Herbs Abounding!

My herb garden got planted this weekend! I also managed to split and re-pot  some of my African violets (I went from six to nine - anyone need one?), and soak my orchids. I am excited because one of my orchids is about to start blooming again!

I'd posted earlier about planning for the herb garden. As usual, planning was good, but execution went a bit overboard. The staples all made it. The newbies got shaken up a bit.

Clockwise from top left: Sage, parsley, marjoram,
thyme, chamomile, oregano, and yarrow.

The Staples

Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Parsley
Basil

The Newbies

Lemon Balm
Spearmint
Arugula (Rocket)
Bay laurel
Mojito Mint*
Yarrow*
Chamomile*
Marjoram*
Parsley*
Lavender*
Dill*

*These were not planned!

I couldn't find the spearmint or arugula. I suppose I made up for that by getting seven additional plants. The dill might not make it. When I got home, it wasn't as robust a plant as I'd thought, but I gave it a special pot and a nice sunny spot in the kitchen window. Hopefully, I can nurse it back to health.

In short order, I should be able to start plucking a leaf here and there for salads. I'm looking forward to drying the herbs and making some new remedies and teas with them. Blending my own teas will be awesome since I drink so much of it. I'll let you know how it goes!

Hiking with Your Dog - Prep for Them Too!

Sasha loves a rainy walk
on the Mount Vernon Trail.

A lot of people take their dogs along on walks, hikes, and camping trips. They are great companions. I like my dog better than most people I know. Sasha accompanies me on all my day hikes. She's a miniature Schnauzer and not terribly helpful, but she is cute and she keeps me company. She also serves as a way to slow me down when I get into "walking is also exercise" mode.

When you take your dog out on hikes and trips, you need to prepare and protect them as much as you do yourself. Are you taking water for yourself? Don't forget your dog too. They are as susceptible to giardia and other water-borne illnesses as you are. Make sure you have potable water for puppy too.

Did you pack your lunch and some extra food just in case? Pack lunch and extra food for the doggie as well. You might consider a treat or two also. Why? Because they love you. That's why.

Because hiking and bushcraft is a recently renewed interest for me, I asked my vet if there are any additional steps I should take to protect my dog. Here are a few things she recommended:

First and foremost, keep them up to date on their vaccines and flea/tick medicine. All the standards, especially rabies, are a must. You should also make sure your dog is vaccinated for Lyme disease and leptosporosis as well. Leptosporosis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted in the urine of wild animals and infected water, soil, or mud. It is most common in tropical, sub-tropical, and wet environments. It loves places with stagnant water and wild animals. It is increasingly common in the US and Canada. Remember how I said the DC area used to be a swamp?

Sasha doesn't love
closed trails.

Every time your dog rolls in that foul and enticing smell on the ground puts them - and you - at risk. That's right. You too. Leptosporosis is zoonotic. It can be transmitted to humans as well as animals. Getting your dog vaccinated protects you both and frankly, the symptoms of this disease suck.

There is some debate over this vaccine, but talk to your vet. There can be side effects, as with any medication. My dog has never had issues with it and I always get the pets with  issues.

Dogs can also contract Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, Be sure to give them their flea an tick medicine on time. There's even a chewable treat version out now that you only have to give your dog every three months. It also costs less than the equivalent number of doses of the smelly stuff you put on their skin. Ask your vet about it.

Also, if you use a retractable leash, consider using a normal, non-retractable leash instead. (I know some of you let your dog off lead, but in my area, dogs are required to be on leashes at all times.) Retractable leashes are nice. I have one for when Sasha and I walk the neighborhood. In the woods, they get tangled on branches and dogs tend to run off a bit more, then hit the end of the lead and they can get hurt when their necks get yanked back.

Hiking and camping are great fun. They are even better with your canine best bud. Just be sure you take all the safety precautions you'd take for yourself for them too.

The Next Bite - Spring Wild Edibles

Redbuds are pretty and taste good!

I got to take the next bite of wild edibles this past weekend at Tim MacWelch's Spring Wild Edibles class (Advanced Survival Training). I was excited for this one not only because the weather was (a lot) better than it was for the winter class in January, but also because I was really hoping to identify a few things on my own as well. (I did!)

We found several of the plants we were introduced to in the last class -  the common plantain, the seaside plantain, wild onions, and my favorite, the yarrow.

