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"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Sunday, April 29, 2007
How Green Is Your Life?
Just a cute survey from BlogThings:
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Birds, birds, birds!
Spring heralds many returning migrants:
We've had a male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak come to our feeder for a few days now, but today, there were 2 (count 'em!) males as well as a female!
Other birds of note: Baltimore Orioles (yup, we're now back to Baltimore after many years of switching to Northern...ds#1 can tell you more about the speciation, but I don't keep up with it myself), White-Crowned Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-Winged Blackbirds, and Chipping Sparrows.
Heard but not yet seen: Prairie Warbler, Yellow-Breasted Chat.
**breaking news: as of this evening, we had seen a total of 6 male Grosbeaks at our house!
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
We've had a male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak come to our feeder for a few days now, but today, there were 2 (count 'em!) males as well as a female!
Other birds of note: Baltimore Orioles (yup, we're now back to Baltimore after many years of switching to Northern...ds#1 can tell you more about the speciation, but I don't keep up with it myself), White-Crowned Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-Winged Blackbirds, and Chipping Sparrows.
Heard but not yet seen: Prairie Warbler, Yellow-Breasted Chat.
**breaking news: as of this evening, we had seen a total of 6 male Grosbeaks at our house!
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Oooh, many good articles...
...in The Green Guide's e-newsletter today (get a subscription; you won't regret it!). Can't post them all, so I'll choose my favorite:
Green Guide 119 March/April 2007
Gardeners, Get Ready!
by Erica Glasener
You've perused catalogues full of luscious descriptions of plants throughout the winter, the farmer's market is brimming with blooms, and now that spring is here, it's time to plan and prepare your garden. Once soil temperatures warm up to between 65 and 70 degrees F or higher and the threat of frost has past, you're set to transplant seedlings or sow seed directly in the garden.
As you prepare, take time to examine the "bones" of your landscape. Do you have a balance of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs? Have plants matured, changing a formerly sunny garden into a shady spot? You can use a hose to decide where new beds will be added. Lay it on the ground and move it around until you are happy with the bed lines. Visit your local Arboretum or Botanical Garden to find out which plants thrive in your region. And if frosts still threaten, you can cover blooms at night with a sheet, but make sure to remove it during the day when temperatures warm up.
What To Grow?
As you select plants and flowers, pick those appropriate to your region, and buy a few extra in case some die during the year. Incorporating native plants will be helpful—they require less water and, having evolved in the region, resist insects and diseases better than non-natives. In damper climes, certain plants, such as bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) and deciduous hollies like Sparkleberry (Ilex), will not only tolerate wet soils but will thrive. And don't forget the wildlife: Berried shrubs like native Viburnums will attract songbirds and other avian life to your yard (but be careful to keep cats away). Refer to regional gardening books and plant societies for recommendations about what to plant in your garden (see "Resources" below).
This year enjoy the fruits of your labors literally—grow your own organic vegetables. All you need is six or more hours of direct sun, good garden soil, water and a little patience. Plant when the temperature is right: Crops like lettuce, radishes, spinach and other greens don't mind slightly cooler soil temperatures, but tomatoes, watermelons, squash and pumpkins (as well as many flowers) need warmer soil and air to flourish. Even if you just have a couple of large pots, you can easily grow cherry tomatoes, basil, hot peppers and other herbs.
Soil
Weed, weed, weed. Pull weeds as soon as they appear. Any weeds you eliminate now will not set seeds, which means less work throughout the rest of spring. Clean up the garden if you didn't do it in the fall. Leaves should be raked off beds and put into a compost pile. With certain plants like roses, garden phlox and camellias, dead leaves should be destroyed. A soil test (see below) is an inexpensive way to find out what nutrients may be lacking, as well as determine the acidity (pH) of the soil. The results will help you select an appropriate organic fertilizer to add for your vegetables or ornamentals. By amending your soils you can also prevent problems like blossom end rot of tomatoes, caused by a lack of calcium, or yellow leaves, caused by a lack of iron.
