It's so much fun to parody "living history" museums.
Historic �Blockbuster� Store Offers Glimpse Of How Movies Were Rented In The Past
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
It's starting to resemble a garden
I bought four enormous pots, and need to get more dirt. However, I did manage to put a tomato, a cherry tomato, and a poblano pepper in three of the pots. In my new love affair with companion gardening (among other things), I have also put an herb or something in each of the big pots, so that the two plants can help each other.
Poblano (center) and green onion (tiny, front left):
Cucumber (complete with bamboo trellis and cone for watering):
Tomato, with basil in front, and cone-bottle contraption for watering:
Cherry tomato (haven't decided about his companion plant yet. Maybe sage or more basil):
I haven't decided about the cone contraption for watering, either. Mostly it seems to seep out really fast, while I thought the point was to seep out slowly so as to combat midday dryness. But what do I know.
I also got some gerbera daisies, which are my new favorite flower. They're so happy and bright.
Poblano (center) and green onion (tiny, front left):
Cucumber (complete with bamboo trellis and cone for watering):
Tomato, with basil in front, and cone-bottle contraption for watering:
Cherry tomato (haven't decided about his companion plant yet. Maybe sage or more basil):
I haven't decided about the cone contraption for watering, either. Mostly it seems to seep out really fast, while I thought the point was to seep out slowly so as to combat midday dryness. But what do I know.
I also got some gerbera daisies, which are my new favorite flower. They're so happy and bright.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Seedling update; also cherry blossoms and the pope
First, the tulips.
Next, the seedlings. The tomatoes (in the front two rows are beefsteak and cherry tomatoes) are enormous; everything else is doing pretty well. At this point we've also got spinach, basil, poblano, cilantro, oregano, chives, rosemary, sage, and green onion inside. I gave up on the idea of growing mint from seed (mine were really, really small, and then I read somewhere that growing mint from seed is really hard) and bought a little plant from the farmer's market this weekend. Also, the green onion doesn't appear to be doing so hot, and I threw out the lettuce I had planted in peat pots, because it got a bit moldy. One of the cilantro plants got upgraded to a big pot. The lovely little terra cotta planter in the center is a nice self-contained herb garden, an Easter gift from dad. That's where the oregano and chives live.
Last weekend I planted green onion, lettuce and cucumber outside, figuring that we are probably past the last frost (knock on wood). The seed packet tells me that one is supposed to plant cucumbers in little 4-inch hills. I have no idea why. But, having never grown cucumber before, I just followed the directions:
I must have done something right, because today there was a little cucumber seedling! Luckily I already have a nice bamboo trellis all ready for it to climb on. I would have posted a picture, but it poured rain all day, and my dedication to blogging doesn't run deep enough to suffer through wet shoes. Maybe later.
Lessons learned: pack the little seedling pots full of dirt (of whatever variety), sans the paper wrapper if you use pellets. This is because eventually you will plant the seedling pots directly into the ground or container, and you don't want a gap. I'm not sure why this didn't occur to me earlier. Oh well. And for things that like cool weather (so far: lettuce, onion and cucumber), just wait to plant directly outside.
Finally, some DC-specific pictures. A few from the cherry blossoms--apparently they bloomed for two full weeks this year, which was a record. They're quite pretty, even when one goes on a cloudy and slightly windy day.
Here's my favorite memorial, the D.C. World War I memorial. It's so forlorn.
Who knew that DC occasionally hosts loons?!?!? I was very excited. [There are two in this picture; they are very small, but that's an unmistakable loon profile, and they were diving in the tidal basin, just like they do. I hope they didn't eat any scary fish.]
And here's a picture of the pope in the popemobile.
Sometimes I also go to the archive.
Next, the seedlings. The tomatoes (in the front two rows are beefsteak and cherry tomatoes) are enormous; everything else is doing pretty well. At this point we've also got spinach, basil, poblano, cilantro, oregano, chives, rosemary, sage, and green onion inside. I gave up on the idea of growing mint from seed (mine were really, really small, and then I read somewhere that growing mint from seed is really hard) and bought a little plant from the farmer's market this weekend. Also, the green onion doesn't appear to be doing so hot, and I threw out the lettuce I had planted in peat pots, because it got a bit moldy. One of the cilantro plants got upgraded to a big pot. The lovely little terra cotta planter in the center is a nice self-contained herb garden, an Easter gift from dad. That's where the oregano and chives live.
