tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65383013842792647472012-03-16T11:29:01.946-07:00Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-11568835529455572372011-10-29T19:19:00.000-07:002011-10-29T19:22:48.566-07:00

Today in my Fall Tree Care class we did our tree climbing test.  First thing Spencer had to get a line up into the tree to get things started.   I got harnessed up and and tied my knots: two half hitches, a blake's hitch on the climbing line, and some figure eight stopper knots. Climbing the tree using a double rope system.  Made it up the tree.  The instructor sent up a little extreme

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com217705 NW Springville Rd, Portland, OR 97229, USA45.566903144881884 -122.8606867790222245.566208144881884 -122.86192077902221 45.567598144881885 -122.85945277902222tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-84562978879115965402011-10-26T23:20:00.000-07:002011-10-26T23:20:12.766-07:00

How to efficiently process hazelnuts in the shell A good system for cleaning my garden tools. What kind of oil should I use? 

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-30592265484372210002011-09-22T00:30:00.000-07:002011-09-22T10:49:13.294-07:00

Time to mark out a rain garden to capture the water from the gutters that are about to be installed. This looks like a good place for a garden. Needs to be 48 square feet (which is one tenth of the roof area this downspout covers). Time to start marking the outline with a shovel to begin to remove the turf.Shasta helpfully supervises. Keep marking.There. I now have the boundary delineated. Now we

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-66339363864085803642011-08-12T08:43:00.000-07:002011-08-12T09:16:51.354-07:00

Once a month, the Friends of Laurelhurst Park gather at, you guessed it, Laurelhurst Park to work: weeding, mulching, pruning. This week I spent most of my time pruning a Pieris japonica. Before: After:

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-75986179086918803172011-07-25T23:12:00.001-07:002011-07-25T23:40:56.387-07:00

I went to volunteer at the gardens at Pittock Mansion this morning with the intention of doing battle with the re-emerging Vinca, but it turned out to be pruning day. We had a nice array of weaponry at our disposal to address the DDDDD's of pruning: Dead, Dying, Diseased, Damaged, Disoriented. The tools were pretty new to me, but it didn't take long to get the hang of them. Pole mounted tools

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-55280561932005316502011-06-11T14:18:00.000-07:002011-06-11T14:41:08.199-07:00

In week 6 of the PCC Plant Propagation class we did some work dividing plants. Recently I took a couple followup pictures.Then:Now:Then:Now:

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-16802428510628788312011-06-11T12:10:00.000-07:002011-06-11T13:45:18.765-07:00

I volunteered for the first time at the 1860's Kitchen Garden at Champoeg State Park. It has a lovely rustic arbor covered with hops.The garden has several prepared beds. Most of the bed is typically in one crop with a little patch at the end need the path planted in something different.I liked the use of cloches (glass bell jar) to give some plants a head start.There were some terrific trellises

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-21714704292615196002011-06-11T08:49:00.000-07:002011-06-11T09:11:45.413-07:00

Sharon had a meeting downtown so we decided to make an adventure of it and walked to the Max and took the Green Line to Pioneer Square. On the way we saw some navy ships docked for Fleet Week. I hopped off early to check out the offices of Timber Press which publishes a number of books I have enjoyed and many more that I want. I asked them if I could get a discount if I bought one of each. Turns

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-27563488784536976512011-05-24T21:20:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:51:48.747-07:00

Our Spring Tree Care class ventured outside to take care of a Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Green Weeping'. This was a tree we looked at last quarter in the Winter Plant ID course. The first step is to form a plan. More than a simple case of included bark, this tree actually had two branches that have grown right against each other. We decided on two bracing rods, one above and one below the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-7222162847417474132011-05-23T09:59:00.003-07:002011-05-24T21:54:24.727-07:00

Site: Street tree on S side of my street. (NE Portland)Biases: + Truly impressive tree providing an enormous amount of shade. - Some of the large pruned branches look a little awkward with long residual stumps. Tree CharacteristicsA truly enormous Oak (Quecus rubra(?)) an over-mature tree with a single trunk DBH 60"! Live crown ratio is around 50%. Tree HealthNew foliage seems vigorous.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-82000238780719107182011-05-23T09:59:00.002-07:002011-05-23T16:15:58.676-07:00

Site: Street tree on S side of my street. (NE Portland)Biases: + Big tree providing much appreciated shade late in the day in the summer. - Has enough decay that you can see daylight through the trunk!Tree CharacteristicsThis is some sort of Maple, maybe another Norway (Acer sp.) a young-mature tree with a single trunk DBH 28". Live crown ratio is around 50%. Tree HealthNew foliage looks

