22 over 7

Kalonji continued, once more

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:50:39 PDT

This was exciting:I've written before about the benefits of "blackseed," properly known as black cumin (Nigella sativa). The seeds of this plant are used as a spicing agent and as a source for antimicrobial, antiparasitic, I think antibiotic and immune-boosting oil throughout the Middle East and South Asia. I first learned about black cumin's culinary and medicinal uses when I lived in

Eyes on the sky

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:49:00 PDT

Foraging wild food in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:26:49 PDT

I know, I barely visit my own digital home. I started a new blog for my organic gardening service, I've been caring for my own garden, and so on and on.Here are images and videos from an urban foraging walk led by Nance Klehm on Sunday. The next walk 'n' talk is scheduled for June 7, 3-5 p.m., at Garfield Park in Chicago. Ground ivy Plantain Yellowdock Burdock Sweet violet

Two quick links

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:47:22 PDT

Astronomers Without Borders"The boundaries we place between us vanish when we look skyward. Whoever, whatever or wherever we are, we all share the same sky."The World at Night"The World At Night is a new program to create and exhibit a collection of stunning photographs and time-lapse videos of the world’s most beautiful and historic sites against a nighttime backdrop of stars, planets and

They really ought to renamethis volcano Mount Jindal.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:05:56 PDT

"Alaskan authorities were on alert Monday after the Mount Redoubt volcano erupted five times, spewing plumes of smoke and ash some 15 kilometers (nine miles) into the air and forcing flight cancellations."The Alaska Volcano Observatory said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the 3,100 meter (10,200-foot) volcano, located not far from Anchorage, Alaska's most populous

Your friendly neighborhood garden man

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:14:07 PDT

If you live around Chicago, that is.I now offer vegetable garden installation and plant care services in Chicagoland.A weblog connected to the venture is located at backyardharvester.com/blog/.

Blowin' up under the sea

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:03:53 PDT

Somebody call Bobby Jindal and tell him this is what volcano monitoring is for...

The White House will grow its own greens.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:48:27 PDT

"Almost the entire Obama family, including the president, will pull weeds, 'whether they like it or not,' Mrs. Obama said laughing. 'Now Grandma, my mom, I don’t know.' Her mother, she said, would probably sit back and say: 'Isn’t that lovely. You missed a spot.'""Mrs. Obama, who said that she never had a vegetable garden before, said the idea for it came from her experiences as a working mother

Overhead update

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:53:57 PDT

"The $410 billion spending bill signed by President Barack Obama this week includes about $900,000 for the Adler Planetarium for the 'overhead projector' that became controversial during the presidential campaign."The machine is actually a sophisticated $3 million to $5 million light-projection system that beams images of the stars, planets and galaxies onto the ceiling."The museum wants to spend

Masanobu Fukuoka

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:29:23 PDT

I saw a post about Fukuoka's book, "The One-Straw Revolution," on the Arthur blog about an hour ago. Please bear with me while I throw many related links at you."Masanobu Fukuoka's book about growing food has been changing the lives of readers since it was first published in 1978.* It is a call to arms, a manifesto, and a radical rethinking of the global systems we rely on to feed us all. At the

Around the world, once more

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:55:37 PDT

Here's something quick to post, since I'm preoccupiedwith a three-headed monster of project:my flickr map (3,028 images added)

Let's sow.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:41:59 PST

Yes, I know that it might snow in Chicagoland this weekend. There are little flakes falling at this moment, in fact. However, the lunar new year has come and gone, which means that it's technically spring.[If you're wondering what I mean, since March 21 is still weeks away, it's OK. Just go with it.]Anyhow, I have collected and purchased many, many seeds varieties in the past year. Even with a

"...something called volcano monitoring."

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:17:30 PST

Apparently, Louisiana's Gov. Jindal made some barb about the money spent by the USGS for volcano observation. That's right up there with McCain bringing up the multimillion dollar "overhead projector" at Adler Planetarium during the debates.Perhaps if Jindal lived near the Cascade Range, or in Hawai'i or Alaska, he'd understand what volcano monitoring is about and why it matters (see the

Twilight/Morning Light

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:17:03 PST

My thornapple archive

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:48:11 PST

Data on Datura has been updated.I had a few species misidentified,and there were new photos to add.

A composting post

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:19:47 PST

"Food accounts for about 13 percent of the nation’s trash -- it is the third largest component after paper and yard trimmings -- and about 16 percent of New York City's."'There’s a growing awareness of its value,' said Elizabeth Royte, the author of "Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash." 'We had a recycling revolution, now we need a composting revolution...'"Composting does not have as big

Concentric Garden 2.2.7

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:53:32 PST

This is the progression of the garden from 2007 to the present day (minus the time while I was away).When I returned from Korea in August 2008, the first thing I did was go out back and gather seeds. As I did that, I discovered several skeletonized Datura pods left over from 2007. I figured that they might still be viable, so I added them to my Datura repository (seven species and counting).I

The Grey Lady visits Nepaland walks the same streetsthat we did last winter.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:25:18 PST

In Frenetic Katmandu, Finding a Quiet Space"Tucked on the eastern outskirts of Katmandu, Boudhanath is both an eye of calm within the capital’s dusty pandemonium and a sanctuary of Tibetan Buddhist culture amid a nation dominated by Nepali Hindus."Many of its thousands of residents, in fact, have come directly from the old country. Since the Chinese invasion of Tibet -- nearly 60 years ago --

Night lights

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:06:24 PST

Parabolas

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:40:09 PST

A video that focuses on the occurrence of parabolas in nature and engineering.It was produced for the podcast distributed by Radio Lab.

God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:05:40 PST

From The New York Times:"When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I couldn’t help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were routinely rejected."Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances are that this one too has helped us survive

The Obamas need to grow their own, too.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:24:25 PST

From The New York Times:"The nonprofit group Kitchen Gardeners International wants to inspire people to grow their own food in home gardens. (The group's) 'Eat the View!' campaign has targeted the ultimate home garden: the White House lawn."The concept of a White House garden is hardly a new idea. Presidents throughout history have tried to grow their own food, and there was even a White House

It's not just me. Even the mainstream media is reporting that you ought to grow your own.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:49:48 PST

"When tomatoes were pulled from store shelves last summer for fear of salmonella, it was only the latest of a succession of scares that revealed how long the supply chain is for supermarket produce -- and how vulnerable to contamination. Sales of organically grown produce have been on the rise for years, and it's natural to go from buying expensive organic heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market

Hey, we were in India at this time last year.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:29:08 PST

That came to mind after interactions with two different Indian women out here in the snow-covered, windswept suburbs. The first time, at a local Meijer, the memories from last year (the sounds, the soot, the warmth, the color and jumble) flitted at the edge of my awareness attention as I walked out of the checkout and into the sub-zero air.Last night, at a local Subway, I really wanted to ask the

Let's get growing.

noreply@blogger.com (mr damon) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:33:04 PST

Yes, Chicagoland temperatures are in the teens, and there's more snow on the way, but I want to talk about gardens.For a couple of years now, I've wanted to broaden my activity with organic agriculture. If you've read this blog over the past couple of years, you know that I have more than a passing interest in natural medicine, herbs, ethnobotany, plant spirit shamanism, and the like.As these