Death Valley Feb 2011

I have quite a few of these photos from Death Valley, when we were there last year at the end of February.  I have been looking them over and sorting them as to which ones I may want to add to my web page eventually.  I have a few processed from the RAW files.  In the critique forum on Megashot.net Cyrus did a few critiques using the soft light blend mode which is what I used on these two.  It really helps, and is very easy to do.  I click layer via copy, right click in the layer pallette of the copy, choose blending option and click the drop down menu of soft light.. done.

I found a very depressing news item today about yet another crisis in the mid-east.  I wonder why there needs to be this saber rattling, the world over, when we are suppose to be highly intelligent beings.  I suppose they won't stop until they have the whole world looking like Death Valley.  This will make that doomsday clock's second hand go flying around to midnight, or high noon, which ever it is.  This is a no win idea for the solution to the economic depression.

On a happier note, we went bowling with the VCCC this afternoon.  Was really rather enjoyable.

Yesterday we went up to Cobble hill for lunch with Andy and Tara.  Their place is looking really good.  We have a start on getting the suite cleaned up.  John Gray and his son have started on the painting.

On Friday I was out in the garden for a couple of hours.  We have been having warm weather, with a bit of rain.  I did a bit more dead heading of perennials, picked the leaves off of the grass, cleaned up the deck plants.  In the house I now have 8 orange trees left.  I want to get 4 larger pots and transplant the bigger trees into them.  I will then have the four smaller pots for the smaller trees.  One pot has 3 trees in it.  I hope I can get them divided without killing any of them.  I wonder how long it will be before I can expect fruit?  Here is a good answer from a question to UBC Botanical gardens forum:
The seeds of most fruit that you buy will be the product of a hybrid plant developed by breeders. Plant breeders often spend years developing new varieties and may grow thousands of crosses to select desirable plants for industry. These are then propagated by asexual means to produce clones of the desirable plant. If you plant seed, you will not get the same type of fruit that you bought at the store. (You may not get a plant that produces fruit at all.) And of course the time required to bring trees to bear fruit can mean a decade before you even know if you have anything.

You may be lucky, but you will probably have to grow many trees to find a really good one. Many old apple tree cultivars developed as random hybrids. (Granny Smith apple was discovered from seeds tossed out in Australia.)

So not entirely a myth, but not an unworthwhile project either. I am currently growing 4 apple trees that I started from seed. I think it is fun to see what might develop. Could be something totally new. So if you have the time and space, I say go for it.

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Eric La Fountaine
Forums Administrator

Out in the garden the yellow crocuses, the first hellebores, the winter jasmine and the cyclamens are in bloom.