A Walk around the Howard County Conservancy - September 2013

Fall is a great time to take a walk around the Howard County Conservancy in Maryland. They have a fall festival planned for October 5 but the weather was so good this weekend that my husband and I decided to walk around on our own. We enjoyed being about to hear the insects and birds - and the signs of fall in both the meadow and the forest areas.

What do you think about the owl sculpture? It looks out over the nature play for children.

There are paths mowed through the meadow. The milkweed is ripening. We saw some that were splitting own and others that were still enclosed in a velvety husk complete with a milkweed beetle colony.

ThistlesThistles waved amid a sea of goldenrod.

There were young trees planted in the meadow; they still had protective tubes around their trunks. The dogwoods are easy to spot since they turn deep red while all the other trees are still green.

The wild carrot is making seeds. They look like a tangled ball…and they are a non-native plant that is quite prolific in North America.wild Carrot

It was a pleasant walk of just over a mile according to my husband’s pedometer...and we’d worked up an appetite for lunch. This is a place to come again as fall progresses.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 21, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

19th Century London Street Photography by John Thomson - Photographs of people in the streets of London during the later 1800s. I noticed the children in particular. John Thomson published his pictures in books and one of them is available on the Internet Archive: Street Life in London published in 1877.

The Geography of American Agriculture - Follow the link to the county-by-county crop maps from USDA to find out about where different food grows in the US.

Detailed Digital Flowers Radiate with a Magical Glow - I like flowers….event digital ones!

Obese Stomachs tell us diets are doomed to fail - Research has revealed that the mechanism that tells our brains how full we are is damaged in obese people…and it does not return to normal when they lose weight. Aargh! I’m not sure that means that diets are doomed to fail but it does mean that a person that has been obese may have to consciously limit the amount they eat for the rest of their lives rather than relying on their stomach-brain mechanism to tell them when they are full.

Mt. Zion dig reveals possible second temple period priestly mansion - Layers of structures and sorting out what it might mean - from a bathroom to a large number of murex shells to a cistern with pots and a stove in the bottom under rubbish.

Once-Majestic Cities That Sank Beneath the Ocean - There are quite a few - and some great pictures of the underwater remains: Alexandria, Egypt; Heracleion (or Thonis), Egypt; Canopus, Egypt; Yonaguni Jima Island, Japan; Saeftinghe, Netherlands; Port Royal, Jamaica; Baiae (Campania), Italy; Pavlopetri, Greece; Atlit, Israel; Lion City (Shi Cheng), China; Samabaj, Guetamala;

U.S. Drops in Share of Publications - Another indicator of globalization of science. The US is still producing 28% of the world’s share of manuscripts…but the percentage has been sliding in recent years (the absolute number of papers is holding steady).

They’re Taking Over! - The ‘they’ in this case are jellyfish. The New York Review of Books reviews Lisa-ann Gershwin’s book Stung! On Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean.

Giant Prehistoric Elephant Slaughtered by Early Humans - From 1000s of years before Neanderthals…from layers 420,000 years old…found along the route of a rail link from the Channel Tunnel to London and excavated in 2004.

Beautiful Glowing Portraits of a Bobtail Squid - Photograph by Todd Bretl.

3 Free eBooks - September 2013

It’s time again for the monthly post about eBooks that are freely available on the Internet. The three below are my favorites for September 2013.

Asbjørnsen, Peter Christen; Moe, Jørgen Engebretsen; Dasent, George Webbe, Sir; Nielsen, Kay Rasmus. East of the sun and west of the moon: old tales from the North. New York: G.H. Doran. 1922. Available from the Internet Archive here. Take a look at this eBook for the Kay Nielsen illustrations. They are outstanding. A synopsis of the story is available on Wikipedia here.

International Studio - An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art - Volume 51 (Issues from November 1913 to February 1914). New York: John Lane Company. 1914. Available from the Internet Archive here. What was the art world like just before World War I? Take a look at this volume to find out. One of my favorite  images is shown below; it’s called “An Interlude - the Breadman’s Donkey” from a wood engraving by Helen Hyde. Find out more about her via Wikipedia here. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery website has a collection of 126 pieces from this artist. Other artists featured in this magazine either were famous or became so afterward. It is well worth a look at the images online.