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-39072869599770377822011-05-23T09:59:00.001-07:002011-05-24T21:26:51.413-07:00

Site: Street tree on S side of my street. (NE Portland)Biases: + Tall tree providing much appreciated summer shade. - The fruit are a pain for roller skating or skate boarding.Tree CharacteristicsA female Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) a young-mature tree with a single trunk DBH 27". Live crown ratio is around 40%. Tree HealthNew foliage looks healthy. No significant signs of decay. Site

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-42545255494039881822011-05-23T09:59:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:15:34.096-07:00

Site: Street tree on S side of my street. (NE Portland)Biases: + Provides nice shade, and chestnuts which are in principle edible. Contributes some variety to the street tree pallet. - Looks pretty funky with all the "pruning" to clear the power lines.Tree CharacteristicsA large Chestnut (Casanea sp.) a mature tree with a single trunk DBH 20". Live crown ratio is around 50%. Tree HealthNew

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-46841552267713142002011-05-22T23:18:00.001-07:002011-05-24T21:22:50.386-07:00

Site: N side of street in the parking strip. (NE Portland)Biases: + Big tree providing much appreciated shade all day in the summer. Significant tree in the neighborhood.- Norway Maples are getting a bad reputation for being dispersive.Tree CharacteristicsA very large Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) a mature tree with a single trunk DBH 31". Live crown ratio is around 80%. Tree HealthNew foliage

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-86967145842247118292011-05-22T22:25:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:19:57.488-07:00

Site: W side of my yard (NE Portland)Biases: + Big tree providing much appreciated shade late in the day in the summer. Producer of "Squirrel TV" giving many hours of amusement for us and our dog. - Shows signs of some pretty aggressive pruning. One falling branch could ruin our whole afternoon.Tree CharacteristicsA tall limbed up old Black Walnut (Julans nigra) a mature tree with a single trunk

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-16897328150386163782011-05-22T20:10:00.000-07:002011-05-23T14:27:10.394-07:00

Site: E side of my backyard (NE Portland)Biases: + One of the few trees on this side of the house. Probably is a nice tree for the neighbor providing shade and screening from the East. - It and the fence are trying to occupy the same space. It wouldn't be so nice for the neighbor if the tree chopped their house in half.Tree CharacteristicsPresumably a volunteer European White Birch (Betula

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-57106286006567806242011-05-22T19:16:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:07:21.409-07:00

Site: NE corner of my backyard (NE Portland)Biases: + This is a spot where I am not likely to be very particular about what grows. - It looks like this was a volunteer with how close it is to the retaining wall. Tree CharacteristicsThe Ash (Fraxinus sp.) in the corner is a young-mature tree with a single trunk DBH 11". Live crown ratio is around 50%. Tree HealthNew foliage looks healthy. No

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-42221484791268720752011-05-22T16:31:00.000-07:002011-05-24T20:55:16.774-07:00

Site: My backyard (NE Portland)Biases:+ Maples produce nice leaves. The trees are rather out of the way. - If I were to plant a maple, I'd likely chose a native. These are in a part of the yard that would be a natural place for an out-building or planting bed, it being a rather flat area. Tree CharacteristicsA pair of Sycamore Maples (Acer pseudoplatanus) growing along the north fence of the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-87245549684425886742011-05-21T09:57:00.000-07:002011-05-24T20:51:59.806-07:00

Site: My backyard (NE Portland)Biases: + There is something really cool about the shape of the branches and bark patterns on this tree. The dog loves to climb the tree to get a better view of the yard. It provides perch for birds and right of way for squirrels. - The size, condition, and function of the tree are not a terribly good fit for the direction I am planning on taking the landscape in

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-3566983550013474442011-05-21T08:26:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:13:37.335-07:00

This is the first of a series of posts on problem trees in my neighborhood. Collectively these serve as my final project for the PCC Spring Tree Care course I am taking at Rock Creek in the Landscape Technology program. Five of the trees are on my property and five are on my street. An old cherry tree (Prunus sp.) that is showing signs of root rot and decay.A pair of Sycamore Maples (Acer

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-24913717474439673472011-05-06T09:40:00.000-07:002011-05-06T12:11:13.562-07:00

Continuing my reading through Edible Forest Gardens (EFG) Volume 1, chapter 4 was on Social Structure: Niches, Relationships, Communities. Any given species has over time adapted to find some mix of strategies for food gathering, self preservation, and reproduction that result in it serving particular functions and roles in its ecosystem. Other species in turn have the opportunity to respond to

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-9654106899467833292011-05-06T08:46:00.000-07:002011-05-06T09:11:23.928-07:00

