What $100 Will Buy You In. . .

http://taxfoundation.org/blog/real-value-100-metropolitan-areas

This is a map of what $100 will buy you by metropolitan regions in the U.S. We can buy a bit over $104 worth of goods while a few hours north our relatives can buy $84 worth of stuff.

More food for thought.

A Few Thoughts From Today's Paper

As I was reading the newspaper today as I usually do, I came across an editorial that made me think a bit. The editorial was about the middle class, how it was shrinking and what the political fallout might be for candidates in the 2016 elections regarding the middle class. At least that is where the article started for me. Close to 80% of the article was about the housing market, how the middle class was affected by the current mortgage rates and how a larger and larger percentage of middle class incomes are going to pay mortgage payments. The article went on to describe the effects of the Obama refinance program to help homebuyers and how banks and investors are calling for more foreclosures so they may get their investment returns faster. If a bank refinances a house, it stretches out the mortgage and the return comes to the investors later rather than sooner.

What struck me more than this typical greed though were thoughts about the statistics regarding the percentage of income spent by the middle class on mortgages: New York is now 32%, California 44%, Florida nearly 40% and Texas about 33%. Maybe it's just me, but I have no problem with the numbers. What I have a problem with is the assumption that the houses bought today are the equivalent of the houses bought in previous decades. Is this an apples and oranges comparison?

The house we live in was considered a middle class family home when it was built and for decades afterwards. It was probably thought of as a lower middle class home when we bought it in 1986. It was built in the late 1920's with two bedrooms and one bath. It now has three bedrooms and one bath with a converted studio apartment in the back. Today it is not considered a middle class home unless you like older houses near the town center. The middle class home in our small town have either three or four bedrooms and at least two bathrooms. They also have a mortgage payment two to three times ours.

Could it be that Americans are paying higher mortgage payments because they are buying larger homes? Larger homes than they really need? Larger homes to keep up with the Joneses? Maybe they are middle class, but they are choosing to spend their money on homes instead of a quality life.

More Land, More Vegetables

Last year we had our 50 foot pecan tree trimmed. It was a year-round mess and greatly shaded our backyard. That was welcome in the 100 plus degrees of summer, but the shade made it difficult growing vegetables. After the trimming, we had much better light and growing was easier. It was also an eye opener of sorts in that we realized we were running out of places to grow vegetables and fruits on our 50 by 150 foot lot. We stubbled upon Joel Salatin's Hoop House 5 and the concrete floor.

As we have concrete pads in a few places, we thought this would be the next place to expand our growing into, and some of the only ground left. But as we looked and talked about the back pad we realized for now it could be better utilized for wine barrel plantings and shop and storage space. That left the front driveway.

Last week friend Tim helped us cut a 3 1/2 by 11 1/2 foot space out of our front drive. Now you need to realize that we have one of few driveways on our block. Parking may eventually be an issue, but we forged ahead. We also chose 3 1/2 feet because a car can fit over the bed if the bed is fallow.

After the cutting, the concrete was broken up, pried up and hauled away.

We brought in some of our chicken yard deep bedding to mix with the soil. We have moved away from the double digging we've done in the past. We are mulching now. But with this soil sitting under concrete for close to 30 years we found no life in it and we dug away mixing compost, bedding and soil together.

We added a wooden planter box to define the area and allow for the mulch later.

We are planning some sort of fencing to separate the bed from the sidewalk and define our yard a bit. I'll have more photos when we plant.

Books and a Reason to Read

Years ago I found the Chism Heritage Farms blog while looking for farming info. I have followed since and get into lively discussions with Chris. I have learned much and I hope he has learned at least something.

He recently started a log and report about what he read in the previous week, here is the latest example. We, and others, talk books and thoughts and to me is a wonderful example of what the internet can be. With that in mind here is what I am reading now.

Daily I try to read Listening to Your Life by Frederick Buechner. It's a collection of his writings that have been broken up into daily segments. Two friends have been recommending Buechner for years and gave me this book to get me started. Great thoughts to help this average mind.

Before I went into the hospital for my recent surgery, I put out a call to family and friends for their suggestions of must read books. One of our sons suggested Dune by Frank Herbert. I've read science fiction in the past, but not this one. He raved about it so I am starting it in homage to his wisdom. So far it's been good.