I learned that the weeds growing in between the pavers of my patio are Pennsylvania Bittercress, which I quite enjoy. I'd pull them up and put them in my salad if I didn't know what pesticides our homeowner's association sprayed on them. That, and the neighbor's dog pees on my patio to torment my dog. I'll find a safer place to forage.

The Pennsylvania Bittercress's cousin, Wintercress, I didn't enjoy so much. It was tasty at first, then the bitterness sneaked up on me and smacked me in the head. I'll eat it in a survival situation , but I don't think I'll be making it part of my everyday diet.

Spring Beauty
aka
The Fairy Potato

The actual Fairy Potato

My favorite of this class was the Spring Beauty, or as it was billed, the "elusive Fairy Potato". The flower is beautiful and incredibly delicate and if you dig it up, you get a tiny little potato. I was surprised how delicate the plant was.

I brought home two of the tiny potatoes and made itty bitty Fairy Potato Chips. It was a lot of work for a few tiny chips, but they were very good. I think if I cook with them again, I'll just cut them in half and drop them in a cup of soup or something.

We did find a small patch of wild strawberries. They'll be ready in June. Sadly, I won't be there for those, but maybe someone will get lucky and get a strawberry before the wild animals do.

One of the other bonuses of this class? We scoped out all the blackberries and other summer goodies are for the Summer Wild Edibles class and the Wild Brewing class - mostly the Wild Brewing class. That reminds me... I am off to empty three wine bottles for the Wild Brewing class so that we can refill them! (Don't worry. I won't empty them all at once.)

Salt and Pepper Fairy Potato Chips

Walking for Wishes Amid the Cherry Blossoms

If you are in DC and can see
the Washington Monument, you
are not lost.

Most of my walks are for me. It's a tad selfish, but hiking is what I do for me. This weekend, my walk was for sick children. I participated in the Mid-Atlantic Walk for Wishes. They raise money to grant wishes and make dreams come true for terminally ill children. My office has fielded a team for two years now. You can still support Walk for Wishes by visiting my page.

It's a great cause and a great walk. It coincides with cherry blossom season in Washington, DC. Normally, it would be right at the end of the season, but once again, the blooms are late because of a extra-long winter and late snows.

The day was gorgeous. Upper 60s Fahrenheit and sunny. The team had a lot of fun. I did get goosed by an overly friendly chocolate Lab. I sure hope it was the Lab and not her owner. We also ran into Miss Teen Washington DC, a rather impressive young lady who will compete for Miss Teen USA this fall. My co-worker's two-year-old daughter thought she was a princess. At least she wasn't singing "Let it Go"!

Here are some photos from the day.

The Enid A. Haupt Garden and Smithsonian Castle

Magnolias at the Enid A. Haupt Garden

Cherry blossoms near the Washington Monument

Cherry Blossoms

Blossoms and the crowds

Surviving DC - Tips for Tourists

It's springtime in Washington, DC. The cherry blossoms and the tourists are in bloom. I'm allergic to at least one of them.

Repairs were completed recently on the
Washington Monument after the DC earthquake.
The scaffolding was still up in this photo.

This is a gorgeous time of year to visit DC. Unfortunately, that means it is insanely crowded as well, so I thought I'd offer a few hints for visitors - some more serious than others.

Those people on the Metro reading the newspaper or staring glumly at their cup of coffee that they aren't allowed to drink? They're commuters going to work. They don't want to be there, but they have no choice and are insufficiently caffeinated. Don't poke or otherwise harass them. It's not nice to torment the animals and they bite.

Consider taking the metro after 9 a.m. on the way in and after 6:00 p.m. on the way out. It will save you some money since metro jacks up the prices during rush hour as much as $1.50 each way and it will be less busy. Commuters don't have choice when they ride. You do. Besides, early dinners are easy in DC because worker bees are leaving the city.

Walk left, stand right on Metro escalators lest you get run over. Seriously.

DC is loaded with great photo opportunities. All of them can be taken without standing in the middle of the street. It's a bad idea. The buses will take you out. (VERY serious. Buses have huge blind spots and you're not bigger than them.) I will never understand this one. Do you stand in the middle of busy streets at home?