Moncrieff, Ascott Robert Hope. Bonnie Scottland; painted by Sutton Palmer. London: A. & C. Black. 1912. Available from the Internet Archive here. I loved the pictures of landscapes (mountains, streams, the sea) and castles. I picked a fall picture from the book to feature in this post - to fit the season we are beginning. This book is from the period just before World War I…the year the Titanic sank.

Baked Yogurt Custard

Icy cold smoothies made with plain non-fat yogurt have been a great way to get calcium through my diet this summer - but smoothies will not be appealing as the weather gets cooler. In the past week, I started looking for other ways to eat yogurt that are warming. My favorite so far is Baked Yogurt Custard.

Icy cold smoothies made with plain non-fat yogurt have been a great way to get calcium through my diet this summer - but smoothies will not be appealing as the weather gets cooler. In the past week, I started looking for other ways to eat yogurt that are warming. My favorite so far is Baked Yogurt Custard.

The basic idea is to use non-fat plain yogurt, fruit and eggs as the basis for custard rather than the more typical milk (usually with some fat), sugar, and eggs. The recipe below was my first experiment:

• 1 banana
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated sweet potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cup yogurt 

Slice banana into baking disk. Mash. Add other ingredients. Whisk thoroughly. Let mixture come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake custard until ‘set’ (it took about 30 minutes in my oven).

Let cool to comfortable eating temperature.

The resulting ‘custard’ is thick and has a pleasant tang from the yogurt and orange peel. Some discoveries with this initial recipe: 

• The grated sweet potatoes were a little crunchy (I was trying to clean out ingredients from the refrigerator and should have saved the sweet potatoes for something else!) and
• It probably was too much to eat at one sitting (but it was so good!) 

I’ll make some adjustments next time and try some other fruits similar to what I have been using in smoothies during the summer. Pumpkin custard using yogurt rather than evaporated milk sounds good too; it would require sugar of some kind (honey rather than white sugar?). It occurred to me that Baked Yogurt Custard could also be made with vegetables (different seasonings and no sugar) to be more quiche-like. It is a lower fat technique than using cheese or cream. And I will try cooking it in my crockpot rather than heating up the whole oven!

The bottom line of all this is that I’ll continue buying as much non-fat plain yogurt through the winter as I have all summer!

Longwood Gardens Spider Mums - September 2013

The conservatory at Longwood Gardens had a display of spider mums that seemed to glow in the sunlight shining through the glass wall. They start out as tightly furled bundles that look tangled but then uncurl in graceful arcs. Some the small spirals at the end of petals are maintained. These flowers are truly one of the glories of fall.

Feeling Energized at Home - 2013

Last year I wrote about September being my high energy month of the year - and it is still true in 2013. This year the energy level seems to be even greater and directed over a broader swath of activities.

Basil ready to dryLike last year, there is a lot to do outdoor as we near the end of the growing season. The red-purple leafed plum tree has lost enough leaves to begin raking; my plan it to spread them over the garden patch cleared of lemon balm, honeysuckle, and other wild plants in August. I’ll scatter seed pods from cone flowers and zinnias there so that flowers will grow there next summer under the sycamore.  I am also harvest basil and mint from the containers on the deck; the basil is already in a tray in the kitchen drying. The mint may take more than one tray so I’m waiting to cut and process it until the basil is dry and stored away for winter soups.

Clearing ‘stuff’ from the house is splitting into two efforts.

• Two T-shirt DressThe first is to change items into forms that are more useful. The two t-shirt dresses are an example I wrote about earlier this month. I’ve also made a Kaftan from a piece of fabric - using an old handkerchief for part of the neckline (I’ll post about it when I finish). I’ve also discovered that an old Mr. Coffee carafe (the machine itself has long since been replaced) with its handle removed fits in crockpot for baking and custards. We’ve also repurposed my husband’s the old chair mat that was cracked to protect the carpet under and around the cat litter.
• The second is to start reducing the number of ‘keepsake’ boxes. For over 15 years while my daughter was growing up we always had a box that was catching anything we did not immediately decide to recycle or trash. There are several boxes for every year! I’m going to use a ping pong table to make annual piles and I’m sure there will be quite a lot that is not worth keeping.

