Sugar Snap Peas

Cl. Panic gave me two sugar nap pea plants about a month ago and they have now doubled in size. I created a scaffolding out of coffee stirrer sticks using Coach Nelson's glue gun. They look so happy! Soon, they will be ready for harvest and we can sneak them into hot pot!

Update (3/9/2010):


Update (3/11/2010):
OMG! My first sugar snap pea has arrived!!


Update (3/15/2010):
Three more peas have come in! Earmarked for L. Woods, Cl. Panic, and Green Thumbs. See if you can find them!


Update (3/16/2010):
Oh, no! My peas have competition! Below are Cl. Panic's peas. Note the net. It is from Daiso, the Japanese dollar store. The peas are looking great. I expect Cl. Panic to bring in a yummy sugar snap pea salad soon.

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Happy Belated Birthday, Green Thumbs McGillicutty!!

What do you get for a person who bought 10 apple trees for her birthday? A candied apple cake, of course! Happy birthday, Green Thumbs. May your apple trees grow tall and in beautiful shapes.

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Squirrels II

A couple months ago, I reported that the Nu Residence was experiencing squirrel problems. There were many suggestions for how to deal with the squirrels, but the best one so far was a suggestion from Green Thumbs McGillicutty--Don't Cat Squirrel Spears!

Don't Cat spears are really anti-cat devices, but also work against squirrels. The incidence of squirrel attacks have diminished greatly after I installed these spears, as witnessed by Mr. Nonny Nu. After weeks of sustaining attacks, the plants were getting depressed. But, recently, buds started appearing (9 gardenia buds and 2 lily buds), so this was an especially critical time to implement a new plan. Don't Cat Squirrel Spears were immediately applied to the planter and nailed down tight.

I am very happy with this!

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Squirrels

I have a squirrel problem.

We have a flower planter in front of the new Nu Residence. It originally had a few bamboo plants but, due to the townhouse being empty for quite a while before the Nus moved in, the bamboo had become bamdead. So, for the past few weekends, the Nus have been working to dig up the bamboos for removal. Those suckers are stubborn! Not only do they have pretty massive root structures, their roots also grow lengthwise so that they form a network just under the surface of the soil.

We were finally able to remove all of them so we bought some nice flowers last weekend and planted them in the flower planter. See how nice they turned out? There were Asian lilies, snap dragons, feathers, gardenia, and some other kinds of lilies.

But, all is not well in the Land of Nu. Why, you ask? SQUIRRELS. Look at what they are doing to my flowers. They dig them up--see the dirt on the edge of the planter? That dirt wasn't there last night when I went to sleep. The squirrels also chomp off the buds. Now, I don't mind if they ate the flowers, but they just bite off the flowers and leave them laying around to mock me. The thing that worries me the most, though, is the fact that the squirrels are exposing the roots of my plants. I get up every morning to find little piles of dirt on the ground next to the flower planter and pretty deep holes in the flower beds themselves.

What can I do about this? Cl. Panic suggested that I employ a bb gun, but I don't exactly want to hurt the squirrels. Just keep them out of my flowers. Does anyone know of anything that will keep squirrels away without killing or hurting them??

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Should I be concerned?

Last year, my office mate and dear friend, Stubbie, passed away. But, Stubbie has left us only in spirit to go to the Pearly Gates, for he is still with us in body.

Lately, as I was sweeping Stubbie's crypt, I noticed some yellowish/moldy goo peaking out from the soil. This was a month ago. So, I thought I needed to change out the soil, which also meant ditching Stubbie. That I really didn't want to do. When I dug into the soil, I only saw yellow goo on the upper levels, so I thought I could fix the situation by replacing the upper level of the soil without having to remove Stubbie's body. That was two weeks ago.

Well, yesterday, I came into the office and found a bright yellow form emerging from the soil. It looked like a mushroom to me, but I couldn't be sure. So, I consulted Cl. Panic who found the situation interesting. Today, you can definitely tell that it's a shroom.

So, should I be concerned? For those of you who are "familiar with shrooms," is this thing going to start spewing toxic spores? If so, when? Because I want to keep it around for a couple more days just to see what it does.

3/10/2009:

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Boston (Day 2)

Rise and shine! It's only 5:00am and we are already getting ready to go out the door. Yep, 5:00am EST. Now, what would get us West Coast night owls up at this time of the morning? Only one thing other than food--live reenactment of the Battle of Lexington! The Battle of Lexington is reenacted each year on April 19 to commemorate the April 19, 1775, battle that started the American Revolutionary War. And, it starts on the dot at 6am. We called the Lexington City Hall beforehand and they advised us to arrive by at least 5:30am to find parking. So, we hit the road a little a bit after 5am.