Last weekend I planted green onion, lettuce and cucumber outside, figuring that we are probably past the last frost (knock on wood). The seed packet tells me that one is supposed to plant cucumbers in little 4-inch hills. I have no idea why. But, having never grown cucumber before, I just followed the directions:
I must have done something right, because today there was a little cucumber seedling! Luckily I already have a nice bamboo trellis all ready for it to climb on. I would have posted a picture, but it poured rain all day, and my dedication to blogging doesn't run deep enough to suffer through wet shoes. Maybe later.
Lessons learned: pack the little seedling pots full of dirt (of whatever variety), sans the paper wrapper if you use pellets. This is because eventually you will plant the seedling pots directly into the ground or container, and you don't want a gap. I'm not sure why this didn't occur to me earlier. Oh well. And for things that like cool weather (so far: lettuce, onion and cucumber), just wait to plant directly outside.
Finally, some DC-specific pictures. A few from the cherry blossoms--apparently they bloomed for two full weeks this year, which was a record. They're quite pretty, even when one goes on a cloudy and slightly windy day.
Here's my favorite memorial, the D.C. World War I memorial. It's so forlorn.
Who knew that DC occasionally hosts loons?!?!? I was very excited. [There are two in this picture; they are very small, but that's an unmistakable loon profile, and they were diving in the tidal basin, just like they do. I hope they didn't eat any scary fish.]
And here's a picture of the pope in the popemobile.
Sometimes I also go to the archive.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Spring
Today is seed-planting day!
The ivy is an old friend. The norfolk island pine and the lavender (not really visible in this picture) are new acquisitions. And the thing on the right is like a seed incubator. The plastic top keeps in humidity.
I got these little pellets that you put in the tray cells, instead of peat or dirt. Then you dump some warm water over them and they expand, and you push a few seeds down in them. Not sure if I was supposed to tear the paper wrapping off them or not (the directions didn't say). The paper didn't seem very harmful, though. I'm sure the little roots will tear right through it.
I planted tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, spinach, green onions, cilantro, mint, and basil. I bought poblano pepper seeds too, but can't find them, which is very depressing since I was looking forward to both chiles relleno and ancho paste. But all that means is that I will be forced to make another trip to the garden center! I found a good one, luckily, and it's not too far away.
There's the lavender on the back right. He needs a transplant.
Seed-planting is a very good thing to do on a depressingly cold and rainy day.
Other signs of spring.
The ivy is an old friend. The norfolk island pine and the lavender (not really visible in this picture) are new acquisitions. And the thing on the right is like a seed incubator. The plastic top keeps in humidity.
I got these little pellets that you put in the tray cells, instead of peat or dirt. Then you dump some warm water over them and they expand, and you push a few seeds down in them. Not sure if I was supposed to tear the paper wrapping off them or not (the directions didn't say). The paper didn't seem very harmful, though. I'm sure the little roots will tear right through it.
I planted tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, spinach, green onions, cilantro, mint, and basil. I bought poblano pepper seeds too, but can't find them, which is very depressing since I was looking forward to both chiles relleno and ancho paste. But all that means is that I will be forced to make another trip to the garden center! I found a good one, luckily, and it's not too far away.
There's the lavender on the back right. He needs a transplant.
Seed-planting is a very good thing to do on a depressingly cold and rainy day. Other signs of spring.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Dome Tour
Kevin and Laura invited me to go with them on a tour of the Capitol Dome. It was pretty fun, if you like climbing a 30-story building before lunch. Luckily, I discovered that I do.
For background, here's the Architect of the Capitol site about the dome. A few interesting tidbits: the dome is made of cast iron, not stone, although it is made to look like stone. Cast iron is lighter, fireproof, and, in the 1860s, was cheaper than stone/marble/granite. The big outdoor columns that hold it up are also made of cast iron, and are hollow, so that some of them act as downspouts. Brilliant.
If you look at this 1859 drawing, you'll see that the dome is actually two domes, one set inside the other. The inner dome houses the rotunda. We climbed up between the two domes, occasionally emerging for looks at either the view or the pretty stuff in the rotunda.
This picture, although slightly fuzzy, gives you a good idea of the space between the two domes.
We first emerged to see the inside of the rotunda, and the pseudo-frieze that shows heroic- looking scenes from American history. Naturally, it starts with Columbus and ends with the Wright brothers.
Next we climbed up to be close to the fresco at the top of the inner dome. The acoustics up there are incredible.
