Monthly Recommendations: May 2013

Lord of the Ants - A PBS documentary about my favorite scientist, Edward O. Wilson. One view isn't enough. This movie is fascinating!

TheGreenhorns.net - Greenhorns is a non-profit organization that aims to "recruit, promote, and support the new generation of young farmers." I can get behind that.

Yo La Tengo Live! - I recently saw Yo La Tengo for the second time. They put on an incredible live show. You don't want to miss it. I highly recommend checking them out if they ever happen to be in your town.

Asparagus with Chive Blossoms

We are well into spring, which means that chive blossoms and asparagus are now in abundance. I love chive blossoms for two reasons: they are beautiful and they are edible. Not only are they edible, but they taste great. They have a mild onion flavor, and their texture is pretty unique. Due to my love for both chive blossoms and asparagus, I included the following recipe in issue #15 of The Juniper. I am including it here because many people who read that issue mentioned how much they wanted to try it. So, consider this a reminder. It's that time of year again, so here is your chance. This recipe is borrowed from this location on the interwebs.

Asparagus with Chive Blossoms

1 pound asparagus (washed, trimmed, and cut into 1 inch lengths)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives
About 16 chive blossoms, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
A few whole chive blossoms for garnish

Blanch the asparagus in lightly salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until tender (but not mushy). Remove from heat and rinse under cold water; drain well. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and stir for about 1 minute. Add chives and stir for another minute. Add asparagus, soy sauce, and salt and pepper; stir well, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle the chive blossoms over asparagus, and cover for 1-2 minutes so that the chive blossoms steam briefly. Remove from heat. Stir lightly and serve hot.

Monthly Recommendations: April 2013

The Memory Palace -  Obscure stories from history told by Nate DiMeo, a man with a very fine voice and a gift for words. Now part of the Maximum Fun network of podcasts.

Shareable.net - A community committed to sharing. Enough said.

Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to a More Meaningful Life by Massimo Pigliucci - "...the relationship between science and philosophy in guiding our lives is complex, but surely one way to understand sci-phi is to let philosophy (informed by science) guide us in principle, and to use science (steered by philosophy) as our best bet for implementing those principles." Yes, I know it's cliche to say, but this book really changed my life.

Raccoon vs. Onions

A little while back, I planted some onion seeds in a plastic salad container. As the onion seeds began to sprout, I placed the container outside by my front door so that the little seedlings could get plenty of sun and eventually be ready to transplant in a yet to be determined location. After they had been outside for a few days, I observed that something had been digging in them. At first it wasn't anything major - just a couple small holes. I assumed it was a squirrel. No big deal. I would just bury the holes back in and go about my day. I wasn't too worried about it because it didn't seem overly intrusive. Then one day I noticed more digging than usual and decided I should do something about it. I found a piece of chicken wire and placed it over the top of the planter. The next morning, to my horror, the digging had advanced to a new extreme. The chicken wire had been shoved aside and what had previously been small, isolated holes had become one giant hole extending across the entire planter. I decided that what I was dealing with wasn't just a playful squirrel but most likely a menacing raccoon (especially since the deed seemed to be occurring at night). Frustrated, I dug out what I could of the onions, transplanted them into a smaller container, and placed them in a safer location, hopefully to never be bothered again. Unfortunately this means that what I had envisioned as a bumper crop of onions in the fall will now just be a meager harvest at best. This time, in the battle of Raccoon vs. Onions, Raccoon wins. Such is the life of a gardener and his constant battle against nature.

 

To read more of my adventures in the plant world, please visit: www.awkwardbotany.com

Monthly Recommendations: March 2013

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker Arcade Game - I discovered this game at Spacebar recently. Michael Jackson fights bad guys and zombies with dance moves, etc. and saves little kids. Not too many things are cooler than that.

Heirloom Gardener Magazine - I really like what the folks at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds are doing, and I've been checking out their catalog and ordering their seeds for a few years now, but I hadn't checked out their magazine until this month. I'm not sure what took me so long - their magazine is great!

Johnny Marr: The Messenger - The Smith's guitarist, Johnny Marr, put out his first solo album last month. It's no Morrissey album, but it's still pretty great. It's got a very throwback feel and some pretty catchy tunes.

The Juniper #16

Hello friends and foes! The 16th issue of The Juniper is out now! It's about time, right? In this issue, I write about embracing change, being human, raised bed gardening, the proper way to add organic matter to your garden, purposeful gardening, and pruning rosemary plants. This zine is free, but if you have a dollar or stamps to donate to the cause, that would be greatly appreciated as printing and mailing costs add up. I am also, for the first time, offering a pdf version of the zine. If you would like a free pdf copy, just send me a request by email. Otherwise, send your dollar or stamp(s) to the following address:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 9862
Boise ID 83707
USA

dnlmrphy@gmail.com