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| Crab apple blossoms |
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| The offset bridge with a path among the flowering crab apples |
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| Cherry blossoms in the Sasebo Japanese Garden |
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| Crab apple 'Prairie Fire' |
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| Sakura 'Kwanzan' cherry behind the waterfall |
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| Crab apple detail |
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| Crab apple on the Woodland Path |
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| Flowering almond |
The sad truth about Musk & Trump's scheme to cut SS benefits by crippling access (closing offices, no phone service, etc.) is that those most effected are also the very ones least able to protest. Rural retirees, those without access to Internet, people reliant on public transportation, folks with food insecurity, elderly with mobility problems -- they can't afford the time, money, and effort to protest. They are all easy prey for these kinds of backdoor reductions in earned benefits.
I guess we'll have to take a lesson from a paraphrased Dr. Seuss: "I am the Lorax. I speak for the retirees. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
Yesterday's bread baking has led to this morning's French toast. Sunday brunch with Schlepp is always a good thing.
As I sit here with a full belly, happy in the benefits of my culinary art, I can reflect on where I am and how thankful I am. I sit in a comfortable chair at my old mahogany desk with a modern computer at my fingertips. I have access to an entire world of information... and misinformation. I have light, warmth, protection from wind, rain, and snow. I have a wonderful wife. I am comfortably retired with financial resources such that I worry for nothing.
Yet...
The world and our country is careening toward a disaster of its own making. Besides the obvious short-term issues of the survival of the rule of law, the Constitution, and democracy, every day the administration takes us on a path to environmental self-destruction.
Capitalism, by definition, relies on unlimited growth. To echo the famous book title, we have reached "The Limits of Growth." I am reminded of the MOOC at the Athabaska University and their discussions about circular economies, sustainable societies, and donut models of environmental resources. It's clear that we've hit or exceeded carrying capacity in many critical areas.
So where and how to apply myself, to push back against regressive, anti-environmental policies and politicians? Pulling away and becoming a hermit would reduce my individual impacts, but it is not scalable and the effect would be negligible. Better now is to up my work at the BioPark. There I can converse with dozens of people at a go and have the Garden Education Department's blessing to bring up topics like conservation, climate change, endangered species, evolution, biodiversity, and so on. I even get to teach people the value of herbaria and botanical surveys. Our phenological work with Nature's Notebook is getting wider attention.
If these small, local connections can be fostered and multiplied, what is the possible impact? Is there a way to measure the effects? To quote Galileo Galilei, "Count what is countable. Measure what is measureable. What is not measureable, make measureable."
Apparently, if your job description or department title has the words "diversity," "inclusion," "equity," "civil liberties," "disadvantaged," or "racial," you are earmarked for being fired, laid off, or reassigned to Outbackistan. Today the administration destroyed the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties , which investigates potential rights violations within the DHS and fields complaints from the public. Two offices targeted were the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman and the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, which served similar oversight functions. These organizations play an important role in protecting unaccompanied minors who are apprehended by ICE. Child immigrants now lack all legal protection.
A half a million legal immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will have their parole status revoked as of next month. A similar number of Ukrainian immigrants are under threat as well. While having brown skin is a sure way to come under Trump's fire, the threat of Ukrainian deportations is no doubt a bargaining tactic to force Kyiv to accept some onerous "peace deal" concocted by Putin and Trump.
WTF? Where are all the protesters? You know, the one's who didn't/wouldn't vote for a black woman? The ones in Dearborn who wanted to send a message that Biden's support of Israel required a protest vote? I've heard that AOC and Bernie had a huge turnout in Denver. The Guardian reports on successful protest rallies throughout the country. Indivisible is planning a big nationwide protest on April 5th. We'll see if that materializes. Yet here in ABQ, protest turnout has been mediocre.
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| Lackluster protest on the Civic Plaza, Feb. 14, 2025 |
My friend in FEMA continues to report via Signal. Facebook she considers to be compromised by a Trump toady for an owner. I post articles of interest to the private NW ABQ P.A.G. page, but largely keep the political stuff off the public-facing Travel Schlepp pages. Other friends boldly post anti-Trump pieces publicly on FB. I applaud their courage.
