Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[sb photos]

59 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

I now have six….yes, SIX! Monarch caterpillars in my butterfly cage.
Now I’ll need to teach a Spanish class, rather than tutor one student of the wiggly kind.
Nature is wondrous.

This morning in the kitchen I went to pull a knife from the drainer and noticed a small green hairless caterpillar on the knife handle. It likely came from a nearby potted basil plant, their leaves are wonderful, and suspect catapillars agree with me. Likely a common cabbage white caterpillar, not as exotic as your Monarch’s Betty.

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, sb photos said:

This morning in the kitchen I went to pull a knife from the drainer and noticed a small green hairless caterpillar on the knife handle. It likely came from a nearby potted basil plant, their leaves are wonderful, and suspect catapillars agree with me. Likely a common cabbage white caterpillar, not as exotic as your Monarch’s Betty.

I was surprised to find some of you (Bryan) mention cabbage whites as a pest. Since I don’t raise vegetables other than tomatoes, I guess they must be a pest on said veggies. I have taken a few beautiful photos of them.

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Betty LaRue

[Bryan]

Yes cabbage whites are a major pest as far as brassicas are concerned, the caterpillars will destroy a cabbage as soon as look at it. The trick is to find the eggs before they hatch and destroy them. Doesn't sound great, but a better solution than pesticides that the commercial growers use.

 

However my good thing today involved a challenging bike ride, the longest and hardest I've attempted since Covid came onto the scene. It's a ride I've done several times in the past, but not getting any younger, and lacking practice, it was going to be a challenge. In essence I aimed to ride up to Consett - about 900 ft above sea level - using a circular route, distance probably rather more than  40 miles. 

 

I deliberately took it easy, but was well and truly cream crackered by Consett. However a rest, a cup of tea, and a bite to eat put me right and meant I could enjoy the descent back to civilization.

Edited August 12, 2021 by Bryan

[aphperspective]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

Yes cabbage whites are a major pest as far as brassicas are concerned, the caterpillars will destroy a cabbage as soon as look at it. The trick is to find the eggs before they hatch and destroy them. Doesn't sound great, but a better solution than pesticides that the commercial growers use.

 

However my good thing today involved a challenging bike ride, the longest and hardest I've attempted since Covid came onto the scene. It's a ride I've done several times in the past, but not getting any younger, and lacking practice, it was going to be a challenge. In essence I aimed to ride up to Consett - about 900 ft above sea level - using a circular route, distance probably rather more than  40 miles. 

 

I deliberately took it easy, but was well and truly cream crackered by Consett. However a rest, a cup of tea, and a bite to eat put me right and meant I could enjoy the descent back to civilization.

Well done on the bike Bryan, I grow all my Cabbages under nets which stops the Butterfly but not the slug!!!. Gardening is a constant war of attrition it's supposed to be relaxing.🙂

[Michael Ventura]

In another follow-up from my cardiologist, he called a little bit ago, after having blood work done this morning.  He seemed upbeat about my chemistry panel, everything was within "normal" tolerance.   I'll take it! Have an echocardiogram tomorrow and then he will give me a full assessment of my situation.  So nice to have such an attentive doc. 

[Bryan]

2 hours ago, aphperspective said:

Well done on the bike Bryan, I grow all my Cabbages under nets which stops the Butterfly but not the slug!!!. Gardening is a constant war of attrition it's supposed to be relaxing.🙂

Cheers Andrew !  We grow our brassicas under nets to keep the wood pigeons off, but the nets are too coarse to prevent butterflies from getting in. Not sure that finer netting would be cost effective as we have quite a large number of beds to cover, and have a stock of the stuff, but I may look into it.when the time comes to buy replacements.

 

Re slugs, I confess that we use some slug pellets, but they are put into weighted yoghurt pots to avoid touching the soil. It's probably the only non organic thing we do.

[Betty LaRue]

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

Cheers Andrew !  We grow our brassicas under nets to keep the wood pigeons off, but the nets are too coarse to prevent butterflies from getting in. Not sure that finer netting would be cost effective as we have quite a large number of beds to cover, and have a stock of the stuff, but I may look into it.when the time comes to buy replacements.

