Let’s do some outdoor updates, yeah!
And that was Mother’s Day.
–Simon
Gardens and Greenspace
Parks with Ken: Grant Park, Kennard Nature Nook
What do you get when you abut a public park against a rich neighborhood? Why, rude residents, of course. And the fact that it “closes” at 4PM and is only open on weekdays lends me to believe it’s a very old and Boomery neighborhood at that.
Which is even confirmed by the website’s photo: Karens doing yoga.
Here’s more evidence:
Anyway, aside from the implied hostility, here’s my review.
Review:
Difficulty: 1/5
Points of note:
- Nice scenic path along the Holes Creek (which was quite swollen with all the recent rain).
- The Holes Creek eventually connects with the Great Miami River, though this is far downstream near Miami & Erie Canal Park (looks like a good fishing spot).
- Again – surrounded by rich and unwelcoming people.
But if you’re like me and don’t give a damn about judging eyes from the privileged, it makes for a nice scenic walk. I was surprised there were no kids present. I sure would have been sneaking off to the creek had this been in my backyard. Maybe they were all in expensive extracurriculars. Dunno.
–Simon
Mosquito Wars
A year ago I installed a mosquito bucket, inoculated with Bacillus thuringiensis, which supposedly kills larvae before they pupate into bastard bloodsuckers. I remained unconvinced.
It turns out that the color of the bucket makes all the difference, as mosquitos, being the tiny demons that they are, like darkness. So when last year’s bucket cracked, I replaced it with a black one.
And behold!
It’s difficult to tell from the photo, but there were larvae (those white grub things). And one was dead. I’ll take that as confirmation that the deathtrap is now finally working!
Small victories.
–Simon
Pawpaw Patch in the Making
We planted a pawpaw tree about 3 years or so ago, and now it’s finally bloomed! It does, however, require pollination from another tree, and I’m hoping the neighbor’s trees are close enough, and of a different genetic variety. We shall see, if a fruit appears.
The pawpaw is a bit of a culinary curiosity. Despite their prevalence in eastern North America, I’ve never seen them on menus, probably because the fruit seeds are poisonous and the fruits don’t ripen once picked. That makes commercial operations non-viable, relegating this native to local cuisine. They’re also a bit of an acquired taste, sort of like a mild mango. I used to pick them at the old farm and grandma would make them into pies. A unique slice of Americana.
–Simon
Numerology – 0
This will be a new series. It will be a list of numerical figures that I either find interesting, pose a recurring need for me to access, or in any other way are significant to me (not in the scientific sense of the phrase “significant figures”). They’re also figures I can never find, that I know I’ve written down somewhere. So this will formally record them digitally where I can search for them later.
- 368 – the approximate number of phone numbers I’ve blocked so far. I don’t know if that’s actually reducing the amount of spam calls, as Apple doesn’t give me a list of post-block repeat call attempts. And with 12^10 unique phone numbers out there, I doubt I’ll ever solve the problem.
- 135 – the number of times a named character in MGM’s The Ten Commandments says the name “Moses”. This is significant because it’s our annual drinking game and therefore important to know how strong to make the drinks.
- 1 Tablespoon per 2 cups – the ratio of kosher salt to water needed to create a standard brine in small batches. The box gives a calculation for large volumes, say for turkey, and I had to do the math for smaller meals like pork chops and chicken.
- 1.5 fluid ounces per gallon – the ratio of Trimec (2,4-D; Dicamba; MCPP (or Mecoprop)) herbicide to water for proper broadleaf treatment in grass without killing the grass.
- 30″x25″x31 – the space dimensions in the kitchen for the stove, in case we ever need to buy a new one.
- 15″x13″ – the approximate size of the hall bathroom’s toilet seat (whatever that’s closest to on the official sizing).
Such a fascinating existence. More to come, I’m sure.
–Simon