I mean, it DOES happen. A few of us in our area garden, have chickens, bees or make baked goods. We typically plan out what everyone is going to produce and how much we need and share. You'd be surprised how much you can grow on a relatively small plot. We used to be in the might of town on a standard plat, and had about 1000 square feet of vegetable garden, bee hives, half dozen chickens and a bunch of fruit trees. We produced about 80% of the produce for our family of 7. Now we're in the country and have doubled those numbers, plus added goats and pigs. There is a substantial set up cost, and it's hard to do as a renter, but definitely possible.

A few possibilities come to mind. "Digger" is an antiquated derogatory term used for Native Americans in California and some other regions of the West. Also, some people are using it as an Ersatz for the N word in an attempt to veil their racism or bypass automated filters, much like how my inlaws think they are so clever by referring to non-whites as "Canadians." Racists are rarely as smart as they think they are.

And this is Kristian Matsson, who goes by the stage name of The Tallest Man on Earth. He is 5' 7".

My Oma used to do that. A whole tray of filled donuts and one random one would be filled with mustard. She was a trickster.

"It wasn't me."

+1. Birds are flipping awesome. When you get into your 40s, looking at birds hits different. I now get up at 330 in the morning on my days off to look at birds.

Definitely. Also, lots of local birdwatching groups or chapters of the Audubon Society that host pretty frequent outings. Most are free or pretty cheap. Then you have lots of experienced people to ask questions and make friends. Check Facebook or your local photography store flyer posts.

I love going on hikes or nature walks. Some great free apps are Merlin (for identifying bird calls) and Seek (for identifying plants and animals). All completely free aside from getting to to trail, but even in city parks it can be pretty fun. A good pair of binoculars is a great addition if you have the $$.

I live in a small town in California and one time received a letter with my name and zip code only. I can totally believe Icelandic letter carriers could get it done.

I live in the Sierras and always keep a change of clothes, 72 hours of food and water (plus filter), a small pack, fishing gear and a radio in my car. You never know what could happen. I've had quick fishing trips turn into unplanned overnighters and had snow or fallen trees or wildfires block roads at all times of the year. We have exactly 2 roads into and out of our little valley.

McClellan, while making no secret that he is a practicing Latter-Day Saint (Mormon), does a very good job of following a very good, logical train of discussion. He discusses common claims and uses good research and reason to give evidence for out against the claims, even if they are contrary to his professed LDS beliefs.

I think it's a great read for believers and non-believers. It can be difficult at times for a believer, and there are some triggering topics for some, including rape and child abuse. But the logical framework he follows can really help the reader to reflect on and think critically about their own beliefs. Definitely can recommend.

Oh boy, it's been an interesting couple weeks for me. I've been listening to "The Bible Says So." By Dan Mclellan on the way to work in the morning, and "Exodus: the Archimedes Engine," by Peter F Hamilton on the commute home. I also just spent the last 4 days up in the high Sierras with my wife, reading Dune together (it's her first time!) and fishing. My dreams have been so weird lately.