 

Re slugs, I confess that we use some slug pellets, but they are put into weighted yoghurt pots to avoid touching the soil. It's probably the only non organic thing we do.

Are the slugs those slimy things that leave a silver trail? If so, set out some beer in shallow lids. Doesn’t matter if it’s gone flat. Slugs love it and will crawl in and drown. Or maybe they get drunk and pass out. 😁I had a strawberry bed once before the tree grew so big and shaded it out. The slugs were eating the strawberries. I put out beer and couldn’t believe how many dead slugs I had come morning. Of course the critters do their dirty work at night, like vampires. Beer won’t hurt the environment as far as I know.

[sb photos]

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Are the slugs those slimy things that leave a silver trail? If so, set out some beer in shallow lids. Doesn’t matter if it’s gone flat. Slugs love it and will crawl in and drown. Or maybe they get drunk and pass out. 😁I had a strawberry bed once before the tree grew so big and shaded it out. The slugs were eating the strawberries. I put out beer and couldn’t believe how many dead slugs I had come morning. Of course the critters do their dirty work at night, like vampires. Beer won’t hurt the environment as far as I know.

We have a plague of really big slugs. I found they can sniff out wet cat food and biscuits from some distance, and there can be multiple slugs feeding on remains that a fussy cat won’t eat. At first I thought the slugs would fill up on the cat food and then have no appetite for plants, but I was wrong. I now go into the garden late in the evening and early morning with a decorators filling knife putting and end to the slugs, it’s the only effective way. 

[aphperspective]

11 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Are the slugs those slimy things that leave a silver trail? If so, set out some beer in shallow lids. Doesn’t matter if it’s gone flat. Slugs love it and will crawl in and drown. Or maybe they get drunk and pass out. 😁I had a strawberry bed once before the tree grew so big and shaded it out. The slugs were eating the strawberries. I put out beer and couldn’t believe how many dead slugs I had come morning. Of course the critters do their dirty work at night, like vampires. Beer won’t hurt the environment as far as I know.

I do use a few beer jars buried up to the rim which thins them out, I also have 3 Hedgehogs visit every night but they seem more interested in the cat food I put out for them, going to have to cut their rations. 🙂

[Mr Standfast]

56 minutes ago, aphperspective said:

I do use a few beer jars buried up to the rim which thins them out, I also have 3 Hedgehogs visit every night but they seem more interested in the cat food I put out for them, going to have to cut their rations. 🙂

 

 

Very poor and grainy trail cam picture last night of a Hedgehog and Slug eating the cat food, side by side...

[Allan Bell]

23 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I was surprised to find some of you (Bryan) mention cabbage whites as a pest. Since I don’t raise vegetables other than tomatoes, I guess they must be a pest on said veggies. I have taken a few beautiful photos of them.

 

 

That is the 1st generation Large White (Pieris brassicae) Also known as Cabbage White. 2nd generation has lighter tips (grey) and no spots, or very faint spots.

 

I wonder how many "Whites" which are not garden pests are mistakenly destroyed thinking they are the Cabbage White.

 

Allan

 

[sb photos]

4 hours ago, aphperspective said:

I do use a few beer jars buried up to the rim which thins them out, I also have 3 Hedgehogs visit every night but they seem more interested in the cat food I put out for them, going to have to cut their rations. 🙂

 

Mmm, I might try drowning slugs, don't want to waste beer though. Will likely use beer left in the glass after I've dozed off, it will be approaching going flat. I doubt the slugs can tell the difference between fresh beer and flat beer. Earlier I dispatched a few with the filling knife. A friend was used to have regular hedgehog visits to his porch, then a lack of hedgehogs. He setup a trail cam and found it was a badger killing them. I appreciate both hedgehogs and badgers, it's a shame this sometimes happens. I was told it's usually when the badgers are short of food and have young.

[Martin L]

We had a hedgehog regularly visit last year and my missus christened him Branston Prickle (probably one for the Brits).

[Bryan]

One for Edo perhaps, relating to another famous son of Brooklyn, the BBC have broadcast  a profile of Dr Anthony Fauci  the immunologist. A very interesting character.

[Michael Ventura]

20 minutes ago, Bryan said:

One for Edo perhaps, relating to another famous son of Brooklyn, the BBC have broadcast  a profile of Dr Anthony Fauci  the immunologist. A very interesting character.

