Popeye

This is what writing my thesis looks like:Sadly the doctor took the camera when he left, so I am left with webcam photos. I seem to be quite interesting to Popeye the turtle, and she has been a good distraction for me.

Girl, I will be sad to see you leave this month.

Since I moved my desk close to the turtle tank, the cats have discovered her. Luke got so bold the other day that he "pow powed" her. The turtle turtled, then swim away.

Guerilla gardening part 2

A couple weeks ago the doctor and I went out and planted the Morning Glories on the west side of a set of stairs leading down into the river valley.

We used twigs to support the young plants, watered, fertilized, and crossed our fingers.

When the doctor originally suggested we do this, I had intended for it to be an outlet for my gardening urges. When we arrived to do our planting we were greeted by Brent, a guy from the neighborhood working out on the stairs. He was very interested in what we were doing, and our efforts were met with much enthusiasm. So much, I promptly started some more seeds for some sunflowers and checked out some new locations.

Below is the finished Morning Glory project.



It has been a couple weeks since we did the planting. The seedlings placed higher on the hill (to the right) are having a harder time. The soil is quite sandy, which means lower nutrients and a lower water holding capacity. I've been watering with a low dose fertilizer every few days, which has helped. Yesterday I tried to amend the soil with a peat moss/ soil mixture.

Things I have learned:

A/ Check soil quality (amend soil early on--by digging in compost).
B/ Be sure to plant on even terrain (so the water doesn't drain away).
C/ People like plants and actually appreciate guerrilla gardening :)

I don't have any updated photos. I don't think web cam photos will work out there :(

Morning glory- Guerilla gardening for under 20$

The Doctor and I plan on doing a bit of neighbourhood gardening this year. One of the plants we have chosen to use is Ipomoea violacea L or the Morning Glory. ($1.79) It requires full sun, and hopefully will withstand some neglect.

It has been a while since I have started plants from seed, I am on a much more restricted budget, and most of my plant gear has been packed away in my parents attic, so I am trying something new.

The package suggested soaking seeds on paper towels overnight ($0.00). I put the closed plastic container on top of the fridge, which is a fairly warm spot in our flat. Seeds germinated within 24 hours. I had almost a 100% germination rate.

I then used an old egg carton (also $0.00), filled it with soil and added 3 seeds per cup, covered with a dusting of potting soil (stuff we had around- but you can buy small bags for a couple dollars), watered and covered loosely with the egg carton lid. If I recall correctly, seeds need a correct red/blue light ratio to germinate and orient themselves.


This following a photo of the seeds at about 48 hours. I have removed the lid and am using it as a drip tray. I had intended on poking holes in the bottom of the egg cups, but they are drying out fairly quickly so I opted not to do this. I'd recommend using this method for smaller seedlings in the future.



It has now been about four days since they started and they are growing well. I will post more photos later.

Total cost $1.79.

Apparently...

thesis writing has corrupted my ability to write. I can't help but revise and revise and revise.

I will post cat photos, instead.

Mace toes!


And here is the eye of Obi. Obi seems to like to have his picture taken.



This photo shows that Obi is quite hairy. And even has eye brows.


And Luke... well. He just likes milk. It does a body good.

Chronicles of Bike Gang

Before this blog even starts, it is outdated. I now am (and have been for the past year or so) proud owner of this- a Kona Jake the Snake. So Three cats, Two legs, and One Bike Girl, is now Three Cats, Two Legs, and Two Bikes Girl. And divide the co-ownership of the cats, and I am down to One and a Half Cats, Two Legs and Two Bikes.

I am not counting on the leg number changing.

Taking advantage of the warm weather on Monday (which was about two weeks ago when I started writing this), I bombed over to my parents place. I took the new camera (Thanks Vik) hoping to get some good photos. Apparently, all the good wild life was used up on Sunday. And the batteries died by the time I got to Capilano park.

The bike route from my place to my parents place is on of my favorite routes in the city, which includes many "whee" hills. Please note both "wee" and "whee" have the same pronunciation.
"Whee" hills are not a measure of size, but the... err.. funness.

"Whee hill" necessarily imply expletives, the kind of which depend on the direction you are going. Go one way and you pant, wheeze, gasp, and curse the day you were born. Go the other way, and a whole lot of "Wheee" and brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm" involved.

And for the record, since I got my cross, the former are used far more often than with my mountain bike.

There is one particularly brutal hill a few minute from my place that is nearly un-bikeable on a cyclocross because of the gearing , and still challenging on a mountain bike.

I've been biking this hill quite a bit over the past few weeks. I have been "writing (the thesis) at home." This has allowed me the opportunity to bomb out regularly for a good bike ride to maintain my sanity.

Problem is, with the increased mileage (kilometerage?) I am getting really beefy again and I can't fit into my pants. SUX.