Worms!

An email conversation prompted me to make this post. It turns out keeping a thriving worm bin is a bit tricky. Like a lot of things it’s largely a matter of getting out of the way … and trusting (in this case) the worms. Frankly, there’s still a lot that baffles me.

I got my setup from BWCN Farms (I have no idea what the initials stand for). My first batch of African night crawlers died in a freeze last October. I bought a new batch of worms — this time red wigglers — this April. John at BWCN was very patient with my hand-wringing and insecurity.

Here’s how I start a new tray. First off, I mix equal parts (1 scant shovel full each) of dirt and leaf compost. To this I add shredded newspaper and a crumbled egg carton (or other cardboard source). I put the paper goods in a gallon bin and add about a pint of water and slosh it around to make sure the paper soaks up the water.

I stir it all up in the wheel barrel. I add water if it’s needed.

I keep on pulling the newspaper apart and mushing it up with the leaf/dirt mix. I need to provide a source of roughage (sand or egg shells) in the mix. The worms ingest this and use it to grind up what they eat.

I save my egg shells in a custard cup until it’s full.

When I have enough I pulverize the shells on a breadboard using the bottom of the cup to grind them up. Some of these pieces are too big, but most will do.

Since I’m adding a new tray to an existing setup I need to remove the top layers of solid newsprint so the worms can crawl between the old bin and the new one that will go on top. (These bins have mesh bottoms to allow for drainage and worm transit.) I’ll put the solid newspaper back on top of the new ‘top’ tray. This keeps flies out.

Here’s a look at happy worms in their ‘old’ tray (only 1 month old). Bits of the green can be seen where food was placed. It’s a good sign that worms are in the green stuff. I just sit the new tray right on top of this.

I only put in about a pint of chopped veggies about every 5 days or so. Usually I freeze the veggies overnight to help break down their cell structure. My worms just aren’t big eaters. Either that or they’re busy “eating” the newspaper and cardboard.

I was told that the most common mistake folks make is putting too much food in the bins. So I check to see that they’ve eaten what I gave them previously before I add more food. Clearly most of my kitchen scraps get composted outdoors.

My worm bin has never smelled and if the top tray is properly covered with solid wet newspaper and the bin lid it won’t get flies either. Last summer when the temps were in the high 90’s I actually brought the worm bin indoors.

I don’t have a picture, but finished worm casings have an unmistakable “coffee grounds” texture. (You can already detect that texture developing in the last photo.) Now that my worms have multiplied, I harvest the worm casings about every 3 – 4 months. It’s in constant flux as the population and seasons change.

So why do this at all? Good question! I guess mostly it’s very fast. The worm casings can be put directly into potting soil (whereas compost has to cure first). I guess another reason is the worms themselves. If you need to add some “biological action” to your soil these guys will do it.

Whoooo

It’s that time of year again. It’s dark by 6PM. Here’s the sky just after 5PM.

I drove around trying to catch some of the Halloween decorations. One house turned off their lights just as I drove up (at 10PM on Halloween). Oh well.

I was able to catch this house still “haunting”.

This house left up their “tombstones” but deflated the giant, illuminated pumpkins.

This fall is a lot wetter than last year. I tried to catch the raindrops on the cobwebs along my entry way. It’s tricky business trying to catch the light and still get a background with contrast.

The symetry and regularity is amazing! It does make you wonder.

Gillette Lake, WA

The rain has let up for a few days and a hike was scheduled. It was brisk but dry — if a bit windy on the gorge. The Forever Young Hikers were off for a short hike to Gillette Lake — just north of the Bonneville dam.

The trail was narrow and felt much longer than the 5.8 miles RT posted. But it got me huffing and puffing. The Bigleaf Maples and Vine Maples were in full color.

Gillette Lake was more like a pond.

We came back along the service road where we came across this large rock waiting to be hauled to some bank or office building … okay, maybe a park.

Nearby we found this large “funnel”. We were quite uncertain just what this was. It was at least 10 feet high and looked much like an open scoop on the back end — whether by design or decay.

Our hike took longer than we’d expected, but we made it to Mark’s Place for lunch in Stevenson, WA by 2:30. We were delighted with the tasty food, generous portions and our amazingly competent and cheerful waitress. Try it!

Autumn Walk

I walk most afternoons about 3 – 4 miles through various neighborhoods. I wish I could say that it’s helped me loose weight. At best, it may keep me from gaining. Alas.

In any case, every now and then I come across the odd or unexpected … like this Boletus (Porcini, Cepe) mushroom beside a mailbox.

I thought this weeping pine or fir was intriquing. It’s been trained along a chain-link fence.

