Hey all!
Well, I’ve FINALLY finished this episode. The past few months have been…epic. Lots of things going on in the Blackwell household, the biggest thing being the move to Austin.
But enough about me. This episode has it all: intrigue, humor, excitement, fun, children, and Tom Ogren. Take a look. Leave a comment if you would like to encourage our behavior.
Posted in tv episodes | Tagged allergies, city planning, diy, family, fun, horticulture, How-To, kids, knowledge, landscaping, learning, organic gardening, san luis obispo, solar ovens, sun, sustainability, tom ogren, update | Leave a Comment »
We’ve arrived. And Austin has welcomed us with open arms. There are a lot of very nice people here, from the woman who drew up a list of must-see places to the man who gave us a parking pass with time remaining, we have seen the generous side of Austin people.
Today we saw the cool side of Austin’s museums. Our first (and my favorite) stop was the Nature and Science Center. We arrived early and milled around until it opened at noon. While we were waiting I took some photos of the neat exhibits and the gorgeous flowers on the path leading to the center.
Once the doors opened we walked into a little hands-on natural history museum that was thoughtfully geared towards kids. Nearly everything could be touched and examined. There were rocks, bones, and fossils. (Oh my!) And even an exchange system whereby kids could bring in certain items, accrue points, and eventually have enough points to purchase things like a giant Ammonite fossil. Totally cool.
Then I saw the “grow green” poster and pamphlets on the wall.
I nearly fainted. I’m a green geek, what can I say? If they had a greencom I’d be there the night before sleeping on the concrete at the entrance.
Seriously, though, LOOK at these materials. Are they not completely drool-worthy?
They also have full-color guides that list native and adapted plants and give you an slew of information on traits and care.
This is some seriously cool schwag. I really think SLO would want to take a look at how Austin has put this together. Given that it was a collaborative project between the city and the University of Texas, I think SLO would have no trouble working this out!
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This is it, we’re off on the big trip to Austin via the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns, two places I have always wanted to visit and that I think the kids will love.
With an unplanned stop in Las Vegas.
That’s how I roll. Lots of plans followed by lots of changes in those plans.
Vegas is very intersting from a lot of perspectives (some much too interesting to talk about here), but the one that jumped out at me this trip was the now-ubiquitous “we conserve because we care” table tents. The ones that ask you to re-use your towels because it saves the planet.
It also happens to save the hotel a LOT of money. So it begs the question: is it okay if a company’s primary motivation for implementing a green methodology is financial instead of environmental? Does it make any difference to the planet if we conserve water and soap while the hotel conserves cash? I have some thoughts on this but I’d like to hear your POV in the comments first.
Posted in philosophy | Tagged conservation, ends, gambling, hotels, las vegas, means, money | 1 Comment »
So. I’m moving. To Austin. As in Texas. Packing up the family and leaving in two weeks.
Yes, this is a big deal. We’ve lived in SLO now for a little over 10 years. Both of my children were born here; my sister has lived her for six years; and, of course, my mom is here. It will be hardest on her.
I don’t make this decision lightly. I know what I’m leaving behind: the weather, the beach, our friends, Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School (where both Logan and Kaia were slated to go), and my family.
But, when I shift my perspective a little to the optimisitic (which is my tendency), I can see that I’m only really leaving behind a few things, fixed by geography. The beach and the weather are a total loss. It’s hot and sticky in Austin; the beach is 3 hours away–and it’s more like a lake so surfing is out.
But everything else comes with me, thanks in large part to the wonders of the Internet. Although talking to my mom over iChat isn’t exactly the same as having a cup of coffee in her living room, it’s a damn sight better than corresponding with handwritten letters sent by snail mail. And Facebook will keep us connected to SLO in ways that we couldn’t have been 10 years ago when we moved here from Grass Valley. (I have NO idea what’s going on in Grass Valley).
There are also many things that excite me about Austin: the progressiveness of the people and the local government; my sister in law and her family; the job market; the outdoor opportunities.