We were a bit worried that we wouldn't know exactly where the reenactment would take place. But, we needn't have worried. We drove into town as the sun was coming up, and we saw herds of people making their way in the same direction to Lexington Green. We parked and joined the throng of people, many of whom were carrying ladders. We figured out what the ladders were for when we got to the green.

The area in which the reenactment would be performed was roped off. It was a path that ran from a street onto the green and through the houses that bordered the green. It was kinda hard to find a good spot to see (since we didn't bring a ladder) but we finally found a pretty good spot right in front of a house. Unbeknownst to us, this turned out to be the center of a key scene in the reenactment. Of course, I failed to video that part.

Several colonists were hanging out in front of the house. All of a sudden, a colonist rode up on horseback and asked for the lieutenant living in the house. The lieutenant was summoned from the house, and the colonist on horseback reported that the British were coming! (Okay, he didn't use those words but that was the gist of what he said.) The lieutenant instructed the surrounding colonists to assemble on the green. A drummer appeared from the side of the house, started drumming, and led the way to a spot farther away on the green and out of our line of vision:


Not long afterward, we heard the drumming of the British and we saw the redcoats come marching down the green. They were even pushing a couple of colonists who had been captured along their route:


The redcoats marched passed us and there wasn't anything we could see anymore, but we could hear gunshots, shouts, and sounds of scuffling. MP and I moved to another location and got a better view of the battle:


What community participation! There were so many people walking with us and who were already there before us. It was really neat to be a part of such a group and you could really feel the energy in the crowd. We had such a blast!

When the Lexington portion of the reenactment was over (there was a similar reenactment in Concord), it was about 7am, a perfect time for Dunkin' Donuts. We got some kwawfee and donuts and drove to Concord. We went to Walden Pond State Reservation and made our way toward Walden Pond. What a wonderful idea, don't you think? Lexington battle, followed by an early breakfast walking along the trails surrounding Walden Pond. Here is the map, but it is unfortunate that *someone* lost the map while we were deep into the woods. Nevertheless, we charged on--we don't call ourselves "Thelma and Louise" for nothing.

Anyhow, let's just focus on what we saw before and after the map disappearance. We found Walden Pond. It was very tranquil and there was someone fishing. Apparently, the tide was still high. Even though it was mid-April, Spring was only just beginning to show up at Walden Pond. There was some vegetation that reminded me of my goal to have hot pot in our hotel room. There was also some moss that I had never seen before. We also saw some ducks who were building a huge nest. Then, MP commented that, only in America would the state run electricity into the middle of a forest so that a small shack could partake in the utility. We also found the site of Henry David Thoreau's cabin where the chimney foundation was marked. Here was the view that Thoreau would have seen from his cabin. When we got back to the parking lot, we saw a replica of Thoreau's cabin (inside), and we took a group photo.

What happened next in Salem can only be described as "uncomfortable." MP felt that all three spots that I had chosen to visit sucked (pirate museum, witch museum with reenactment, and witch museum 2). I will admit that the pirate museum was a dud. However, witch museum with reenactment was great. These people reenacted a portion of the Witch Trials directly from the transcripts, and they really got into it. However, because these two points of non-interest were so dull, according to MP, that we decided not to visit the third, even though we had already paid for it in a combo tour purchase. Now, this is a big deal ("this" = MP not consuming what she has paid for). So, instead, we went to visit Nathaniel Hawthorne's house and also the house upon which he had based his novel, The House of Seven Gables.

MP was unimpressed. We drove to visit a lighthouse of her choosing, but even though we didn't get to see the lighthouse, we saw some falcons for the movie, The Proposal, which was being filmed near the lighthouse at the time. (Those falcons were so cute--they looked like they were wearing pants!) We didn't see any stars, though. MP was so unimpressed with my planning that she made sure to set the agenda for Day 3 before going to bed that night (only she and Hermie talked it over and excluded me).

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Goodbye, Stubbie

Today, Stubbie was laid to rest in a flower pot all his own. Here is a haiku for my dear friend:

Stubbie, dear fishy,
To the Pearly Gates you go.
Be yourself always.

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Under Siegeby sluggy (housebound, terrified and highly caffeinated guest blogger)

Scene: A beautiful cloud-free Sunday. The air is still and a balmy 65 degrees. Birds chirping, squirrels running about. The distant hills, the mountain bike in the garage, the muddy hiking boots next to the door all beckon. Sluggy, however, is trapped inside her house, quivering (1) with doors barricaded.

Let me start at the beginning.

