Hello and welcome back to the Dogpound surrounded by hurricanes. Well, at least it feels that way. Texas got slammed by Hurricane Harvey, and now Hurricane Irma is going to run all over Florida. I lived in Houston for almost three years…never saw a hurricane…there were storms of course but we had more issues with heat waves and freezing weather [yes…freezing…three days of below-freezing weather, and pipes were busting everywhere]. Houston is barely above sea level, and many of the freeways actually dip down to go under another road [some areas have like five layers of highways all crossing in…
Browsing: Commentary
My last column was about knowing your plant’s diet. I focused on macronutrients then and this time I will focus on micronutrients. As I indicated previously, all nutrients are important, each has its specific purpose, and having the soil tested is critical for successful gardening. Micronutrients, in order of need by most plants include iron, chlorine, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum. The nutrient cobalt is also needed, but the amount is not known. Research is being done on cobalt as well as the other nutrients. Micronutrients are critical in the photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is where light from the sun,…
S eptember has historically been the height of hurricane season, in the Atlantic Ocean. We continue to watch the heroic efforts of many in Texas as they continue to operate in the rescue or life safety mode of the operation. Tropical systems are wind events, rain events, or both. Hurricane Harvey was both, with sustained winds of 130 mph and gusts as high as 155 mph, but now we are seeing the devastating effects of a system that has dumped over 50 inches of rain. The emergent aspect of this storm will continue as long as people are in harm’s…
Lately, we have experienced hot, humid, and dry days with an occasional evening thunderstorm, or as some call it, the dog days of summer. Consistent moisture is critical for ornamental and edible plants as they bloom and produce the attractive flower or fruit desired. Besides water, the plants’ nutritional needs are also critical at bloom time. Because most of us do not have six inches of organic, rich topsoil, we have to supplement the soil through fertilization to meet the plants’ nutrient needs. This weekend was fertilization time for my annuals and some perennials and it made me think….do most…
My first assignment after boot camp, was the fire station at the USCG Training Center- Cape May N.J. One might wonder how people were chosen for those positions in 1981? For Mickey Conboy and me, it was because of our years as volunteer firefighters, Mickey in Dumont N.J. and me at Station 1 in Chester. I do not know if that is the greatest criteria for choosing firefighters, but our years as volunteers and our passion for the fire service obviously spoke louder than we did. For Mickey and me both, this time and experience led to two great careers…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. It is hard to believe it is already August, and at times it is hard to believe what you find in my company’s break room. Note…most of the time it is “not” what their family refused to eat last night. LOL Many days the workers will bring in potluck to celebrate a birthday or just because it is a Friday….then others will just feel like making something and sharing it with everyone else. I went into the break room one morning to get my usual Diet Coke when I…
The Henricus bluff before the development of Henricus Historical Park. Circa 1980. The monument commemorates the first hospital in America and the Varina parish wish eventually became Saint john’s church. At Henricus Historical Park, the church famous for Patrick Henry’s “give me liberty or give me death” speech is commemorated with a cross. An obelisk near it commemorates the first university in the colonies that would become the United States. ” I came to work for Henrico County in 1977 and I was an assistant county manager. We reorganized in ‘78 and I became deputy county manager,” said George…
This past weekend, I drove my family down to Lowland, N.C. Lowland is a very small community on Goose Creek Island and it is where my family (paternal) settled hundreds of years ago. Lowland is an interesting little place. The land is flat, flat, flat, and there are creeks and canals on either side of you while you drive down. Houses that once sat on regular foundations have now been elevated on pilings due to the constant threat of flooding that has become increasingly worse as the years have passed. Our family’s home has not been elevated, and it is…
T hough I know that this is happening, I am thankful that we have not heard much of it in our area recently. The issue that I am speaking of is leaving a child or a pet alone in a vehicle for any amount of time. With the temperatures that we experienced over the last couple of weeks and the temperatures that are sure to return, the outcome could be fatal. Hot temperatures outside cause our vehicles to act like an oven. The body has mechanisms to deal with overheating, but those mechanisms only work for so long. The emergency…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. Well, the good news is that nothing broke this week…knocking on wood…so I am left to find another topic to write about. So let’s chat about finances. I got one of my credit card statements and they among of several that haave started showing your FICO score. Now in my mind the higher the score …the better your credit rating; the better customer you are….a better risk to pay your bills. This credit rating is used not only for house loans…but they are now used in determining your cost…