Weather - 1:00 PM ... Air: 38. Sunroom: 42. H: 71. L: 22. Soil: ?. RH: med. Sky: sun through thin clouds. Wind: ?. Birds ... Finally found the new suet feeder. Downy woodpeckers and chickadees visited.
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
December 11, 2012
Finally, a load of wood chips delivered to the gardens. Good stuff too. Fresh, clean and prime. Way on the other side of the gardens, however, couldn't be further away. I'd say it's got to be a quarter mile off. Did five very full wheelbarrow loads. Chipped the grape arbor area, most of the rear patio in front of the nursery and the small west-facing front patio. Listening Bach's 'Goldberg Variations', performed by Glenn Gould. Every day. Over and over again. The way I listened to music as a kid - driving everyone crazy.
Clearing to sun from showers, 40's. Good garden working weather. Sat pleasantly in the sunroom between barrows, almost 60° or so. The birds still haven't discovered the newly filled suet feeder. But birds sometimes take weeks to find a new feeder and feel confident enough to fly in.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
January 8, 2012
Added and formatted first installment of Olmsted article.
Trimmed a bucket full of zebra grass from small garden and turned it into bed A3 (last year's carrots, just in front of the ferns). Really lofted the soil. Also added last of compost from rear composter. Mined a wheelbarrow full of compost from community pile and added to A1. 40's, quite pleasant, sun and clouds.
Swore it would be a day off, and it sort of was. Lounged in the sunroom soaking up rays, meditating, ie. spacing out, thinking no particular thoughts.
Lunch at Haley House: brisket of beef, roasted potatoes, salad, rolls, gingerbread (didn't have). Everything perfectly done. Cooked by Kathleen O'Connor (who's also the H.H. Board Treasurer), her husband and their volunteer group. A great meal. Offered to work with her group.
Image ... Kylee with Kiwis.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
January 3, 2011
Writing In the Winter Garden article. Programming the new Roofscape, refining the design and functionality. Learning CSS and XHTML to do this, using the Headfirst O'Reilly guide from O'Reilly. Quite exciting.
To the garden in the late morning. In the 20's but the sun was slanting low and so strong it was quite comfortable, even just sitting in the sunroom. Pruned the bigger of the two willows and finished the smaller. Hauled the branches to the compost.
Walked all the way back across town for an appointment. All in all, probably walked close to 10 miles today.
Found a cookbook I really like, French Classics Made Easy by Richard Grausman.
Thought for now ...
... it appears probable that the progenitors of man, either the males or females or both sexes, before acquiring the power of expressing their mutual love in articulate language, endeavoured to charm each other with musical notes and rhythm.
...Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man.
Image ... Door, Dorchester.
Monday, January 2, 2012
January 2, 2012
Sunny, mid-40's, a sometimes stiff west wind. Worked in the garden between late morning to mid-afternoon.
Further pruning of grapes, finely chopping the vines into paving for the sunroom patio, which now has a dry raised floor.
Continued working in compost and garden debris from the composters, turning over the beds and turning in the materials to blend with the soil. Left the beds very rough, ungroomed, just as the sodden soil came off the shovel, in big clods. This will let plenty of air down in the soil to keep it drier and help decomposition of the organics.
Reorganized the sunroom and tool chests. Started picking the abundant Scarlet Runner beans. There will be pounds, lots on Mike's side of the fence. Pruned the willows by the front gate.
Got robbed the other day, my camera bag stolen with the Olympus (D-620L) digital camera, Eneloop charger and AA's, flash drive with image and HTML files, cell phone and charger, notebook with lots of new writing and almost full, passport and $200 cash. A hard loss, a real setback, great sadness.
Thought for now ...
Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.
... Mark Twain.
Image ... Tagging.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
January 1, 2012
The sun was out and the temperature in the mid-fifties. The day pulled me and the garden called with all the chores I'd been sloughing off since the continual floods of the fall dampened my motivation - and moreover ability, being under water - to do anything.