I signed up for a local Permaculture Design Course with Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden. It is one weekend a month for six months. Now I need to find a copy of Bill Mollison's Permaculture: A Designer's Manual.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-21936302166648185332011-03-28T15:32:00.000-07:002011-05-06T09:40:32.649-07:00

I've been reading my way through Edible Forest Gardens (EFG) and just finished Chapter 3 of Volume 1 -- The Five Elements of Forest Architecture. What are these five elements, you may ask? They are: Vegetation layers: the vertical structure of the forestSoil horizons: Organic, Assimilation, Eluviation, Banking, Chemical, DurableVegetation density: much like our sense of "personal space" plants

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-77212720643231907292011-03-21T08:35:00.000-07:002011-03-23T16:46:13.383-07:00

I have been enjoying taking classes again. That said, I find that there are many things I wish to focus on that are not being covered. This has lead me to start a program of self-study that I am calling the University of Here at Campus Vorax. The basic recipe is:Pick a topic of studyIdentify texts or other relevant supporting materialIdentify learning objectivesIdentify evaluation criteria and

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-78659977764973497622011-03-08T00:30:00.000-08:002011-03-08T00:30:26.054-08:00

In the soils class we have been using a soil test kit to test for nutrients in various soil samples. Soil test kit It has been neat to see what all goes into soil testing. Makes it a lot more tempting to just pay a lab....

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-90107692079493018272011-03-07T23:33:00.000-08:002011-03-08T00:05:55.820-08:00

Last lab day of propagation we did a "final" round of observations of the handiwork from the term. It was nice to see the radishes sprout and be all perky. Interesting how distinctly red the hypocotyl is. The root seems pretty long for a week old sprout. The sprout was very tasty with a spicy kick. Dave had some with roots growing out the bottom of the six pack. And here is the proud

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-66284547641612627882011-03-06T21:48:00.000-08:002011-03-06T22:16:37.359-08:00

We started our seed lab by using the flat filler to put planting medium into flats of 8 6-packs...The medium rides up a conveyer out of a large hopper.It then drops down onto a spinning fan that disperses the medium into the cells of the flat. On the way out, the flat runs under a leveling brush.And you end up with a nice flat that just needs to be hydrated and planted. I planted up a tray with

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-36273630943833467652011-03-06T21:33:00.000-08:002011-03-06T22:16:10.791-08:00

Let's take a look at how things are doing...still not a lot of action with the leaf cuttings. The Cornus cuttings are leafing out. But the Thuja are still not showing any activity. I took a peek and the Cornus are putting on roots.There is one cute little flower or fruit on the strawberry. I should have plucked it to keep the energy focused on root development -- but it was too cute. The foliage

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-40187726568256808352011-03-06T21:30:00.000-08:002011-03-06T22:13:29.210-08:00

This week reminded me of the scene from Apollo 13:We've got to find a way to make thisfit into the hole for this... using nothing but that. David introduced us to the M111 Malus root stock. And the Golden Delicious scion wood we would be grafting to it. The main tool for the day was an as-sharp-as-you-could-get-it grafting knife. We practiced several grafts: cleft, whip & tongue, veneer, and

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-22352495272172938842011-03-06T20:19:00.000-08:002011-03-06T21:30:29.765-08:00

He who can properly define and divide is to be considered a god. --PlatoToday's task was plant division. We started by tackling a patch of Iris sibirica near Building 7. A couple students working together with shovels would dig out a patch, break off most of the bulk soil, and place it on the garden cart. When we were done, we planted back several smaller clumps to fill in the area. That's a nice

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-29317714328447176032011-02-06T10:21:00.000-08:002011-02-06T13:43:18.827-08:00

I was interested in propagating Gaultheria shallon...but it seems to propagate itself pretty well by runners...so James and I took a closer look...and could see pretty good root development...So, sometime we have some pots made it, it should be pretty easy to propagate.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-21424505259948670382011-02-05T23:24:00.003-08:002011-02-06T13:43:41.581-08:00

I was by no means the only person busily propagating plants last week. Here are some examples of the work of other students air layering...Here we look step by step ...

