Backyard sunset

Marc Kurth
Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
Fall gently reminded me of her presence while I was grilling some Beer Bratwurst last night to go with a big batch of mushrooms, onions, garlic and peppers sauteed in butter. It was 72 degrees but the leaves are falling. Naturally, I felt obliged to stop and open a cold one to allow my cell phone to take a picture. Texas voters just supported a much needed overhaul in property tax structure, so ours were cut dramatically both at home and for the warehouse. Decent occasional rains are keeping the lake up, gas prices are $ 2.35/gallon and dropping fast, the deer are plentiful and the fish are biting.
Life is good in the cheap seats.




I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    edited November 2023 #2
    Those seats might be cheap now but that was hard won. Be sure to rest on the laurels for now with an eye towards the certainty of the battles ahead.
    Great picture!
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭
    #3

    What a view to enjoy!  Around here the taxes on the view alone would be close to 5 figures a year (Prince Edward County ...the blob sticking down into Lake Ontario from the north)
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #4

    Even with the recent reforms, Texas property taxation rates are still quite high. When we had low property values, the actual cost of taxes was not so bad. BUT Californians are flocking here in large numbers, bringing huge wads of home equity cash. Previously “undiscovered” areas are suddenly seeing property values doubling, tripling, and sometimes much more.  It can be heart-stopping to get a tax statement from the county showing that your modest home has been reevaluated at $1 million. In the five years that I have been in this house, six of my neighbors have cashed out and left the state. The new owners in each case are “weekenders” buying a vacation home.



    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2023 #5
    Would you stay in California  ;)  

    At least you can graduate from Cali with grade F's in High School. :'(

    Save me a whiskey for the empty Adirondack.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Dave Angelini said:
    Would you stay in California  ;)  

    At least you can graduate from Cali with grade F's in High School. :'(

    Save me a whiskey for the empty Adirondack.

    No, on staying in CA or ever moving back!! I seriously doubt that you would go back either.  As I have said publicly many times, I really loved that state from 1959 until 2008 - but not now. Your buddy Newsom seems to be gaining ground.
    If you can stomach the Bourbon that I can afford, I will gladly share in copious quantities :D
    This time I caught a sliver of the moon.



    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,687 admin
    #7
    A couple weeks outside of California. Just a couple blocks from "home":
    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    My county in Ontario is in similar straights regarding property values.  Further north (cottage country) is priced out of reach of most, we have become the new discovered spot.  Little bungalows that 10 years ago sold for $85000 now are close to $1mill.  With waterfront like yours closer to 2.  Young people who'd like to stay can't afford even rent here!  Service sector jobs can't get staff because they can't afford to live in the county.  Us boomers have inherited wealth and are using to screw the next generation's hopes.  
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  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    #9
    Here at home we have what is called Prop 2-1/2. This regulates how much the towns can raise our real estate taxes annually. No more than 2.5%. Thing is our good citizens tend to vote for overrides all too often and that prop means little to nothing anymore. So, here it is worse. Our gov't is kept in check legally but the dimlows say "Thank you Guvna, may I have anutha?"
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  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    edited November 2023 #10
    BB. said:
    A couple weeks outside of California. Just a couple blocks from "home":
    Bill

    Is that China? Sheeshjiangping, you really mean a couple blocks...lol.

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2023 #11
    Yea ,   what gives Bill ?  It does have a pagoda look to it.      BTW  you all know  𝕐𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕖 𝕂𝕚 𝕐𝕒𝕪    :) 
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,687 admin
    #12
    Taipei 101 tower.
    Photo was just a couple blocks from where i am staying. Tower/photo is a bit over 1 mile off.
    I liked this quick photo. The weather and lighting made me think about the upcoming Starship launch later today(?).
    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #13
    Have fun !  I bet there is a lounge up at the top that would serve you guy's !   Good not to go during lightning😉
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #14
    Cool trip! Family in the area?
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,687 admin
    edited November 2023 #15
    Yep, my wife was born in Taipei. Was a small village and rice fields outside of Taipei 6 decades ago.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2023 #16
    very cool picture in the fog Bill.  Might have to take a snip of that one.  They like Elon in Tai Tai? 



    That was a 
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2023 #17
    Bill, I would like to hear your opinion/observations of Taipei.
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #18
    One for the Lone Star!


    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #19
    Hope you are getting bonfire ready for the sunset!  I found out a bit more about Texas property tax.  Cheers !
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #20
    I have a son-in-law who is a new drill instructor at Ft. Moore. (was Benning) and we have seen a couple of groups go through there. He is Infantry Airborne and spent time in Afghanistan as a sniper team leader embedded with special forces guys. I am thankful for his new boring job!
    Yes, sir! We often sit outside to say goodnight to El Sol while enjoying our low "old guy" property taxes.
    Merry Christmas!


    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #21
    Especially to be seeing the sunsets here and out of that hellhole! The treasures and lives we wasted there, and for what?

    The tax thing heard recently was that Texas still does not allow Sports betting. Our state that is 1/10 the size of Texas takes in a billion plus per month and that drives down property tax. Gaming is not without a cost and takes a human toll. Most of that is in Vegas area though.


    Nice one ! The one star states.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #22
    Happy Solstice!

    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,123 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #23
    Our Solstice started last night with the worst thunderstorm I have ever seen. Never been bothered by lightning and thunder before but as I stepped out of my bedroom sliding door There was a huge bolt than landed very close by and when the thunderclap hit i nearly collapsed from the intensity of it. This storm continued all night and into the morning. Think I'll go look for Fulgurites later. 
    Fulgurite - Wikipedia

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #24
    Crossing fingers you find some and not the usual latent damage in electronics !
    My worst was off Cabo a hundred miles and the boat 50 miles behind us did not come up for the 2 hour radio check.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,123 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #25
    Dave Angelini said:
    Crossing fingers you find some and not the usual latent damage in electronics !
    My worst was off Cabo a hundred miles and the boat 50 miles behind us did not come up for the 2 hour radio check.
    So far, I have only heard of a couple inverters lost. I have a few friends who said their inverters shut down after a large strike. They said they were able to fire them back up afterward. I warned them to keep an eye on things because they may get failures in the near future.

    So did the following boat go down with all hands?

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #26
    They were lucky, they did get a big  leak and lost all electronics. The boat 2 hours behind found them from a hand held vhf that made it. They made the trip sailing to the mainland.

    Big lesson to your friends is to shut down anything you can't afford to lose when you can hear the strikes on an AM radio. Or, see them.,,
     We use to keep a spare vhf and handheld GPS in a sea grounded gas oven.

    Have fun down there! Raise a Pacifico at 5!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #27
    Dave Angelini said:

    Have fun down there! Raise a Pacifico at 5!

    And add a Sol or three for me!
    Marc
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,123 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #28
    Will do guys. Actually, our happy hour get together starts at 4 00. Short days and all.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #29
    littleharbor2 said:
    Will do guys. Actually, our happy hour get together starts at 4 00. Short days and all.

    Well, certainly!
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,979 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2023 #30
    Getting our Tree! A bit nippier up this way! Beer still tastes great!   On Texas time today  Cheers!



    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭✭
    #31
    Nice spot! Looks like fun times.
    Merry Christmas!
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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