The fresco depicts George Washington as a god, and the 13 original states as fair maidens. Gotta love the 19th century for shameless nationalistic melodrama.
From there we climbed up some more, and emerged outside into the wind. From up there, the whole L'Enfant plan of streets as spokes actually makes some sense. [Side note: I enjoyed this uncited little gem about L'Enfant from what looks to be an unofficial website about Arlington Cemetery: "As chief designer of the new national capital, L'Enfant quickly antagonized the three commissioners in charge of making sure the place got built. When they complained, he alienated his principal supporters, including George Washington, who reluctantly fired him. He spent the rest of his life dunning Congress for back pay, as lean and ragged as the dog that trailed him through the streets." Poor L'Enfant.]
The Mall, with Washington Monument at its other end, and Pennsylvania Ave radiating off to the right:
The Supreme Court on the left, East Capitol Street (with RFK Stadium at the end), and the Library of Congress to the right:
The U.S. Botanic garden in the foreground, a slice of the Potomac in the back left, and the beginnings of the Mall to the right:
The new [underground] Capitol visitors' center, under construction:
And finally, our view of the tholos, on top of which the Statue of Freedom (not to be confused with Liberty) stands:
We also enjoyed the graffiti scratched in the dome's windows. Some of it was dated 1861 (supposedly). Unfortunately my picture of that didn't come out. This one, however, is pretty good: you can see the graffiti in the clouds.
Dome tour: highly recommended.
For background, here's the Architect of the Capitol site about the dome. A few interesting tidbits: the dome is made of cast iron, not stone, although it is made to look like stone. Cast iron is lighter, fireproof, and, in the 1860s, was cheaper than stone/marble/granite. The big outdoor columns that hold it up are also made of cast iron, and are hollow, so that some of them act as downspouts. Brilliant.
If you look at this 1859 drawing, you'll see that the dome is actually two domes, one set inside the other. The inner dome houses the rotunda. We climbed up between the two domes, occasionally emerging for looks at either the view or the pretty stuff in the rotunda.
This picture, although slightly fuzzy, gives you a good idea of the space between the two domes.
We first emerged to see the inside of the rotunda, and the pseudo-frieze that shows heroic- looking scenes from American history. Naturally, it starts with Columbus and ends with the Wright brothers.
Next we climbed up to be close to the fresco at the top of the inner dome. The acoustics up there are incredible.
The fresco depicts George Washington as a god, and the 13 original states as fair maidens. Gotta love the 19th century for shameless nationalistic melodrama.
From there we climbed up some more, and emerged outside into the wind. From up there, the whole L'Enfant plan of streets as spokes actually makes some sense. [Side note: I enjoyed this uncited little gem about L'Enfant from what looks to be an unofficial website about Arlington Cemetery: "As chief designer of the new national capital, L'Enfant quickly antagonized the three commissioners in charge of making sure the place got built. When they complained, he alienated his principal supporters, including George Washington, who reluctantly fired him. He spent the rest of his life dunning Congress for back pay, as lean and ragged as the dog that trailed him through the streets." Poor L'Enfant.]
The Mall, with Washington Monument at its other end, and Pennsylvania Ave radiating off to the right:
The Supreme Court on the left, East Capitol Street (with RFK Stadium at the end), and the Library of Congress to the right:
The U.S. Botanic garden in the foreground, a slice of the Potomac in the back left, and the beginnings of the Mall to the right:
The new [underground] Capitol visitors' center, under construction:
And finally, our view of the tholos, on top of which the Statue of Freedom (not to be confused with Liberty) stands:
We also enjoyed the graffiti scratched in the dome's windows. Some of it was dated 1861 (supposedly). Unfortunately my picture of that didn't come out. This one, however, is pretty good: you can see the graffiti in the clouds.
Dome tour: highly recommended.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Signs of flooding; eclipse
Every once in awhile it's nice to remember that the federal government does some things well. For instance, I like this site.
And then there's New Orleans. I found that two things served for me as constant reminders of Katrina and the flood. First, water lines, which are everywhere:
You can see one here, crossing the outside walls and large front window. That's maybe 3-4 feet off the ground. There was one on the doorjamb of the house we worked on, too.
Second, the spray-painted markings left by emergency workers after they searched a house. These are visible everywhere. Some people appear to have purposely left them on the walls of their refurbished houses, while others have tried to sandblast them off. Here's a graphic that explains what they mean.