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-17114722913510860772011-02-05T21:49:00.000-08:002011-02-05T23:31:59.950-08:00

The Magnolia near greenhouse 1 has had several failed attempts at air layering...I decided to try an upward pointing branch. I girdled the branch with a grafting knife and wrapped the wound with moist sphagnum moss...The wound was treated with powdered plant growth regulator...Then wrapped that in plastic...and the whole mess with foil...And now we wait...I hate waiting.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-57105641666134405582011-02-05T21:33:00.000-08:002011-02-05T21:55:48.370-08:00

In class there was a book recommendation:While I was in the greenhouse, I made sure to check on the plants from the previous weeks. Not a lot of changes since the prior week. But it was determined that this would be a good time (if not a little late) to move most of them from greenhouse 2 to greenhouse 1 where they will not get quite as steady a supply of mist. The dogwood stem cutting still has

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-71478767115590823922011-02-05T21:19:00.000-08:002011-02-05T21:54:47.393-08:00

I am going to break this week's post into a couple of sections since I have rather a lot of photos.First off -- strawberries!I found a strawberry plantlet that was making a run for it:Snipping off the runner, I then dug up the plantlet trying to get as much of the root system as I could...... however, the roots went surprisingly deep. I then found some neighboring plantlets that did not want to

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-1271084430808727162011-02-05T20:35:00.000-08:002011-02-05T21:54:13.054-08:00

Yup, more propagation...This week cane cuttings from Dieffenbachia:The cutting was placed on its side in planting medium. The buds appear as swellings on the stem. I then checked in on plants from previous weeks. The dogwood had turned an odd shade of green, and the lenticels had turned dark brown. There was some browning at the tips of the remaining foliage of the Thuja plicata. And there was

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-50688309086390217752011-01-21T22:50:00.000-08:002011-01-21T23:03:42.208-08:00

Just to follow up on the interlocking pavers from last term. Photos were taken after some significant rains, as you will well see.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-70373340733424431882011-01-21T19:25:00.000-08:002011-01-21T20:26:01.913-08:00

We had a week off from plant propagation because of the holiday but I did get some pictures during the second week. This week we worked on stem cuttings for deciduous and evergreens. Marty found a nice piece of Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea'.Here is a close up of an internode of the Yellow Twig Dogwood. We found a nice specimen of Thuja Plicata and I went inside to get some cuttings from the cone of

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-63458752335258309932011-01-03T15:40:00.000-08:002011-01-03T17:31:42.607-08:00

Class started up this week at PCC. In my first day of plant propagation we covered the definition of plant propagation, its history, the big picture organization of propagation methods, and a high level view of the 4 aspects of propagation -- STEP: Skills, Timing, Environment, and Plants. The definition the class came up with for the class is: Plant propagation is the deliberate reproduction of

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-10651850370579495022010-12-10T15:17:00.000-08:002010-12-10T16:20:37.239-08:00

I read Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis and published by Timber Press. The first part of the book is a fascinating overview of the biology of the various goodies living in a typical teaspoon of soil. It then goes on to investigate various ways in which this understanding applies to gardening. I hadn't heard of the distinction between bacterially dominated soils (typical of

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-81590302714362966532010-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:002010-12-09T20:22:00.896-08:00

There is an interesting point in a TED talk I just watched:http://www.ted.com/talks/barton_seaver_sustainable_seafood_let_s_get_smart.htmlof thinking about the difference between striving for restorative rather than merely sustainable. Still thinking through the implications....

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-66495962118868840122010-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:002010-12-07T14:50:39.317-08:00

I am wrapping up my first term of the Landscape Technology program at PCC Rock Creek Campus. For the Deciduous Trees class we needed to put together a journal for the 101 plants covered in the course. I made a few different attempts at the format. I keep thinking that some sort of database would work better. I want something extensible and easy to update. I think I am getting a handle on all the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-16134131373810198032010-11-11T21:11:00.000-08:002010-11-11T21:13:16.808-08:00

A well written post on killing things we eat: http://www.urbanscout.org/on-killing-animals-insects-plants

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-79250978375947849022010-10-28T17:54:00.000-07:002010-11-06T23:55:15.564-07:00

With the Fall rains looming I got my act together last week to double dig a new garden bed. First I started with some compost. Lots of compost.Gathered up some tools. Took a look at the spot I was going to put the new bed. Cutting sod and breaking ground. First step of double digging is to dig one trench and make a pile with that dirt. The area of the bed we are working on gets covered with

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-34735068776326456632010-10-28T16:27:00.000-07:002011-01-21T22:49:37.941-08:00

The interlocking paver project in Landscape Construction was a great team effort. We started with a design that we developed collaboratively starting with the idea of using a diagonal element and maintaining symmetry. From this we puzzled out several design challenges to maintain balance, not have it get too busy, not have to many cases were seems lined up in a way that was unappealing, etc.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-49307303215649989222010-10-28T16:04:00.000-07:002010-10-28T17:29:55.626-07:00

Our landscape construction project for poured concrete was to make a 2' x 2' paver.As an experiment we placed some leaves from a red maple (Acer rubrum) in the bottom on a small bed of sand. The form was made from screwed together lengths of 2x4 that we cut with a circular saw.Some care was needed when putting in the first bit of concrete not to mess up the arrangement of the leaves. Once we