Once a garden plot or planting bed is weed-free, top dress it with compost (two inches deep) and let it sit until early spring when you can till it into the soil.
The Test
Find your local USDA extension service at www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension and they can give you details on how to bring a soil sample to them (there is a nominal fee, which is usually less than $10).
Taking the sample:
Start with a clean trowel and bucket.
1. Take ten hearty plugs or scoops of soil (each plug should be four to six inches deep).
2. Mix the ten plugs together once they have been collected in the bucket.
3. Remove stone, grass, worms and other materials. Scoop out two 8-ounce cups of soil—a representative sample from a particular area. Repeat these steps for areas with different types of soil. Let the Extension Service know the types of plants you plan to grow, and they can test it for individual plants like azaleas or tomatoes.
Pest Control
Americans apply over 100 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides around their homes each year. And children of parents who use pyrethroid insecticides around the home have higher urinary levels of those pesticides than children whose parents don't, according to Environmental Health Perspectives (see Food for Thought: Healthy Habits for Back-To-Schoolers and Beyond). Common insecticide ingredients such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine and dicamba have been shown to harm mouse embryos at times equivalent to the first week after conception in humans. So keep these chemicals away from your children and out of our waterways by using pesticide-free methods.
An earth-friendly approach to control slugs, whether in the vegetable garden or the hosta bed, is to recycle the black cell packs your vegetable starts or annuals come in. Place the empty containers upside down near the base of plants. As the plants mature, hide the cell packs under the leaves. Each morning, check the containers for pests, and if you find any, simply throw the container away with the pests inside (or, if you don't wish to harm them, leave the slugs in an empty lot). Another easy method for slug control is to use grapefruit rinds (1/2 of a grapefruit with the meat scooped out). When the slugs crawl into the rind, dispose of it.
More pest control tips:
*Know the rodents and other animals that might visit your garden; visit your local USDA extension for information.
*Remember that a strong blast of hose water will blow insects off your foliage without applying a single chemical.
*When all else fails, use barriers like chicken wire to protect your prize tomatoes—I tried drenching mine with hot pepper spray and the rabbits attacking them just laughed.
So get your hands dirty this spring and enjoy your hours outdoors. The care you put into preparing your soil and getting plants from better sources will mean less time spent worrying over pest and disease problems and more bounty to share with your neighbors.
Resources
This Organic Life: Confessions of Suburban Homesteader by Joan Dye Gussow (Chelsea Green, 2002, $19.95) www.thegreenguide.com/books/backlist.mhtml
Pest Control: Bio-Integral Resources Center: information about pest management, www.birc.org
For more information about organic pest control visit www.organicgardenpests.com/index.html
Lawn Care Product Report, www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=71
Native plants: Native Plant Societies of the U.S., www.newfs.org/nps.htm
Native Plant Conservation Campaign, www.plantsocieties.org
Tools: "Pay Dirt For Gardeners," GG #119 www.thegreenguide.com/doc/119/gardeners
Greener Garden Supplies Product Report, www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=47
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Green Guide 119 March/April 2007
Gardeners, Get Ready!
by Erica Glasener
You've perused catalogues full of luscious descriptions of plants throughout the winter, the farmer's market is brimming with blooms, and now that spring is here, it's time to plan and prepare your garden. Once soil temperatures warm up to between 65 and 70 degrees F or higher and the threat of frost has past, you're set to transplant seedlings or sow seed directly in the garden.
As you prepare, take time to examine the "bones" of your landscape. Do you have a balance of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs? Have plants matured, changing a formerly sunny garden into a shady spot? You can use a hose to decide where new beds will be added. Lay it on the ground and move it around until you are happy with the bed lines. Visit your local Arboretum or Botanical Garden to find out which plants thrive in your region. And if frosts still threaten, you can cover blooms at night with a sheet, but make sure to remove it during the day when temperatures warm up.
