catching up: gardening

my blueberry bushes have finally started bearing heavily enough that it's reasonable to measure their output in pints. but i didn't, because i didn't think of it. still, i've picked 60+ berries, and there's more slowly ripening.

'course, these are early blooming/early bearing types, so the harvest should have been move a month ago. however, a wet spring abruptly became a dry summer, which stopped ripening in its tracks. it took me a couple of weeks to realize that's what was happening. so, the bushes waited until i started watering them every day to resume.

the favor has been hit and miss this year: they certainly have the "tart" part down, but not consistent blueberry flavor and/or sweetness. i'm guessing that's a consequence of the (lack of) rain, but i'll need to look into it for next year.

i also need to look into pollinators for next year. the blueberry bees seem to have helped a lot this year, but given that i couldn't keep the pupae alive in the fridge for a few months, i'm thinking of doing something different next year.

one approach is just to treat the bees as annuals, and buy more every year. i'm also going to try letting the pupae overwinter in the garage. the reason for bringing them in is to prevent predation and parasitism, and the garage should be adequate for that. i'll just have to make sure to keep an eye on the temperature in there so i set them out early enough. anybody out there have any experience with blueberry bees/mason bees?

my gardens are otherwise doing well enough -- pictures soon -- but the guerrilla gardening seems to have failed. the county has sorta maintained their planters this year: they didn't plant anything, but they weed-whacked them. oops. maybe next year.

catching up: pyro(technic)ing off

the state has legalized some fireworks for the next few years as an experiment. nothing that explodes or shoots into the air is legal, but this is apparently a common enough restriction that the two big fireworks makers sell stuff that meets it. (also plenty of stuff that doesn't, all conveniently available just across the state line.)

i've never lived anywhere fireworks were legal before -- not that this really stops anybody around here -- so i decided to buy a fountain. i'm not sure i enjoyed it. it was certainly pretty, but it seemed to have much sound and fury, signifying very little. but on the other hand, i bought one pretty much at random, not having much idea what the various effects would do in practice. now i know.

so, next year, i'll make more of an effort to get something (or several somethings) i like. and also make some attempt to cost-optimize duration. prices seem to go up steeply in duration, but there are mysterious exceptions. alas, i'm no longer in touch with any high-end amateur pyrotechnicians who might be able to explain why.