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-7187248938580253942010-10-28T15:09:00.001-07:002010-10-28T17:30:16.072-07:00

Today our landscape construction class at PCC set out to continue a gravel path that was started by the Tuesday night class. The excavation was already done for us and the geotextile fabric was in place. While folks gathered up gravel and poured the first lift, I brought over the plate compactor on the compact utility loader. After the lift was roughly level Juan Carlos used the plate compactor

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-81842030580102934202010-10-23T19:46:00.000-07:002010-10-23T20:02:04.302-07:00

The talks at my organic gardening class today were fantastic. The first one was on pests of all ilks. Now I'm even more interested in learning about aphids and other garden critters. The second talk was from the founder of Red Pig Tools which was awesome. He searches out old tools and when he finds something that works that can't be purchased he makes it himself in his forge. I learned that I

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-45287431126062403222010-10-19T19:05:00.000-07:002010-10-19T19:11:25.840-07:00

An interesting article from Southern California reflecting on various efforts to live more sustainably:After two years of eco-living, what works and what doesn't

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-43874250754844328752010-09-18T23:40:00.000-07:002010-09-18T23:48:06.080-07:00

I attended interesting classes today on soil and organic inputs to the garden. The soil class included a chance to do a "shake test" of our soil structure. I need to wait 24 hours for most of the clay to settle out before I will have the resultsbut it looks like our soil is a pretty nice loam -- yeah!Soil ecology is fascinating to me. I hope to dig deeper into it, so to speak, in the weeks ahead.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-69207328176033816272010-09-12T10:53:00.000-07:002010-09-12T11:54:07.367-07:00

This Saturday I started the fall session of the Organic Gardening Certificate Program in SE Portland. There are about 50 students. The morning was the big picture about organic gardening and a high level introduction to permaculture. The afternoon session was at the Learning Gardens Laboratory, two blocks away. Weston, the main instructor, gave us a tour of the gardens which included: master

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-48663417168117391102010-08-15T21:36:00.000-07:002010-08-15T21:47:52.047-07:00

Just watched Fuel (which is on Instant Download in Netflix). Overall, I though it was a compelling treatment of the problems and possibilities surrounding transportation fuel in the U.S. and as they relate to the rest of the world. I liked that it covered the unintended consequences of diverting food crops into the fuel supply. The film finished strongly with an upbeat, yet not sappy, exhortation

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-5323050869070539102010-08-06T18:53:00.000-07:002010-08-10T20:00:24.345-07:00

First course:peach with lemon curd with powder douce spice blendSecond course:cheese and country pepper bacon with Dukes Powder II spice blendThird course:chocolate, cream, and hazlenut meal fillingwith salsa fina in the mixdusted with powdered sugar and shaved chocolate

Shasha Kiddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204757096377140896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-15562263398597254532010-08-03T21:11:00.001-07:002010-08-10T20:05:49.478-07:00

I was glad to get a chance to learn a little bit of masonry skills in the course of the job to clean up our brick work...

Shasha Kiddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204757096377140896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-36135650429200251582010-07-29T11:05:00.000-07:002010-07-29T11:06:41.527-07:00

I adapted this from a recipe I discovered on SparkRecipes.com. Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Crepe(http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1413)Whisk together:1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour2/3 cup white whole wheat flour2 eggs1/2 cup milk1/2 cup water Drizzle in:2 Tbs butter 1/4 tsp saltFor the syrup Mix and heat:3 Tbs plum jam3 Tbs lemon curd1 Tbs lemon juiceMake crepes. Fill with

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-2839997057272608582010-07-25T14:49:00.000-07:002010-07-25T15:42:59.391-07:00

The chicken tractor is now populated with three hens: Buffy, Willow, and Anya. Buffy is the solid, golden chicken and is a Buff Orpington, Willow is the black headed Golden Wyandotte and Anya is the fluffy, gold-headed Ameraucana.Thanks so much to Tanya Clapshaw for the chickens!

