Friday, August 25, 2017

Cows power China to become one of world's largest wine producers



When I visited Dynasty, one of the largest wineries in China, I went out to one of their vineyards near Jixian village in Tianjin area. Here I found cow-power fully used.

Workers use traditional cow-powered transportation for their morning commute out to the vineyards and other crops. Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
Once in the vines, cow-power pulls the plow. China wine country, Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
This view shows the business end of cow-power plowing. Here workers till the soil around peanuts planted between rows of Cabernet sauvignon vines. No space is wasted in China. Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
You just can't beat practical cow-power: milk in the morning, engine for the morning commute to work, plenty of power to pull the plow and finally transportation power for the ride home at the end of the day. And if you had a lawn, the cow is your lawnmower.  Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
Obviously, one disadvantage of bovine power happens during work breaks when the free-roaming cow can sneak a snack from the vines.  Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
Break time in  the vineyard. Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.
Heading to the next vineyard block. And that's how Dynasty winery grows some of its wine grapes. Hebei province, Tianjin region, China, Asia.


Wednesday, August 16, 2017

My Rotary Club visual presentation about acceptance in Sherwood Oregon


As part of their peace effort, the Rotary Club asked me to give a visual talk about acceptance. They saw the work I've done in Africa, where I went looking for the primal roots of my beliefs and religion in the Birthplace of Modern Humans and found much more.




Little village children taught me to look through my first eyes, my child's eyes of acceptance and exploration. 

In a remote corner of Ethiopia, when I asked Konso elders what advice they would give world leaders, one elder replied: "Tell them that we are all made by God. No matter what your tribe, no matter what your religion, we all bleed the same color blood." Then he raised his hand with fingers outstretched and concluded: "We all have five fingers." 

Come hear how the village children's acceptance of a stranger and the remote elders wise words inspired me. 

I've invited President Trump. 

Please come so we can all be inspired to move forward on September 6, 6:30PM at the Sherwood Library Community Room, in Sherwood, OR 97140.