Senseless Banter...

Yup, Tricia, PapaVino doesn't often crack wise, but when he does, it's a doozy! As to Mt. St. Helens ash, yes, a bit of it did come this way, but not on the massive May 18 eruption, more came west from the large July eruption. BTW, the May eruption looked like a large and deadly storm to the east of us, complete with lightning in the black mass of ash clouds. The July blow was on a beautiful clear day, with the ash column rising up into the blue sky and forming a mushroom cloud, looking very like pictures you see of atomic bomb blasts. The ash that came west that day was fine. It settled on the roof, and eventually washed down into the rain gutters.....and rotted those suckers out! Must have had quite an acid pH, 'ya think?

With the years some people here have SFGed, are any members here 'Food self-sufficient' from your lifestyle?

LittleGardner that is great, jumping over the cones! I'm impressed with the uneven parallel bars! I never got a chance to try it. I'm sorry I haven't had much chance to watch more Olympics. Good question about having a self-sufficient lifestyle. I was hoping to get closer this year but it's not happening yet. My tomatoes are being so slow and I want some fresh and to be able to can them. They are still teeny and green. My pride and joy this year was my broccoli and I planned on freezing some but we ate it all! I would love to read what people are doing for self-sustainability.

Nonna.Papa Vino sounds like YOU "crack wise" quite easily, lol!

That must have been amazing and quite scary for both of those eruptions! I watched a wonderful movie that was actually like a documentary about Mt. St. Helens eruptions about a year ago. It was spell-binding and so interesting at how they were suspecting an eruption and really not believing that there would be one. It was so amazing that an eruption can have it's own storm as you described. I didn't remember that there were two eruptions and I think the movie only portrayed the first one. Funny! I have heard about the ash being very acidic and eating through things before. I would have thought that you would have had more rain that would have washed out the ash through. It must be quite fast acting relatively speaking! I am surprised your roof didn't have some problems as well, but it probably had some. Interesting!

Tricia, when the ash from Mt. St. Helens came this way, it seemingly only impacted metal items. Our roof is cedar, so no damage. As to your broccoli getting all eaten, you might want to plant some varieties that give generous side shoots after the main head is cut. Last year we planted an overwintering type, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and got a wonderful amount of side shoots throughout the spring and into June. It's definitely being planted again this year. Right now, our Apollo broccoli is giving us enough side shoots for one or two meals a week, but then I only put in eight plants, one to a square.

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Tricia, when the ash from Mt. St. Helens came this way, it seemingly only impacted metal items. Our roof is cedar, so no damage.
As to your broccoli: generous side shoots after the main head is cut. Purple Sprouting Broccoli, got a wonderful amount of side shoots throughout the spring and into June. It's definitely being planted again this year. Right now, our Apollo broccoli is giving us enough side shoots for one or two meals a week, but then I only put in eight plants, one to a square.

Thank you for your recommending this "Purple Sprouting Broccoli". Where did you buy it Nonna?

Probably Baker Creek Seeds because it was touted as doing well in our Pacific Northwest climate: http://rareseeds.com/early-purple-sprouting-broccoli.html Please forgive me for not digging through the seed bin to be sure. If I do not have seed left from 2010 order, Baker Creek will be my choice for reordering.

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Probably Baker Creek Seeds because it was touted as doing well in our Pacific Northwest climate: http://rareseeds.com/early-purple-sprouting-broccoli.html Baker Creek will be my choice for reordering.

Thank you Nonna
and
in Gymnastics http://www.komonews.com/sports/Golden-again-US-wins-1st-Olympic-title-since-96-164453876.html - Yeah Go! USA

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Tricia, when the ash from Mt. St. Helens came this way, it seemingly only impacted metal items. Our roof is cedar, so no damage. As to your broccoli getting all eaten, you might want to plant some varieties that give generous side shoots after the main head is cut. Last year we planted an overwintering type, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and got a wonderful amount of side shoots throughout the spring and into June. It's definitely being planted again this year. Right now, our Apollo broccoli is giving us enough side shoots for one or two meals a week, but then I only put in eight plants, one to a square.

Ahh, I had forgotten about the acid only affecting metal!

My broccoli did get side shoots after the main heads so I guess we were just pigs, lol. I buy my broccoli plants from a mom and pop nursery that's been around longer than I have been in Utah, over 23 years. I have been quite happy with how they produce. I just realized that this year I did not get aphids! Last year aphids attacked my broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. They attacked my corn also one year. I'm wondering if it is because of these red and black bugs that are so prolific this year. They are originally from Europe and supposed to not be harmful. My chickens don't seem to want to eat them.

