Radish Box: Part 2

Success!

Or at least the first signs of success!  We are at day 8 and I have noticed several sprouts of radishes popping out from underneath our growing medium.  I have not actively put any kind of fertilizer in with the radish seeds but I have been using the cast off water from the hydroponic units in there sporadically. Since the plants in the hydroponics grow better if you change out the water for fresh about once a month and I can't bring myself to throw out perfectly good water with nutrient sludge left in the bottom I've just been pouring that into our little DIY route planting box.  Since these vegetables don't actually sit in the water permanently I'm not concerned about its stagnancy giving them any issues - but that is all part of the experiment.  it looks like some radishes of both kinds I planted are growing which is very exciting because even though those seeds were quite old they seemed to have a good amount of life in them still.

Rest In Peace Oppy ❣

Opportunity Rover

Fourteen+ Earth years and forty-five Martian kilometres.

Two-hundred seventeen thousand pictures of another world.

Discovered evidence there used to be liquid water on Mars.

May you confuse the heck out of some future xenoarchaeologist.

---

Official NASA Statement: Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End

Probably the best tribute on the internet (XKCD.com)

Botany Bunnies: Hydroponics Project Update

The grow lights interact oddly with
cellphone cameras.

After weeks of rigorous scientific analysis, our team of highly specialized lettuce experts has concluded that fresh-picked hydroponically grown lettuce is the most superior of lettuces*.  

The key is developing your hydroponics bay within a climate controlled habitat compartment, so neither your humans nor your lettuce ever has to traverse the -40°C with windchill January air. 

Using a mixture of powdered nutrient solution (instead of the usual liquid form which costs more) and the occasional batch of home-brewed compost tea (totally optional - just to get a little bit more microbial diversity in there), McFlufferton Inc. has been able to produce a continuous-harvest head of lettuce for well under $0.50 each!  (We have not yet attempted additional scientific endeavours to harvest our own lettuce seeds, that will likely be the next phase of our research.)

Harvesting technique is arguably important in reducing the probability of lettuce bolting.  You'll want to nip any central spires in the literal bud so the plants will keep trying to grow leaves instead of flowering. Additionally keeping your hydroponics from getting too warm reduces the likelihood of bolting (some of our human affiliates suggest tossing a few ice cubes into the water reservoir every day if your garden is kept at a warmer temperature).  While bunnies are perfectly happy eating lettuce flowers and the more bitter woody stems - humans seem to dislike them.

Stunt Bunny,
Botanologist

_______

* With only the technical exception of lettuce that you ate straight out of the hydroponic unit when the human's back was turned and you hopped on the bench which is normally outside the "fluffs reach" perimeter. 

Migration

The geese are back!  

Planes Trains and Automobiles!

Good view of the countryside!

Our adventuring party arrived safe and sound in Frankfurt!  Sure, none of the humans were able to get any sleep in the unnatural confines of a commercial airliner.  They're all going to have crazy jetlag when their brains finally realize they're going to have about a 36-hour gap without sleeping.  But now we've settled into our train seats on our way to Baden-Baden. 

Happy Mother's Day

Some moms get flowerz for motherz day, but OUR grand-mommy got the biggest bouquet of them all! 

The pear tree decided to blossom with perfect timing! 

Okay, so maybe we didn't have anything to do with this particular display... but I'm sure our wild bunny cousins did a good job of fertilizing the pear tree so it would flower extra pretty.

Don't forget to binkey for all your momz today to let them know how much you love them!

Departure Day: New York!

Initial status: Winnipeg, Stupid Early

Yay! We're off to New York today! The bunnies are in charge back at the house (as per usual) so Stunt Bunny is joining me. It's cold here but not in our destination, so I'm leaving the winter coat and making a mad dash to the cab and hoping for the best!

Status update: Toronto, 1:00 pm local time.
The first flight was fine - but the second leg of the journey is delayed by over an hour.  It's not a problem really but I'm disappointed that I'm losing an hour of New York for an hour of airport. Also, this terminal is under construction so there's nothing to do and only very sad food options. Stunt Bunny is restlessly chewing on cables around the airport.

Status update: Toronto, feels like hours later...
It's snowing rather substantially outside.  There are many delayed flights and lots of increasingly grumpy people. I don't know what it is about airports that creates a specific kind of boredom.  Perhaps it's the combination of anticipation and the cramped uncomfortable seating specifically designed to prevent anyone from enjoying their book. Stunt Bunny is having an overpriced drink to pass the time.

Status update: Toronto, four of the five flights to New York have been cancelled - but not ours (finger's crossed).
My lovely coworkers are emailing suggestions of things to do in Toronto should we too get bumped to one of tomorrow's flights.  I've realized I forgot to tell everyone else I was going anywhere. Stunt Bunny is critiquing my communication skills. 

Status update: Boarding the plane!
Yay - our flight is going through after all - we totally lucked out!  Also, the nice folks at The Musket Room were very understanding when I called and managed to squeeze us in for a later reservation, so today's adventures won't even been hampered much! Stunt Bunny is very excited!