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*sproing!* (gotta rake the leaves off em now)

Seen over the last couple of days: First redwing blackbird, first tick.

After all that rain and warm... peep chirp chirp peep

I noticed the japanese knotweed is poking its first leaves up on the bike path. (In town is earlier than out here where there is no sign of it yet.) I expect this week it will be up to the first harvestable shoots, especially after this rain and then the warm snap we're supposed to get. If i were in town right after work either monday or thursday, or maybe friday- anyone want to meet me in Davis for a short workshop?

Short form: why these are good to eat, and how to not let them spread.
Directions: If you just want to go see an example, walk from the Davis Sq T down the bike path to almost where it crosses Willow. Look along the fence to your left. Last year's plant is the old dried stems that look a bit reddish and segmented like bamboo, with a bit of a zigzag wiggly look. At their feet are new 2-inch or so heart-shaped dark red leaves, maybe by now growing up on hollow green-red stems that look a bit like asparagus. Read this before harvesting.

well, a foot of snow! So what do you do about it? make an icon. Then just a cup of tea and check email, and 2 hours of shoveling awaits! Then we'll see if i can get web work done AND get to the gym!

(edit: half done, and it's still coming down!)

wow, it was 82 today! And i spent most of it furiously hacking on a design project. At least i made the deadline.

Delayed post: Spring peepers started Tuesday night in the heavy rain. Kept up pretty much all week even though we had some cold nights. Birds are also here in force now. That one that sounds like a phone ringing is back, and active at dawn...

wow, we just had quite the little thunder and lightning and rain storm up here! The Sump pump, she does pump.

In other news, i got to spend yesterday evening chatting with an old friend, and it was good.

Ever since we got back it's seemed like almost fall! Can't leave you guys alone for a minute, look what happens! Last week the geese were all honking at each other, getting in formation and doing test flights. See today's haiku by drwex.

The japanese knotweed is knee high here, waist high in town i see. Should have started harvesting it a week ago, but there are still shoots coming up here. (more pics)

How: Find thick shoots about the height and diameter of asparagus, break them off, steam them. They are tart and lemony, full of vitamins A and C. Can just serve steamed with butter and salt, but they tend to squash easily (short duration between not-cooked-enough and squashy).

This time i've been thinking of ways to use them that capitalize on the tart lemon flavor, using as a local substitute for lemon or lime...

1) salsa with pureed steamed knotweed, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil.
2) Hummus/Baba Ghannouj with pureed steamed knotweed, garlic, olive oil, tahini.

EDITs:
1) frobzwiththingz posted a good Ethiopean-style recipe.

2) CAUTION! Do not let even a tiny piece of the raw plant get into your compost or fall on your yard- just .7 grams of the stalk can generate a new plant, and it's extremely invasive! Cooking and eating it is a mitzvah, but allowing it to spread is a bad thing.