I noticed these two things in just a week of being there; I wonder how many other things serve as constant reminders for people who live there.
And then there's New Orleans. I found that two things served for me as constant reminders of Katrina and the flood. First, water lines, which are everywhere:
You can see one here, crossing the outside walls and large front window. That's maybe 3-4 feet off the ground. There was one on the doorjamb of the house we worked on, too.Second, the spray-painted markings left by emergency workers after they searched a house. These are visible everywhere. Some people appear to have purposely left them on the walls of their refurbished houses, while others have tried to sandblast them off. Here's a graphic that explains what they mean.
I noticed these two things in just a week of being there; I wonder how many other things serve as constant reminders for people who live there.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Day 3 of work in New Orleans
Today was our third day of work here. My team (six of us, plus a staff project manager) is working on a smallish three-bedroom house near the camp (the camp is here), owned by a single mom who works at a bank. I'm not sure how many kids she has--at least two, I think. They are living in a FEMA trailer in their front yard right now. I haven't been able to meet them, since she is at work all day.
I haven't taken any pictures (stupid--should have done the before/after thing, but I wasn't thinking on Monday), but basically the house had been gutted, like almost everything has to be if it's going to be repaired. Apart from just plain old destruction, the mold is the problem--most of the homes sat in water for 2-3 weeks, in the heat, and so everything had to be thrown out. Everything--walls, furniture, floors, etc. From the water markings on her door, it looks like the water here was 3-4 feet deep at its worst point.
When we came in, there was a concrete floor and walls that had been freshly painted (probably the week before), but no appliances, no lights, and no water. We have spent most of our time on the floors--laying new tile in the two bathrooms and the laundry room, and new wood laminate in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The project manager is a plumber, so he has put in all the fixtures and toilets and things for the bathrooms. It's clearly almost time for them to move back in, maybe next week, depending on how finished they want things to be when they move in.
I have been mostly brute labor, since I've never done any of this stuff before. I've helped to scrape the bathroom floors (they had some old glue or something on them, probably from previous flooring), cut the tile, grout around the tiles, caulk around a new back door and in the new bathtub walls, and paint. Very practical skills, compared to my normal daily activities!
Tomorrow we might finish laying the wood laminate floors, and we'll definitely finish most everything in the bathrooms.
Yesterday we had to stop work early because of big thunderstorms in the area, which caused both our worksite and the camp to lose power for a few hours. There was a tornado maybe 10-15 miles away, but we just had a lot of rain and wind. And then the internet at camp was out, probably because none of us knew how to reset it after a power outage. Tragedy! But today all is back to normal.
And yes, I am thrilled because Uno won the Westminster Dog Show, the first beagle to do so. Thanks to all of you who emailed me about this important news. :)
I haven't taken any pictures (stupid--should have done the before/after thing, but I wasn't thinking on Monday), but basically the house had been gutted, like almost everything has to be if it's going to be repaired. Apart from just plain old destruction, the mold is the problem--most of the homes sat in water for 2-3 weeks, in the heat, and so everything had to be thrown out. Everything--walls, furniture, floors, etc. From the water markings on her door, it looks like the water here was 3-4 feet deep at its worst point.
When we came in, there was a concrete floor and walls that had been freshly painted (probably the week before), but no appliances, no lights, and no water. We have spent most of our time on the floors--laying new tile in the two bathrooms and the laundry room, and new wood laminate in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The project manager is a plumber, so he has put in all the fixtures and toilets and things for the bathrooms. It's clearly almost time for them to move back in, maybe next week, depending on how finished they want things to be when they move in.
I have been mostly brute labor, since I've never done any of this stuff before. I've helped to scrape the bathroom floors (they had some old glue or something on them, probably from previous flooring), cut the tile, grout around the tiles, caulk around a new back door and in the new bathtub walls, and paint. Very practical skills, compared to my normal daily activities!
Tomorrow we might finish laying the wood laminate floors, and we'll definitely finish most everything in the bathrooms.
Yesterday we had to stop work early because of big thunderstorms in the area, which caused both our worksite and the camp to lose power for a few hours. There was a tornado maybe 10-15 miles away, but we just had a lot of rain and wind. And then the internet at camp was out, probably because none of us knew how to reset it after a power outage. Tragedy! But today all is back to normal.
And yes, I am thrilled because Uno won the Westminster Dog Show, the first beagle to do so. Thanks to all of you who emailed me about this important news. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