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| A handful of protesters at the Capitol, Feb. 5, 2025 |
So it's kitties, flowers, food, and bread baking for Facebook. Here on my personal blog, I don't expect to be discovered by MAGA types. I don't think Doge is scraping all Blogger posts looking for "subversive" keywords. So far they haven't been able to do that even with single government departments. Removing photographs of the Enola Gay and taking down Code Talker webpages only amplifies their incompetence.
Still, when entire universities like Columbia roll over in the face of illegal impoundments by Trump, you realize that speaking out in even the smallest of ways has non-zero risk. The law firm of Paul, Weiss capitulated, sending a chilling message to lawyers everywhere. And risk times consequence equals threat. The threat is real, and not insignificant.
While Congress sits ineffectually on the sidelines, we're left to depend on the courts. Judge Boasberg holds the line on the El Salvadoran imprisonment of Venezuelan immigrants, but administration lawyers basically are flaunting the presidential immunity thing in his face. One would think that they would be worried about personally being held in contempt and disbarred. Trump can't pardon disbarment. But then, the administration could somehow gut the American Bar Association.
Other judges continue to push back on Doge as Musk takes his figurative chainsaw to government agencies. Sometimes it's a temporary restraining order, other times there are reinstatements.
It's now early in the dark of a Saturday morning and we'll see by the light of day what chaos has been sown on a Friday evening. I'm sure electoral-vote.com will have a full plate for their Q&A when it comes online.
Late breaking note: EV is "taking an unscheduled day off." Have they been disappeared?
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| Vinca by the Turtlearium |
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| Daffodils in the Main Bed |
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| Hyacinths |
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| Hoya blooms in the Sun Room |
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| Bougainvillea |
Meanwhile, TCF tries to use a wartime power without a war (the Alien Enemies Act) and is brought up short by another judge. Visas are being withheld and Belarus is one of 37 countries called out. Scary times.
Democrats are furious and frustrated about the CR, if that's what it can be called. Some think that Schumer did the best he could with a bad deal, but by not filibustering the CR and not causing a gov't shutdown, he is labeled as an appeaser.
Only 595 days to the midterms and then there will be a reckoning.
The new administration continues to scythe through democratic laws, regulations, and norms. Some of Musk's inanity has hit too close for comfort, but after a scary 24 hours, they recanted. Now it's up to the courts. I'm having to rely on old Facebook networks plus the new Bluesky and Signal. I've got a Proton VPN set up. It feels like were one step away from living in 1950's USSR or 1930's Germany.
This week's political conniptions with the federal budget were particularly frustrating. The CR passed because a handful of Democrats sided with the Republicans to vote for cloture. The disappointment is palpable. We find bits of hope in the occasional judicial ruling against TCF, Musk, and Doge.
Thankfully, there's the Garden and the kitchen, which seems weird to be normal. Winter is loosening its hold and flowers are beginning to bloom or push out a bit of greenery. The Nature's Notebook crew gets out every Monday and takes our phenology observations. We nearly blew away the other day. Sheila and I have gotten the herbarium straightened out for the new season and soon will start pressing a new batch of specimens for the summer students. Then there was the staff appreciation luncheon. Roast asparagus with lemon and parmesan was my contribution, while Caro donated some of her puzzle-piece pins for the door prizes.
So far tariffs haven't driven up the prices of groceries too much nor have they made imported foods impossible to find. That'll probably become evident in the next few weeks. Frankly, a good loaf of bread doesn't take much beyond flour, water, salt, and yeast. Butter, milk, eggs, plus some spices and nuts go a long way to taking bread to the next level. English crumpets, Irish soda bread, French baguettes, and Italian focaccia have been featured lately.
At the same time, it's spring in New Mexico. That means crazy temperature swings and high winds. Allergies are out there: juniper pollen for me, pine and grass for Caro.
Bonsai is a refuge. The club is busy preparing for the Mothers Day Show. Today I repotted my Taxus from last summer's Obon demonstration, a Bougainvillea, and Corby's little gift Punica. Still, I lost the Thundercloud to pine wilt, but at least came home to the tiniest of green buds showing on the 38-year old Ginkgo. I've had that with me since I lived in the old house on 14th Street.
The backyard is showing signs of life. Caro and Baldo have cleaned up the beds and mulched things. Grape hyacinth, Vinca, and daffodils are blooming with lilac close behind. Fluffy the feral cat continues to use the kitty heater under the patio table. Somehow it has weathered all the storms, partly because we've had so little precipitation. We're thinking about starting a sort of Victory Garden in Jane's backyard, partly to help her out with food costs and partly in anticipation of shortages as Trump's sinks the economy.
