Slugs and Snails, Snakes and Toads, Get Ready

There are more daylight hours now and the garden catalogs keep showing up in the mailbox with more frequency. Spring is really coming, about 42 days away from today.
Time is getting short to get together a garden plan, always a good idea. A vegetable garden will more important this year for many, because of the sinking economy, rising food prices and tainted and unhealthy food found in the supermarkets.
There are a lot of basic decisions that need to be made; what varities to plant, where to plant them in the garden, maybe decisions about new additions and compost.
It is also a good time to prepare a battle plan for the slug and snail pests which can create a lot of havoc and make veggies look like swiss cheese. There are a lot of control methods, without using dangerous pesticides. Beer traps, natural sprays, egg shells and coffee grounds, salt water sprays all work pretty well. But short of a scorched earth policy, slugs and snails are more likely to be kept under control.
But there are a few natural ways – make the garden a habitat for snakes and toads, both really like to eat slugs and snails.
Around northwestern Pennsylvania, your most likely to attract the well known, common garter snake. Snakes like rock piles and one in the vegetable garden can be transformed into an attractive rock garden designed for other beneficial insects, like bees, butterflies and other pollinators, as well as, being a home for the garden garter snake.
A toad house is another option. It can be as inexpensive as a decorated, overturned clay flower pot. Just be sure to have a sunken pie plate or something similar filled with water for the toad, they drink through their skin.
A few easy steps and the proper habitat can prevent vegetables and flowers from looking like swiss cheese.
For more information, click on the title and/or use the search box below.

Moths and the Full Hunger Moon

For many Native Americans the full moon in February is called the Hunger Moon. The month can be a very snowy with bitter cold temperatures; a difficult month to search for food (sound familiar in 2009?). This year the Full Hunger Moon will be February 9th, Monday.
While a lot of attention the second month of the year goes to the groundhog (allegedly, the animal saw his shadow this year, which spooked the critter back into his den), there are some even more fascinating insights and magic about moths and the moon. Well, there are no moths around during the dead of winter, but there is moonlight and a lack of food sources.
This post actually began last summer when a Luna moth flew in my window one day last summer (the photo) and landed under the light on the kitchen table.
Recently, I came across an article about moths and moonlight and light bulbs; there is still much to be discovered about all nocturnal moths, like the Luna.
What would a summer evening be without moths? They flutter around our campfires and beat their powdery wings against our lampshades. They congregate by streetlights and frequent torch-lit garden parties. But what is it about the lamp on your porch that moths find so irresistible? Is it the warmth? The pleasing glow? Why are moths attracted to light?

(NOTE: If the link doesn't work, click on Title)
It seems moths really think our light bulbs are moonlight, according to the research theory. Nocturnal moths, like the Luna, use the moonlight as part of an ancient navigational system. They get confused by artificial light. And one more quick note about the adult Luna moth, they don't eat (sounds like February), because they don't have mouths.
They do eat when they are caterpillars. Important food sources are the leaves of the American Beech, Red Maple, hickories, White Oak, Black Cherry, willows, Sumac and walnut trees.
Luna moths are fairly rare and in some areas, considered endangered. The one that landed on my table was the first I had ever seen. They are big with a wing span between four and five inches. They are colorful with yellow spots on brilliant, lime-green wings. The Luna only lives for about a week and emerges in late spring and early summer.
The Full Hunger Moon this year will see a lot of deep snow and a lot of hunger (people and wildlife) but it is a reminder about what comes next

Fun Stuff for Everyone

Here are some great events to mark on the calender which will be held at the Woodcock Creek Nature Center, at 21742 German Rd., Meadville. Thanks to Kathy Uglow, the environmental educator at the Center for sending the list along.
In case the links don't work, I'm working on it, so you might have to manually type the address in or google.
The folks at the center do a great job and there are always a lot of fun activites.
http://www.crawfordconservation.com/
email questions@crawfordconservation.com
phone- 814-763-5269

