I grow #sunflowers for many reasons.

But perhaps my favorite part of growing them is that simple harvest of delight, those little faces looking up in wonder, the older faces looking down in pleasure at the joy of their children.

#gardening

http://www.belovedspear.org/2023/09/a-harvest-of-delight.html

I'm hearing more and more small farmers and gardeners raising concern about cardboard mulching and PFAS. Yikes.

"In addition to interfering with water and gas movement into the soil environment, corrugated cardboard has chemical contaminants that you really don’t want in your soil or even your compost pile. Corrugated cardboard contains environmental contaminants including dioxin and PFAs or “forever chemicals.” No gardener should want to introduce more of these widespread contaminants into their landscape or garden"

https://gardenprofessors.com/cardboard-does-not-belong-on-your-soil-period/

https://gardenprofessors.com/the-cardboard-controversy/

#gardening #garten #smallfarming

We are not powerless against #dementia. Until we can prevent or cure diseases like #Alzheimers, we can give support, understanding, love and as many moments of #happiness as possible.

#caregiving #purpose #kindness #quote

My teen and I were hiking out on the Wiley Trails this morning, looking for black raspberries, when I spotted something drifting along on the breeze. At first I thought it might be a fluffy seed pod, but it alighted on a leaf and I saw that it was actually two Eastern phantom crane flies (𝘉𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘩𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴) mating!  

Even once I realized what they were, they still seemed otherworldly, with the way they don't so much fly as drift along on the air currents like some kind of many-tentacled undersea critter.

#InsectThursday #CraneFlies #flies #diptera #insects #CrittersMating

I've been feeling helpless in the face of *waves hands* everything but I finally realized I AM doing something. I've been doing something for 20+ years, in spite of limited time and energy and nearly no budget.

I'm creating habitat.

There was nothing here when I arrived in 2003. I had ambitious permaculture plans, but quickly realized a "proper" project was well beyond my resources. So I've done my best, and I'm working with what thrives here – humble plants like wild daisies and day lilies, and spirea.

Red clover, lupins, and dandelion help improve the soil. I planted apple, plum, and pear trees (the hazlenut aren't doing terribly well, so I hope I can figure them out).

The rock walls I built attract snakes. I have at least one hare (found some droppings in the garden just a few minutes ago). The birds love it here. I have a small vegetable garden, even though I'm not great at growing vegetables. But still.

The garden evolves as I do. This is one section near the compound gate, a.k.a. Outer Space as far as the cat's concerned.

#Gardening #Bloomscrolling

The Three Towers: Kelvingrove Art Gallery against this evening's rather ominous sky in Glasgow.

#glasgow #kelvingroveartgallery #architecture #architecturephotography #glasgowtoday