The purple sprouting broccoli sounds wonderful! We can get some good winters here and snow so it sure wouldn't overwinter here.

My dearest cousin has a cat named Eddie. Eddie, she is a good sport.

That's pretty silly camprn. I wonder what got that started? Good sport indeed!

Michael Phelps won the 200-meter individual medley Thursday for his first individual gold of the London Olympics.
The American clocked 1 minute, 54.27 seconds for his record 20th career Olympic medal and 16th gold.

an Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for parts of the Pacific Northwest, where the first heat wave of the season will bring temps. from mid-90s to near 100 degrees at lower elevations this weekend. - gotta learn to swim one of these days to survive the heat.

This is an upside down 487 pound llama named Jett-liner. If you look close you can see his teeth, almost sort of smiling while sunbathing on his back. He stayed frozen in that position for about 15 minutes today. None of the other llamas hold the position like that. Afterwards he lumbered back into the barn for hay and to lay down in front of the fans.

Feel sorry for animals that cant take off their fur coat. I survive heat, by opening 2 opposing windows from 2100-1500, & then leaving them closed during the 6 hottest hours, drinking lotsa fruit-juice, taking a short nap, & sometimes hiding in the library, it's 80 right now - Course the best escape is playing on the ice

LittleGardener wrote:Feel sorry for animals that cant take off their fur coat. I survive heat, by opening 2 opposing windows from 2100-1500, & then leaving them closed during the 6 hottest hours, drinking lotsa fruit-juice, taking a short nap, & sometimes hiding in the library, it's 80 right now - Course the best escape is playing on the ice

I learned to swim in Puget Sound....... give it a try, that will surely cool you down. I used to come home with blue lips and shivered so much that after lessons my mom usually put me in a warm bath.

LittleGardener
Want to make sure you don't get the wrong idea about the llama picture, laying out in the sun on the hottest, humid day may look pitiful but let me assure you it is very common behavior. Even with their wool type of fiber coat! Strange, but yes common. It is their choice to go outside to sun bathe, graze, etc. then go back inside where they each have individual food bins and individual barn fans to lay in front of. They are sheared for optimal comfort and pampered with a water hose-down several times a day.

llama momma wrote:LittleGardener
Want to make sure you don't get the wrong idea about the llama picture, laying out in the sun on the hottest, humid day may look pitiful but let me assure you it is very common behavior. Even with their wool type of fiber coat! Strange, but yes common. It is their choice to go outside to sun bathe, graze, etc. then go back inside where they each have individual food bins and individual barn fans to lay in front of. They are sheared for optimal comfort and pampered with a water hose-down several times a day.

We have some neighbors down south, with llamas so know a tiny bit about them.
Never crossed my mind that yours would have anything but the best of care LlamaMomma. - (I pity any fur-COAT critter in the heat, partly because I don't do well at all in it myself, so naturally feel sorry for them.) Too they have adapted, & in some ways fur serves to protect them. - Serves me right too for not drinking more, plus staying skinny

camprn wrote:I learned to swim in Puget Sound... give it a try, that will surely cool you down.

Glad you learned to actually swim...
Family took me to see JAWS the movie, right before mom took me into the Gulf of mexico, forgot about me, & left me to fend for myself with no swimming aids. On realizing she was awol, & now FAR from shore, I completely freaked-OUT , and by the time Coastguard arrived, was unconscious so boat nearly ran me over, on my way to heaven... - Then, family did that to me again the next year in a deep lake, where they just drove off, but my sister returned. - Suffice it to say, 48yrs. later, I remain mortified. and I don't like all the bleach at the YMCA; so one of these days maybe I'll get to learn to put my head under water, & swim too

camprn wrote:My dearest cousin has a cat named Eddie. Eddie, she is a good sport.

ROFL!!! I am sure my cats are VERY glad they are HAIRLESS!

GG

I wonder if my 14 year old cat would 'wear' balloons....that video was hysterical!

Random thought for Rooster!
Can we please have a pumpkin emoticon?? I tried to get a couple to work on this forum from other sites but no luck.

Ayup, if your not from New England you to can do Yoga for Yankees.

Too funny, love the Roof Reiki too!

*sigh* My daughter starts high school today.

RoOsTeR wrote:*sigh* My daughter starts high school today.

OMG! A freshman! how exciting!

I feel for you Rooster. IMHO and ideally speaking, cheer her on to do good, give her space and trust and keep her emotionally close with lots of hugs, its a dance that can be hard but you are probably already familiar with.