Two weeks ago, I suggested that our corn crop was on a leisurely pace and that it would likely not achieve the “knee-high by the Fourth of July” milestone commonly recognized in the midwest. I could not have been more mistaken. Admittedly, Maya’s knees are on the shorter side of average, but some of the corn stalks are as tall as her waist. Expect more reporting on crop progress over the coming weeks.

When the kids were young, I built a trebuchet for us to play with. Before the invention of gunpowder, these machines were used to hurl boulders at the fortified walls of castles (the canon of its day). This one, made of solid white oak, is sized to throw a baseball-sized object from ~50 to 500 feet. It uses standard barbell weights (not shown) as the counterweights. The weights are secured to two thick dowels with quick-release clamps. The size of the weights can be adjusted to achieve the desired range and the release angle of the sling hook can be adjusted to optimize trajectory. The design features a safety latch to prevent accidental triggering while loading and wheels allow for easy mobility also serve to neutralize recoil when firing. Lateral supports provide excellent stability and can be removed for transportation.

Sadly, this trebuchet is now for sale on Craig’s List and I hope it will find another family that will both enjoy using it and appreciates the craftsmanship that went into it.

UPDATE: The trebuchet sold in less than 4 hours and will be enjoyed by a North Shore family.

When Maya needed a place to store her tiny house, one of her friends offered to let her keep it on their property. Now she is returning the favor by looking after their animals while the family is away. Under her charge are three cats, 1 rabbit, dozens of chickens, a turtle, a large corn snake, 2 goats, and several fish to name the ones I can remember from the tour she gave Jeanine and me this evening. The food for the rabbit and turtle comes straight from the garden and Maya drops off fresh eggs for us each morning. What would be work to anyone else is pure joy for Maya.