Jesse's Blog

Jesse's Blog http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog The personal blog of Jesse en-us Copyright 2005, Jesse's Blog 2008-02-21T01:15:47 Jesse Jesse (mailto:strock\@hotpop.com) Jesse Jesse (mailto:strock\@hotpop.com) The personal blog of Jesse Jesse's Blog Jesse's Blog http://fangor.freeshell.org/photo/jesse/jesse07.jpg http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog from outside the city http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000059.html On Monday we accomplished several things. It seems it was the perfect time to pick elderberries in Nassau, we found two trees (or groups of trees) and gathered at least 3 cups worth. The hawthorn berries are big, probably full-sized, but still green and immature. The goldenrod is almost in full flower and the milkweed are getting close to bursting. The kim chi was tested and it seems to be quite nice, all three jars, except that the brine had receded from the tops of them, and the seaweed one seemed to be bad in that part of it (but not the rest). New brine was added at this time. This was the kim chi kept in the basement. Butternut and delicata squash are growing fast, it seems, and they are fairly big and will probably be ready in the next few weeks. The pumpkins are already turning orange. Posted by Jesse On 08/29/07 At 05:30 PM How to Bike Albany http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000058.html There should be some kind of guide for biking Albany (NY of course), though then again maybe it's more fun figuring it out for yourself. I biked around Albany for the first time today, well, for the first time out of my neighboring area (Friday was the first time). It was pretty neat actually, I hadn't really biked a good distance like that in a long time (around 5 yrs. I think, and that was only in Ithaca to go a short distance to work, and only with difficulty because I was usually tired and didn't really know anything about adjusting the bike for my size. I did bike on our trip to Portland, a week or so ago, but I don't think that counts so much since it was in a far-distant city). I suppose I forgot, if I really ever knew, how quickly one can move on a bike. I was in places in no time, which by walking would seem eons away. Of course driving is quicker, but driving generally sucks. I do like it in the country, though less and less as the idea of burning oil seems less and less appealing, and less and less friendly. I somehow feel more assured and more free knowing that I can get to the far reaches of the city in around 45 minutes, if not less once I get more in shape and know more about what I am doing. It's re-enlived Albany for me, which for some time now has seemed to me a place without significant energy, joy or vitality, even though I am happy to be once again on my own, which has been quite wonderful. Somehow taking to the streets and feeling free on them has made Albany seem greener and happier, where people go out of doors and smile, and even seem like they really are enjoying it. Thank you bicycles, I think you make the world a livlier place (and bicycle inventors and developers of course). Posted by Jesse On 07/08/07 At 10:26 PM Albany here I come... http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000056.html What has been quite exciting for me recently, is that I have found someone to move into an apartment with in Albany. And we have found <a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8cbx8" target="_blank">a really nice place</a> (it's actually 4 houses SW from the arrow, with a black roof) to move into. Oddly enough, we'll be opposite the <a href="http://tinyurl.com/y2k782" target="_blank">Governor's Mansion</a>, but will move in at least a full month before <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/eliot_l_spitzer/index.html?inline=nyt-per" target="_blank">Eliot Spitzer</a> does. Posted by Jesse On 11/14/06 At 01:12 PM wild foods and milkweed http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000055.html Yesterday I went plant hunting with a new friend, looking for roots, berries and other wild edibles. What we found were, first, a good bunch of rose hips - these wild rose bushes can often be troublesome as one easily gets tangled in them when working outside, but I guess something told me I should leave some of them around; glad I did, and besides there were many in areas we don't disturb. Another plant that I thought was "undesirable", or at least ugly and annoying, is burdock. I just learned it's a biennial, and so the first year's growth doesn't have the burrs or really look quite like the second year's growth, which I am more familiar with. Anyway, it is the first year we were interested in, as much of the nutrients are still in the roots, which is the part we were looking for. We found some nice size ones and made a vinegar out of some of them, and chopped up the rest and put them in a stir fry, which was actually quite good (burdock root has a tasty, but unique flavor, for me anyway). Also there was dandelion root and greens, and some onion grass we found growing back in the woods just up from a wet area. The dandelion roots we found didn't turn out to be too big, possibly from competition with grasses and other "lawn" species. