Loss of Interest

[jal_ut]

Wednesday the 26th, we survived the holiday. 32 degrees, calm and overcast here this morning. I took the wild birds some seed and checked on the cats, now play on the computer.......

[jal_ut]

10 degrees, sunny this morning. Nothing growing but ice. I took the wild birds some seed and come play on the computer. I found a pot and planted a few tomato seeds. Set it in a South window...... we will see what comes of it?

[digitS']

A couple of days ago, when I was shoveling a path through the snow from my backdoor, the Oregon juncos were keeping me company. Snow Birds!

They are really here, year around. However, the juncos are in the evergreen trees through the summer and there must not be as many of those trees as they prefer in my neighborhood. There are lots of these birds in the native forests.

My DD gave me a bird feeder for Father's Day. I wasn't too encouraged to keep it stocked with the safflower seed she had with it. The neighbor not only has about a dozen birdhouses but feeds all the English sparrows making use of them. Another neighbor has two small spruce trees and a LARGE privet hedge where the sparrows like to hang out. We had a population explosion of sparrows this year!!!

However, I have learned from reading online that the sparrows don't make much use of safflower seed but that juncos do. Okay, time to shovel snow off in that direction and keep the feeder filled for a couple of months .

Steve

[jal_ut]

I feed the birds here. I have a platform feeder where I will put a mix of cracked corn, millet and sunflower seeds. I also have a box feeder, and it has wires in the front spaced such as to keep out the large birds. The sparrows, juncos and finches use it. Lately I have sure had a lot of those Eurasian Doves on the platform feeder. Wonder where they came from?

[digitS']

Here's what a Wikipedia editor had to say, "The collared dove is not migratory, but is strongly dispersive. Over the last century, it has been one of the great colonisers of the bird world, travelling far beyond its native range to colonise colder countries, becoming a permanent resident in several. Its original range at the end of the 19th century was warm temperate and subtropical Asia from Turkey east to southern China and south through India to Sri Lanka. In 1838 it was reported in Bulgaria ..."

Here's what Cornell University in allaboutbirds has to say: "Eurasian Collared-Doves made their way to North America via the Bahamas, where several birds escaped from a pet shop during a mid-1970s burglary; the shop owner then released the rest of the flock of approximately 50 doves. Others were set free on the island of Guadeloupe when a volcano threatened eruption. From these two sites the birds likely spread to Florida, and now occur over most of North America."

Fifteen years ago, I hadn't seen a collard dove. There have been quite a few around since altho I'm wondering why this non-migratory bird is not around in nearly the numbers that it was this last summer. There were several pairs in this neighborhood and I haven't seen one nearby for weeks.

Steve

[jal_ut]

Thanks Steve.

There are 35 - 40 hitting my bird feeder. They seem quite spooky. If there is any movement in the window they take off. I guess I will just watch them and see what happens?

[tedln]

Interesting thread! I planted my pepper seeds under lights last week. Will eat the last tomatoes from this years spring planting in a salad tomorrow with cold weather greens harvested from my garden tomorrow. I will start germinating my tomato seed mid January and plant my onions out mid to late January. For some reason gardening activity is pretty much a year round activity for me. If it was only a summer activity, I probably wouldn't do it. It's supposed to snow in north Texas on Wednesday so I will work in the shop working on gardening tools. Always something needing repairs.

[jal_ut]

18 degrees with a little fresh snow here this morning. Nothing growing but ice. So I take some seed to the bird feeder and come play on the internet. Oh, I did find a pot and planted six tomato seeds in it so that will have to suffice for my winter garden.

[tedln]

The lowest temp we have experienced was 27 degrees F in November. I picked all my large green tomatoes and they have been ripening in the shop. The mid 30's and mid 40's are typical for this time of year. January and February usually bring some hard freezes including some single digit temps. It will be interesting to see how many garden green varieties can spring back from the freezes. Some years, I lose the above ground plants, but they regenerate quickly from the roots for a spring crop. I don't expect the different varieties of lettuce will survive, but the Chinese cabbage, collard greens, curley mustard greens, beets; carrots; and spinach probably will. I really enjoy having home grown salads in the fall and early winter. The collards, turnip greens, and mustard greens also provide some really good pots of mixed cooked greens in the winter and early spring.

