Whew! Made it through a crazy political week. No doubt there is more to come, but that will be documented over at the NW Abq Political Action Group's FB page.
Today is cloudy and cold with winds expected later. Following that, there may be rain and snow showers. Goodness knows, we need the moisture. If there's anything picturesque, expect photos tomorrow.
Botanically speaking, I pressed the big yellow Hibiscus that had bloomed for a day in the sunroom. Overnight it would've wilted; the flowers only last a day.
Speaking of plant presses, Thursday morning I listened to a NY Botanical Garden webinar on the history and value of herbaria. Fascinating stuff, at least for a plant geek like me. I'll post the link to the video archive when the material is made available.
By way of a summary, here are a couple notes.
- Jeanne Barre story
- Kate Brandegee / Alice Eastwood story
- Noteworthy quote: "You can't conserve things if you don't know what they are."
- Things to do with herbaria
- Monitor heavy metal pollution
- Use comparative DNA analysis to better understand adaptations over time
- Deduce phenological change over time and space
- Improve machine learning and image recognition
- Enhance public awareness
Meanwhile, in the garage some bonsai tools (and a few kitchen implements) are soaking in a salt and vinegar solution to remove rust. Update to follow with before and after photos.
Speaking of bonsai, I gave the Autumn Flame Euonymous and the Siberian pea tree a "hair cut," bringing their canopies more in line with their trunk caliper. Already the pea tree has been leafing out. Apparently, the garage isn't cold enough to shut down early spring growth.
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