Started with a general cleanup, securing all the supplies and picking up and wheelbarrowing trash. Finished cutting up all the grape vine prunings and paved the sunroom patio with them, raising it up nicely out of the damp. Dug out more compost and unbroken-down plant debris, turning it into the planting beds. The four raised beds and the ground level bed by the sunroom (all very damp and collapsed from waterlogging) are now built up and lofted nicely.
The weather's supposed to be fairly nice tomorrow then turn really cold. So I think Monday, once it warms up by late morning, will be another garden appreciation day. After that, I'll hunker down in Snell Library, reopening tomorrow, and work on Roofscape.
Thought for now ...
It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly. And it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.
... Epicurus.
Image ... Shadows on sculpture. Northeastern University.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December 4, 2011
First frost in the garden. The dark mud rimed with a white dusting. The sodden paths now firmer underfoot. And this is December! The latest frost I can recall. Oh, there was a snowstorm around All Hallows' Eve, but that doesn't count. Frost is frost and snow is snow. No one ever skied on frost.
Our first fall frost usually descends between mid to late September. And this one was only in the gardens, sloping down toward the Muddy River. Nowhere else that I noticed in the city, a chill walk across town.
Image ... Nudes on a glass vase.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
September 23, 2010
Finished planting out the fall garden. Seeded fairly thickly to give the option of using early as micro-greens, since I'm planting so late in the season. All the tomatoes are gone. Brought back a bucket on the T. Now planted - lettuces, turnip greens, kales (Toscano and Russian Red, bew and existing), tarragon and oregano, existing), spinach, arugula, brocolli raab, collaeds (exisiting(, zucchini (existing).
The composters are overflowing. In addition to clearing all the beds, cut back the willow, grapes and ferns (to be used for the sunroom walls). My bike got stolen out of the garden. Very sad and troubling.
Quote of the Day
Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.
Aesop
Image ... Three Characters. South End, Boston.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
September 12, 2010
This was the view stepping onto the deck outside our old office on Beacon Hill in Boston. This is where we conceived of Roofscape Magazine, this was the inspiration, looking out over the roofscape of the city. The building, sadly, was later sold. It was a fun place.
Our garden in the Fenway is still very productive. We're picking tomatoes (still loads), eggplant, zucchini, collard greens, kale, sorrel, basil, tarragon, dill and thyme. Cleaning out the beds and starting to replant with cool weather crops - arugula, broccoli raab, lettuce, mustard and turnip greens, plus more kale and collards.
Rebuilding the sunroom, expanding it somewhat and super-insulating the walls. So far it's produced a maximum solar gain of around 45°. This means that if it's freezing out, 32°, your sitting quite comfortably in the high 70's, 77°. The gain depends on the cloud cover and time of day of course, but on cloudless days, in the late morning and early afternoon, the winter sun in the south is always very strong and, low in the sky, slants straight into the sunroom with real power.
I'm going to move both composters and their contents to flank the sunroom on the east and west sides to provide additional protection. This will cover the closet window on the we west side, but that's all torn apart and never did much anyway. Then I'll insulate the backside of the closet, which backs up to the closet of Chy-chy's sunroom facing to the west. That will steal some, or maybe all, of her closet space, but it isn't really being used anyway.
Then I'll keep insulating the top of the walls and over the closet. Finally the canopy, a new double layer of heavy translucent plastic sheeting over metal garden fencing. Need to find a new beam to support it, spanning between the walls, anchored to the fence posts at the back of the walls, something long and strong. Then infill inside with insulation and at the back outside where it rests on the walls.
Cutting down the fern brake to stuff the walls. They're all sunblasted, dry and withered, ideal insulation. This will also let me (try to) dig out the tenacious multiflora rose again, which springs eternal, trying to take over the bed once more. And maybe get rid of some bindweed and other noxious invaders.
