We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
What the Sanders supporters and the Trump supporters have in common is this: the government will in fact take care of everything. Trump supporters get Trump: he too is for universal health care, he too is for the entitlement state, he too will provide the solutions [the deals] that individuals would otherwise have to provide themselves through self-discipline, hard work, and the refusal to conclude you're a victim of forces outside your control.
When asked "When is the best time to prune a (fill in the type) shrub or tree?" my horticulturalist friend replies "When your blade is sharp."
His point is that, even if there are optimal times to do it (ie late winter for most things), it's more important that it just get done sometime. Poor-pruning or neglected ornamental shrubs are not only unhealthy for these hybridized plants but also makes for an eyesore: leggy shrubs, overly-dense shrubs, and hedge-trimmer buzz-cut shrubs. (Hedge-trimmers are for hedges.)
Beware of pruning anything before 2 growing seasons.
Up here, probably the most common errors are made in neglected or wrongly-pruned hydrangea, lilac, and forsythia.
And I almost forgot to mention Privet. Here's the way to keep a Privet hedge going forever.
Here's a good primer on pruning lilacs. I advise people to Google "shrub name + pruning" before taking a blade to a plant. Rejuvenating a long-neglected or wrongly-pruned shrub can take years because drastic correction can kill the plant. Sometimes better to get rid of it and start anew, or leave it alone.
The reason to care about the timing of your pruning is because some ornamentals bloom on the previous year's growth, and some on new growth. For example, the Macrophylla types of hydrangeas bloom on last year's, but Paniculata types bloom on new growth (a good hydrangea pruning site here.) If you prune at the wrong time, you will have no flowers.
This good pruning summary from Texas A&M says this:
Pruning recommendations for most deciduous shrubs consist of thinning out, gradual renewal and rejuvenation pruning. In thinning out, a branch or twig is cut off at its point of origin from either the parent stem or ground level (Figure 8). This pruning method results in a more open plant; it does not stimulate excessive new growth, but does allow room for growth of side branches. Considerable growth can be cut off without changing the plant's natural appearance or growth habit . Plants can be maintained at a given height and width for years by thinning out. This method is best done with hand pruning shears, loppers or a saw, but not with hedge shears. Thin out the oldest and tallest stems first.
In gradual renewal pruning, a few of the oldest and tallest branches are removed at or slightly above ground level on an annual basis (Figure 8). Some thinning may be necessary to shorten long branches or maintain a symmetrical shape.
To rejuvenate an old, overgrown shrub, remove one-third of the oldest, tallest branches at or slightly above ground level before new growth starts.
The general pruning procedure shown for crape myrtle (Figure 9, applies to many large shrubs and small tree species. If a shrub is grown for its flowers, time the pruning to minimize disruption of blooming. Spring flowering shrubs bloom on last season's growth and should be pruned soon after they bloom. This allows for vigorous summertime growth and results in plenty of flower buds the following year.
Yes, for most things you prune from the bottom. Make sure you feed them afterwards and remember that roots get hungry before swelling buds appear. To keep well-established shrubs healthy, take out 1/4 to 1/3 of the oldest base shoots each late winter and thus, like lawn mowing, you keep them youthful instead of letting them attain their mature form. For many ornamental plants, we have to fool them into thinking that they are young.
Photo on top: A row of hydrangeas on the bella Isola Bella, with a little rain blurring my lens. Those Italian gardeners prune the heck out of everything, and they do it right.
It could have been a worthy essay, but it turns out it's aimed at Donald Trump. Conservatives seem to hate him. Too much hate. I am no big Trump supporter, but don't blame him - blame his enthusiastic primary voters. As Trump says, "I am just the messenger."
12:1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
12:2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
12:3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
12:4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said,
12:5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?"
12:6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
12:7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
12:8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
Check out some of their 1 million listings. A friend told me that his Maine lakeside cabin has never gone unrented since he began using VBRO. In fact, it has permitted him to raise the weekly rent.
My trainer is moving me into a new phase, a new program today. Says it's almost Spring, so it's time to build a Beach Body so the gals will notice me again (being facetious, of course). Plus I have been at this now for 10 months, 5-6 days/week, so my muscles are as awake as they will ever be.
He plans each work-out in advance. He is programmatic, systematic.
Today was a 3-min elliptical warm-up, then
- 3 sets leg press, medium-rep - 3 sets weighted squats, low rep - 3 sets of approx 100 singles jump rope - 3 sets skull-crushers, hi-rep - 3 sets military press, medium rep - 2 sets standing curls, one hi rep and one low rep - 2 sets each of leg extension, leg curl, leg adduction, leg abduction - all high-rep to burn
No pain, no gain. (reps refers to weight and intensity - high rep means you can pull out 12-15 max, low rep means you can pull out 2-8. If you can do more than 15, need to increase the resistance)
All of that leg stuff should have been condensed into 20 mins of dead lifts, but I need a bit more leg work to advance my deads. Not stable enough at higher weights due to skinny legs and skinny white ass. Deads on Friday morning I think. The goal remains to reach just a handful of heavy strength-building exercises 2 days/wk (half of them each time so each muscle group is pushed to the max weekly), plus heavy calisthenic days or cardio days between for general fitness.
He gave me a new cardio program too, for my off days. Will describe that in another post.
I keep thinking that, if I were a furniture mover, I'd get paid for this toil.
Do people outside the US pursue this sort of thing?
Instead of beginning at South Ferry, we're thinking about beginning somewhere in the Lower East Side, heading north thru Murray Hilll, cutting across to Central Park South and doing a hike through the entire length of Central Park to Harlem, and after that we're not sure. Might be fun to continue up Broadway, lunch in some Dominican joint in Washington Heights, all the way to the Cloisters, but that all might take too long.
