Benjy, what i see has nothing to do with groundwater pumping, oil extraction or any other thing than simple sea level increase. it was not like this before (if it had been southern FL would already be under). trying to get things planted, peppers, tomatoes, half the onions are in, strawberries are ripening faster than i expected, still have way too much to plant. had some nice rains the other day, and some cold nights near frost temperatures, which are not quite so nice, but i think everything has come through so far.
If it were the ocean rising, it would rise the same on the entire shoreline, but it is not. it varies from one location to another. According to the articles I've read, sinkholes are showing up in several places, both in Florida and Louisiana. The large number of people flocking to Florida have put a strain on the water tables. Also, because the water pulled out of the ground is not being returned. It finds it's way out into the ocean instead of seeping back into the land. Have you wondered why Dallas kept all that rainwater? The land under our big cities is sinking. That rainwater had no place to go. New Orleans is having the same problem. That is why Katrina did so much damage there. That is a fact. New York city is based on bedrock, but Dallas, Tampa, Houston, etc. All are sinking due to water (and oil and gas) being pumped up, leaving vacancies under the ground. it's called subsidence. New buildings keep going up along the coast and more and more water is needed . When it comes from wells near where heavy weight is pushing the ground down, Somethin's Gotta Give. Look at the buildings in Mexico city. That's not the result of earthquakes either. The buildings are SINKING into the ground. I never noticed it. Most folks don't because it , mostly happens slowly, except in the case of sinkholes, but when people start saying how much the seas are rising, I had to look at it. The land is sinking. THAT, WE CAN CONTROL by conserving water and putting wells a good distance from our cities and building swales to keep rainwater from running off into the oceans. We'd be killing at least two birds with one stone.
So I transplanted Cherry Bomb Jalapenos last night while watching the sunset in the distance. Granted, this was 9pm last night, last light was nearly at 10pm. I have a dead cherry tree to cut, parts of it are already sold to local smoke houses. Always... lots to do. Oh, food for thought... I was uhm *medicating* and I had an epiphany I wish to experiment with here soon... a terraced swale. Thoughts? Peace be with you all, me
Or perhaps Hugleheaps with enough soil included inside and out to stabilize the structure in a heavy rain? The wood-chip berm that I stretched across the property years ago has kept the driveway from washing out downhill and is now home for hundreds of blackberries
Thank you for popping in here Cracky. (page 266) Congrats on the mode of disagreeing in such a subtle manner. I almost have to apologize for my stance, the way you put it. There are those scientists, however who say that the pendulum has reached the end of it's warming swing and we are heading into cooler climate very shortly. It may be that some areas of the world get to feel it before others, due to the jet streams. Where I am we had a much colder than usual winter. The first figs are usually on in March and get nipped at Easter. They just came on in early May this year. We kept examining the trees and didn't even see any nodes through April into the first part of May. The whole Eastern seaboard here saw one of it's worst winters ever, but "Global Warmers" completely ignored that, but Al Sharpton chimed in as soon as the Dallas floodwaters climbed over their banks. Receding land from oil and water extraction, same as descending shorelines giving rise to claims of rising seas. I believe I mentioned that we CAN control the sinking land areas, though I know WE won't. We use that ground water for too many things to wish to change and, as far as the oil we're pulling out, I doubt the oil companies will volenteer to curb their extraction. At my age, though, I don't have to depend on either of those resources much longer. Our children will just have to look for a "different" way of life.
The computer God gave me back my screen. Not sure for how long though. Drives me nuts looking at a blank screen. Uncle you have grown up in a different time as your parents as we all have. Our children will live in a different time to us and so on. There is always something going to get us. I remember when the Communists were going to take over the world. Now it is climate change. What is Islamic State going to do when it takes over the whole world? Just keep fighting amongst themselves as someone else will have a different brand of the same religion so they keep fighting. I don't give a Rats arse about the rest of the world anymore. I gave up recycling when I heard our local council dumps thousands of plastic bottles because they have blue caps and rings on them. What is the point of putting them in the recycle bin. Not sure how many good years I have left either as I am closer to the end than the start so I just want to do what I want to do. I might be lucky to get in another 20 years in. Almost 60 down and 20 to go hmmm I am a slippery slope down hill. My worms and my woodies my time wasters but it is something I want to do and it is for me. I did over 24 years of community work so my turn now. I see since the site upgrade the front page has changed colour or is my puter failing in that area too lol? The weather is getting quite cool some nights now although last night wasn't too bad. Next month we should get the cold westerly winds. Lazy wind as it wont go round you but straight through you. You lot who live in the ice and snow would think of it as a summer breeze lol. I need the cooler weather to help build up my woodie stock but that's not happening lately. Still with work up and down I need to sell so I will take it as it comes.
