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change of seasons
2021-Mar-20, Saturday 04:56 pmI learned today that Asian family I mentioned earlier may be leaving for Hawaii within the month. I'm not clear if they're moving or just taking a break. It sounded more permanent. "I've had it with the trouble here." (paraphrased)
I've been trying hard not to plant any seeds in the ground yet. We have snow in the forecast next week, so we're not done with freezing weather yet. I can, however, successfully dig in the ground which has thawed thanks to the exceptionally warm weather recently. I want to "finish" my front yard finally, after... 6 years?
I had a nice bed of asparagus growing on the sunward side of my raised bed. I decided I wanted it on the shadow side. I've read that asparagus shoots will stay tender for longer if kept in the dark, so they don't develop woody stems as soon during their growth. I'll see what mere shade can accomplish. Also, with some distance between the raised bed and my walkway, the bed's winter shadow would no longer cover the walkway, allowing it to warm faster, melt sooner, and just generally be less of a walking hazard.
So I've spent the last two days relocating the raised bed. On the first day, while moving the first few bricks, I kept interrupting the slumber of this adorable caterpillar. I finally just picked it up and moved it farther away, then covered it to make sure it remained protected from the cold night. It was slow progress, moving a few bricks and dirt, then relocating asparagus crowns to their newly exposed bed. I'm done for now.
I plan to seed some more asparagus this year too, to help fill in the lost coverage in their new home. It will be a few years before those seedlings are ready to eat, but hopefully these old crowns will grow well enough to eat this year. They were yummy last year.
While I was working today, there was a lot of car traffic at one of the drug houses on the block (not my crack house neighbor). At one point while resting on my front steps, another car roared away from that house while boom-boom-booming the loud music that makes my house windows rattle. Apparently I shook my head at the frustration of it. Another neighbor came across the street to talk with me. He's a black man maybe around my age (or less) who owns his house on the block too. He said he looked out his window, saw me shaking my head at the passing noise, and thought he found a kindred spirit.
He wanted to encourage me to report noise complaints to the police, since that may be the only way to enjoy any peaceful quiet on our block. While we were talking, that Asian neighbor came over to commiserate with us. That's when I learned that he's leaving due to the stress of this place. His kids are the ones who were held up at gunpoint mere seconds after I walked away from them at a nearby park. I don't blame him for being fed up.
I agreed to start calling police with my noise complaints and/or showing up to Jordan community meetings to voice my concerns. It's been a long while since I've joined them for meetings or community patrols. I should resume my participation.
I've been trying hard not to plant any seeds in the ground yet. We have snow in the forecast next week, so we're not done with freezing weather yet. I can, however, successfully dig in the ground which has thawed thanks to the exceptionally warm weather recently. I want to "finish" my front yard finally, after... 6 years?
I had a nice bed of asparagus growing on the sunward side of my raised bed. I decided I wanted it on the shadow side. I've read that asparagus shoots will stay tender for longer if kept in the dark, so they don't develop woody stems as soon during their growth. I'll see what mere shade can accomplish. Also, with some distance between the raised bed and my walkway, the bed's winter shadow would no longer cover the walkway, allowing it to warm faster, melt sooner, and just generally be less of a walking hazard.
So I've spent the last two days relocating the raised bed. On the first day, while moving the first few bricks, I kept interrupting the slumber of this adorable caterpillar. I finally just picked it up and moved it farther away, then covered it to make sure it remained protected from the cold night. It was slow progress, moving a few bricks and dirt, then relocating asparagus crowns to their newly exposed bed. I'm done for now.
I plan to seed some more asparagus this year too, to help fill in the lost coverage in their new home. It will be a few years before those seedlings are ready to eat, but hopefully these old crowns will grow well enough to eat this year. They were yummy last year.While I was working today, there was a lot of car traffic at one of the drug houses on the block (not my crack house neighbor). At one point while resting on my front steps, another car roared away from that house while boom-boom-booming the loud music that makes my house windows rattle. Apparently I shook my head at the frustration of it. Another neighbor came across the street to talk with me. He's a black man maybe around my age (or less) who owns his house on the block too. He said he looked out his window, saw me shaking my head at the passing noise, and thought he found a kindred spirit.
He wanted to encourage me to report noise complaints to the police, since that may be the only way to enjoy any peaceful quiet on our block. While we were talking, that Asian neighbor came over to commiserate with us. That's when I learned that he's leaving due to the stress of this place. His kids are the ones who were held up at gunpoint mere seconds after I walked away from them at a nearby park. I don't blame him for being fed up.
I agreed to start calling police with my noise complaints and/or showing up to Jordan community meetings to voice my concerns. It's been a long while since I've joined them for meetings or community patrols. I should resume my participation.