Visiting the San Diego botanical gardens during my vacation I was able to see what giant Bamboo stalks look like when they are sprouting. Oddly enough they look like asparagus (see photo above). The plant formations of the southwest look like a smorgasbord of Dr. Seuss drawings. It was fitting that right before I left, the good sized Elm Tree in my back yard was cut down due to DED. This is ok, the tree removes now provides much more room to the backyard greenhouse, and should provide for a fruitfull growing season next yer. I have ordered a Black Tupelo tree in the meantime from the Arbor Day Foundation. It is purported to grow in Zone 4 here in Mn, but is most popular in Ohio. It will be a gamble but it's fiery red color should be worth it.
In Minneapolis the bicycling season is slowly winding down and whitteling away the faint of heart, as the nighttime temps drop down to the 50's. but I would guess there will be more winter bikers this year then last, just as there was more lsat winter then the year prior. The growth of the bicycle craze in the 1890's was concurrent with a economic recession related to the Panic of 1893, in the book "Streetcar Man" about Thomas Lowry it even references the competition the streetcar company faced from more bicycle transportation. It will be a nice day when the automobile companies look at bicycles as competition.
The fake commercial Biker Buddy made with my friend Hunter Johnson should be on the internet soon, and ideas for other collaborations are in the works.