Considerable energy is going into planning for travel and guests for the next 6 months. I always like to do my research about places I travel and understand what guests will be most interesting in seeing when they are in town. I enjoy the planning almost as much as the activities planned!

I’ve already posted about classes in progress. There are now 4 Coursera classes in progress. They are all excellent - thought provoking in very different ways.

September is definitely a high energy month for me. It’s easy to be enthusiastic about everything in my days.

Leaves in September 2013

We are getting closer to fall every day. The reddish-purple leafed plum tree has already shed a lot of its leaves judging from what is on the lawn but still looks as lush as it did in the summer. Isn’t the color enhanced by the sun shining through the leaves?

The sycamore has patches of color that seem reddish in the sun but that are brown in the shadows and on the grown. The leaves seem light in on the tree in the breeze but thick, almost leathery, on the ground. Our tree has benefited from being in our garden where it gets a bit more water; the trees in the parking lot islands have already lost quite a few leaves because there was so little rain here in August.

OakOakThe oak tree is getting some swaths of color in the sea of green. The sun brings out the greens from summer than linger on.

The tulip poplar has not lost many leaves yet but the leaves are looking battered at this point and the yellow they will become as fall progresses is already apparent when the sun shines through them.Tulip Poplar

Some of the maples in the neighborhood have a few red leaves but our tree is still green - everywhere.Maple

I am enjoying the closer look at the month to month changes in our trees this fall. Take a look back at the August post to see the leaves from a month ago.

Becoming 60 - Part I

I read May Sarton’s Journal of a Solitude recently - her journal from the years leading up to her 60th birthday. Published in 1973, it was full of angst caused by the recognition of the delta between what she wanted in life and reality. She wanted to be a poet but had become more successful as a writer of journals and memoirs - and not as well-known as a writer in either genre as she had envisioned.  Her personal life had not turned out well either; she found herself living alone and realizing that her relationships with people were best in short bursts rather than full-time living in close proximity….but also feeling profoundly lonely when there was no one to share something very good (or very bad) just as it happened to her. The version of the book I read was a paperback from the 70s and the glue cracked, releasing the pages as I read. It felt symbolic of the different way I feel as I approach 60.

Letting go of old angst left from career or personal relationships is very easy for me. It flutters away like the pages falling out of the book - not forgotten but simply a part of my history. There is less of it in my life than Sarton’s although it may be that my outlook on life has always been more positive than hers. The future has always looked full of fabulous opportunities and most of the time the present does too. It helps that I have a lot of family living --- and 40+ years of marriage and a child. Sharing joy somehow increases the highs; and maybe the lows never get quite as low in the environment I’ve helped created for myself and for them.

Sarton’s descriptions of the outdoors around her house in Nelson, NH were the parts of the book where I feel the most affinity with her: the beauty seen through a window, the cycles, the fight against animals eating the garden (she had wood chucks, I have deer), and enjoying cutting flowers to bring indoors.

Sarton would live more than 20 years after writing this book but there is a foreboding in this book that implies that she views the best of her life as ‘over.’ In contrast, I see 30 or 40 years of life ahead and the tenor of my life now most resembles that time in my 20s when I was making a lot of decisions about what I wanted to be. The interlocking components of life are shifting and, in some ways, the decisions are more my own than back when I needed to choose a career that I could enjoy and support my family. What a boon the advent of Coursera and the Internet Archive has been as I indulge interests that I’ve not had time in the past 40 years to pursue as often as I wanted.

I chose a September sunrise picture to illustrate this post because I perceive the future as bright as the morning’s east horizon.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 14, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

World’s Largest LED Streetlight Retrofit Completed in Los Angeles - I wonder if the fixtures are also designed to direct light downward rather than in all directions. It would be wonderful to see the stars in the sky again!

Macrophotographs of insects - Don’t let the first picture deter you look at this article! There are some beautiful ones further down in the series….the dogbane beetle with iridescent red, yellow and green on its wings and blues and greens everywhere else…the leafhopper sharpshooter with its red body and white and black wings.

Edible Coatings for Ready-To-Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables - An overview of the coatings used to help fruits and vegetables retain freshness. They are edible…but some don’t sound very appealing. As for finding a coating that would work for sliced bananas - one of the appeals of bananas is that they are easy to peel and a good serving size. Their natural packaging is one of the reasons they are so popular!