One benefit of being Nonny Nu’s hiking companion (2) is enjoying the splendor of nature … au naturale. Whoa people, I mean nature in its natural state, not NN and I cavorting like naked nymphs in horse dung in the Phleger Estate! Minds out of gutter? (3) Please proceed.

As a lover of nature, my absolute favorite thing to do (4) is try to bring a little nature back to where others have left desolation in their wake. This would describe my yard… the ugliest part of which was a nasty side “alley” that barely separates my house from my neighbors.

Over three years, I have spent many weekends working to bring a little nature back to this wasteland and make it a palatable place to pass through and view from the kitchen window. (5)

On a postage-stamp sized lot, it is necessary to use every square foot wisely so I squeezed in some tomato plants (6) and a potted herb garden.

This morning, as sluggy toured the “estate” with coffee in hand, I paid a visit to the veggie and herb section. For no particular reason, the oregano caught my attention.

Is it getting too much water? Not enough? Turning over the pot, I spied THIS squatter living in the side yard paradise!!!!

Sluggy hightailed it inside, heart pounding from this unexpected faceoff with her arch nemesis. (7) The spotted salamander is a CARNIVORE, and EATS SLUGS, people! Supposedly it only ventures out at night. Perhaps I can go out as long as I am barricaded back in before nightfall. These salamanders return to the same mating pool every year, and will travel long distances over land after a heavy rain to mate. (8) They secrete a noxious, milky toxin from their glands (9) to dissuade predators.

Sluggy welcomes suggestions for how to handle the next battle in what is sure to be an epic war to win back the veggie/herb section. The first tomatoes ripen in just two months, not to mention the precious potential visitor (10) whose safety is paramount.

Shall I place a green chair out there as a territory-marking throwdown? Borrow an overpowered shredder capable of cross-cutting Bobby into gushy 5/64" x 5/16" bits?

To be continued...

-------------------
(1) And not in that good, Fluff-induced way.

(2) A second, even greater, benefit is tempting Nonny Nu with bacon she will never ever get no matter how much she bitches about it. Too bad she canceled today’s hike because I had 12 precooked bacon strips ready to go in a fluffy cushion of shock-absorbing paper towels sealed in a ziplock baggie.

(3) Out of gutter for now. It is permissible for TWoNN dudes to retain the image in their “vault” for later use except, of course, Man from U.N.C.L.E. who may substitute the Rev. Dr. Terry Valentine for sluggy and Cl. Panic for Nonny Nu. Dung element optional. You know who you are.

(4) Even more than writing briefs and working all nighters, alas, ‘tis true.

(5) This involved stripping and staining the fence, building and staining a trellis, planting vines, watching the vines die in frost, crying, finding and planting new vines. The new vines are supposed to bloom various colors of white, yellow and red but have yet to do that. If they ever get around to it, there should be butterflies and hummingbirds a-plenty!

(6) Planting tomatoes in dry, nutrient-starved ground in a location that gets only a few hours of sunlight a day goes against conventional gardening wisdom, but last year the plants grew to over 8 feet!

(7) Sluggy is accustomed to idle references to salt attacks but this attack is coming from inside the homestead.

(8) Not unlike Bobby Peru. Well, actually, sluggy too. If there is a group salamander mating party, I promise to post photos for the prurient enjoyment of all except those subject to the freakishly puritanical Nu, Nu & Nu internet filter.

(9) Another similarity to Bobby Peru. I think I will name the salamander Bobby.

(10) Shameless excuse to mention most perfect niece and try to make footnotes exceed length of post.

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Phleger Has Competition

Last Sunday, Stillman and I went on a new hike at Fall Creek. The Phleger Estate has been a long time favorite for Stillman, so I was very surprised when, halfway through this hike, she announced that Fall Creek might now be her favorite hike.

Fall Creek is in Santa Cruz County so we expected to see many of its mascots there. Unfortunately, we only saw three banana slugs. But, there was lots more to see at Fall Creek. Some wild flowers had started to bloom. And, the really fun thing about the hike was that it wasn't just walking. We had to go over and under a lot of trees and also cross little foot bridges over the creeks. It was more of a scramble than a hike.

We started off along the creek:


Along the way, there were lots of stumps with exposed roots, some of which were growing through rocks. We saw many examples burnt out old stumps surrounded by new growth. One example was interesting in that the burnt out stump had fallen over and was held back from falling into the creek by the new growth. Another example had the new growth growing straight out of the old stump!

The area was very wet and the water wasn't restricted to the creek. In some parts, trees were cut down and their stumps formed stepping stones across wetter portions of the trail. As we started to move away from the creek, we came upon the barrel mill area. Fall Creek used to be the location where trees were cut down to create barrels for the local limestone quarry. The barrel mill area had old equipment strewn throughout. ["Look at those jagged edges. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen." --Stillman]

After visiting the barrel mill area, Stillman and I sat down for a bit of lunch. Stillman had a meatloaf sammich and I had a hoagie. Unlike the time when she kept all the bacon to herself, she offered to share her sammich this time. She passed the test!

