New year (almost)

Hello! Welcome to one of my first blog entries! I didn't set out with a particular "agenda" for this blog, but I'm sure one will carve itself out of the digital bits of the internet world. I look forward to writing about all the things life has to bring. Among them, I'm sure I will be writing about the adventures of my wife Jen and I, brewing beer, playing forester in the woods, naturist musings, nutrition/health tidbits, and Pacific Crest Trail infatuation!

Well, this year is off to a slow crawl so far. Jen and I are looking forward to a real New Year's celebration at the end of this month- the beginning of the new lunar year. This "Christmas" was a first for us, in that we didn't celebrate it for the first time in our lives. We decided instead to celebrate in accordance with our beliefs- we are not Christians. Thus, we have celebrated the seasons as well as the lunar cycle. Our "Christmas" was as joyous as ever, but it was in the name of the Winter Solstice!
We just received in the mail our awards from the California State Fair Homebrew Competition! It was only last May that we won first place for our DuckBeaver Oatmeal Stout! Since we were unable to attend the awards ceremony, we have been anxiously awaiting the awards arrival! The arrival of the awards has inspired us to brew again. We will be brewing up a few batches this winter for the coming State Fair. Stay tuned for brew updates!
It is the time of year for sleeping (preferably naked!), and sleeping a lot! Jen and I have been reading a book called Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice. We have been realizing how out of whack our systems are compared to how they would have been hundreds of years ago. The author writes about how our bodies are "fooled" into thinking it is a "perpetual summer" by having artificial lights on everywhere we go. It is the dead of winter, and I can't seem to sleep more than eight or nine hours a night. I guess historically 12 or 14 hours a night would be more like it. My body is too in tune with the light bulb, the tv screen and the computer monitor to be in harmony with the seasons, the stars, and the moon.
Maholo for now, and thanks for reading first!