Brian, yes, we've grown up in different times, when i was a kid there was talk of how full the oceans were of fish that we could never over fish them. within 20 years we'd crashed most of the major fish stocks and without laws/regulations there would be little left. luckily we have at least started to exert some self-control and some fish stocks are coming back. also when i was a kid there was air and water pollution so bad that rivers caught on fire and stuff put into the air that was destroying the ozone layer, oh and acid rain too was a problem. all of these areas have improved over the years because people cared to make the efforts to change.
Computer lasted for one night. Work has been scarce again so a new screen will have to wait. Songbird you made me feel guilty so l am using the recyle bin again. One the phone so best hit post before I lose this
Brian, that's very funny, because i wrote a long paragraph about our local recycling program in our township and then deleted it. to explain, our local recycling is township based (6 mile x 6 mile area) and that has only been the past seven or eight years. before that we had no trash pick up at all and people were piling stuff and burning it or just leaving it along the roads or in places where others had wild areas they could dump it without being caught. with the advent of trash services we also get recycing, which few people use, it's very sad to see that so much goes to the landfills. but the even sadder part is that every bit that gets recycled reduces the final cost we're charged. so these people are paying more than they need to be. the real problem that people have is that they won't separate their trash, and so recently they have gone to a combined system where you can put the paper stuff in with the plastics/metals/glass. i dunno if that will make much difference. here it makes none as we recycle every bit i can. the paper stuff i mostly keep and use for the worms and gardens because our soil needs every bit of organic material i can scrounge. in the coming years it is likely that landfills will become mines for metals and plastics, but we're not at that stage yet. should i take up preaching? heehee. you just made my day Brian, it's not often i hear someone say my writing actually has made a difference. i hope the woodies and the wormies are doing well? the wormies here are doing great. i have a lot of strawberry tops and the reject bits to put in the bins and the worms love those. good soaking rains here this morning. we've needed it for a week or so and the weather goddess was teasing me repeatedly. still, got 15 pints of freezer jam in and 5 pints of shortcake berries frozen. still very busy time with planting as i'm behind and trying to catch up and still get other things done.
I have been thinking of you all the last few days as I experienced unusual weather. Benjy, I understand your POV about the climate, but I had a sort of epiphany you may not thought of while digging out a foundation at 10pm the other night. In the 1960's the hippies said the planet is screwed, all of us Americans saw the Native American weeping at the land fill in the 1970's and the planet was screwed then and talked about. Some people listened, some people saw the problems such as Mollison and in the late 1970's Permaculture was born. However more then them saw a large problem coming, scientists did, and alarmists. The sky is falling they all screamed. However, some people started to actually do something about it while others became ostrich like. In the 1980's we had people screaming about the Ozone layer (& the world did something!) as well as about the greenhouse effect. Coral reefs (a prime oxygen maker) were destroyed by cyanide & dynamite for rich affluent people to have marine fish as pets. However more scientists started working on it, some people again tried to do something about it, but most turned the other way to the tv, and interactive entertainment. In the 1990's people started screaming about the greenhouse effects, large projects to stem the tide were started, Permaculture gaining momentum in Oz and little known in the US. Again, some people world wide now are starting to rebuild nature, which may or may not have stemmed or changed scientists calculations again. 2000 to present, Permaculture is now in every climate, people are replanting as fast as cash allows, the common person knows something is wrong with the weather even if they don't believe in climate change, and yes, even though we past the CO2 tipping point, I still see more and more people interested in fixing things. Is it enough in each decade to change a calculation of the future? I don't know, but maybe. We are still hurting for water in the rainforest, let alone the rest of Oregon. I am getting tomatoes already though, about 2 months ahead of time.