[jal_ut]

Happy New Year! Minus one with clear blue skies this morning.

[jal_ut]

Having a heat wave, its clear up to 11 degrees at 9:07 AM. Sunny, Six inches of snow on the ground.

[jal_ut]

5:06 PM, the sun is down. 16 degrees, calm.

[jal_ut]

Thursday...... bread making day......... so I ground some wheat and mixed bread dough. Got it in the pan rising. After a bit I will go divide it and put it in the baking pans.

[Vanisle_BC]

Seven pages of a thread titled Loss of Interest: Not bad, James.

Enjoy the bread.

By way of experiment & variety, last night we used some saved spaghetti sauce over potato chunks pan-fried in bacon fat. Not bad but unlikely to be repeated .

Still raining & raining & raining.

[jal_ut]

Rain? Here we have clear blue skies, calm and 13 degrees. The ground is snow covered.

[Vanisle_BC]

Rain? Here we have clear blue skies, calm and 13 degrees. The ground is snow covered.

I've lived in places where it got below minus 40 (C or F: no difference!). When it's raining here, I sometimes miss them, but when I used to come south in February and see daffodils blooming I was reluctant to go back.

Wherever you go, there you are .

[jal_ut]

What color is a white horse?

[Vanisle_BC]

What color is a white horse?

Depends what colour of light you shine on it!

[jal_ut]

........... ask a silly question............

My bread turned out good.

2:00 PM, we have clear blue skies and snow covered ground. It is so bright it hurts your eyes to look out.

[Vanisle_BC]

2:00 PM, we have clear blue skies and snow covered ground. It is so bright it hurts your eyes to look out.

Oh, just stop it!

[tedln]

jal,

Didn't you say a few years ago that you grow Walla Walla onions with very good results?

[jal_ut]

Onions do well here. I have planted a variety of types. White, yellow, red, they all do just fine. For large onions I plant sets early in the season. (about mid April) For green onions I plant seeds.

[tedln]

I thought I remembered you mentioning the Walla Walla onion. I asked because retailers in my area of north Texas were pushing the Walla Walla seedlings last spring. I thought it was a long day onion and I know from experience, short day onions perform best in my area. I bought a couple of bundles of the seedlings and planted them at the same time I planted about six hundred Texas 1015 sweet onions. The 1015 onion produced bulbs around 4" and 5" in diameter. The largest Walla Walla was about 1" in diameter. I'm still trying to figure out why the garden centers and farm stores were trying to sell the Walla Walla in my area. I will be planting my 1015 seedlings this month.

[jal_ut]

Sorry, the way my memory banks work these days, I am lucky to remember what I did last night. I checked my notebook, and found no mention of Walla Walla. I found some nice pictures of onions, but no names attached. Yes, I could have grown them, even commented, but don't remember. Yes, long day onions are right for this area. You gotta plant what works for you.

9:07 AM its clear blue skies and 12 degrees. Ground I snow covered. Nothing growing but ice.

[tedln]

It may have been someone from Washington state who grew them and posted photos of them. They were larger than anything I've ever grown. They are supposed to be a very sweet yellow onion like the 1015 and Vidalia. There is also a 1015 white onion. I planted the white onion one year with the yellow and all of the white onions bolted before the weather got very warm.

[Vanisle_BC]

tedlin; Walla Walla is a popular onion here (49+North) - definitely long day. It can be spring sown or overwintered. I can't imagine it would grow well in Texas.

jal; I was going to say something but I can't remember what.

[jal_ut]

can't remember? That is my problem. I call it CRS disease. "Can't Remember Stuff"

[tedln]

tedlin; Walla Walla is a popular onion here (49+North) - definitely long day. It can be spring sown or overwintered. I can't imagine it would grow well in Texas.

jal; I was going to say something but I can't remember what.

The walla walla's I grew barely grew larger than normal green onions and they were super sweet into late summer. The intent of local retailers may have been to sell them for exceptional green onions instead of bulb onions.