When lunch was over, we got on our way and started moving away from the creek. We encountered a drier trail with shady lanes and woodlands. Unlike the old fallen trees we saw along the creek, a newly fallen tree blocked our trail here. This resulted in a couple of horses turning back along the trail. We went around the tree and went into a sunny area with a manzanita grove. The soil there had a yellow tinge to it.

Towards the end of the hike, we started to head back towards the creek. We saw a screaming tree! ["ooooohhhhh...creeeeeepyyyyyyy..." --Nonny Nu] The creek was alternately rushing along and relaxed. At the very end, passed over a proper bridge.

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Bulbs (updated 02/05)

Seeing as how my roses died (it was inevitable, really), I figured that I should get some flowering plants for the office. Just so happened that Trader Joe's was selling little bulb kits, so I got a Hyacinth and a Paperwhite. They are supposed to look like this...

Hyacinth Model:

















Paperwhite Model:
















Here's the progress so far.

Jan. 14: Planted the bulbs by soaking a soil patty in water until it reconstituted. Then fluffed up soil and planted bulbs into it. Here's the Hyacinth.

Feb. 1: Paperwhite is making a lot of progress, but Hyacinth is barely growing at all.

Feb. 5: Yep, Hyacinth is stunted. Advice from someone in the office is to give Hyacinth more sun. But, look at Paperwhite bloom! Shes a garden in the middle of the concrete jungle. Awww...

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(ch-ch-ch-)Chia! (updated 03/31)

Check this out, dudes! I am starting a Chia herb garden in my office. I am growing basil, cilantro, chives, and parsley. Coach Nelson promised to make lasagna with the parsley if the project is a success. I started this project (with the help of Stubbie's Godmother) on Jan. 28.




Feb. 1: Only four days later, the basil and the cilantro are already starting to sprout!

Feb. 5: Basil and Cilantro continue their stellar progress. Parsley is just starting to take root, but something's up with Chives (check out the white powder).

Feb. 6: Ah. False alarm on the Chives. Parsley is also coming up. I guess I'm a bit of a Henny Penny on plants.

Mar. 31: Chives are officially a bust. Cilantro is only doing okay, but Basil and Parsley are great. Coach Nelson has confirmed the lasagna plan.

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My New Plant

Wow! Look what I got today! Green Thumbs McGillicutty, in order to thank me for caring for her plants while she has been away at trial, gave me this brand new plant! Her name is Pauline, and she is a Zygote Cactus.

(Photo courtesy of Cl. Panic from his iPhone.)

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Well, well, well, if it isn't Green Thumbs McGillicutty...?

So, someone has gone to trial and has asked someone else to water their plants for them. I'm a very organized rabbit, and have taken this request rather seriously. Lookie here. That's right. Every Monday and Thursday, I will be poisoning watering Green Thumb McGillicutty's plants. See? Here I am watering them now:
Of course, I will not treat them as well as I do my own plants. That would be unreasonable.

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MPBSFA Day 4: Monterey Bay Fish Bowl (Part I)

Day 4 saw MonkeyPig and Nonny Nu journeying to Monterey Bay Aquarium. But, our first stop (of course) is to procure some food for the journey. We went to a local sammich shop and picked up $23 worth of sammiches and goodies.

Then, we were off. Along the way, MonkeyPig read out loud from the latest Harry Potter book. As usual, it was more fun than a person could stand. Now, you can either google "Monterey Bay Aquarium" and see all of the professional-grade photos, but then you wouldn't be able to see these gems taken by yours truly.

Fish


Otters
These were the main attraction at the zoo so, naturally, the viewing area was super crowded. And, there were so many kids!! They were mostly annoying. I don't see why kids get dibs on the front row spaces. I paid more than they did to get in. Shouldn't I get the front row space?? This doesn't make sense at all.


A TWoNN first: Here are some videos! Can you guys believe I took these videos with my $99 hand-me-down camera?? (Beware: There's sound on these due to the annoying kids.)

Feeding time:


Diving:


Playing:



Anchovies
These anchovies were in a cylindrical tank and the only thing they do all day long is swim around, around, and around.


Here they are in motion:


Sun Fish
There was a deep "outer bay" tank with many fish, including huge tuna. But, the weirdest fish in the tank were two sun fish.



Corals


Okay, chickadees, it's time for chores and then bed. As Bart Simpson says, "Go to bread!"

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