Researchers’ Tweets Move Science Forward - A study of 116 marine scientists actively using Twitter. Does this translate to other disciplines?

University of Arizona Cooking on Campus (recipes) - There are some good ideas on this list. I tried the Mini Deep Dish Pizzas (made them in a muffin top pan rather than a regular muffin tin) and they were delicious. My daughter made the Quinoa Ratatouille and reported that it was a winner too.

Has the World Reached Peak Chicken? - As we become more health conscious, will be eat even more chicken? We tend to ignore the industrial treatment (or mistreatment) of the birds just as we do other domesticated animals. And what about the trend toward more heavily processed chicken? I always buy cut up parts these days but remember well the draw of chicken nuggets for children. Or will we have more veggie days?

This girl ages into an old woman before your eyes without you noticing - The video is just under 5 minutes and well worth viewing. The ‘old woman’ does not look that old to me. When I think ‘old’ I think of someone in their 90s.

Interlude in Pittsburgh - Lots of pictures from a trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Cathedral of Learning. Brought back great memories of a road trip about 10 years ago when we used the Cathedral (like being at Hogwarts) as a stop before continuing down the highway.

State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees - I’m always a little uncomfortable about these analyses and a particular segment of the population. Are the taxes ‘friendly’ to one group and not to others? For example - do states that are ‘friendly’ to retirees underfund education for children?

How do chameleons and other creatures change colour? - Chamelons and octopuses...some animals have the ability to make very rapid adjustments to their color.

World Happiness Report 2013 - The most recent addition was published this last week. The US is 17th in the world - just behind Mexico. The 6 variables that explain 75% of the variation in the national averages are: real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption, and generosity.

Longwood Gardens Cannas - September 2013

Cannas have associations to people and places for me: 

• To my grandparent’s garden in Oklahoma in the ‘60s and ‘70s. They were the tall, luxuriant plants between the flower garden on the side facing the street and the vegetables on the other.
• To my parent’s garden now where some of the descendants of bulbs from my grandparent’s garden probably still grow - plus some other colors that have been purchased since.
• To my sister’s garden where they are now healthy again after a year of struggle with something that caused their large leaves to stick in the furled position. 

The variety of cannas at  Longwood Gardens - both in the Conservatory and outdoors - were good reminders. I’d not seen pink ones before. They were in the later part of their bloom cycle. The orange and yellow cannas were in their prime. I noticed when I looked at my photographs after I got home that I didn’t take any pictures of the red ones!

Longwood Gardens Indoor Children’s Garden - September 2013

Mosaic under water

Dragon stair railing

Water umbrellas

Bird nest fountain

Floor mosaic

Hummingbird fountain

Ibis bubblers

Newt fountain

The Indoor Children’s Garden at Longwood Gardens was empty of children when we arrived earlier than usual last weekend. Every other time we have been in the gardens there have been at least a few children there - and sometimes it was pretty crowded. My daughter enjoyed the precursor to this enlarged garden when she was young. She delighted in the child height fountains where she could put her hands in the water. When the garden was renovated several years ago, even more water features were added and there is a visual richness beyond lush plantings that includes sculpture, mosaic, and stained glass.

The garden light is dappled - leaning toward the shady side. The stained glass lends color and tall plantings of bamboo create walls of green or round vertical elements extending from low growing plants.

Birds and lizards are the dominate themes for the fountains: peacock, hummingbird, ibis, robin, and newt are included in this post. Some are at a height for a toddler…others are about right for a child of 4 or 5. One fountain had some water toys. The best times to enjoy this garden with a child would be on a warm day….and it would be a good idea to bring a towel for when they are ready to trek onward to another garden.

Longwood Gardens - September 2013

We had a beautiful day last weekend to make a day trip to Longwood Gardens in southeastern Pennsylvania. I’ll be making thematic posts in the next week or so - but am showing the ‘best of the rest’ today.

We arrived within about 30 minutes of the garden opening and immediately headed for the conservatory since tripods are allowed during those first hours and my husband had some particular photographic experiments in mind. We wandered through the Indoor Children’s Garden (one of the upcoming thematic posts) before there were any children enjoying it.