Sadly, here in the U.S., he has been demonize and politicized throughout this pandemic.  I do think very highly of him.  He has not gotten everything right but viruses are a moving target and not easy to predict or control.  I think he has done a wonderful job.  The man is 80 and going strong.  I would love to photograph him some day, he lives just a few miles from me.  Need an assignment!  I do believe Edo and Fauci are Brooklyn peers but Brooklyn is a big area, who knows, maybe they played stick ball on the same street, as kids!

 

[Bryan]

So it came to pass that we needed to celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary. I was commissioned to find out if, due to covid,  we needed to book in advance at our favourite Italian restaurant -  it wasn't necessary. Then the boss opened the fridge and discovered a load of perishable food, and announced that it would be wasteful to venture out and that we should celebrate the event at home.  Sigh of relief on my part, no need to drive.  We both took the trouble to dress for the occasion, and enjoyed a largely home grown meal washed down with a charitably large glass of wine.   Excellent evening.

 

[Ed Rooney]

On 08/08/2021 at 19:40, Michael Ventura said:

 

Not sure if it is used in Spanish, but it means "ready" in Italian.  Rather than "hello", Italians use pronto when answering the phone.  Also used when asking someone if they are ready.  "Pronti?" if asking a group of people if they are ready.  A word I hear often when speaking with my Italian cousins.

 

Maybe your caterpillar will let you know when it is "pronto".😃

 

In Seville, they say 'hola' on the phone (hello). 'Pronto' means 'early' in Spanish. You have the Italian right.

[Ed Rooney]

On 14/08/2021 at 20:20, Michael Ventura said:

Sadly, here in the U.S., he has been demonize and politicized throughout this pandemic.  I do think very highly of him.  He has not gotten everything right but viruses are a moving target and not easy to predict or control.  I think he has done a wonderful job.  The man is 80 and going strong.  I would love to photograph him some day, he lives just a few miles from me.  Need an assignment!  I do believe Edo and Fauci are Brooklyn peers but Brooklyn is a big area, who knows, maybe they played stick ball on the same street, as kids!

 

 

I don't know about Dr. Tony, but I played stickball, fist ball, box ball, and stoop ball in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, all city variations of baseball. Oh, and I played baseball too. 

[Michael Ventura]

2 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

I don't know about Dr. Tony, but I played stickball, fist ball, box ball, and stoop ball in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, all city variations of baseball. Oh, and I played baseball too. 

He is a big fan of baseball so I imagine he played the street versions too, as a kid.

[Ed Rooney]

 

He came from the other end of Brooklyn, so it's unlikely we ever played together. We both went to Jesuit high schools, but not the same one. My guess is he was a better student than me. 

[Allan Bell]

20 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

He came from the other end of Brooklyn, so it's unlikely we ever played together. We both went to Jesuit high schools, but not the same one. My guess is he was a better student than me. 

 

You are now the graduate of life and to all intents a full and colorful one too.

 

Allan

 

[Allan Bell]

 

It is my Birthday.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Happy Birthday, Allan!

 

Colorful? And now colourful. So why do I feel so drab? 🤔

Edited August 19, 2021 by Ed Rooney

[sb photos]

20 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

It is my Birthday.

 

Allan

 

 

Congratulations, happy birthday Alan.

 

Doing anything to celebrate?

 

If wasn't for Covid you could have shot the annual Asylum Steam Punk Festival at the month end. This year it's moved to Newark, but back to Lincoln next year.

[Allan Bell]

56 minutes ago, sb photos said:

 

Congratulations, happy birthday Alan.

 

Doing anything to celebrate?

 

If wasn't for Covid you could have shot the annual Asylum Steam Punk Festival at the month end. This year it's moved to Newark, but back to Lincoln next year.

 

Not doing anything to celebrate. I gave that up 6 years ago. They have been having a 40,s weekend in August in Lincoln where people dress up in 1940 style dress with some in wartime gear and lots of related things to see and do but it was cancelled last year and it is not happening this year either. I did manage to get some photos from the 2019 production and posted them on Alamy.

 

Must admit I did not know about the ASP festival though.  It is amazing what you can learn from this forum.

 

Allan