Withlacoochee Log

Five Points

2011-08-31T07:54:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a head-long rush into the development of Five Points. Why?

My Neighborhood

2011-03-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today 3 houses were demolished on Oak Street. Tomorrow the fourth will go down.
Left photo is this afternoon. Right is this morning.

We have had Enough Consultants

2010-07-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

It is time we stopped. We have so many problems that beautification will not fix. How can we keep spending money on consultants when the main problem is the economic situation in this town. Downtown and the whole Hill Ave corridor will not work until we get rid of the truck traffic through town and create local jobs through innovation. Look at other cities and see what they are doing.

May Gardening

2010-05-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Okra transplanted, peppers are in the ground. The compost pile needs water, it is a little dry.

yard works

2010-04-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

The peppers are poking through the soil. One tomato on the vine. Have lots of beans to plant.

Canoeing the mighty With

2010-03-01T05:57:00.001-08:00

It was an eventful afternoon. We put in at Langdale Park on North 41. All went well, with a few minimum downfalls. We stopped for our lunch of cantalope and bean salad and then headed on down the river. We reached Sugar Creek at Gornto Road and paddled up the creek to the bridge. Lots of red algae. Horse stables and construction going on there. We started back down the river around a giant ox bow and things began to get really rough. The current was much faster and tree falls more prominent. Trying to avoid a downed tree we were sided into a log and capsized. We made it to shore with the canoe, thanks to my partner, shaken but ok with only a couple of water bottles lost we shook it off and headed back into the current. Again we were pushed into a downfall and capsized. Partner saved the canoe again and I was left in the middle of the river with 2 paddles. Partner swam across and took one paddle and I was able to swim to the bank. I watched my cell phone in a baggie float down the river. At this point we made the decision to go back to Sugar Creek. We navigated along the bank, going up stream and crossed safely to the other bank. We ported the canoe across the ox bow through a small flow and reached the creek behind the YMCA. Here we were able to get the boat near enough to the parking lot for pick up. Quite an eventful day to say the least. We will be purchasing new vests and exercising more caution in the future.

Canoe at the Beach

2010-01-06T11:39:00.001-08:00

We put in at Indian Pass Campground just to see what it was like. The tide was coming in and there was a terrific current. It didn't take long for us to decide to beach the canoe. We watched a two man kayak go out, headed for St Vincent. They turned into the current, and sort of went sideways into the beach, making land across the pass in a short time. We have a lot to learn.

Fall Garden

2009-10-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

I am severely late in starting fall garden. Too much going on. I finally planted some greens. Cleaned the greenhouse a bit and moved less cold hardy plants into it. Wanted to go canoeing on the Suwannee today, but too much work.

On Lawn Blowers in the Cemetery

2009-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

I dismiss the sound of blowers, mowers, ridem' cowboy. Tire tracks running over the graves. There are other ways you know, but we must hurry, labor costs are high. I saw the other ways, a push mower and a machete on Baytree Road. I do the other ways. Robinson says "...no disagreeable effects result from decay." A wild garden is an event. It allows untold exploration and old thoughts to survive. It changes with the turning and sometimes glows in the moonlight. Return to the Earth, mausoleums are for rich men.
Download The Wild Garden by William Robinson at Google Books.

Politics in Valdosta

2009-09-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

it is an off-year election but City Council District 2 seems to be a hotbed of activity. I am looking forward to hearing all the candidates' plans for my district.

Flag Day

2009-06-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

I tried to hang up the flag but it is too large for the porch. So I guess no flag on Flag Day.
The garden has gone wild with weeds but the squash are producing well. The okra will be blossoming soon and giving plenty of harvest for pickling. I may even try a few peas with it for an old-fashioned treat.

Illness

2009-05-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

It is such a short life, or so it seems when an illness takes over a life. The thoughts of, what have I missed? and, why does it have to be this way? come through at this time.

Sewage release is slime

2009-04-03T03:49:00.000-07:00

The joke about the release of sewage into the Withlacoochee is shameful.

Gardening

2009-03-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

The squash, tomatoes and peppers are doing fine. The greenhouse find at the salvation army was a month late but will work well in the fall. MG is almost over and I look forward to CS with other gardeners.