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-9189296131145230652010-07-19T22:38:00.000-07:002010-07-24T22:52:51.270-07:00

We hung up some pots to free up cabinet space. They looked a little shabby with stains on the bottom. So I got a lesson from my wife in how to use Bar Keepers Friend.I think they look much better after.For routine clean up it is a pretty quick job. Wet. Sprinkle. Rub. Rinse.For these pots it took several passes and some elbow grease.I took a close up of one of the worst stains to see how much I

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-52237819055352258092010-07-18T21:47:00.001-07:002010-07-18T21:56:40.809-07:00

Had a nice day today with friends cooking of the fire. We roasted some onions in the coals...Then peeled the skins and cut them into various shapes, added some spices and balsamic vinegar. Pretty tasty.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-71068014558436554412010-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:002010-07-11T18:48:33.788-07:00

some culinary dabbling...Making the most of California summer fruit. Fruit salad of strawberries dusted with a little sugar, peach, apricot, and strawberry yogurt. We had some eggs and frozen veggies that needed to be use up so I decided to make a frittata. Smoked Salmon, spinach, white corn, asiago, Duke's powder II, 8 eggs, milk, semolina flour.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-56404131208729353772010-07-11T11:54:00.000-07:002010-07-11T12:00:00.906-07:00

While cleaning the bird cage, we had parts out on the front lawn to be pressure washed. One of the items was a clear heavy plastic sheet we keep on the floor under the cage. We washed one side then let it dry a little. Later, we flipped it over and washed the other sideand let it dry. Then we packed it all up and put it in the POD for the move. Later that day we noticed two dark patches in the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-42549677924815481272010-07-11T11:34:00.000-07:002010-07-11T11:54:14.005-07:00

After 20 years of mathematical software engineering I retired last week. Since then I have been contending with all of the stuff we have accumulated during the years to pack for our move up to Portland. I find myself vacillating between "why do I have this, I should chuck it" and "we already have it and may use it someday". I'm not sure quite what it would look like to have a balance between

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-78144617400737780512010-07-03T20:13:00.000-07:002010-07-06T12:54:14.619-07:00

I was listening to a podcast about happiness today that was discussing various nuances of happiness: ease, peace, joy, ..., I got to thinking that many of these or their antitheses could be applied to a garden -- at least by analogy.What other emotions might we extend to a garden?AffectionAnger, Annoyance, Angst, Apathy, AnxietyContempt, CuriosityDepression, Desire, Despair, Disappointment,

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-60907392596706753252010-06-27T00:03:00.000-07:002010-06-27T00:14:57.439-07:00

I keep thinking about how to get more vine plants into the mix. I get these crazy visions of all kinds of supports criss crossed over the back yard. It would be nice to keep things a little formal near the house, but it would be fun to let them get a little more wild as we get further away. I'm just uncertain about just how crazy I can get away with. Some books have made it clear that I need to

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-70520938281000661432010-06-26T23:46:00.001-07:002010-06-26T23:56:26.533-07:00

In addition to looking forward to getting back into baking with sourdough, there are a bunch of things I'd like to figure out how to bake:flat breads: Pita Bread, wheat tortillas, naan, Injera "Ethiopian sponge bread"sopapillas (my family used to make these when I was a kid)bear clawsasiago garlic bread (one of my favorite artisan breads)

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-81203370382207478232010-06-16T22:01:00.000-07:002010-06-16T22:57:26.848-07:00

I have been thinking about how to break down the year into parts that are short enough to have similar weather from year to year and across the period, and the breaks along the eight days in the Wheel of the Year (Solstices, equinoxes, and their mid-points). I am leaning towards 16-divisions of about 3 weeks each:6/21 Summer Solstice 3 weeks7/11 Mid-early Summer 3 weeks8/ 1 Mid Summer (

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-67739167610915933582010-05-30T19:10:00.001-07:002010-05-30T20:01:37.118-07:00

I've been doing some more musing about gardening "on the the North side of things".The seven feet of yard nearest the house never see direct noontime sun because it is always in the shadow of the house. The next seven feet only get direct sun in the height of summer (June - mid July). Then we get into the region that gets sun from the spring through fall equinox. So I guess this means I will have

Shasha Kiddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204757096377140896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-15439273119406750922010-05-17T13:26:00.000-07:002010-05-18T09:04:34.021-07:00

I have heard a lot and read about economies of scale. It seems like we need to develop a better understanding of the economies of local. We should understand the forces that help keep operations local and tied to community and offset the benefits of growth. Maybe I should plan to fly to the next International Conference on Localism? I find it ironic the tension between promoting local thinking

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-79752224998313980032010-05-14T21:11:00.000-07:002010-05-16T23:22:08.925-07:00

While planing for life in the backyard section I keep encountering questions of dealing with raccoons (Procyon lotor). There is something unspeakably cool about raccoons -- crafty, intelligent, versatile, fastidious, silent, lurkers. I don't like thinking of them as enemies. But I also don't want them nabbing my hens and such. Their diet consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33% plant foods, and

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-8250737460497268512010-05-14T11:34:00.000-07:002010-05-14T21:11:02.349-07:00

It seems like there are a lot to understand about a place. Here ares some aspects about our new placeClimateGeologyHydrologySolar exposureTopographyEcology: flora, fauna, mycologySoilDemographyAgriculture: where does my food come fromEconomyGovernment: agencies and representatives at city, county, state, nation, global levelCity systems: city services, power, gas, water, storm water,

