(Photo by Charlie Reiman)

I was reading in Wikipedia about Michael Chabon because he's got a collection of short stories new novel out…

This is a super quick and easy hot dish you can whip up whenever you want something fresh and filling with a little kick. The basil I grew this summer is still alive and well. Yesterday, I harvested a big bag of leaves. Lunch time rolled around today and I intended to make Thai stir fry basil, but I didn't have any celery. So, I…

(Photo by Katie Best)

Beautyberries are in full swing here in the Swamp. They're edible, contrary to what many people say.

(Photo by Michael Levin - click to see more from…

Here's an original tune by Nahko. I love the way the Nahko's voice soars up and down several octaves. His guitar tuning beckons me to try it out. Transcribe the lyrics and just play it, because it keeps ringing in my ears days after I first heard it. 

If you can't see the video, just click…

You will love this music, the guitar is so beautiful (isn't it?) and the scenery will make you want to drop everything and go to the mountains. Be sure to watch beyond the end of the song and see many plants from the area. Enjoy! Here's a direct link in…