These are fun outings. We had a nice turn out last time - filled 3 tables in Little Italy for lunch.
Need good shoes. We'll post details as soon as we settle them, and invite all interested hikers.
Brown Turkey used to be the toughest, but even it sometimes died here with a bad winter. With the Chicago Hardy, worst case is it dies to the ground but recovers rapidly from the roots and produces that summer. Hardy to Zone 5
Up north, figs tend to grow as shrubs rather than trees, reason being winter die-back. It doesn't matter. They produce a lot of fruit all summer given good loam, a little fertilizer, and plenty of sun. Mulch and water, especially the first year.
When ripe, pick 'em and eat them when hot from the sun.
Though I intend to vote for the GOP nominee, each new round of appalling idiocy by that vulgar human troll doll tests my resolve. But as much as we wish to focus on the flawed messenger, the problem is that we have refused to heed the message he has adopted (and which I have little doubt he will abandon if elected). It’s not the illegals who are living in the shadows; it’s our own base, the guys and gals who got the short end of the globalization stick. The vast majority of Trump’s supporters are good people who we have let down, and as free agents in the political free market they have found someone who saw a need and is filling it.
They aren’t going away; we need to reintegrate them.
All sorts of people like Donald besides the victims of globalization
You can't really obtain a sturdy, zero-maintenance dwelling or storage building cheaper than a Quonset Hut. Indestructible steel prefab housing, around $35,000. You put it on a slab.
And if you hate plumbing as much as Sippican does, just build an outhouse out back, near the lilacs.
After WW2, military surplus Quonsets were commonly seen. A family down the road from the farm raised their family in one, but it's been removed for many years. It had a wood stove. After the war, they were widely used as temporary housing for vets. They are easily insulated.
They lack charm other than the rural ugly charm. Sometimes you can see ancient ones on rickety farms in New England used as spare mini-barns or garages.
The US military first had them mass produced on Quonset Point, R.I. Hundreds of thousands of them were built.
As the last snows mostly melt, the soil defrosts a bit, and the blackbirds return, it's time to fertilize flowering shrubs and trees and perennial beds in Yankeeland. Any further snows will be short-lived.
Remember that roots of grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees begin growing long before green shoots appear. By the time growth appears, it's sort-of too late for plants' spring feeding - especially woody plants. It takes a while for the food to get into the soil, and even longer to get down to the roots and then up into the plant.
Rain is required. I cheat and put Preen on the perennial beds. It's not perfect, but it helps. For shrubs and roses, I use a stick to poke a 6-10" hole near the drip line, and pour some all-purpose fertilizer in there. Just like Jesus' fig tree parable.
If you got too busy to do it in the fall, now is the time. I did my shrubs, roses, gardens, boxwoods, and lawns yesterday, and used up an old bag of Hollytone and an old left-over bag of lawn dolomite (lime) too. I have hollies and hybrid Rhodies in sheltered spots and a few Azaleas too where they are well-protected from winter winds even though we are north of the hybrid Rhodie and Azalea happy zone. North of the Holly zone too, but I love my hollies and the birds do, too.
Heck, I can even get good hardy Crepe Myrtles to thrive here if they are well-sheltered and against the house. Green thumb, or dumb luck? They are well-sheltered, and close to walls and foundations. When they are in bloom up here in August, people wonder what the heck they are because they are a southern shrub/tree.
Need to remember to get my lawns plugged in early June, but I will probably forget to do it because it makes for a week of muddy dog paws on the beds and couches. A hard-packed lawn is an unhappy lawn, and our local tool-rental place rents lawn-pluggers. Fortunately, I decrease our lawn size every time we add a new garden. That's good - but weeding and mulching new gardens is bad. Too hard. In a while I will mulch the heck out of the gardens and let summer do what it will.
Inside Park has taken over the great hall of St. Bartholomew's Church (St. Bart's) on Park Avenue. Inexpensive, good simple food in a cool location. I have had many jolly lunches there.
AOC near Bleeker St in the West Village. Mrs. BD and daughter rave about it. They say their steak tartare, assembled at your table by server to your specs, is dynamite. Country French, I'd call it.
Despite snow today, we are headed towards early Spring. Northward migrating blackbirds have been passing through - Grackles, Cowbirds, and Redwings. Song Sparrows, scarce in winter, are back. Geese overhead all the time - Snows, Brant, and Canadas moving north from the Atlantic coast. Large flocks of Robins too.
Seen any migrants where you live? (birds, I mean)
(Off topic but re Spring: Snow Peas: St. Paddy's Day is coming. That's when we plant Snow Peas around here, regardless of weather. I have planted them in frozen earth and they still come up.)
There are a number of diseases and disorders which can result in dementia, but Alzhemer's is the most common. It seems to be, basically, progressive brain rot. Its progress can be slow or quick. Dementia is not to be confused with the normal memory loss of aging: "Why did I just walk into this room?" "Where the heck did I put my iPhone?"
Don’t bother with zen — stress helps you perform better
How Amazon is secretly building
The remarkable George Martin
Instead of beginning at South Ferry, we're thinking about beginning somewhere in the Lower East Side, heading north thru Murray Hilll, cutting across to Central Park South and doing a hike through the entire length of Central Park to Harlem, and after that we're not sure. Might be fun to continue up Broadway, lunch in some Dominican joint in Washington Heights, all the way to the Cloisters, but that all might take too long. 
There is a new hardy Fig available nowadays. 
You can't really obtain a sturdy, zero-maintenance dwelling or storage building cheaper than a 
As the last snows mostly melt, the soil defrosts a bit, and the blackbirds return, it's time to fertilize flowering shrubs and trees and perennial beds in Yankeeland. Any further snows will be short-lived.
Image via