Busy days, under the sun.
I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world
and a desire to enjoy the world.
This makes it hard to plan the day.
E.B.White
My brother Allan has put in a 17 kilowatt Solar Array for his home in Saskatchewan pictured below. He also uses Geo-thermal energy via a heat pump. Good work indeed.
Cheers ~ Bruce
through the luminary lens 
Hey Bruce, thanks for all of your fascinating pics and beautiful quotes. Keep the faith and here’s to more of your great work.
Cheers, Mickey
Ki Mickey – sorry for the slow response. I always like to research who’s commenting, and I was delighted when I found your article from 2015 Home Power magazine about your life off-grid in Virginia and your hydro power system upgrade. Many parallels to here with the evolution of your system sound similar to our own experience here on Northern Vancouver island (our refer’s also to my wife Francis). One difference is that our two 50 watt Arco Solar Panels (circa the 1979 days of jimmy carter’s days in the white house) did not survive – I’m not sure what happened to them but by 94 or 95 they failed. Later modules we installed in 85 have survived to date fine. Here’s 2 links that describe our system in detail – many parralel’s as you’ll see ( though being lucky to be born in Canada I didn’t have to serve in Vietnam – we’ve only experienced 2 fires here, which can really be no comparison at all i know)
These posts explain our system in 2 parts
https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2017/04/22/my-earth-day-story/
https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/ode-to-a-little-stream-off-grid-power-part-2-micro-hydro/
I’ve gotta go for now, but thanks so much for dropping over to my blog and all the best to you and Jenny … good cheers to you – Bruce
Amazing images, great variety, and super work on the solar panel array! Saskatchewan, the land of living skies is a perfect site, indeed.
Thanks for saying hello, and good work you are doing at Saskatoon’s St. Barbe Baker forest reserve. My sister Heather lived and taught for at least 30 years in Saskatoon before she retired back to BC. You mamy be interested and further encouraged that Charles Brandt is doing similar teaching and work here on Vancouver Island.
2 posts that illustrate –
1. https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/peek-in-the-forest-by-fr-charles-brandt/
2.(more in depth): https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/self-and-environment-frater-c-brandt-at-95/
It’s going to be quite a place. And great with all the sun power supply.
I’ve been off-line for a bit Otto. Yes, my brother is really setting up his homestead on the primaries well – self sustaining. Cheers Otto
thank you for sharing
your caring efforts
of producing power
and beautiful living space, Bruce 🙂
Your welcome David. I’m grateful and privileged to be able to.
Wonder quote and fantastic images.
Intriguing and very impressive, Bruce. You do some wonderful work!
Thanks Debra. A labour of love.
Hi Bruce, What is the long white thing, looks like a giant surf board? Do you have a wind source? Sorry our president is so rude to your PM. Crazy times. Someone said that being mad at Canada is like being mad at a Golden Retriever. Made me laugh.
Hi Susan. It’s good to hear from you. I was away from the computer for a few days. The white thing next to my truck in the photo is a large wind blade from the Cape Scott Wind Farm on northern Vancouver Island. I was an early wind energy proponent. as far back as 2000 on this particular project . I did the following post when it came on line a few years a few years back,… made a typo though- the wind farm produces 99 MEGA watts, not 99 watts. https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/wow-more-mega-watts-from-cape-scott-on-global-wind-day/
Speaking of political antics, just last week the province of Ontario elected a Trump clone – Doug Ford…. so it seems Canada too is not immune to the crazy times. Loved the analogy given to Canada as a Golden Retriever. Loyal and friendly. I feel only a little bad to say, but it seems that the USA is often sort of like a Pit Bull at times. Good and bad is everywhere in the world though.
Always good to hear from you, Bruce 🙂
Thanks … I’ve had a low profile lately, and haven’t even taken time to drop over to other folks blogs. It’s nice to here from you too, Rosaliene … a kindred spirit.
Thanks for the lovely views and good for your brother. I love that quote. It’s so apt.
janet
Thanks Janet… It’s all about balance, isn’t it? Top photo is one of the Northern most points on Vancouver island. Buildings are my construction work.