What To Grow?
As you select plants and flowers, pick those appropriate to your region, and buy a few extra in case some die during the year. Incorporating native plants will be helpful—they require less water and, having evolved in the region, resist insects and diseases better than non-natives. In damper climes, certain plants, such as bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) and deciduous hollies like Sparkleberry (Ilex), will not only tolerate wet soils but will thrive. And don't forget the wildlife: Berried shrubs like native Viburnums will attract songbirds and other avian life to your yard (but be careful to keep cats away). Refer to regional gardening books and plant societies for recommendations about what to plant in your garden (see "Resources" below).
This year enjoy the fruits of your labors literally—grow your own organic vegetables. All you need is six or more hours of direct sun, good garden soil, water and a little patience. Plant when the temperature is right: Crops like lettuce, radishes, spinach and other greens don't mind slightly cooler soil temperatures, but tomatoes, watermelons, squash and pumpkins (as well as many flowers) need warmer soil and air to flourish. Even if you just have a couple of large pots, you can easily grow cherry tomatoes, basil, hot peppers and other herbs.
Soil
Weed, weed, weed. Pull weeds as soon as they appear. Any weeds you eliminate now will not set seeds, which means less work throughout the rest of spring. Clean up the garden if you didn't do it in the fall. Leaves should be raked off beds and put into a compost pile. With certain plants like roses, garden phlox and camellias, dead leaves should be destroyed. A soil test (see below) is an inexpensive way to find out what nutrients may be lacking, as well as determine the acidity (pH) of the soil. The results will help you select an appropriate organic fertilizer to add for your vegetables or ornamentals. By amending your soils you can also prevent problems like blossom end rot of tomatoes, caused by a lack of calcium, or yellow leaves, caused by a lack of iron.
Once a garden plot or planting bed is weed-free, top dress it with compost (two inches deep) and let it sit until early spring when you can till it into the soil.
The Test
Find your local USDA extension service at www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension and they can give you details on how to bring a soil sample to them (there is a nominal fee, which is usually less than $10).
Taking the sample:
Start with a clean trowel and bucket.
1. Take ten hearty plugs or scoops of soil (each plug should be four to six inches deep).
2. Mix the ten plugs together once they have been collected in the bucket.
3. Remove stone, grass, worms and other materials. Scoop out two 8-ounce cups of soil—a representative sample from a particular area. Repeat these steps for areas with different types of soil. Let the Extension Service know the types of plants you plan to grow, and they can test it for individual plants like azaleas or tomatoes.
Pest Control
Americans apply over 100 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides around their homes each year. And children of parents who use pyrethroid insecticides around the home have higher urinary levels of those pesticides than children whose parents don't, according to Environmental Health Perspectives (see Food for Thought: Healthy Habits for Back-To-Schoolers and Beyond). Common insecticide ingredients such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine and dicamba have been shown to harm mouse embryos at times equivalent to the first week after conception in humans. So keep these chemicals away from your children and out of our waterways by using pesticide-free methods.
An earth-friendly approach to control slugs, whether in the vegetable garden or the hosta bed, is to recycle the black cell packs your vegetable starts or annuals come in. Place the empty containers upside down near the base of plants. As the plants mature, hide the cell packs under the leaves. Each morning, check the containers for pests, and if you find any, simply throw the container away with the pests inside (or, if you don't wish to harm them, leave the slugs in an empty lot). Another easy method for slug control is to use grapefruit rinds (1/2 of a grapefruit with the meat scooped out). When the slugs crawl into the rind, dispose of it.
More pest control tips:
*Know the rodents and other animals that might visit your garden; visit your local USDA extension for information.
*Remember that a strong blast of hose water will blow insects off your foliage without applying a single chemical.