It will be good to have the sunroom back. Sat in it yesterday and it felt wonderful. It's a simple passive solar technology that allows the garden to be experienced and enjoyed year around. It's the perfect place to write and read with lots of light. You feel enveloped in warmth, even with snow on the ground and the north wind raging. The insulating and non-infiltrating of air also make it a comfortable place in many cloudy or partly cloudy conditions - the walls are 18" thick with layers of plastic sheeting between the insulating materials.
The floor is made of wood chips. The walls all used to be chips too, but the supply has disappeared. Hence using ferns, grape vines and partly broken down compost in the main section and compost materials in all stages in the two wings, which will now be the garden's composters in fact.
The closet is a nice feature and it's proven to be fairly weatherproof. It holds all sorts of conveniences - blankets, jackets, changes of clothing, books, water bottles and waterproof seed storage cans. The closet door is the serves as the backboard, so it's open when in use which is why I want the closet better insulated. It's nice to have all this stuff on hand when needed and not get caught out or have to lug it all back and forth (my commute is now around 45 minutes - and that's in good weather).
Radio Roofscape reached 1,000 listeners overnight with a poetry set leading off with Dylan Thomas wonderfully reading his poem Fern Hill.
Continuing to read The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr, from which the entry below excerpts Letter from Birmingham Jail. It's such an inspiring work, and especially Letter. I carry it with me all the time, giving it a slow, close and careful read through. Of course it's completely marked up.
Freddie was picking vegetables in the garden yesterday afternoon when I arrived in the garden after work. Biking over to see Charles today and get some of my tools back, then continue downtown.
Image ... Roof deck. Beaver Place, Boston.
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 27, 2010
Here's The Cheech in her garden. Looking fabulous of course. Her mother, Chyna, does her hair and is the most inventive hair stylist. Over the years I've never seen her repeat herself. She's always creating fresh and fierce styles. Of course when you have perfection to work with it's inspiring.
Quote of the Day
Life is half spent before we know what it is.
George Herbert
Image ... Chychy in her garden. The Fenway, Boston.
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 5, 2010
Quote of the Day
Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.
Marie Curie
Image ... Lantern in Roofscape's garden. The Fenway, Boston.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010
Early, an inky blue sky. Yellow moon shing through the hemlock. Chattering chorus of birds. Wind sifting the trees. Surf of distant traffic. Sweep of jet. Yap of seagulls circling in the sky.
Dug out the composters further and added to planting beds. Chopped up the raspberry canes in Chychy's garden and spread over muddy areas on public path. Weeded her garden.
A work crew cleaning out the gardens in back of us cut off the grape vine on the uphill side of Chychy's garden. Now there's no privacy. I'm highly annoyed. On the other hand, they did get rid of that damned multiflora rose that was always invading. We're going to plant a lot of Scarlet Runner Beans.
Freddie dropped in and spent an hour or so on a work break. Neighbors - Mike, Ron, Richard B., Richard D, Tom, woman across the way. Visited Richard Barry and had a chat.
9:00-65°. H-79°. L-49°. Sky-100% clear. Wind-SW, 5-10. RH-low.
Image ... View from the grape arbor in the garden.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
May 4, 2010
Here's the plan we sketched in the depths of winter for Roofscape's 2010 garden in Boston's Fenway Victory Gardens. Since then, Freddie's joined us, so things have already changed even as we begin to break ground and plant, a month-and-a-half or so late due to flooding.
The garden is about 30' wide and 30' deep, 900 s.f. The diagonals of the square are located along the cardinal points of the compass. We receive 8-12 hours of sun per day, depending on the time of year. The garden is divided into 9-4'x4' and 5-4'x2'6" planting beds. The paths and the patios are paved with wood chips. Each corner of the garden has a patio. Top left is for tools and the plant nursery, top right is the grape arbor for relaxing and reading, lower right is the sunroom for sunbathing in cooler weather and lower left is a small patio for catching the late rays of the setting sun. Three composters flank the garden.
Mined the composter at the back of the garden and completely filled the adjacent bed, C3, dug in and groomed. Very rich, friable soil.
