Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!



Recent Entries
Absent Friends
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022
Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022
OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published. Contact OrangeEnt for info:
maildrop62 at proton dot me
Cutting The Cord And Email Security
Moron Meet-Ups






















« Kellogg's Goes Woke, Kendi Should Go Broke | Main | Ace of Spades Pet Thread »
October 30, 2021

Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread, October 30

cookie cutter pumpkin.jpeg

Using Cookie Cutters to Carve Pumpkins
(See other Halloween food and decorating tips, too.)

Happy Fall! And Happy Halloween Weekend! We have some interesting content today, some of it sort of Halloween-ish. Some not so much.

Night at Illiniwek's Farm


Don't know that you would want a critter as big as that deer coming up on you when it's real dark. Fun to see with the night cam, though. Who has an I.D. on the second critter?

Thanks to CBD for formatting the video.

Disconcerting and Disconcerted Critters

From Tony Anthoney:

Your chicken coop photo reminded me of a sight I saw at the Merck Farm near Dorset Vermont last weekend. The plastic owl did not deter the red tail. The ladies in the barn are crowded against the back fence mourning poor Sally (who appears flattened under the feet of the raptor).

chickhawk1.jpeg

chickhawk2.jpeg

Bing tells us about Ravens

With their black feathers standing in sharp contrast to the misty Alaskan background, this group of ravens perched on a leafless tree conjures up a fitting image for this spooky time of year. In the folkloric traditions of many cultures around the world, these highly adaptable, intelligent birds have been considered symbols of all manner of unpleasantness. In Chinese mythology, they're blamed for bad weather, while Celts associated them with warfare. In some Native American traditions ravens are often represented as mischievous tricksters, while many European cultures associate them with evil spirits, usually of demonic origin. In English, a gathering of ravens like this is even called an 'unkindness'!

But the truth about these birds is that they are intelligent and sociable creatures, who happen to be very good to each other. They usually forage for food in pairs, are highly communicative, and love to play. Ravens also mate for life and are devoted parents who both fully participate in the raising of their fledglings. These super-smart birds even console each other, offer each other gifts, and recognize other friendly birds as well as individual human faces. So, while they may look menacing, you'll probably get along with them just fine if you treat them with respect. If not, well, these birds have been known to hold a grudge! After all, another term for a group of ravens is 'conspiracy.' Let's try to stay on their good side.

Quote of the day Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door! Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore.' - -Edgar Allan Poe

Chihuahuan_Raven_From_The_Crossley_ID_Guide_Eastern_Birds.jpg

Chihuahuan Ravens

Chihuahuas (the dogs) hunt birds. Don't know if they hunt these.

More fascinating facts about ravens from the Farmer's Almanac, including differences from crows, such as: Ravens are often seen alone or in pairs, while crows often fly and feed in a group, referred to as a murder.

Why are scorpions flourescent? A rather long exploration into possible reasons. With some illustrations of how to catch scorpions at night.

We're not that far from Bakersfield, but I have never seen a scorpion here. Wind scorpions, yes. I don't think they fluoresce.

wind scorpion.jfif

Garden Funnies

spiders eat parents.jpg

Monarch Season Coming to an End (in most places)

How cold is too cold for Monarch caterpillars?

First, the simple answer. For Monarchs and those that do not go into diapause as caterpillars, if the lows are above freezing and the day temperatures are above 65-70 F (18.33-21 C), they'll be fine. As cold-blooded critters, if temperatures drop too low, they'll literally freeze. If temperatures don't climb high enough in the day, they can't eat and will either contract disease from their weakness and die or will die from starvation.

Next comes the question of bringing them inside when it is too cold outside. When they emerge as adults, what if it will be too cold to release them outside?

indoor caterpil.jfif

Indoor caterpillars

They can be fed indoors and kept contained. We recommend Gatorade (not low calorie) as food. If it isn't too cold, they can be released.

Gatorade. For butterflies.

new monarch.jfif

Puttering

Autumn Friendship Quilt

autumn friendship quilt.jpg

Last Week

Very nice, late entry from Shanks for the memory:

Hummingbirds love Guara too...I planted a row in front of the veggie garden fence and it's a major battle zone.

It's raining in the Central Valley, thank the Gods, we can breathe again after the almond harvest. I still have tons of Banana, Bell, Marconi & Cubanelle peppers. We have started picking the Manzanillo, mission, and kalamata olives to cure. Seems to be a banner year with nice plump olives. To me, other than a freezer full of meat, nothing says luxury like jars of cured olives.

Deer breached our fences this year and helpfully pruned the grapevines and the climbing roses. I planted a red rose on one corner post and a white on the opposite post of the veggie garden front fence...they meet in the middle of the arbor over the gate. This year York was winning.

Wow.

Gardens of The Horde

Hi KT. We enjoy your post every week.

I think I've commented maybe once or twice at Ace's so you can call me MostlyHarmless.

We needed to move the Brugmansias in because of an early freeze this year. We live in zone 8. They sit in the attached double garage and are safe when the cold comes. When there's light enough I open the door so they can catch as many photons as possible. They've dropped most of their leaves but the blossoms are mostly holding on. The sweet evening aroma is enough to knock one over. Looks like a choir about to burst into song.

These guys have been having a contest this year. One will go way overboard with the blooms then the other says "Oh yeah? Watch this." then poops out an explosion of blooms. Junior is ahead in this iteration.

The one on the left is 3 years old the one on the right is two years old.

Thought you might like to see them but I can't attach that sweet smell.

Thanks for the great details. Impressive plants!

BrugsInHiding.jpg


If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at that g mail dot com place

Include the nic by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ,
unless you want to remain a lurker.

digg this
posted by K.T. at 01:13 PM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
steevy: "The excuse they are using is "well Trump will hara ..."

garrett: ">>Posted by: weft cut-loop at December 03, 2024 05 ..."

Scarymary: "@236 Rogan is also on Youtube https://tinyurl.c ..."

weft cut-loop[/i][/b] [/s]: "Ah, nvermind. FOund it on YouScrewb ..."

Soothsayer: " Here are chris "thumb" cillizza and cuck todd ta ..."

bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door : "Elon could buy MSNBC, and let the on air "talent" ..."

Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar: "Bring Back the Fireside Chat. And use it to Declas ..."

[/i][/b]andycanuck (hovnC)[/s][/u]: "220 I would like to see a channel dedicated to Bum ..."

Ciampino - the perp walk - YES: "Who was it that got the 3 am wake up, leg irons an ..."

Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner: "Make Test Patterns Great Again. ..."

People's Hippo Voice: "Patel has said he would reveal the Epstein/Diddy l ..."

weft cut-loop[/i][/b] [/s]: "[i]BTW - The Joe Rogan Podcast w/ Mike Benz is one ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64