Fourteen years ago today I went on the first date with my now wife, I’d say it’s going pretty well.

Boo to code enforcement waiting to tell us and our contractor that we need to file an appeal for a variance to move forward with our renovation though.

I love all the log borders and brush piles, they’re so good for biodiversity!

The forest takes things back quickly

So true. So, so true

(Image description: my not-quite-two-year-old and I dig up a hosta crown to clear the entrance to the camper we’ll be using to escape construction noise)

Any advice for balancing your own professional aspirations while prioritizing your partner’s career goals and your child’s physical/mental/emotional wellbeing is certainly appreciated

❤️ thank you! It’s a lot of balancing but the end result is going to be worth all the effort, I’m sure.

We’ve been in the planning and prepping phase getting ready for serious renovations on our house, and it’s been difficult spreading my attention between house stuff, nursery stuff, and parenting an I Do/ runner of a toddler. Now the only things in our living room are a speaker, my wife’s workstation, and a chair, our daughter is helpful in the garden (if the gate is closed), and I’m basically prepped for market season which starts Saturday. I kinda feel like that last dollop of jam in the jar that’s probably not enough but the peanut butter has already been spread and this sandwich is happening no matter what. The anxiety has been keeping me from engaging with the online communities that I love, and that lack of interaction has honestly only compounded things.

So, I’ve missed you all and hope you don’t mind that I had to hunker down so much to survive the hardest adulting in my life.

1. Props to her, and also to you for proper attribution
2. Thank you for relaying that information
3. I dunno, not plant them? But that would’ve been way less cool

Beans, yo! You get +5 cool points for growing landrace plants, and another 5 for mob sowing in a pot!

@[email protected]

Could be fungus gnats though our occasionals seem smaller than what’s photographed.

What’s worked for us for long term control of soil born pests is a combination of bottom watering and a layer of coarse sand for mulch for our indoor plants. Playground sand is too fine and can prevent proper gas exchange in the substrate but builder’s sand works well. It’s probably less expensive to call a landscape supply place near you and fill a bucket than to buy it in a box store unless you have enough indoor plants to use 50lbs/22.7kg. We use a large clay tray pot for the bottom watering and then everybody goes back to their own tray after a drink.

Fungus gnats in particular lay in wet soil, and not very deep. A few mm of sand keeps them from finding any hospitable place to lay their eggs. The bottom watering helps prevent any disturbance of the sand mulch which might reveal wet soil.

Best to ID the vines first. I use inaturalist for quick suggestions of what a plant might be if I don’t recognize it, then compare close up pictures to what I’m seeing. This will let you know if you need any ppe for the task and can inform what you need to do afterwards to keep them from covering the tree again.

To your question - yes, cut the vines at their base. Some vines secure themselves very tightly to the tree, others have a looser hold. If these vines are wound very tightly to the tree it would be worth cutting them, then letting the upper growth die back before pulling it from the tree. Doing it this way can prevent damage to the bark and cambium of the trees you’re freeing.

Beat me to it! I just had a meeting this morning with our library director about who’s going to be helping with our annual seed swap and seed library refresh (happening this Saturday and I’m stoked)

This is my next tattoo. I’ve got one on my left forearm of C. americanus in the same botanical illustration style, this one will be going on my right arm (my daughter is Juniper)

Good stuff! I seeded out a tray of ramps this morning myself (it only took two years of trying to break dormancy)

I had to wear snowshoes just to get to the fruit trees for winter pruning =D

I know what you mean - our average last frost date isn’t for another three months

[Image Description: a red plum seedling reaches for the sunlight through a window]

All is well, far less free time now than this time last year when she was sleeping for eighteen hours.

I’m glad it was better! Fwiw my wife and I did a bunch of eye rolling during the snack breaks and on the ride home from several of the classes.

Our kiddo is doing really well, we hit 1y4m last week - she has all teeth except her 2 year molars (tons of fun), is transitioning from two to one nap a day (tons of fun), and is doing her darndest to use words for things, which is actually fun.

That’s awful. We were lucky enough to take a course from a doula who worked out of the hospital system we did our birth care through. I still have all of our materials plus an unused code for an informational app, and would be more than happy to send you a little care package if that would help in any way

Changed up my whole approach to a writing project - I’m finally making progress again and being a little less down on myself as a result.