2009-02-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

Did some more transplanting in the front. The century plant was moved to make more room for the Artemisia. Pulled compost out of the pile and tried to cover the Hibiscus with it to see what happens. The seed catalog is out and I have a new Garden Journal to start. Purchased a mint, sage and

Course of events

2009-02-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

Turned pile,good steam, planted potatoes around the garlic. it is still to cold to do seeds. But will get the peas in in the next week. dark of the moon, roots?

Garden news

2009-02-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

The spinach was planted Thursday, along with transplanting of some daylilies and ground layering of the Artemisia. Continuing the raking, weeding and hoeing. Potatoes were planted at the farm today and city potatoes tomorrow. The compost keeps dropping in size and steams when it is turned on the cold mornings.
Bedding plants should be done as soon as this last Blackberry Winter is over by the middle of the week.

The Alapaha

2008-12-31T04:58:00.000-08:00

We put in at the 168 landing and spent the next 4 hours on the many twists and turns of the Alapaha. We landed at the Lakeland bridge on 221. The river had dropped at least three feet from our previous trip on Saturday. We feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to paddle this river.

Alapaha

2008-12-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

My first trip on the Alapaha was short, but exciting. The water was high and we went up stream, fighting the swift current. The trip back was relaxing. It was a Saturday and there were many motor boats with rude week-end drivers. We plan to put in on 168 bridge during the week and float to the Lakeland 221 bridge during the week. The Alapaha has sandy banks and the brown water so many south Georgia rivers are known for.

Chattahoochee

2008-12-22T18:45:00.001-08:00

Took a short day trip on the backwaters of the "Hooch." Made a loop below Goat Rock around the big island and back to the dock. It was windy and cool and we managed to make it through with only one dunking.

float your boat

2008-03-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

While I have heard if one boat rises we all rise there still is much to be said for keeping your own boat in floating condition.

links

2008-03-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

www.valdostadailytimes.com

Withlacoochee Blues

2007-09-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

I miss the brown waters of the With. The Platte has its own attractions, but the wildness of the With cannot be matched. I look for ward to an October canoe trip.

No Rain

2007-05-02T05:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a month since our last canoe trip and I am sure the With is even lower with more shoals. Not a good time to canoe. The Suwannee is probably the best bet right now.

Day trip

2007-04-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

The two of us put in our Old Town 14 ft. Guide at the Bellville Landing in N. Florida at 9:20 a.m. on March 31. It was a smooth start and we were surrounded by spring greenery. The waterway was clean of litter, unlike the Georgia landing at Knights Ferry. It was smooth and relaxed until we came to our first shoal. Being novices we took the canoe out of the water and ported it around. Also, we did the same on the second shoal we came upon.
We used one of the stops to enjoy our "Hot an Spicy" vienna sausages, stale triskets, and fizzy water with lemon and ice. Later, as we approached another shoal we pulled in and observed boaters that seemed to be in trouble on the shoals. We walked down to see if we could help and they had made it through and were ready to move on. They were loaded down, traveling with a canoe, packed kayak, a dog, and three men. There was no way they could port around a shoal. It did make us realize we did not have to port and could wade through the shallows with the canoe. we came upon at least two more shoals and waded through with little trouble. We had a couple of good rides through some small shoals that had a deeper channel.
The egrets and kingfishers were plentiful and fish were jumping a foot in the air as we moved along. The river was uninhabited all along the first half of the trip, but as we got closer to Blue Springs the cabins, campers, and trailers began to appear. Real estate signs, Confederate flags, and weakly built piers became the norm. As we approached the high bridge we heard the voices coming from the Springs and knew we were there. We put in around 4:00 p.m. in the Springs after a seven hour ride over a twelve mile stretch of river. Our ride back home arrived shortly and since here is no ramp at Blue Springs we had to carry the canoe up the steps to the parking lot. It was a good ride overall. Our next trip will be to tackle the stretch from Knights Ferry to Bellville.

Performing Arts Center

2007-03-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

Downtown or I-75?

Downtown-put a hotel by the interstate and run those BUSES to DOWNTOWN!

Parks and Rec

2006-07-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

We have a serious problem in this county and I am not sure the current administration of either county or city are able to take care of it.

Thursday night at City Hall

2006-05-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

The Thursday Night Fights at City Hall were disappointing to say the least. It was a sedate, dignified process, that to the ordinary citizen would have left them bored and tired. I found it to be uplifting and a real joy to see everyone working together. I also would like to thank the city fire department for working with Moody fire department to give the base their surplus fire hoses.

the full moon

2006-03-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

The last dance must be danced alone.