*When all else fails, use barriers like chicken wire to protect your prize tomatoes—I tried drenching mine with hot pepper spray and the rabbits attacking them just laughed.
So get your hands dirty this spring and enjoy your hours outdoors. The care you put into preparing your soil and getting plants from better sources will mean less time spent worrying over pest and disease problems and more bounty to share with your neighbors.
Resources
This Organic Life: Confessions of Suburban Homesteader by Joan Dye Gussow (Chelsea Green, 2002, $19.95) www.thegreenguide.com/books/backlist.mhtml
Pest Control: Bio-Integral Resources Center: information about pest management, www.birc.org
For more information about organic pest control visit www.organicgardenpests.com/index.html
Lawn Care Product Report, www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=71
Native plants: Native Plant Societies of the U.S., www.newfs.org/nps.htm
Native Plant Conservation Campaign, www.plantsocieties.org
Tools: "Pay Dirt For Gardeners," GG #119 www.thegreenguide.com/doc/119/gardeners
Greener Garden Supplies Product Report, www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=47
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Monday, April 23, 2007
Oh so nice to be back!
Actually, we had a fabulous time in San Francisco (except for the flights...too much turbulence on the way out; I thought I was going to hurl)! I think this was the best vacation we've had in a while. And it is alway nice not to come home with our luggage, clothes, and ourselves smelling mildewy. Granted, at $230 a night, we'd hope we'd smell better than at our parents' musty homes.
We did Pt Reyes National Seashore first, spending a couple of nights at Olema, a short drive from the Nat'l Seashore itself. Got lots of hiking/walking done...in 40 mph winds, no less. Stayed in a nice B&B (actually, the Pt Reyes Seashore Lodge and Convention Center). Ds#2 decided to get sick overnight on Sunday and threw up all over the floor in front of the eating room Monday morning. Fortunately, there were no other guests there yet, unlike the same time on Sunday. I thought he was past the "ralphing projectiles" stage, but apparently not.
Drove to S.F. city proper on Monday. Dh had a conference to go to and the kids and I did the touristy thing - Chinatown, Fishermen's Wharf (including the infamous sea lions on Pier 39), cable and street cars. Our hotel was downtown and close to some interesting places. One must walk, naturally, when one is in San Fran.
What's the most stark is the contrast between rich and poor...you have your homeless and pan handlers right down the street from Saks and Macy's. And the noise...woohee...it was nice to be back in our own bedroom where the only noises at night are crazy birds and howling coyotes. I got pretty tired of hearing emergency vehicle noises all the time.
Found a really good dim sum place in Chinatown. It's called Pearl City Seafood Restaurant on Jackson Street. Not much to speak of in terms of ambience and the wait staff don't exactly fawn over you (pretty typical on both accounts), but the dim sum is as good as, if not better than, some we've had in Vancouver.
Also good was a dumpy little Vietnamese place around the corner from the Asian Art Museum. The frog legs were particularly meaty and tasty and the women there were really sweet. Plus, lunch for 4 cost about $100 less than some of the really fancy meals downtown. Good deal.
While we're on the topic of food, our meal at Neptune Palace at the Wharf was particularly memorable. We were happy, too, with the calamari salad and clam chowder we got from the street vendors there. As dh said, we didn't have a single bad meal in S.F.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
We did Pt Reyes National Seashore first, spending a couple of nights at Olema, a short drive from the Nat'l Seashore itself. Got lots of hiking/walking done...in 40 mph winds, no less. Stayed in a nice B&B (actually, the Pt Reyes Seashore Lodge and Convention Center). Ds#2 decided to get sick overnight on Sunday and threw up all over the floor in front of the eating room Monday morning. Fortunately, there were no other guests there yet, unlike the same time on Sunday. I thought he was past the "ralphing projectiles" stage, but apparently not.