The large conservatory rooms and exhibition hall were lush with green and every color of flower imaginable. After briefly going outside to the water lily display (another upcoming thematic post) we passed through the Mediterranean Garden and then, after a lot of picture taking in the orchid house (another upcoming thematic post) all the way to the cascade garden on the other end of the complex from the Children’s Garden before taking a short rest on an outdoor bench to look at the map to decide what else we wanted to see in the conservatory; the answer was the tropical terrace and silver garden. The ‘flower unfolding’ series below of one of the tropical plants from the tropical terrace.

Chimes TowerAnd then it was out into the rest of the garden - full of colors and textures. The fountains were lively (upcoming thematic post); my favorite is always the Italian Water Garden. The Meadow is closed to renovation and expansion until next summer but there is a wonderful border of wild flowers along the fence. The Chimes Tower rose from lush vegetation covered with ivy. There was a model train in one of the gardens and ripe vegetables in the demonstration garden. I’ve picked some of the best images for the slide show below.

Classes without Tests

When I first started taking Coursera courses, I did everything: listened to videos, made notes, read supplementary material, took tests, and participated in discussion forums. The only rationale I had for tests was that it verified that I had indeed picked up the most important points from the instructor. Most of the time my score was 100% or one missed.

At this point in my life - there is no purpose of proving what I have learned to anyone…and what I want to learn may actually be somewhat different than the main points of the instructor. I stopped taking the tests this past summer. It is refreshing to realize I’ve overcome the mindset developed through so many years of ‘school’ that learning must be tested to be real.

My purpose in taking the courses is to gain a framework into other - perhaps tangential - areas relative to the topic of the course. It seems to happen automatically. The richness of the resources available on the internet and when I travel is so tremendous that I find myself savoring the relative order of the courses as the starting point for lots of other exploring.

I hope the Coursera folks realize that there are probably a lot of people like me that are getting a lot from their offerings - even though we are not taking the tests.

I-95 over the Susquehanna

Interstate 95 crosses the Susquehanna north east of Baltimore. We were traveling from the Baltimore area toward Philadelphia early enough in the morning on a day trip recently to see the mists coming off the water between the bridge and the railroad bridge that crosses the river at Garrett Island and further way the Pulaski Highway (US 40) that crosses the other end of the island. The mists were moving like ghosts over the water.

Coming back later in the day, the mists had burned away looking the other direction from the bridge. There were boats on the water and further way the rapids where the river becomes rocky.

The river scene was a good bracket - beginning and end - to the sights of the day.

Day Trip Picnic

Yesterday was the perfect day to be outdoors and enjoying gardens. As I packed our small ice chest with a picnic lunch, it occurred to me how improving our diet has changed what we pack. No chips or soft drinks this time!

Here’s what we packed: 

• Morning snack: apple
• Lunch: ham sandwich made with whole wheat bread and hummus spread; tomatoes, pepper strips, cucumber with hummus for dip
• Afternoon snack: dry roasted soybeans/peanuts
• Bottles of: water and tea 

I’ll post more about our day trip in the days ahead.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 7, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Patent Overlay Mapping: Visualizing Technological Distance - Powerpoint of graphics depicting how patents cite each other in the 2000-2006 time period. The first series is by companies (Samsung, DuPont, IBM, and Philips) and the second is by research topic: nano biosensors, dye-sensitized solar cells, and graphene). The whole paper is available here.

Is being overweight OK after all? - A look at the analysis of weight and mortality  (not quality of life). The studies were adjusted for age, gender and smoking but not for fitness or chronic disease indicators.

Massive Stick Sculptures Resemble Castles, Nests and Cocoons - I like the size and shapes of these structures. It looks like the artist is creating about one per month (upcoming installations listed on his web site here). I’d like to see one. The closest to me would be the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA) in October… or maybe I should plan a return trip to Cheekwood Botanical Garden (Nashville, TN) next March.

Our Cultural Addiction to Phones, In One Disconcerting Video - How often have you seen scenes similar to this video? The impact this cultural addiction is having on relationships is still developing. I am glad that the people I am around most of the time are more focused on the people they are with than their phones.

Half of the U.S. lives in these 146 counties - is yours one of them? - The answer for me is ‘no’ but several of the counties that boarder where I live are on the list.

NASA Moonshot Will Test Laser Communications - A precursor to commercial internet satellite services using optical connections instead of today’s radio links.