Berry, Reese, & Pitts

2005-08-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

The two editorials in the Valdosta Daily Times today by Charlie Reese and Leonard Pitts at first glance did not seem to be about the same topic. I did find a connection and it was due to my recent discovery of the writings of Wendell Berry. The main concept that I was able to connect with these three writers was the knowledge of loss of community. A revolutionary slogan turned into a pr campaign, reported by Pitts, and the inability of the UN to be effective, reported by Reese, are both symptoms of a global corporate entity.
Berry says that national and global communities do not exist. A community only exists at the local level. It is only at that level that anything can be achieved that will actually make a difference.
I am doing my part and it starts with my vegetable garden. The food I gather is produced by me. I started the seeds, nourished the small plants, and finally pulled the dying bean vines out of the ground to go back to the compost to enrich my next round of growing. Gardening is subversive because it really does represent freedom from the whims of the outside world. I will plow up that lawn and I wonder how the city will feel about a few chickens.

VSU

2005-07-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

The map showing the plans for the pedestrian-friendly campus are up on the website. It will be an improvement.

pole beans

2005-06-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Today I picked another pound or so of pole beans. That makes about 7 quarts that I will have harvested off of a 25 ft row planted between 3 trees. Tomatoes are another thing. We have yet to harvest one tomato and there are only about 6 on the vines. The zucchini have quit producing but the eggplant are providing us with all we need. They don't pickle very well though. The zucchini pickle quite well.

Allied Media Conference

2005-06-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

This is my first post on the first day of the conference. But first, last night, it was an acoustic performance by three guys. Rob Williams from Waitsfiied VT was the mc and opening act for Joe Jencks of Seattle and Casey Neill from Brooklyn and Portland. It was an old fashioned folk fest from the sixties. Casey Neill has a Bob Dylan-like voice with a lot more ironic humor. Joe Jencks brought a tear to my eye with his memories of family. A great time was had by all.
If you are ever in Bowling Green OH go to Easy Street Cafe and order the French Onion Soup.
More as the weekend goes on.

2005-06-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have arrrived at the Allied Media Conference. I am a bit early so I am exploring the BGSU Campus.

2005-06-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

After hearing all the rumors about the demolition of the historic houses on GA. Ave someone has finally brought it to the public’s attention. Michael Pitts’s letter to the editor was published in the VDT today. Pitts is president of the Brookwood North Neighborhood Association. The only information I have found on this demolition project is in the 582 page Master Plan for the University. Demolition projects are listed but some are listed only as building numbers. Go to the VSU website to download this doc. www.Valdosta.edu

Digging in the Dirt

2005-05-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

It starts with a few tomato seeds. Before you know it, a load of dirt has been delivered and flowers are planted and mulch is spread and an urban garden begins. Here, in what has been referred to as “Midtown Valdosta,” the gardens of an old house, circa 1906, are being restored and renewed.

The 10-foot camellias and heirloom azaleas are being rescued from the clutches of the Smilax vines. These opportunistic vines seem almost to have a mind of their own as they seek out places to latch onto with their tendrils. They change shape and color in their growth as they creep into every nook and cranny. The early shoots look and taste like asparagus. I believe Euell Gibbons would have devoted a whole chapter to this strange creature. The root of the Sarsaparilla (Smilax officinalis) has many uses and is now being marketed in health food stores.

The birds especially enjoy the fresh-turned earth and the leaf mold. The morning chorus starts before daybreak and is a delight to hear. The five new blueberry bushes, purchased at Harvey’s Supermarket for 6.99, were already filled with ripe blueberries. The birds delight in snipping off the small new growth. Netting will have to be used next year to save a few berries for cereal and muffins.

The small pond has a few goldfish and an excellent population of tadpoles. The frogs serenaded for weeks and the offspring are doing well. A large flowering plant was allowed to grow near the pond and appears to be a native hibiscus with large bright red torpedo-shaped blooms. It is killed by the cold but comes back bigger and better each spring. This is its third year of prolific growth.

The climate is conducive to year-round growth and plans are for cole and lettuce crops for the winter. Perhaps a few potatoes also will be attempted in the old compost piles.

The garden is addictive but at least it is a good addiction.

Thurday, May 26

2005-05-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog.