I planted my One Seed Chicago beans on Memorial Day. Three of them came up today (along with two silver maples and an empty peanut shell...funny, I don't remember planting those). I am so excited!! I've never grown anything to eat before, unless you count my popcorn experiments back in grade school. The unfortunate thing is, I'm not that crazy about green beans. However, if I manage to keep these puppies alive to harvest time, I will eat them more or less cheerfully.
They're planted in a pot because I didn't feel like getting my soil tested and I've heard that lead contamination is always a concern in the Formerly Sooty Old Industrial City. I need to get some sort of cage or support around the pot before the plants get too big.
I also planted my seeds for the Great Sunflower Project, a bee-counting project. They came up a couple of days ago. Things are bustin' out all over!
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
June: A different kind of birdwatching
In my day job, I'm a graduate student in the biology department of the University of Illinois at Chicago. My fellow student, Isabel, studies the population genetics of reintroduced peregrine falcons in the Midwest, and I've been lucky enough to get to know these amazing birds as a result. On Tuesday, the baby birds at the nest site here at UIC were banded, and I was invited to tag along...
This is Rosie, the mom, a 13-year-old female who has been nesting at UIC for 11 years. She's old and she's tough and she doesn't take crap from anyone.
The babies, both male, cram themselves into the corner and glare at me. Peregrines are very good at glaring. Determining the gender of the birds is tough and is primarily based on size, especially the size of the legs. Males tend to be smaller than females, even as adolescents.
The unnamed, unbanded father. He's probably the same male who was here last year but without bands, it's hard to tell.
A staff member from the Shedd Aquarium retrieves the babies from the ledge and hopes the parents don't attack him. They didn't, but they were flying very close. Both he and the other retrieval expert report that at other sites they've been hit by angry falcons many times, hence the helmet.
Isabel (right) helps keep one of the babies calm while a vet from Lincoln Park Zoo takes a DNA sample.
It was pretty remarkable to watch the whole process, especially in the same room where a few months ago I attended a wine and cheese reception. There are some more pictures here, and if you want to know more about the peregrine falcon reintroduction in the Midwest, go to the Field Museum site here.
This is Rosie, the mom, a 13-year-old female who has been nesting at UIC for 11 years. She's old and she's tough and she doesn't take crap from anyone.
The babies, both male, cram themselves into the corner and glare at me. Peregrines are very good at glaring. Determining the gender of the birds is tough and is primarily based on size, especially the size of the legs. Males tend to be smaller than females, even as adolescents.
The unnamed, unbanded father. He's probably the same male who was here last year but without bands, it's hard to tell.
A staff member from the Shedd Aquarium retrieves the babies from the ledge and hopes the parents don't attack him. They didn't, but they were flying very close. Both he and the other retrieval expert report that at other sites they've been hit by angry falcons many times, hence the helmet.
Isabel (right) helps keep one of the babies calm while a vet from Lincoln Park Zoo takes a DNA sample.
It was pretty remarkable to watch the whole process, especially in the same room where a few months ago I attended a wine and cheese reception. There are some more pictures here, and if you want to know more about the peregrine falcon reintroduction in the Midwest, go to the Field Museum site here.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
June: Made in the shade
It's a chilly, overcast day, expected high in the low 60s. Not quite what we envision for June but hey, it's better than 90 and humid! Let's go see what's blooming in the McGarden today, shall we?
The shade garden has filled in nicely, and the Rhododendron 'Roseum Elegans' is in full bloom. My iron sunbathing frogs are getting lost in the foliage. I'll have to move them elsewhere.
My lone Siberian iris. I bought lots but multiple years with unexpected January thaws took their toll, and this is the only one left.
Tradescantia ohioensis, spiderwort 'Little Doll' (left) and T. bracteata, prairie spiderwort. One of these is dropping volunteers all over the place but I won't know which until the little ones bloom. 'Little Doll' desperately needs dividing before it swallows the little bluestem grass to its left. Add that to the "to do" list!
Baptisia australis, blue false indigo. It's just not as impressive as the ones at Lurie Garden but I love it. Fabaceous plants have the neatest floral structure. Let's look closer:
And closer still:
The standard forms the upright banner, the wings protrude forward, and the keel is tucked inside (you can see a keel on the leftmost flower because it's missing a wing). The fruit will be an inflated legume which when dry makes a rattling sound when shaken.
The shade garden has filled in nicely, and the Rhododendron 'Roseum Elegans' is in full bloom. My iron sunbathing frogs are getting lost in the foliage. I'll have to move them elsewhere.
My lone Siberian iris. I bought lots but multiple years with unexpected January thaws took their toll, and this is the only one left.
Tradescantia ohioensis, spiderwort 'Little Doll' (left) and T. bracteata, prairie spiderwort. One of these is dropping volunteers all over the place but I won't know which until the little ones bloom. 'Little Doll' desperately needs dividing before it swallows the little bluestem grass to its left. Add that to the "to do" list!
Baptisia australis, blue false indigo. It's just not as impressive as the ones at Lurie Garden but I love it. Fabaceous plants have the neatest floral structure. Let's look closer:
And closer still:
The standard forms the upright banner, the wings protrude forward, and the keel is tucked inside (you can see a keel on the leftmost flower because it's missing a wing). The fruit will be an inflated legume which when dry makes a rattling sound when shaken.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
May: Spring Fling Chicago photos
I had big plans to annotate all the weekend's photos, crop and adjust brightness and blah blah blah. We all know what happens to the best laid plans, of course, and thus WITIWYG (What I Took Is What You Get). Those of you who took hundreds of photos this weekend, you have my sympathy.
My Spring Fling flickr collection is here. If you also flickr (hmm, that doesn't sound right), feel free to add me (bintie) as a contact!
I would just like to point out one thing that you might enjoy. This was the scene at the Lurie Garden on Friday, May 29:
And here is essentially the same shot from July 8, 2005:
Looks rather different, doesn't it? Note how much the "shoulder" hedge has grown; we were skeptical when the concept was explained to us back then, but it really has filled in. Also note the whole new skyscraper, the Trump Tower, just completed a few months ago.
I'll highlight a handful of photos in coming days and share some of my favorite sights from the weekend! Now I need to go get some sleep; big week of DNA sequencing ahead of me. Keep an eye out for those basswoods!
My Spring Fling flickr collection is here. If you also flickr (hmm, that doesn't sound right), feel free to add me (bintie) as a contact!
I would just like to point out one thing that you might enjoy. This was the scene at the Lurie Garden on Friday, May 29:
And here is essentially the same shot from July 8, 2005:
Looks rather different, doesn't it? Note how much the "shoulder" hedge has grown; we were skeptical when the concept was explained to us back then, but it really has filled in. Also note the whole new skyscraper, the Trump Tower, just completed a few months ago.
I'll highlight a handful of photos in coming days and share some of my favorite sights from the weekend! Now I need to go get some sleep; big week of DNA sequencing ahead of me. Keep an eye out for those basswoods!
May: Spring Fling Chicago - last day!
It has been an extremely hectic weekend and I'm secretly glad it's the last day b/c am so tired :p I'm heading to the Garfield Park Conservatory around 10 and will meet everyone there.
Incidentally - the Spring Fling registrant list shows my blog as "McGarden" but that's just my own name for the garden. If you are looking for Diane from The Garden of Live Flowers who is a graduate student and lives in Chicago - you're in the right place!
Pictures later. Need coffee.
Incidentally - the Spring Fling registrant list shows my blog as "McGarden" but that's just my own name for the garden. If you are looking for Diane from The Garden of Live Flowers who is a graduate student and lives in Chicago - you're in the right place!
Pictures later. Need coffee.
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