If Cringely can do, so can anyone.
Monthly Archives: June 2001
Tomatoes!
This is what gardening is all about. I am this close to having ripe tomatoes. I have about forty tomato plants, of seven or eight different varieties. This particular plant seeded itself, presumably from a still-viable seed that came out of the compost heap. I replanted the seedling in the garden. I suspect that my house’s previous owner was in the habit of throwing bird-spoiled tomatoes against the back fence, where a few of the seeds grew again.
Figs
Yet more fig recipes.
Yes, I do have a lot of figs.
Figgy Jam
And another recipe for fig jam, this one requiring pectin.
Figgy
A fig jam recipe.
Birds
As threatened, I got some bird netting at Home Depot over the weekend. Installing it on a ten-foot-high tree was a trick. But as you can see here, it’s done. And the birds are pissed. A blue jay flew into it last night and got slightly tangled, but it managed to get itself loose again. Now they’re all avoiding the tree.
This is what we’re protecting: an almost-ripe peach crop. I’ve eaten a couple of them, and they’re quite good though a bit smaller than commercial (store) peaches.
Figs!
The first of this year’s crop of figs is getting ripe. Guess what? Birds like figs. And they’re greedy little suckers– they take a couple of bites and move on to the next one.
I’d be happy if they’d just take the ones off the top of the tree, where I can’t reach them, but they go after the ones at the bottom, too. Those are mine! On the agenda for tomorrow is a trip to the nursery for some bird netting. I need it for the peach trees too, and the birds aren’t entitled to any of those, or a certain fellow of my acquaintance will be over guarding the tree with heavy weapons.
Make Money Slowly!
Who says open source software can’t make money? Red Hat has announced that they’ll turn a profit this quarter for the first time ever. Do us all a favor, guys, and don’t blow it on Ferraris and expresso machines.
Testing a new feature
Oh, and just FYI, beginning with the “sick lemon tree” entry, I’m experimenting with a new feature. If you’re running a version 4 browser, and you have Javascript enabled, clicked pictures should pop up in their own little window. Let me know what you think via email, or post a comment to this entry.
Sick Lemon Tree
My Meyer lemon tree, which was the first thing I planted here, is not looking too healthy. The leaves are yellowing badly. Some searching on the web tells me it’s probably a watering problem. I suspect over-watering rather than under-watering; if so, I can probably bring it back to life, otherwise it’s a lost cause. (Good thing Home Depot has a one year guarantee on their trees!)