Drove to S.F. city proper on Monday. Dh had a conference to go to and the kids and I did the touristy thing - Chinatown, Fishermen's Wharf (including the infamous sea lions on Pier 39), cable and street cars. Our hotel was downtown and close to some interesting places. One must walk, naturally, when one is in San Fran.
What's the most stark is the contrast between rich and poor...you have your homeless and pan handlers right down the street from Saks and Macy's. And the noise...woohee...it was nice to be back in our own bedroom where the only noises at night are crazy birds and howling coyotes. I got pretty tired of hearing emergency vehicle noises all the time.
Found a really good dim sum place in Chinatown. It's called Pearl City Seafood Restaurant on Jackson Street. Not much to speak of in terms of ambience and the wait staff don't exactly fawn over you (pretty typical on both accounts), but the dim sum is as good as, if not better than, some we've had in Vancouver.
Also good was a dumpy little Vietnamese place around the corner from the Asian Art Museum. The frog legs were particularly meaty and tasty and the women there were really sweet. Plus, lunch for 4 cost about $100 less than some of the really fancy meals downtown. Good deal.
While we're on the topic of food, our meal at Neptune Palace at the Wharf was particularly memorable. We were happy, too, with the calamari salad and clam chowder we got from the street vendors there. As dh said, we didn't have a single bad meal in S.F.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
I've been "tagged"
...by Rosie to play the "6 weird things about me" game. Problem is, I am in the forest and can't see the trees - I can't think of many things about me that are weird. Hey, I'm not weird, am I? ;> And secondly, I don't know 5 other bloggers to tag. I blog primarily as a online journal for myself...not to be read by anyone else, so I don't advertise my blog.
Well, here goes nuthin':
1) I like my floors clean enough to eat off of, which means I ask people to take off their shoes at the door (which is not always the wisest decision when their feet/socks are as filthy as the bottoms of their shoes) and I love my vacuum.
2) (my sister will recognize this one) I would rather be surrounded by crying babies on an airplane than experience turbulence on an airplane.
3) David Attenborough's voice makes me sleepy, but in a good way.
4) I had a crush on Spock (Star Trek) when I was 4 years old.
5) I sometimes talk to the dog in the same voice I talk to babies even though I know full well it's a stupid, non-alpha, thing to do.
6) I can eat badenjan borani every day and never tire of it. Oh, heck, I can probably do that with fried chicken and calamari too.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Well, here goes nuthin':
1) I like my floors clean enough to eat off of, which means I ask people to take off their shoes at the door (which is not always the wisest decision when their feet/socks are as filthy as the bottoms of their shoes) and I love my vacuum.
2) (my sister will recognize this one) I would rather be surrounded by crying babies on an airplane than experience turbulence on an airplane.
3) David Attenborough's voice makes me sleepy, but in a good way.
4) I had a crush on Spock (Star Trek) when I was 4 years old.
5) I sometimes talk to the dog in the same voice I talk to babies even though I know full well it's a stupid, non-alpha, thing to do.
6) I can eat badenjan borani every day and never tire of it. Oh, heck, I can probably do that with fried chicken and calamari too.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The Electric Fence
Not as much fun as the Electric Slide (or so I'm told...I've never done that before), but does a pretty good job keeping land predators out of the chickens' area and zapping nosy little noses. Ever hear a dog screech in surprise? The dog keeps the fence a respectful distance from herself now.
The geese are still having hiss-y fits. Even Jemima is a spit-fire when we get close. I had to pull a martial arts kick on Largo the other day. I merely tapped him on the chest though, the ingrate. Gali doesn't tease the geese much anymore, unless she wants to play tag. She still is a fast little thing.
Darn animals - never a dull moment.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
The geese are still having hiss-y fits. Even Jemima is a spit-fire when we get close. I had to pull a martial arts kick on Largo the other day. I merely tapped him on the chest though, the ingrate. Gali doesn't tease the geese much anymore, unless she wants to play tag. She still is a fast little thing.
Darn animals - never a dull moment.
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
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