I’m also excited about the opportunities this presents Hole in the Fence. Imagine how cool it will be to observe the similarities and differences between sustainability programs and services, philosophies, approaches, and attitudes. In many ways Austin and SLO are similar, in others they seem very different. I can’t wait to explore and learn. I hope you’re as excited as I am and that you’ll make the journey with us. Virtually, at least.
Posted in philosophy | Tagged austin, challenges, change, digital revolution, facebook, family, future, garden, internet, love, movement, perspective, priorities, renting, san luis obispo | 4 Comments »
Mommy spider was gone this morning when I went out to water. I think the 111 degrees yesterday was too hot for her and she moved to a cooler spot. Looked around and no web anywhere. Then I heard some people talking on the other side of the hedge saying, ” Wow that is a big spider.” I went to see if it was my spider and sure enough there she was. She had made a web across the opening of our recycle bin. Pretty much in plain view and thinking someone was going to freak out if they saw her I took her web down knowing she would have to relocate. That was yesterday. I found her mate’s new web back just above the clover patch in the yard. I looked all over for her but I have not found her yet. It may be a couple of days until she makes the zig zag lines on the web which makes it easier to spot her. Will keep you posted.
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Mark Moran
This is a black and yellow argiope aurantia spider.
It is setting up housekeeping on my red clover. It makes a perfectly round web. I notice it every morning when I water. Sometimes I will give it a little misting just to see the beautiful web pattern. It always has 3 or 4 insects neatly and tightly wrapped up in certain spots on its web. A very uninteresting and slightly intrusive neighbor was strolling through my garden and gave out a shriek. As I looked out the window I saw her starting to take a swing at the web with a handful of Thursday ads she just collected from the mailbox. I yelled out the window,” Let it be, it is fine right where it is.” When I got outside she was very agitated. “You have to get rid of that thing. It is going to bite someone.” I assured her that it was not going to bite anyone it was harmless. “Well, said she, what is it called?” As if knowing its name was going to make some sort of difference in her intent.
When I lived in Anaheim next to an orange grove I would see these spiders all the time. They would spread their webs from one tree to another. I was always amazed at how perfect they were. My dad always told me, spiders that make pretty webs are not poisonous, and spiders that make ugly webs are. Black widows made ugly webs and they are poisonous. So it must be true. I was never afraid of the spiders that made pretty webs and always found them very fascinating.These black and yellow guys were very serious about catching anything and everything that crossed its path. Their webs were very strong and could catch butterflies and slow down an 8-year-old running through the grove. I never knew what they were called, until now, so to answer my spooked neighbor’s question I just said, “it’s an orange grove spider and it’s harmless.” She seemed satisfied with that answer and left mumbling a bit. I was just glad she left. What I really wanted to do was to tell her to stay out of my garden.
There is a really interesting site with pictures and a lot of information on this black and yellow garden spider. This is the season that spiders set up housekeeping so you may find one in your garden. Check it out. http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm
Posted in community | Tagged Black and yellow spider, garden spiders | 1 Comment »
There is something very nice about a new pair of gloves and something a little sad about replacing the old ones. The old ones molded to my every little creak and bend in my hand. The fingertips were all worn out and the roses bit the exposed skin every time. I liked the feel of slipping them over my hand and having them settle into just the right spots.
Still, I really needed some workable work gloves. I started looking for a replacement and found out it is not as easy as I thought. My first and favorite pair were goatskin gauntlets. I got them on sale about 8 years ago when I was working in a nursery. It was love at first sight. At one point the gauntlets were all shredded and coming apart. I was not ready to part with them yet. So, rather than throw them away I just sewed them up.
There are a lot of short garden gloves in leather, fabric, even goatskin but not in gauntlet style.Gauntlets to me represented serious no nonsense gardening. Get into your work all the way up to your elbows gardening. It also meant I probably knew something more about gardening than short-gloved wearers knew. This wasn’t necessarily true, of course, but the gloves made me feel like I was more of a pro at things than I really was. Maybe it was a status thing that only I was aware of. They gave me confidence. I did learn to prune those roses and fruit trees once I had the gloves. I had no fear. I was a crusader with my gauntlets and green handled prunners heading into battle.