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-12395689593265914222010-05-12T13:44:00.000-07:002010-05-14T20:12:19.293-07:00

I'd like to have a setup where I can capture time-lapse video of the garden at various time scales automatically.I want to be able to watch the last day / week / month / season / decade over the span of an hour. Old video should just progressively get sampled more and more coarsely in time.Moment of peak activity should be flagged and retained at higher sampling ratesEvents should also be able to

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-57961249546390881362010-05-12T13:35:00.000-07:002010-05-12T23:16:30.024-07:00

I'd like to have a pond that I can share between the ducks and the local frogs.A friend pointed out that the ducks would probably love to eat the frogs.Good for the ducks.Not so good for the frogs.Got me wondering about habitat or shelter I could provide that would give the frogs a safer place to hang out near the edge of the pond that the ducks would not be able to penetrate. Maybe just a jumble

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-649982701144447392010-05-11T20:09:00.001-07:002010-05-12T07:55:54.893-07:00

For the area behind the garage I think I may have too much stuff I am trying to fit in:Chicken henhouseDuckhouseQuailhouseSpace for endless pool -- exercise, thermal massOutdoor shower -- use the rain water to clean up after a swim, use gray water on siteRain water storage -- provides lots of thermal massGreenhouse -- passive solar and source of light for winter growingA composting toilet -- for

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-39413794349235820102010-05-11T20:09:00.000-07:002010-05-11T22:33:45.107-07:00

First cut at zone maps for the font section...West fence in front -- zone 2: perennials with nice street appeal. West fence to the back -- zone 3: espalier with perennial understory shade.Front of garage -- vines on trellis. East facing side of house along driveway -- potted espalier and vines on vertical supports.Front porch -- potted plants.Front trellis -- beef up support for wisteria above

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-55500928146126232802010-05-09T14:03:00.000-07:002010-05-11T21:32:26.700-07:00

Found a couple good tips for creating bird habitat from the Audubon Society. Naturescape your yard: Plant a combination of native plants and trees to provide birds with cover, food and nesting opportunities. Group several of the same species together with the largest species towards the edge of the yard to create a songbird border. Include evergreens for cover, thorny species to create nesting

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-10913733286383099212010-05-08T22:11:00.000-07:002010-05-09T00:42:10.813-07:00

In the back section we have fences all around which will allow us to introduce some helpful fauna: chickens, ducks, quail, and rabbits. We should also create welcoming habitat for mason bees, various birds, frogs, and beneficial insects.The back yard slopes down from the house with a several feet of drop to the back fence.I'm thinking the area behind the garage would be good for coops for the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-3596048915785397192010-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:002010-05-08T23:09:11.190-07:00

In permaculture planning it is useful to distinguish 6 zones:Zone 0: The built environment: house, garage, porte cochere Zone 1: Intensive gardening -- Annuals, finicky plants that need tendingZone 2: Perennial gardening -- Plants that produce year after yearZone 3: Food forest -- Fruit and nut trees, vines, understory plantingsZone 4: Forage forest -- timber (in 100 years or so)Zone 5:

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-42041450194309394172010-05-02T14:09:00.000-07:002010-05-02T15:07:34.078-07:00

I Just finished reading The Urban Homestead. Very good book covering many sustainability topics for the modern city / suburban dweller. Here are some of the references from the book that caught my eye:Plants for a Future -- information on 7000 plants in a searchable database (the US version didn't work for me today, but the UK one seemed to be fine). It also has articles such as an interesting

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-75437446916402292302010-05-02T10:26:00.000-07:002010-05-02T10:27:44.204-07:00

This is an experiment in mobile blogging.Sent from my iPod

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-67681613704080381052010-05-02T09:51:00.000-07:002010-05-02T14:44:20.352-07:00

The other day I noticed spittlebugs on my rosemary. Spittlebug eggs are laid in late summer and are left to over winter on plant debris. The eggs will hatch in early spring and go through five Instars, or stages, before becoming adults. When the nymphs originally hatch in early spring, they will attach themselves to a plant and begin feeding. They are a wingless, green creature at this point and

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-31603154388628334452010-05-01T12:10:00.000-07:002010-05-02T14:37:01.576-07:00

Listened to a podcast on unusual varieties of plants to consider in permaculture. Gogi Berry (also called Wolfberry)Jujube (Ziziphus zizyphus)Nanking Bush Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) -- not a true cherry, similar tart fruitBlue Honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. cauriana)High Bush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) -- not a true cranberry. The fruits, sour and rich in vitamin C, can be eaten raw or

