Grace and I have so many projects going on that we sometimes don’t know which to work on next. City living is sure different that living in the boonies like I do in Vermont. Here it is a short bicycle ride to almost anywhere in Key West. I am becoming obsessed with home automation and now that we installed a Big Ass fan outside on the porch I am on to my next automation project.

We are slowly but surely placing sod in the backyard. Pirate thinks we are installing his personal bathroom but it does make the yard look so much better. Now I have to figure out how to keep it watered and healthy, especially when we are not here. So, enter Rachio Iro. This is an automated, cloud-based irrigation controller that you can program with your iPhone or iPad. It monitors local weather so you aren’t watering when it is raining. It is even compatible with Amazon Echo, but not HomeKit…yet.

I now have both Google Home and Amazon Echo in the house but I have to say I use Alexa a lot more than Google. I really think Apple is missing the boat on this and I hope they bring Siri to the home sooner rather than later. Echo now controls my lights, Nest thermostat, Kevo lock (as integrated to Nest), Big Ass Fan and soon my irrigation system. Now, I need it to add a few more things like my Sonos system, locking and unlocking doors, etc.

Thanks for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

Don, Emily, Hadley & Mike D.