[Gary350]

can't remember? That is my problem. I call it CRS disease. "Can't Remember Stuff"

I was dreaming about CRS last night. I need to remember to keep a note paper and pencil in my pocket all the time. At breakfast table wife said, we need to buy bacon at the grocery store. I went to the other room to get pencil and paper to write that down when I got there I could not remember why I was in the other room. Return to kitchen, OH now I remember, return to other room write it on paper and put it in my pocket. I need to make sure paper stays in my pocket when I get to store I won't remember to buy bacon without my notes. I have same problem in garden, if I plant seeds the row needs to be marked with a sign or I don't remember that rows has already been planted.

[digitS']

Dreaming about CRS and with a need to carry pen and paper? A shirt pocket in those pajamas, Gary?

Walla Walla have something of an interesting origin and history (LINK). They came to the US originally from Corsica, 42° North.

I have mentioned this on HG before and gotta admit, Utah Sweet grows larger than Walla Walla Sweet and I have wondered if that is because my garden is about 200 miles north of Walla Walla (46°N). Let's see ... Utah is somewhere up around the Yukon, right?

CRS

digitS'

[jal_ut]

Lessee, Utah is somewhere North of Arizona. My place sits right at 5000 ft elevation. It is snowing and 31 degrees this morning. We call it "Little Alaska"
Nothing growing here but ice.
Have a great Sunday!

[applestar]

My solution to shopping lists is my cell phone (iPhone). Family members who want me to buy stuff are reminded to send me a text list and/or photo of package-label for specific brands even if they have told me verbally — ESPECIALLY IF.

I set up a Reminder to notify me on arrival at the store, and copy/paste texted items. My own items are already in the Reminder and just need to be rearranged for that day’s shopping.

I keep the cell phone by me at night and make notes if I wake up and think of things at night — quite often — no need to turn lights on or get the pen and paper notebook which is also by the bedside along with a night reader clip-on light I used to use from long habit. (I also used to use small post-it notes and stick them everywhere including various theme-based carry-around notebooks eg for household thoughts, gardening ideas, etc....)

[jal_ut]

Yep, notebook in one shirt pocket and the cell phone in the other..........................

[PaulF]

My flip phone only makes and receives phone calls and spends most of the time in a drawer unless we are traveling. We live in a dead zone. Notepads are all over the house and garage for spur of the moment ideas. Stuck in a time warp.

[jal_ut]

When it became time to get a cell phone, I wanted one with a good camera. So I went looking for a camera with attached cell phone. Yes, I found a good one and had a large memory chip installed. I have taken a lot of pics with the phone. It does a nice job. I also put a copy of the scriptures on it, so I always have those with me without carrying books. I always take it with me. It is in my shirt pocket. Once in a while I may use it for a phone call, but more likely a text message. Texting has become popular these days. Have a great Sunday!

[tedln]

I graduated from a perfectly good flip phone to a smart phone a few months ago. I fought against it for years, but my wife finally insisted I grow up and move into the twenty first century. Even my dentist agreed when my flip phone slipped from my pocket to the floor. He said "I can't believe anyone still uses one of those". I replied by saying "I can't afford a smart phone and a dentist." I would probably still be using a note pad for my "lists", but I can never find a pen or pencil and I can't read my writing anyhow. I sometimes drive into town with my cell phone lists in my pocket. When I get to town, I can't remember why I came to town. Has this forum become a senior care center for old gardeners?

[jal_ut]

" When I get to town, I can't remember why I came to town. "

I call it CRS Disease. "Can't Remember Stuff"

[Vanisle_BC]

"Can't Remember Stuff"

The kids interrupt Grampa in mid-story:
- "Gramps, we've heard all that before!"
- "I know but I enjoy telling it."

[tedln]

" When I get to town, I can't remember why I came to town. "

I call it CRS Disease. "Can't Remember Stuff"

When I can't remember why I came to town, I usually fill my tank with gas and head home to ask my wife why I went to town. I forget that cell phones also make phone calls. I could have called my wife and asked her why I am in town but she would simply say "I forgot you left the house, where are you and why are you there?"

[Vanisle_BC]

I find having a list on paper is most convenient for many things, like shopping or project steps to follow; but holding them in my 'memory' (haha), between thinking of them and getting to a situation where I can write them down, is a problem; so I carry a pocket recorder for that.

Our steam-driven cell phone (doesn't even flip ) is strictly for emergency, on a 'paygo' plan that costs almost nothing. I did inherit my son's old Blackberry but it's mostly just a pain-in-the-pocket (or the desk drawer.)