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed" target="_blank">milkweed</a> pods have really opened up now. They were spraying all over the field today; I could see their little white plumes scattered in and about the tall grasses and weed plants, as well as lounging contentedly on the trimmed lawn. They happen to be one of my favorite plants, and I hope to allow more to grow next year; along with more wild rose bushes and burdock <img src="http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/emoticons/smile.gif" alt="smile" /> Posted by Jesse On 11/01/06 At 03:40 AM violence in movies http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000054.html I don't know about you, but my tolerance for violence in films just isn't what it used to be. Two days ago I saw <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/" target="_blank">The Departed</a>, a Scorcese mob film about a cop infiltrating the mob and a mobster infultrating the police. While I think it was well made and the acting was good, it was so violent I wished I hadn't seen it. I don't know how many shots their were of someone getting shot in the head and us seeing it and the blood splattering out. I really don't this sort of thing is good for me to watch, maybe for no one. I suppose it wasn't good for me to watch as a kid either <img src="http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/emoticons/sad.gif" alt="sad" /> Posted by Jesse On 10/19/06 At 01:40 PM fall http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000053.html Many trees are turning now, with leaves hitting the ground in numbers. The gourd plant leaves have mostly been fried by the cold, especially the ones on the East side of the garden. Planted most of the garden yestersday with winter rye. Have left the red russian kale, we'll see how long it lasts and if it comes back next year. Believe I found a cicada (sp?) while turning up the soil, put it back in around the middle of the garden. Today felt the first strong, cold gust of fall; previously the only winds I'd felt had been somewhat warm or refreshing. I believe the guinea hens are full grown now, or almost; I count two females and one male (by looking at the skin flaps on the side of his face). Still are six chickens, four hens (three 2-yr old, one 1-yr old) and two roosters (they being the young ones born this year). They are still laying eggs, and I have a light timer on to keep their house illuminated from 6pm - 9pm. Posted by Jesse On 09/29/06 At 04:03 PM Growing things http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000052.html Well, the tomatoes are doing pretty well this year, especially the brandywines, though most of them are still green - were a few nice red ones a few weeks ago in a spurt. The gourds took over the fence again and are growing really large, much larger than last year. Think I have a pumpkin plant growing on the fence too, some nice 1' diameter pumpkins hanging from it. The strawberries are doing ok, though not really expanding as much as I would have hoped. The strawberries that I have let develop are rather small and puny, and not very tasty - maybe they'll be better next year? Maybe all that manure is stunting their growth? The peppers are growing very nicely, and I think with some support they might have done even better - they're elongate and all still green, but semi-sweet and juicy. Neither the broccoli nor the cauliflower worked out, except for one or two plants with rather small heads the rest all bolted quite early, the cold and rain maybe? Plan on establishing some winter rye over most of the garden, except where tomatoes, peppers and gourds are. Posted by Jesse On 09/10/06 At 12:02 PM plantings http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000051.html Last week (4/30...) planted several frasier fir trees in the front yard, to the right under the maple tree. Planted three everbearing strawberry plants in the NE corner of the garden. This week, planted two lupine plants (Jack Russell hybrid) in flower bed at end(side) of the house in each of the Southern corners. Planted two more everbearing strawberry plants with others in garden. Today, threw quick growing grass seed over the patch of ground near the cellar doors and in front of the big windows. Put bird netting on top and elevated it several inches, to keep away peckers. Should be time soon for Jason's turkeys, and then our <a href="http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/" target="_blank">McMurray</a> chickens... Posted by Jesse On 05/10/06 At 10:17 PM growing things and hiking http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000050.html Yesterday I planted some <a href="http://www.highmowingseeds.com" target="_blank">High Mowing Seeds</a> broccoli (De Cicco #2300) and Red Russian kale (#2530) seeds in the West-center of the garden, as well as a few cucumbers (Straight Eight #2460) along the ESE side of the fence. The day before I planted Sugar Daddy (#2764) and Sugar snap (#2765) peas along the WSW and SSW sides of the fence. I also covered up the winter rye grass to allow it to die. On Monday hiked up the Tower Mountain Road trail to the <a href="http://www.rtlc.org/taccrest.html" target="_blank">Taconic Crest Trail</a>, and continued over <a href="http://tinyurl.com/erunu" target="_blank">Tower Mtn.</a> and onto Berry Pond. The TMR was more like a small road, and could probably have been climbed by a small pickup truck. There were picknick tables at Berry Pond, as well as an access road(s). Posted by Jesse On 04/12/06 At 02:52 PM Bicycles and night moves http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000048.html Tonight I saw a man riding down <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&amp;q=Central+Ave,+Albany,+NY" target="_blank">Central Ave.</a> with a shopping cart tied to the back of his bicycle. It was quite picture perfect really, and I was happy to have caught it. But I imagine it must be rather difficult for him when he has to stop. It was a nice and cool, humid semi-spring night with just the right amount of moisture in the air, and not too much heat to accompany it. I look forward to such nights - they remind me of the relaxed and lazy nights of warmer weather, when life isn't as serious or critical, and we can churn ourselves softly through the loving air. How safe and assured we feel, soothed and protected by this gentle blanket of mist. I wish I had been riding that bicycle, it looked like it would have been a good time <img src="http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/emoticons/wink.gif" alt="wink" /> Posted by Jesse On 03/12/06 At 10:03 PM Birthdays http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000047.html Today is my grandmother's birthday, she would have been 92 today. It is also my birthday, I am 26 today. Recently, I have discovered documents that suggest she may have been born in a different year than we know (1913) but I hold to the idea that she was born on December 14th, or the correlating