Well I have another computer screen. I asked a friend the other day if they happened to have one laying around. He had just thrown several out but checked and still had one. Seems to be working fine. I have 3 pumpkins growing on my vine. Two just getting started and one is starting to get bigger. Had a couple start then died but these three hopefully will continue to grow. I love pumpkin and if I get too much the woodies will enjoy some. The tomato plant I think is near its end again but it may pick up again like last time. I really want the tub back that they are growing in. The pumpkin seems to be taking root on the ground so if I cut it off at the tub will it still survive? Songbird I am still recycling lol. Where is Uncle Ben? He must have something to report by now. Pak I also remember how the world lurches from one crisis to another. Seems the media give it a good run then they move on to something else. Sells newspapers I suppose. Bad news sells better than good news. Been home since lunch time last Wednesday. No work yet tomorrow so wont be any pay this week. The sun has started to shine again so crossing my fingers.
Thanks, everybody for noticing my absence. Running on autopilot for now, but will get back soon. We lost four Chooks day before yesterday to a neighbor's cat. Still getting enough eggs and not having to replenish the feed as often. I keep a trap by the coop baited with fresh chook meat for bait. Have to reset and bait it every night. Have to spring it when the Chooks are out. If the critter gets trapped I will feed and water it until I go into Columbia to the ASPCA. I'd just turn it loose a hundred miles from here in the woods, but it would only find it's way back. My neighbor in Arkansas lost her cat in Nevada and hunted for it for an entire week. When she got back home it was waiting on her front steps. Go figure. Love is still the answer. Uncle Ben and Auntie Willie.
Sorry to read about the chooks Uncle. I lost a heap of pigeons when I was a kid to a couple of dogs.. You are more forgiving of the cat than me. I would trap it then kill it. The animal welfare people will check it for a micro chip then return it to the owners. Then you are back where you started. Dead cats don't kill again. My friends in New Zealand had a greyhound run in their house chasing their cat. Sharon grabbed the dog to get the cat out of its mouth and it savaged her arm badly. My mate Karl heard the racket and came running in. He grabbed the dog and snapped its jaw on the spot and dragged it out to the shed and shot it. They passed the Animal Welfare officer on the way to the hospital and stopped and told him what had happened. The dog was one of about 30 starved animals at a property nearby. The cat couldn't be saved so the vet put it down. Wild domestic cats are killing millions of native animals here in Australia. All because of irresponsible people.
Still looking for an answer to my pumpkin question. If I cut the stem in the tub will the sections taking root in the ground support the pumpkins growing now. I have another couple of weeks before I will need the tub. I am slowly releasing tubs as I sell off Reds but I will soon need those tubs for Reds again so am eyeing off the big tub with the plants in it. The sun is shining again with a picture perfect day so if it holds I think I will be back at work on Monday. This is the best thing about our winters, we get some really nice days. Morning and nights a bit cool down to around 8 to 9 deg C with the days up around 21 to 23 deg C. The problem here is we don't dress for the cold enough. By around 8 am you are peeling back the clothing if you put too much on. Down south it is cold wet and shitty all day so they need to rug up all day. Going around the twist sitting at home but getting some jobs done.
Brian, it depends upon how the plant is structured and where the fruit is at relative to the newly rooted nodes. you want the newly rooted nodes to be in between the fruit and the main stem and you want to encourage more of those nodes to root by putting the node in very fertile soil and keeping it watered. how well rooted are the nodes outside the pot? if they're not very big then the fruit may not survive or grow... that's about the only answer i can give without seeing the plant and fruits.
Thank you Songbird. There is no pumpkins between the tub and the first node. They are mostly towards the furthest end of the plant. The news out of South Carolina is not good. Americans need not fear the government taking up arms against the populations but fear their gun loving neighbours. After all the mass killings over there something surely must give. Australians just can't understand the gun culture over there. Those poor people in the church. If that is what their God has in store for them how can anybody believe and justify such an act.
