!!!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

BRK #582

I decided to carry out errands Friday evening, so my Saturday was a bit more relaxed than usual.

The weather was lovely today, and the river surfers were out at their usual spot.



I rode my bicycle all around the northern edge of town. Here's a view of the Orange Street under-pass, as it continues below the Missoula railways.



Also in the extreme northern section of town is the Ceretana Building, which looks to me like a grain warehouse from back in the day. It's now a multi-use building with smaller suites built in the lower portions, though they've kept the original sheet-metal tower facade.



Here are the rail yards in Missoula. Things are constantly in motion through there.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

BRK #583

It's been a solid Sunday. Samantha was visiting this weekend, and she took us through the garden for more plant identification. Thanks again for the expedition...!

Paul became totally excited when we found Cleavers/Bed Straw. We had a conversation about how cool this stuff is earlier this week. Hopefully we can cultivate more of this around here.



Here's frickin' Hounds' Tongue. Those little seed pods are the worst. They stick in my arm hair. Damnit. We plucked this out almost immediately after identifying them.



We found a lot of Bachelor's Buttons in the rear paddock of the House.



Here's our favourite mulch: Comfrey.



Here's Lemon Balm. It smells wonderful, and we learned that it's frequently used as a lure for swarm traps. Doesn't taste as nice as it smells, in my opinion.



Wild Strawberries. 'Nuff said.



Samantha brought out a couple more very young lambs. I had a chance to feed them shortly after snapping this photo. They're barely taller than this watering can. Lots of fun.



And I continued my Nest Labor project of making Kitty Cushions for the shelves at the front of the house. Two down, one to go. I think for the last one, I'll just fold that purplish blanket into sections and stitch it together.
(bonus spider plant photo bomb!)



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

Paul became totally excited when we found Cleavers/Bed Straw. We had a conversation about how cool this stuff is earlier this week. Hopefully we can cultivate more of this around here.

No need to hope you will.  They are called cleavers for a reason: they stick to you with Velcro hooks.  I often think I have eliminated a vine only to discover it clinging to my leg and dragging along into the house.  The seeds will stick to your shirt tail and you will plant them when you squat down somewhere at the lab.  They can become a massive volume covering a row of plants in a short period of time.  That has been a good thing occasionally; saved a row of boysenberries from being eaten by the deer.  The dry mature vines will present seeds to grab hold of you each time you pass by.  Plan on combing them off each time you hang your work clothes.  
If you are thinking of bed straw you will have to get the timing just right; when it has formed a large mass but has not yet made seeds; not easy to do.  It has a verry tender connection to the ground so it is easy to pull and not come back from the roots.
 Mass cut to open pathway.
 The pathway before.

Hans Quistorff wrote:

Paul became totally excited when we found Cleavers/Bed Straw. We had a conversation about how cool this stuff is earlier this week. Hopefully we can cultivate more of this around here.

No need to hope you will.  They are called cleavers for a reason: they stick to you with Velcro hooks.  I often think I have eliminated a vine only to discover it clinging to my leg and dragging along into the house.  The seeds will stick to your shirt tail and you will plant them when you squat down somewhere at the lab.  They can become a massive volume covering a row of plants in a short period of time.  That has been a good thing occasionally; saved a row of boysenberries from being eaten by the deer.  The dry mature vines will present seeds to grab hold of you each time you pass by.  Plan on combing them off each time you hang your work clothes.  
If you are thinking of bed straw you will have to get the timing just right; when it has formed a large mass but has not yet made seeds; not easy to do.  It has a verry tender connection to the ground so it is easy to pull and not come back from the roots....

Agree. And had something to add to this. In Dutch I know two different plants: one is the cleavers ('kleefkruid', Galium aparine) the other is the bedstraw ('lieve-vrouwe-bedstro', Galium odoratum aka Asperula odorata). The first one sticks to your clothes, overgrows other plants and spreads its seeds like Hans told. The second one does not stick, has a sweet smell and spreads mostly by creeping over and under ground, it is perennial.

BRK #584

Monday, back at it in the rain. I think we had over an inch of precipitation today.

One of the first sights I saw up at the Lab today was the lupines bush that Ben and I spotted last week. Seems to be healthy and blooming now. It's a fantastic-looking plant!



In the afternoon, we traveled up to the Lab again today. While gardening over at Allerton Abbey, I ended up pulling this massive dock root out of the ground. Brian seemed enthusiastic about trying it as part of his dinner.



Also up at the Abbey, I crossed paths with this tiny fellow. Very butterfly-ish, but for some reason I suspect it's a moth of some kind.



Finally: in the first half of the day, we were inside avoiding the rain. I set out to begin event prep - the PTJ is a month away...! I orientated Brian and Ben to what to do and how to make sure we're ready for everything, and we're all excited. The Slab-Delier is already installed...!



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!