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-35277971810842451712010-04-29T20:02:00.000-07:002010-04-29T22:07:51.206-07:00

I've been wondering about swales for permaculture in Oregon. In the wet season it seems like drainage would be really important so they don't flood and overflow. In the dry season it would be nice to take the best advantage of the few rain events that occur. This makes me wonder if there wouldn't be some way to get better drainage in the winter and better water retention in the summer. Perhaps in

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-53265558895704058532010-04-21T22:24:00.000-07:002010-04-21T22:37:50.142-07:00

In reading The Urban Homestead, I have been getting interested in taking a closer look at rocket stoves (more at wikipedia). I wonder if there is a way to make a combination rocket stove / solar oven. So you could use a small amount of fuel if clouds (or timing) make solar unavailable. Or use both to obtain high heat. You could use a parabolic trough to bring in heated air into the intake of the

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-86440043567454185812010-04-15T23:16:00.000-07:002010-04-15T23:39:56.585-07:00

A locavore is someone who eats foods produced "locally" (e.g., within 200 miles). But what would you call someone who obtains their calories only from operations they have seen and inspected with their own eyes?Lookavore InspectavoreConnectavoreIt would take a little thought to put together the "rules of the game". What constitutes having seen and inspected a place? How much of the process must

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-15940331423689815322010-04-13T21:38:00.000-07:002010-04-14T11:02:10.632-07:00

I just read an interesting essay on the benefits of no tillage agriculture: Uncovering The Real Dirt On No-Till, by Drs. Jill Clapperton and Megan Ryan.When we are standing on the ground, we are really standing on the roof top of another world. Living in the soil are plant roots, viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, mites, nematodes, worms, ants, maggots and other insects and insect larvae

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-3516400111383738952010-04-12T20:20:00.000-07:002010-04-14T11:01:03.460-07:00

On a recent trip to Oregon I applied Rain-X to our windshield for the return trip and what a difference it made. It causes the water to bead up rather than puddle and at speeds of over 40 mph or so the drops slide up the windshield, merging to make larger drops, that fly off the top and leave a clear path behind. It means you do not need to use your windshield wipers at all. This is such an

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-68777323182188998342010-04-07T22:59:00.000-07:002010-04-07T23:06:49.897-07:00

Just had some fun checking out the Pacific NW based Ed Hume Seeds Garden Site which I found in the resource section of Self-sufficient Life and how to live it, by John Seymour.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-90359660057003042532010-04-07T18:16:00.000-07:002010-04-07T18:19:18.037-07:00

While considering the purchase of our next home I am perplexed by the myriad trade offs. Being in town. Access to nature. Updating old homes. Building new with the latest technology. Decisions, decisions.

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-7735536593448275592010-01-16T21:42:00.000-08:002010-01-16T23:28:14.736-08:00

I spent the morning helping a group of folks cull seven rosters and one hen. We'd run down a couple. I was surprised by both how fast they could run and by how calm they were once caught. (note: this gets a little graphic -- warning to the squeamish) One of us would hold the wings, another the feet, and a third would slit the throat over a pan to gather the blood as it drained. Then a half minute

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-28606849429982294342009-07-29T20:47:00.000-07:002009-07-29T21:03:18.232-07:00

Bits and pieces:Maybe my dream of a hybrid RV isn't so crazy after all:"they have announced a partnership with coach makers Jones and Sons Chassis. Their plan is to make a hybrid motorhome with a 150 mile all-electric range and a total hybrid range of 500 miles. Cross the country in just six stops? Sounds good to me."Also, new of electric trucksCompany officials at the UK-based Smith Electric

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-65294104948790630842009-06-14T21:38:00.000-07:002009-06-14T21:43:33.262-07:00

On the Permaculture in Brittany blog I saw a cool description for sizing of a swale which I read translated by google from the original French. 

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-45947124915962323482009-06-13T21:29:00.000-07:002009-06-14T21:44:46.284-07:00

Now that I have moved to Redwood City, my commute is a little more complicated. I used to be able to walk three blocks to work. Now I have about a mile walk to CalTrain, and then take the train to Mountain View, where I pick up a company shuttle to work. The walk takes me about 25 minutes, or I can cut that in half with my skate board.This leaves me with a couple questions:What is my marginal

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6538301384279264747.post-29366564639537941662009-03-08T09:22:00.000-07:002009-06-14T21:45:29.128-07:00

I found an online turtle graphics page called Web Turtle. It let me make a picture of more levels in the underlying fractal that inspired the quilt. Here is what the outline of the yellow would look like if it were taken several more levels. 

Jake Vortexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996432167988254419noreply@blogger.com0