Evening television these days is mostly British shows. Waiting for the new season of Monty Don's Gardeners' World to begin and getting used to the new detective in Death in Paradise.
At least we've gotten through the switch to Daylight Saving Time. That same day we drove up to Chamita to celebrate (4 days late) Ty's birthday. Beautiful weather and a good time chatting with everyone. Ty and I set up some cheap Christmas lights to try to keep the blossoms on his 3 apricot trees from freezing. We'll see how that goes.
Our friend Debbie has been dealing with some skin cancer problems. Fortunately, her dermatologist has been able to remove them, but healing takes time. She has one more surgery.
We're fast coming up on St. Patrick's Day. Friends Deb Martin and Nat Smith have invited us over for green beer and an afternoon of gaming. Caro will take Marlene to lunch if all goes well. Last time, Marlene took a fall and they had to eat at her home.
I think that brings things up to date. Here's a Hibiscus for the photo-icon.
Had a chilly start to the day at the BioPark before things gradually warmed up to extremely pleasant. This is not how warm February is supposed to be.
Apart from the evidence of global warming, the mochi pounding was well attended. I greeted 177 people over 3 hours. I also caught up with the BioPark's Special Event Coordinator and we discussed the upcoming Mother's Day Bonsai Show.
Early on in the mochi mushing, a visitor made a careless blow and cracked the wooden mallet on the edge of the huge granite mortar.
With splintered wood, there was nothing to be done but rely on a handful of mochi machines.
Cranes were seen overhead flying north. Winter is truly over. A visitor reported an injured porcupine. Allison and I investigated and found the little fellow on his back with a gash in his leg. Sandy thought it might be an injury received during a male territorial fight. In any event, Allison called the Zoo vet and the guy was taken care of.
That's more than I can say for our federal employees. Today it's reported that Musk sent out a government-wide e-mail demanding that every worker justify their work last week in "5 bullet points" or face termination. The destruction of the United States Government continues apace unless the courts can act with more courage and alacrity.
While the new administration takes an axe to the idea that different people don't have rights, I'm reminded of Travel Schlepp's experience right after 9-11. That's when they set up the Bears Homefront Brigade.
Setting up the Home Front Brigade wasn't as easy as you might think. Of course, Big Brown Bear always guarded the house, so he was automatically part of the Brigade. And Gussie's bear was pretty big, so she was included. The BBC told how Britain was helping, so William was in as well. And Little Brown Bear was definitely a bear in good standing and almost as big as Big Schlepp.
But then Roberta said, "What about me? I want to help."
At first Travel Schlepp thought she couldn't be in the Brigade because she was a rabbit, not a bear, her ears were too long, and she was from China. But Big Schlepp reminded Little Schlepp that she was part of the family, too, and that just because she was different didn't mean she couldn't be part of the Brigade.
And then Peabody, the pink elephant said, "What about me? Can I be in the Brigade?"
Little Schlepp thought about that and said, "Peabody, your history is a mystery and you're not a bear either. I don't think you can be in the Brigade."
But Big Schlepp was wise and reminded everyone that just because he was different didn't mean he couldn't be part of the Brigade. And everyone thought about this and knew that Big Schlepp was right.
So everyone was happy and Little Schlepp learned an important lesson--that just because you look different or come from some place else doesn't mean you're not a good friend.
That still applies today.
I was fortunate enough to be given a tour of the Aquatic Conservation Facility yesterday. It's located at the far northwest end of the BioPark, beyond the Garden and the Heritage Farm. Despite the blustery, chill weather, we got to look at the outdoor tanks for the silvery minnows and the complex of indoor facilities for the minnows and other endangered species.
There were also populations of the Socorro isopod, in case their native spring and the wild population is lost.
Fortunately, this facility is largely funded by the BioPark Society and so is buffered from what will likely be an attack on the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Endangered Species Act.
In a desperate effort to escape Suberb Owl Sunday, I went down to the Botanic Garden this afternoon. A few things were blooming outside: snowdrops, hellebore, Siberian iris. Maybe the winter jasmine would've been in flower, but it's all been dug up by the construction for the new Lebanese Garden.