Going Solar: Options For Homeowners Infograph - Solar panels are not the only option

New Effective Treatment for High Blood Pressure? Removing Tiny Organ - Interesting finding…but is there a side effect of removing the carotid body connection to the brain? Isn’t it still potentially treating the symptom rather than the cause…and whatever is causing the high blood pressure may still be shortening life?

Out of Sync - Your body has multiple clocks…what happens when they are out of sync? Why eating when you normally are sleeping is a bad idea.

2013 International Bedroom Poll - Comparing sleep times, attitudes, habits, and bedtime routines of 25-55 year old people from around the world. (PDF)

Making a Two T-Shirt Dress

About a week ago I had one of those ideas that come just before sleep that kept me awake for at least an hour - working out the details and making plans. The idea was to reuse some T-shirts my husband had culled from his closet (the neck was stretched out, the underarm fabric was rotting, or the cat had made a hole trying to untangle a claw) to extend the length of some of my T-shirts into dresses. I have quite a few T-shirts and tend to not put them on frequently enough to ever wear them out…and I enjoy wearing the one knit dress I have during the hot days. I came up with several ideas about how to put the dresses together to get enough length for a dress.

In the morning I started my first Two T-shirt Dress. I started with a turquoise T-shirt that I’d used for painting - managing to get some splatters on the bottom hem. The pattern on the front of the shirt ended for a high waist - a good place to cut. A Black t-shirt with a little writing on the upper front was in the pile from my husband; I cut the bottom off just under the arms. His shirt was a little bigger around that mine was so I made side seams in the black tube to make it the same circumference as the turquoise one. The dress needed more length so I was going to have to use the turquoise piece I had cut off at the bottom of the dress. I cut the hem off the black T-shirt so that the seam would be less bulky and cut the teal peak on the bottom so that there would be a slit to make walking easier. Both bottom pieces were use inside out from the original shirt so I had to turn up a hem in the lower teal shirt portion. I used a stretch stitch for the seams and then finished the edges together with a zigzag stitch.

The second dress was even easier. I decided to just add onto the end of my light blue T-shirt because the pattern was so large. The bottom was cut from a navy blue T-shirt and simply gathered onto the bottom of the light blue T-shirt (I cut the hem from the light blue shirt to reduce the seam bulk. The original hem of the navy blue T-shirt became the hem for the dress - so this was a one seam dress!

The third dress was the hardest because I had to piece the ‘skirt’ part to get enough length. I decided that I didn’t want to length in the lighter color and I didn’t want it again at the bottom of the dress either. Also - I did not realize until after the dress was made that it would need to have some elastic at the waist because it looked way too big otherwise. I made the casing for the elastic by stitching the edge of the seams attaching the lighter shirt to the skirt.  I'll probably tie a scarf around the waist of this one.

All three of these dreses are going to be worn frequently until it gets cooler.

When my 40 year old sewing machine actually worked after I oiled it, I thought I would use it for some fabric/thread doodling - maybe make a small quilt - but I am way more satisfied with my Two T-shirt Dress project!

Plants on the Deck

I just finished reading May Sarton’s autobiography from when she was in her 50s - Plant Dreaming Deep. She describes her move to Nelson NH. The garden around the house appears frequently in the book: how it looks from various windows of the house, the cutting of flowers in the morning, the weeding and planting of the afternoons, the taming of brush to reveal a stone wall, the agony of a drought when there was not enough water available for the plants.

I’ve experienced similar thoughts about the garden at my house - particularly with the plants in pots on my deck. It is not a particularly large grouping (this year) and there are only a few types of plants: zinnias, cardinal flowers, mint (3 kinds), and basil (2 kinds).

Hummingbird and cardinal flowerThey are visible from the window over the kitchen sink, through the French door from the breakfast area and the screened in part of the deck. The most frequent viewing is from the kitchen window - when I wash vegetables, get a cup of tea, or stand leaning over the sink to eat a juicy orange or peach. I notice the butterflies, hummingbirds, and goldfinches most frequently from there. There is a chair in the breakfast area turned to look outward for longer observation. When I sit on the deck - I sometimes look at the pots but am more frequently listening to the bird and cicada songs.Tiger swallowtail and zinnia

The plants each have their own mini-story.

