Science News Today

Today is science day.

The Hedron Collider managed to successfully smash two atoms together, and the earth didn't get sucked into a black hole.  My daughter claims she feels like she has, but I assured her that is was only Tuesday.

Secondly, Toyota has called in NASA Engineers to study the sudden acceleration problem. So who knew it was rocket science all along?

Third, The courts have ruled that sections of DNA cannot be patented.  The judge says it is commendable that companies have managed to identify certain sections that indicate cancers, or such but essentially those sections can be found in nature anywhere, therefore, not patentable.  I guess I will have to remove my application for the fresh air I discovered when I stood on my porch today.

What Country? Gift Shop

I recently stopped at a local "Country Gift Shop" that was new to the area that I live.  It is an area that has gotten thousands of taxpayer money to create a rails to trails bicycle pathway through beautiful scenic mountains.  An Area that is promoting itself as "Pennsylvania Wilds."

Since I  make a  variety of homemade items, that are rather unique.  I have been making the rounds of the local gift shops to see if I can place a few of theses items in their shops. 

What is amazing, is not one of the local shops sell local arts and crafts!  They all look like cookie cutters of each other, and exactly like what you can find in any mall across America. They all have cookie cutter patchworks done in shades of browns and greens,  created in the Philippines, or China.  Nothing produced locally.  They are are scented with candles made in another country.

What Country are we decorating from?  I will be truthful...most of the stuff in these places neither look artistic, nor real.  If you place them in a home, it doesn't say, I love my country, and it's rich history, it says "Look, I can get hoodwinked by local merchandisers!"

Seek out your local artisans.  Support the shops that support local craft people.  Put down that punched tin ornament made in China, and go find the real thing!  It is worth the effort.

 Oh, and if you are curious, here is where my Central Pennsylvanian crafts can be found. It certainly isn't here in Central Pennsylvania.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/CraftyPA

How to make a garden fence out of sticks

I needed a fence because my dogs have a habit of running without looking where they are heading.  So, I didn't really need it to be strong, rather to have a visual impact to the dogs, so they stay out.  I am also an organic gardener, so I wanted something that looked natural.  The only cost to this fence is for cotton string to bind the intersections.

This is how I did it.  I use 4 main pieces, about 2 1/2 feet long as the legs to go into the ground.

 Next, I use two smaller pieces of study twigs between each of the 4 longer ones.  Then I took long sticks (these are the sucker branches that we trimmed off our apple trees this winter) and threaded them over and under these sticks.  I would start and stop wherever there seemed to need bracing.  I only would do about 4-5 sticks in each intersection.  Then I tied each intersection.  Here is the first row done.

I would loop around each side an then knot it at the bigger sticks, as they are the main supports, but just criss-cross tied the intersections of the smaller sticks.  Here is an example of the knots.

  I added two more rows of sticks, making sure each intersection is tied.  I tried to keep them straight as possible, but wasn't too upset if it varied, as I liked the look of a "natural fence"

Here is the finished fence, I used a hammer and pounded the longer sticks into the ground to make it secure.

I hope this gives you ideas on how to use natural materials to help around the garden.

It's Friday! Happy Spring!

OK, it is a little early, so maybe we can force the issue a bit.

St. Patrick's Day

They say on St. Patrick's day, everyone is Irish!  Many people people think green and beer when thinking of St. Pat's Day.  Others think of Corned Beef.  When I think of St. Patrick's Day I think onions! 

This was the traditional day to plant onions in my Italian neighborhood.  Here in Central Pennsylvania, what the weather will be like on St. Patrick's day is pretty much a crap shoot, but I have managed to plant onions on this day every year.  I have gone out and poked through the snow to frozen ground and dropped the onions into little indents with the belief of Spring, and have never been disappointed!  My husband has laughed at me all bundled up out there trying to find ground to plant the onions, but low and behold, when the thaw finally hit, there were lines of delicious onions ready to serve with the dinner.

This year, like last year, was exceptional in the fact that I was able to actually turn the onion patch over before I had a chance to plant it.  Already there is a promise of Spring out there, the crocuses, and pussy willows are already accepting the gift of warmth and sun.

It doesn't take much, just go to a local Agway, or seed store, and get some onion sets.  Onions aren't really picky about the soil, but they like sun.  If you can't even prepare the soil it is OK.  Just poke some holes in the ground a couple of inches deep, and drop the onion sets in.  As I used to tell my children when they were little...just make sure the fuzzy side is down.  In a couple of weeks, you will have wonderful spring onions to serve in salads, or greens to chop into almost any meal, or just on the dinner table ready to dip in salt and eat fresh!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Some Other Planet

I have begun to wonder if perhaps, there are two earths.  I know I am supposed to be here on the earth, In the United States, in the heart of Pennsylvania. Then I watch Television.  I saw on the news yesterday, where several women were being treated for problems associated with the injection of silicone caulking into their buttocks.  They thought they were getting approved buttock enlargements.

My brain began to try to digest all of this information laid out so randomly at once..."What would silicone caulking do to the body?" Then, it sprang into action with "Why would you allow someone to inject caulking into your butt?  "People want to have large butts?"  "Who thought this was a good thing to do?"  "Why are women so stupid?"


I must be on another planet.  Don't get me wrong, I feel it is a good thing to want to look good. I thought we were in a recession.  People still have money to invest in their butts?   Maybe the we haven't gotten poor enough yet.

I have read about earlier American women and corsets.  They were so anxious to have an hourglass figure, that they allowed their corsets to alter their bone structure.  The reason fainting couches were so popular, was because the corsets were so constrictive that they couldn't breath properly, thus fainting was common.  I thought that was behind us....but I guess stupidity and the quest for beauty has never left us.  I guess that the only thing behind us is caulk.

 

Smile it is almost Friday!