No matter what the climate change deniers say or think, the problem is not going away. One of the first places that have responded has been insurance companies. Markets in disaster prone areas are raising premiums in order to offset losses during catastrophic events. Think recent hurricanes and wildfires, but also midwestern tornados and the Gulf Coast blizzard.
“Climate change is posing a systemic risk to the financial system, through insurance and housing, and it means it will get harder to get a mortgage and more people will be driven to state plans,” Jones said. “We will have to shore up these plans because they are going to face problems when there’s a catastrophic event.
“None of this is not going to get any better unless we address the climate crisis. We aren’t going to be able to de-regulate our way out of this, as Florida has shown. We have to address the underlying cause, which is climate change.”
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| Snow in New Bern, SC |
Today is perhaps the saddest MLK day. It coincides with the inauguration of a court-adjudicated rapist, a convicted felon (34 times!), an avowed racists, and a thief of national security documents. No doubt his administration will cause much harm in terms of the economy and international security, it is the 4 years that will be lost to climate change mitigation that will hurt the most, the longest.
Tomorrow, along with the convicted felon's promise to begin deporting brown-skinned people, we will see a polar outbreak the likes of which we haven't seen since 1983. Snowfall in New Orleans is forecast to be near a half foot, the most since 1963 (yes, that is six and three).
Meanwhile, fires in the Los Angeles area continue to burn, although the Santa Ana winds seem to have given firefighters a little breathing room. The damages in California will be in the many billions of dollars.
Took advantage of a cold day to stay inside with Caro and Deb to do some cooking. The result was a batch of baguettes, a beautiful soufflé, and a side of roast squash with sage cooked in brown butter.
I am reminded that food is critical part of the human energy system. Not only do we need it to fuel our biological metabolism, but its growth, production, shipment, storage, and preparation contribute a huge amount to our global carbon output. The very least I can do is carefully, mindfully, respectfully use the ingredients I am given. I am thankful.
Once again, it's time to quote John Snow in "Game of Thrones." Last week we were 15° above average, now this week the temperature has crashed. This morning was chilly, but by afternoon the winds kicked up and that really put an edge on the cold.
Fluffy the feral cat has been keeping to her heated bed under the table in the backyard. The wind doesn't blow straight in, so she's pretty well off. I've given her triple rations this evening to keep her internal furnace burning.
Because the winds are coming through Tijeras Canyon out of the east, we're not seeing the usual cold air pooling in the North Valley. Instead, it's 23° up in the Heights and only 32°.
I'm sure the local avian fauna will be glad that I filled the feeders the other day, both for gold finches and for the generalists. The pond heater in the Bodhisattva fountain keeps that flowing, even in the coldest weather. Fluffy doesn't mind that there's unfrozen water available.
Weather Underground tells us that a smattering of snow is headed our way for the morning. We desperately need moisture; we've had only a trace of precipitation here since our early November storm.
Glad I took down most of the holiday decorations this morning. Baldo will have the lucky job of taking down the strings of lights and boxing them away. Thank goodness for a climate-controlled storage area; we'll be able to stash things away in relative comfort.
There's dead-heading and cutting back to be down this afternoon if the wind abides and subsides. It'll be chilly but not life-threatening. With that the backyard garden will be in its stable winter mode. The turtles are deep underground. The bonsai are safely under cover or in the garage. The big ones are able to handle the temperatures we've had without being moved or even covered. I've left 2 Ginkgoes under the Chinese pistache and I expect they'll do fine, even if their pots are only moderate.
Speaking of Ginkgo, for the day's photo, I'm including a scan of a page from John Naka's book on bonsai. Here are his soil formulae.
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Yesterday was the first foray of the new year out into the Cottonwood Gallery. With construction at the Garden focused on the Heritage Farm railroad and the new Lebanese Garden, we've been able to return more or less to our path through the farm to get to our Nature's Notebook plots.
We were greeted by the new critters on the farm and some of the old. Bugsy the horse and the Churro sheep were in their paddocks. Then, out past the new demonstration garden beds, the Highland cows (coos) and miniature donkeys were grazing.
We made our observations in good time and, while we were at it, collected material for determining which Baccharis species we have. I spent a fair piece of time with 3x, 10x and 40x optics once back at my desk.
All those characteristics align with B. salicina, not B. salicifolia.
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| Leaf with 3 nerves and distal teeth |
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| Obconic involucre |
