Charging up has either been ineffective thanks to cloud cover, short-lived as the sun gets lower, or technically risky with overnight (heavy)rains kicking up mud, threatening my dodgy wooden shelters, and putting the panels' claims of being waterproof to the test. One of my batteries doesn't seem to want to hit "fully charged" like it used to. The giant battery didn't seem to even register that it was hooked up to a panel, even in decent sunlight. My phone seems to be chugging through charge of its own accord.
To be honest, I've been getting a bit anxious about running out lately. The dry, sunny days of the year are definitely over.
But that, in itself, is an opportunity. Things are easy when our patterns are adequately supplied - but when the tide shifts, we can be grateful that we have space to shift with it, and seize the moment to pay attention to these changes, be curious, experiment, and learn for next time.
I'm finding myself switching into this mode, and as I do so I pick up on new thoughts.
1. As well as gathering up canes and clearing up plants, the season is still that chance to think through clearing up apps, data, and general technology usage. Say goodbye to networks you don't need over winter. Put projects into storage. Throw out entire top-level directories.
With my phone tied to the sun, I've noticed more how it acts as a go-between to my wider technology - all the cloud services and third parties it interacts with and relies on, all the weak and strong ties to people round the world. That's the modern world, it seems, but I'm in a position where I can use the way I charge the battery in my hand as leverage to really think through global networks.
Electricity powers a device. The device powers our behaviour. Our behaviour powers society. Repeat, reverse, unpick that.
The other aspect I wanted to mention is about experimentation, but I'll save it for another time...
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