It  made for nice contrast to this fallen leaf.

I love the color of these mums in a neighbor’s garden.

There are berries galore for the birds this time of year.

This ivy grows on a stone wall along a major boulevard. Usually I’m speeding by. But on foot I come face to face with the leaves.

Leaves, leaves, leaves …

Forgive me if I dwell on fall colors, but they are just is so evocative for me. I am struck by how democratic (small d) ‘beauty’ is. Liberal or conservative, you don’t need a degree in Fine Arts to appreciate the stunning display of colors. And there they are – right alongside the road – for all to see.

These maple leaves could match anything on a canvas.

I’m partial to the salmon-golds — and have a prime example in my back yard with my Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood).

Here’s a full length shot with the Red Sunset maple in the background.

Just driving through town I’m amazed by the subtle shades and hues. Chartreuse is a somewhat unusual fall color. It’s over overshadowed in this shot by the brilliant bronze of the Japanese maple.

I’ve been reminded of all sorts of odd associations — from menopausal flushes to the baring of branches.  Jane Hirshfield says it well in the poem, Three Times My Life Has Opened:

… But outside my window all day a maple has stepped
from her leaves like a woman in love with winter, dropping
the colored silks.

And all the leaves on the ground recall lovers’ clothes tossed wantonly aside.

* Ms. Hirshfield’s poem can be found in Risking Everything – 110 Poems of Love and Revelation.

Things that go bump in the forest

The forest floor is a shady, damp haven for all sorts of things, like this banana slug, for example. Watch where you put your hands! This sucker is about 4″ long.

Or perhaps this Russula mushroom — while not poisonous, with a  common name like “The Sickener” — not exactly edible either.

Ferns are happy here too. We counted six different types on the Siouxon Creek trail. Who knew they were deciduous? I call this the “ghost” phase of the  Lady Fern.

I learned that the black stems of this Maidenhair Fern were used by the indigenous peoples in basket weaving.

The predominant yellow tree in the forest is “big-leaf maple” (Acer macrophyllum). This photo illustrates just how big “big” is. That’s my foot for comparison.

Siouxon Perfection

The Clark county Forever Young hikers trekked the Siouxon Creek Trail in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A more perfect hike would be hard to find.

The Siouxon Creek (pronounced like Tuscan in Arizona) is chock full of falls,  striking boulders and deep pools. The trail was relatively level and never far from water.

The forest had lots of old growth redwoods (mostly snags).

It’s south of Yale Lake and  Swift  reservoir. The trailhead is about 8 miles northeast of Chelatchie.

Service road 54 had been washed out since last winter but was sufficiently repaired for us to cross.

The countryside along the way was lush with fall colors.

We passed the Tum Tum cinder cone en route.

Leaves

This part of the country is all about trees. And this time of year is all about leaves. The fall color display is our terrestrial northern lights.

I like the odd places single leaves land.

And the contrasts in shape and color this creates.

I came across these trailing leaves against a wall on a walk.

What says “fall” more than a gutter full of maple leaves? They’d make a good computer background.

Gorge-ious Playground

My de rigueur fist stop for every guest is the “mighty” Columbia gorge – which might include Crown Point, Beacon Rock, the Bridge of the Gods and/or the Bonneville dam and hatchery.

It never occurred to me that the dam would be so tranquil this time of year (end of summer … before winter rains … in a drought year). There was only mild overflow activity.

Take a look at these sand bars in the Columbia just off Cape Horn, WA. They’re a first for me!

We dallied awhile at the fish hatchery. These little fingerlings were being weighed and transferred from one pond to another through a tube of water.

This sculpture in front of the gift shop (see window inset above) nicely framed Mt. Hamilton on the Washington side of the river.

It was a lovely day to be a tourist.

Playing Tourist

One of the nice things about having guests is that you get to do things you aren’t as likely to do by yourself. My sister (who was working) recommended a nearby inn that had been featured in “Twilight“.

It was a bright and brisk fall day. The large stone fireplace was welcome and inviting. While the decor was formal, the atmosphere was easy and casual.

The View Point Inn was a delight that I’m sure I will revisit.

The menu, like the inn as a whole, was both chic and casual. We had the most delicate crab cake appetizer I’ve ever tasted. On the other hand, the burger and slaw were tops! (awesome bun too)

True to its name, there were sweeping views to the West of the gorge. To make sure guests were comfy indoors and out, there was a basket of warm lap blankies.

Outdoors, there was a large lawn with chairs and a lovely herb border leading to a pond and small plaza. It was nice to rest and gaze after our ample repast.