Still, trying to replace them was not easy. I checked out all the regular spots, farm supply, home improvement centers, nurseries, and finally found them online. Almost exactly like my old ones. Goatskin, green nylon gauntlets but now they came with reinforced fingertips and palms. I liked this improvement. They will last longer. Also learned, because this time I read their bio, they are washable. Well, who knew? This will extend their life too.
I used them for the first time yesterday. Slipped them on nice and easy. So, soft, smooth and supple. They fit nice and snug. Like a glove. I like that. Big floppy gloves get in the way. Got right into pulling out the crab grass the reinforced fingertips felt good. Then edged the grass with the hedge clippers, the palm guides worked great here too and then used my prunners with expertise and confidence to cut back my one and only rose bush. A bloodless coup and I was done.
It was a good day in the garden. I finished up by taking the hose and washing all the dirt off my new gloves then laid them out to dry on the hedge. Good as new. It was over. I made the switch. I can’t quite bring myself to throw the old ones away. I will just retire them. They were my first and we had been through a lot together. So I will just keep them around for ole time sake. And just to be safe, I am going to re-order another pair of these gloves today so I don’t have to go hunting for new ones in 10 years. And now, I must take my pup for a walk. He has been very patient while I was writing this blog but now it’s time.
Posted in community | Tagged garden gloves, gaunlet gloves, old gloves, work gloves | 2 Comments »
http://www.keen.com/CommunityServer/UserBlogPosts/Stareena_Spring/Gods-Thoughts-on-Lawns/194909.aspx
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I love this site and all who contribute to it. Change the world one good deed at a time.
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Who am I?
This little posy has been driving me crazy for over a year. I found it growing at Laguna Lake when I was walking my 15 year old malamute border collie mix, Major pup. He’s old, so there is a lot of stopping when we go walking. That’s O.K. with me. It gives me a chance to check out the flora. That’s when I came across this little beauty. It is a creeper. It has lovely little pink flowers with yellow centers. It grows in very dry, distressed areas and then the area doesn’t look so distressed anymore. I picked this one out of someone’s yard. It was growing amongst the grass. So I guess it can grow in both places. I asked Cassie, my daughter, to take a picture so I could post it. She is really good at this. She posed it on the rock to get the best angles. And got a little artsy with the purple pillow. The plants a vamp.
I tried to ID it from my Peterson Field Guide Pacific State Wildflowers. But no luck. Someone else had asked me what it was and I had to say I didn’t know. I hate not knowing. So, I am putting this out there. The leaves are opposite, lance, and slightly serrated. The plant hugs the ground and the little flower peeks just above.
That is a penny on the left side, left picture, to give you an idea of the size of the flower. Two could fit on a penny. The flower head is on a spike. The little individual flowers on the head are irregular-shape united petals. I know someone is going to come back and say this is just a common old weed but that’s O.K. I think it is a little jewel and deserves to be called by name the next time I see it. And that would be………?
I know this ones’ name. This is Major Pup just after I gave him a hair cut in May. My top dog. What a sweetiepie.
FOUND IT
It has been almost a year looking for the name of this flower. I checked with master gardeners, park rangers, botanists, and a total stranger came up with the answer. I was showing a friend the plant that was in a neighbors yard. The neighbor whom I had never met before was in his yard. I explained that there was this little weed in his yard I was curious about and asked if he knew what it was. He said no but his partner was a botanist and he would check with her. Well, what are the odds of that happening. John actually went a step further and emailed another friend in Ventura with some pictures I had sent him. Then just today John emailed back with a positive ID of that little pink flower. It is called Frog Fruit. Never heard of it but here is the link and all the information. I am so excited. And what are the odds that a neighbor just happened to be in his yard, just happen to know somebody that might know and well it is all just a lot of fun. Thank you new found neighbor John Freedman for all your help. And thank you Ron Whitehurst who found and sent the link to John. Thank you everyone. You have solved the mystery and I am so delighted.!!!!! Check it out. Big Big Smile.
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Lippia_nodiflora.html
This site has a great plant list too.
Posted in community | Tagged major pup, malamute border collie mix, plant ID, unknown plant | Leave a Comment »
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