day on the Jewish Calendar, <a href="http://stevemorse.org/jcal/calendar.htm?year=5674" target="_blank">15 Kislev 5674</a>. Both the US Census of 1920 and the Ellis Island ship manifests suggest that she was born in a different year, 1912 or 1911. An old Russian passport of her mother suggests she was born in 1913. If indeed she was born in that year, than she would have been around 8 months old when she left for the New World with her mother and some of her siblings in May 1914. This was exactly a month before the assination of Archiduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, which triggered the start of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_I" target="_blank">First World War</a>. I wonder then if they had waited only a little longer than they had if my grandmother would have ever made it to this country, and gone on to foster her lineage, of which I am of course a part. Posted by Jesse On 12/14/05 At 03:57 PM Lebanon Springs to Tower Mountain, new TCT maps http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000046.html Thursday I hiked up to the <a href="http://www.rtlc.org/taccrest.html" target="_blank">Taconic Crest Trail </a> from the Lebanon Springs Access Trail. From here I hiked until I reached Tower Mountain approx. 2 1/4 miles to the North. According to the new set of maps I bought, a one-way trip should be around 3.3 mi, and with a gain of ~1175 ft. Round-trip time was about 3 and a half hours. Speaking of these maps, the Taconic Hiking Club has prepared a set of 7 8.5 X 11, fully topo (1:12,000) maps of the entire 35 mile length of the TCT. I suggest getting yourself a copy if you come by one, only $10. I found mine at <a href="http://www.bhny.com/" target="_blank">The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza</a>. The hike itself was quite nice. The mile long access trail to the ridge was somewhat dull, it was flattened out somewhat like a road and I imagine ORVs go through there all the time. In fact, while on the TCT an ORV passed me on the not-too-distant "Taconic Skyline Trail", which seems to have been created for the ORV crowd. Our encounters with these trails leave bad impressions of swaped out trail-lanes, circuitously navigated by rerouting the trail into the surrounding vegetation, impromptu I'm sure. The ORV trails of Thurdsay (and last Thursday) contained all these elements, but in addition putrid smells lingered in the otherwise fresh air. The access road itself was clean, though I passed several colvert pipes, partially exposed or completely out from the ground. At the TCT junction there was one long, solid colvert that looked to have been made of steel; part of the middle was caved in from the top. Here the real hike began, as I left the "road" and headed up and North on a small footpath, one that gave me the satisfaction of knowing that I was really in the woods and on a real, unabused hiking trail. There was a gradual steep climb for a while, and I saw many beeches (many still holding on to yellow leaves), oaks and birch. I passed an unmarked pond/bog to the left, which might correspond to a flat right spot below an x577; will need to investigate it more, especially in springtime. Contiuing on I crossed several small streams of minor varying volume (certainly each of enough to filter water), probably 6 since the beginning. One note of possible interest: many sections of the trail are unmarked, at least for 20 ft. in some spots, and one must pay close attention to the ground and other signs to make sure he is still on the trail. Also, the typical white diamond on blue square TCT makers are tacked up only sporadically, and one must follow plain white markers for most of the way (mostly diamonds). On the way to Tower Mountain there is a very nice view ridge, though the view itself is somewhat obstructed by trees. Still, it was quite pretty peering slightly down into the valley, while enjoying the golden sun streaming through the trees (that's right, this was the West side of the ridge). Tower Mtn. itself wasn't too spectacular, mainly slim views of the surrounding hills. But I was in a hurry so it is possible I did not reach the actual summit, or missed nearby views. Well, for another day. This was a good hike in any case, and will probably do it again. Posted by Jesse On 11/05/05 At 01:28 AM Berlin Mountain, and snow http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000045.html On Thursday we hiked to Berlin Mountain from the Petersburg Pass, passing just West of the peak Mt. Raimer. It was a nice hike, not too strenuous but enough to feel like a real one. There was a nice intermediary section between the two mountains, probably my favorite part of the hike. The view was ok, but was better at the start than the finish. My knees didn't hurt going down! Is it from working at the co-op, standing up all day? Today it's snowed, with a small coat on my father's car. It's a kind of rain-snow, switching back and forth, and generally being unpleasant. I think it's been about a week and a half now that the light-brown hen has been sitting on eggs. Posted by Jesse On 10/25/05 At 07:46 PM winter rye http://fangor.freeshell.org/blog/archives/00000044.html Today I planted some of the first winter rye in the garden. Winter rye is a good cover crop for gardens in the Northeast, as it can be planted late into the season (Aug-Oct) and survives over the winter. In the spring it is tilled into the soil, adding nutrients and helping soil structure. First I dug up the patch to be planted (basically where the peas, beets and cilantro used to be) to kill the weeds and turn them and old garden plants into the soil - some parts of this area were severely compacted as well. It was drizzling a little today, but not enough to create much mud. I covered the rye seed with a rake and let the drizzle have it. Next will probably be the ornamental popcorn plot; I wonder how long the tomatoes and peppers will last into the season. Some of the gourds are definitely dead now, but one cauliflower plant and one swiss chard are thriving. The mandarins haven't turned red yet. Posted by Jesse On 09/26/05 At 07:35 PM