Biked the rest of the seed starting setup to the garden - saw horses, pots, starting containers, lids, etc.
The ferns, just a few and a few inches tall on Saturday, are now everywhere and unfurled to over a foot tall.
Weather ... 11:00-80°. H-84°. L-48°. Sky- clear, cloudless. W- SW, 5-10. RH- low.
Birds ... Baltimore oriole, Canada goose, grackle, mallard, mourning dove, red-winged blackbird, starling, white-throated sparrow.
Image ... Roofscape garden, 2010.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May 2, 2010
Turned over and groomed most of the remaining garden beds. Planted 4 Mexican Wild tomatoes. Started in late January, they are 18"-24" tall and have been flowering since early April. Weeded the paths while working. Picked up and disposed of trash tossed in garden over winter. Sat under the grape arbor and read. Found a moisture-proof metal can to store seeds in at garden. Did an inventory and stored.
To the left are the neat planting beds that she groomed and planted on Saturday with lettuce, cabbage, kale, zucchini, arugula and chives.
Clouds, then clearing, 70's.
Image ... Chychy with a bouquet of peonies from Phyllis's garden.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
May 1, 2010
Frederike and I went to the garden. Our garden season is getting going late due to all the flooding after 14" of rain in March, but the soil is now finally workable. The day was sunny, calm and in the 70's. Quite a change from the cool. wet and windy spring so far. Numerous neighbors were out.
Fred dug over and groomed three beds, planting out two with seeds and transplants brought down from Dot on our bikes. I pruned the raspberries in Chychy's garden (the fruit and flower side), started to weed and mow the lawn, then dug and groomed the tomato bed in our garden (the vegetable side). Read and relaxed, then biked back.
Image ... Saints for Sale. North End, Boston.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
March 28, 2010
Two client meetings in the morning, then to the garden. Below freezing when I left, warmed up to 50°, just barely, in the sunroom as the sky cleared for a hot minute. The flooding has subsided, down to one inundated bed. Was able to walk to the back of the garden on the wood chip path sloshing like a water bed. More rain predicted.
Sat in the sunroom. Read the free papers I'd collected along the way: Phoenix, Improper, Bay, Epoch, etc. The only kind I read. BP for music, IB for food, BW for dish, Stuff for random useless stuff, ET for, well, ET news, Metro for its bracing dose of intellectual rigor. I bypass Fashion Boston and Barstool Sports. Could be contagious.
Mating and nest building apace. Pine tree of grackles sounding like a haunted house of rusty hinges, cackling ghosts. Robins fishing in the sodden garden beds for drowned earthworms, pale as death, rebounding from their mud berths like rubber bands. Hawk hunting on high. Geese goosing (I guess). Mourning Doves calling mournfully, wistfully, fated in love. Sunday strollers, cruisers and sightseers. The other usual, but often flightier, fauna.
Image ... Statuette. Uphams Corner, Dorchester.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
March 25, 2010
Greeted at the garden by four hawks soaring together, a sight I've never seen, two couples circling one thermal. Maybe they were double dating, but there were none of those entwined daredevil courtship dives which precede mating.
Roofscape's garden was flooded, about half the beds were under water and all the paths turned into treacherous quagmires. I didn't have my camera with me, but the photo above shows a typical spring high water mark along the banks of the aptly named Muddy River. This might have been the year that, sitting high and dry on the small island surrounding the sunroom, I saw a muskrat swim through the garden.
Image ... Late spring flood in the Roofscape garden. The Fens, Boston.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March 20, 2010
To the garden. Flooded after the storm. Sat in the sun reading, doing mostly nothing. That's what gardens are for, to help you do nothing.
Bought a new, and much-needed, notebook for the camera bag at Staples. Got 6 jalapeno bagels with jalapeno cream cheese at Espresso Royale, Haviland Street, and a large collard greens at Mo's BBQ, corner of Magazine and Norfolk.
Image ... Incident in the Lagoon. Mission Hill, Boston.
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