The zinnias are from seeds my sister saved from her garden. They are degenerates of hybrids but I find the variety appealing and the insects/birds love both their nectar and seeds. I also like to cut a single flower for a bud vase on my desk.Goldfinch and zinnia seed pod

The mint has been propagated from various places around the house and into pots via cuttings. My favorite is the variety that grows in my daughter’s old turtle sandbox although I cut all varities to dry for use with black tea to make my favorite beverage: mint tea. Mid-way through the season I was introduced to the notion of creating pots of plants that included three components: thriller, spiller, and filler. Mint will be the “spiller and filler” for next year.Mint (pot and turtle sandbox) on right and zinnia on left

Zinnia and cardinal flowerThe cardinal flower was a gift from a volunteer organization I worked with earlier in the season. It is expanding into the large pot I put it in. It will be one of the “thriller” plants for next year. I may start another pot from seed as well. It certainly likes to be kept wet; discovering a long lost, half-full bag of peat moss in the garage just before I created the pot was fortunate. I already have a few mint plants that have taken root at one edge of the pot.

The basil seeds were gifts: seed balls from my daughter and a collection of seeds from my husband (that I thought might we too old to sprout). I cut a few leaves for a salad or sauce several times a week and have - so far - kept it from going to seed.

I keep the plants hydrated with water collected from cleaning fruits and vegetables - unless it is very hot and more is needed. The zinnias visibly droop when they need water; they are the indicator plant for watering.

I am full of plans for next year already. More large pots on my wish list for birthday and Christmas - and I’ll look for pot sales too. And I’m thinking of plants for next year too:

• Thrillers: zinnias, cardinal flower
• Fillers: basil, parsley, mint, cilantro
• Spillers: mint, sweet potato

The rest of the flower beds and gardens around the house are not completely unnoticed, but the pots on the deck are the ones I see most frequently. They are a very special luxury!

Discoveries during Outdoor Chores

Yesterday I was out early - to avoid the heat of the day - to clean out the weeds growing between the house and the bushes. My husband had noticed them when we were re-installing screens on the windows after replacing the screen material. As I was gathering my tools - I noticed something on my long handled pruners. At first I thought it was a large spider; on closer inspection it was a mantis. I went inside to retrieve my camera. The insect moved from the wooden to the green metal part of the handle which made it easier to see his posture. He posed for pictures and hung on with more vigor than I expected when I decided that I really did need to get to work rather than continuing to watch him.

After the contortioned work of cutting the bushes where they would not brush the shutters and pulling the weeds that were growing in the narrow space between them and the brick of the house, I made the first trip to deliver the plant debris to the forest behind the house. As I rounded the corner, I noticed how wonderful the pyracantha berries looked - with some green and some orange. The bush is full of bunches this year and I’ll probably cut some branches for a fall centerpiece when they reach their full orange glory.

There is always something that is changing or new outdoors…and chores often give us enough time to realize it. Outdoor chores provide a great opportunity to slow down and savor the natural world.

High Nutritional Value Salad Dressings

One of the challenges of a weight loss strategy that includes a low calorie/high nutrition component is salad dressing. The commercial salad dressings tend to have relatively little nutritional value for the amount of calories they add to the salad. I’ve discovered two alternatives that are so good I’ll probably stop buying commercial salad dressings and look for more alternatives that are similar to the two I am enjoying now. Here are the two:

Hummus. I bought a tub of commercially prepared roasted garlic hummus and tried it first as a dip for veggies. Then I used it to make egg salad (very simple…just combined eggs, celery and the seasoned hummus - no other seasoning required). Now I’ve started using a heaping tablespoon into just about any salad in lieu of dressing.

Guacamole. You can make your own or look for Wholly Guacamole in your grocery store. They make ‘mini’ packages that are a perfect size to use for a salad.

What other alternatives am I going to check out? The only requirements are that it 1) stick to the salad ingredients and 2) add a good flavor. Here is my ‘things to try’ list: 

• Tahini or peanut butter mixed with salsa and extra basil and/or orange zest
• Chia seeds and salsa
• Tahini or peanut butter pureed with some orange sections, fresh mint, orange zest
• Differently seasoned hummus (commercially prepared)
• Homemade hummus with seasonings different that available in the commercially prepared 

As you can tell - I am not a fan of vinegar…or I would certainly be including it in some of the items on my list!

Any other ideas?