garden hyperfixation

Kirkland, WA, USA July 5, 2026

Most places I've found Apios americana the population has been rather small and marginal, but there is one spot my best friend and I found when driving around (on a gravel road leading up to somebody's trailer, next to a large wetland/marsh) that was completely overcome with it. It was everywhere, growing in vast mounds over top of other plants. The plant diversity in that marsh fascinated me. One of those little biodiversity hotspots that randomly occur in the landscape.

I’m hoping that Apios americana will go the way of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus). Although it was pretty much forgotten about in the US where it’s native, Jerusalem artichokes were taken to France in the 1600s where they became widely cultivated across Europe (and are actually now invasive on most continents). Many improved varieties were developed, which have recently ended up back in the US (I grow two varieties that were both developed in Europe). 🤞🏻🤞🏻 that we can learn from everything the Japanese have been doing (although part of the issue is the mismatch between conventional agriculture in the US vs smaller farms in Japan, which is why many small farms have to import machinery of all types from there because nobody is making them here)

It also has pretty flowers!

Supposedly you can eat the flowers, but I haven’t tried. And you can eat the beans, too

Found a Reddit thread offering some insight into the history of it in Japan, including some references should anyone wish to dig deeper into the matter.

Sometimes called the blue flower wasp, black flower wasp, or blue hairy flower wasp; this however can get confusing as within the same region "flower wasp" often refers to wasps of the family Thyniidae, while this black beauty here is from the very different family of Scoliidae. As hunters of beetle grubs and lovers of flowers, these wasps are common and incredibly helpful garden guests.

Extra shiny

Will the alphabet still start with A?

South Africa, 2025

Not bad for a half hour of picking and shelling. Just need a quick blanch and then into the freezer.

Then afterwards put them in a container for storage in the freezer.

Ahead of our current heat wave, I ordered a demand pump for the rain barrels, and it has already proven itself a great addition to the setup. All of the backyard garden areas and compost bins were watered with same or better pressure than the house system. I ended up using about a third of my stored water, at least 30 gallons. It’s good to know how much water I’m using, and much easier than filling the watering can 20 times.

🐦 Genera avium Brussels: V. Verteneuil & L. Desmet, 1905-1914. Original source Image description: Historical illustration titled “Genera avium” (1905-1914) depicting detailed studies of cockatoos. It features a full-body white cockatoo perched on a branch, with intricate feather patterns and a curved beak. Surrounding it are five close-up views of different cockatoo heads showcasing diverse features: a red crested head with shaggy feathers, two dark-feathered heads with strong curved beaks—one with a pink face patch and elongated crest—and two white heads with varying crest shapes. A detailed drawing of a cockatoo foot is also included. The image highlights anatomical variety and coloration within the cockatoo family (Fam. Cacatuidae).

Sobbing ofnfjfkfklg

June 17, 2026 - Gray-backed Cisticola or Red-headed Cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla) These cisticolas are found in shrublands in parts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. They eat insects and other invertebrates, as well as some seeds and berries, foraging alone, in pairs, or in family groups low in shrubs and on the ground. Breeding from July to February, they build oval or ball-shaped nests with side entrances from dry grass, bark shreds, flower stalks, spiderweb, and plant down in shrubs or grass tufts. Females incubate clutches of two to five eggs alone and feed the chicks.