The pond around Constitution Gardens

Visit the Mall and all the popular monuments. Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, MLK... They are all beautiful, but consider consider visiting the Roosevelt Memorial and other lesser known monuments. The Ford Theater is fascinating. Buy tickets online ahead of time. I also like the Constitution Gardens.

Spend lots of money. DC needs all the revenue it can get.

If you ask which way to the Smithsonian, don't be surprised if the person you asked sighs. There are 19 Smithsonian museums, including two Air and Space museums. (One is on the Mall and one is near Dulles International Airport in Virginia.) You should know which Smithsonian you want to go to.

Most of all, enjoy your visit!

Nature in the Neighborhood - I Almost Forgot it was There

I'm not a fan of living in the suburbs, but I try to remember that it can be pretty and not totally devoid of nature. All I have to do is remember to look.

Sasha and I wandered the neighborhood today, stopped to smell the flowers (the roses aren't in bloom yet), and meet all the other neighbors out doing the same thing. We met quite a few other dogs along the way and they all happily sniffed and ran. I was reminded why of all the neighborhoods I could have picked to live, I picked this one. It really is quite pretty, especially in the springtime. 

Spring is a little late here thanks to a harsh winter, but it is finally starting to peek through. The daffodils and hyacinth are just starting to bloom. The magnolias are just now budding out. A few are starting to open, but only the ones that get plenty of sunshine. The trees on the shady streets are still quite a bit behind. Most noticeably, we still have no cherry blossoms - not even in DC. Maybe by Monday there will be a few there.

Every once in a while, you should take the time to remind yourself that there is something beautiful to inspire wonder no matter where you are.

Sasha was sad that part of our path was
closed due to construction.

Our woods still haven't really greened up. Normally, everything would be
bright and springy by now.

April's Five to Follow - No Fooling!

It's the start of another month and allegedly it is spring time. It also means I should probably write my monthly post about some of my favorite Twitter people. (I refuse to uses the term "tweeps" because it sounds stupid and I don't follow stupid people.) April's Five to Follow  for #FF are smart, punny, and loaded with great photography.

Tristan Gooley (@NaturalNav) is the author of The Natural Navigator: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide. I am pretty sure you could drop him anywhere on the planet and he'd be able to tell you the way home in no time. What is more impressive is that he can explain it in a way that makes sense even to me and I get turned around in my own home! (I'm still going to have to read his book twice. No one is THAT good.) His Twitter feed is full of great tips, beautiful photos, and interesting nature articles.

George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) is one of the punniest men on the internet, and I love a good pun. There are few things more entertaining - and harder to pull off - than a well-crafted word game. Of course, he is also one of the best characters EVER on Star Trek and I am a long-time Trekker. On a serious note, his quest to ensure this country doesn't forget its dark past and the internment of thousands of Japanese-Americans during WWII is near to my heart. Anyone who strives to keep our history alive is a hero to me.

Dude You're Booked (@DudeYoureBooked) is a Twitter book club started by three fans of the TV show Dude, You're Screwed. The stars (Terry Schappert, John Hudson, Jake Zweig, Chris Swanda, Casey Anderson, and Tim Smith) recommend so many good books via their Twitter feeds that we couldn't keep up, so we created an Amazon wishlist to accompany the Dude, You're Booked feed. Matt Graham doesn't do social media, but his book due out this summer is on the list. The face of the club changes every month and the Dudes keep us supplied with new book suggestions.

Survival Sherpa (@SurvivalSherpa) is a bushcraft and survivalist guru. (What? You thought I'd have a Five to Follow without a survival guy?) His blog is a wealth of information and and his Twitter feed is loaded with useful links to other resources as well. You'll learn about making primitive pottery, lashing (posts, not people), making a "plumber's stove on steroids", and so much more. His blog has DIY projects, wood craft ideas and so much more! Plus, he's a tad cheeky. You gotta love that!

Yonder App (@YonderApp) is the Twitter feed for a mobile app for the outdoorsy types. My favorite Crazy Goat Farmer told me about this one. (Truthfully, I'm surprised he found it!)  It's a photos-only feed of people out exploring Mother Nature. You can follow others just like any other social media. The difference is you don't have to filter out subjects you don't really care about. It is just an endless feed of incredible scenery and ideas for your travel bucket list.

My Twitter: @cmstevens06