March events:
“What About Rabies?” Wednesday, March 4, from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Join Dr. Karen Martin, Veterinary Medical Field Officer, PA Department of Agriculture, to learn more about rabies. Find out what causes rabies and how to prevent it. She will also talk about the annual Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) program.
“Winter Tree Identification,” Wednesday, March 11, from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Mark Lewis, Service Forester, PA Bureau of Forestry, will lead a walk through the woods identifying some of Pennsylvania’s common trees. What are the tricks for telling one tree from another when there are no leaves to help? Dress for the weather.
“Eagles of Northwest Pennsylvania,” Wednesday, March 18, from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Join Linda Armstrong, Environmental Education Specialist for Pymatuning State Park, to find out about the history of eagle comeback in Pennsylvania, and more!
“Making a Bird Call Workshop,” Wednesday, March 29. Choose one session. Either 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Classes are limited to the first 12 registrants and there is a $2.00 fee to cover materials.

Photo: There was even a potato painting workshop last year which was fun for kids and adults. Pictured is one of the pieces of art work from the workshop

Just for the fun of it

okay, okay this is really different than what this place is all about but it's time to have some fun. The lion kangaroo pictured above was spotted near Union City. Rumor has it that a certain state agency is stocking the animals to control the piegon population (and I heard that from a very good source, who heard it from his mother's best friend)
Regardless, check out the link below, it's pretty amazing.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 35 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

The Great Land Grab, a Broken Promise.

A little history I thought I'd mention which seems to be mostly forgotten.
The Kinzua Dam was built in 1965 as a flood control project along the Allegheny River near Warren, Pennsylvania. The land flooded for the project was taken from the Seneca Nation despite a lawsuit filed before the US Supreme Court by the Quakers. The land was given to the Nation as part of the 1794 Treaty of Canadaigua signed by representatives of George Washington and Chief Cornplanter. His picture is at the top of this post.
The action forced the Seneca from thier ancient homeland, and the last reservation in Pennsylvania, to Native lands in nearby Salamanca, New York.
Johnny Cash sang, among others, a protest against the land grab, As Long as the Flowers Shall Grow, which was written by Native American folksinger and composer, Peter LaFarge.
Kinzua is a beautiful and popular place with a sorid sort of history. Entire villages, farms, churches and cemeteries are now under water for the flood control project, which has formed the deepest inland lake in the state of Pennsylvania.

Canadohta Lake Ice Fishing Tournament

VanTassel's Timberland Bait Shop will have their second annual Canadohta Lake Ice Fishing tournament February 14th and 15th this year. I spoke with Gerry, the owner, this morning and there's plenty of ice.
The tournament opens at eight in the morning on Valentine's Day and closes on the 15th at 5p.m.
The cost is only $10 and for people under the age of 12, $5. Entry forms can be obtained at any business at the lake and the tickets are good for the entire two day event, headquartered at the public boat launch.
That is where Gerry will be for most of the tournament serving up free hot dogs and sloppy Joe's Last year, there were about 160 anglers, who came from throughout the tri-state region; it was a great time with an almost festival-like atmosphere. It was cold but sunny last year. I'm not a 100 percent certain who provided the smoked whitefish but it was some of the best.
There will be 50-50 tickets, special awards and prizes, and monetary awards for the biggest and heaviest fish caught (same as last year), northern pike, muskie, walleye and bass.
Gerry can be reached at the bait shop at 814-694-3474 or on his cell at 814-887-8369.
Scenic Canadohta Lake is a great fishing place; a good get away place.. There are cottages to rent and plenty of places to eat.
Photo:Angelers decorate a sled used to haul equipment on the frozen lake.
Photo: Gerry VanTassel (left) stands with Centerville, Pa resident, Terry Miller, who caught a prize winning 20/3/4 inch walleye during last year's ice fishing tournament.

January 30, 2009


Friday evening and the storm is still howling out there. The only other sounds are the whines of snowmobile's going down the road, which are getting pretty tricky tonight. A friend stopped by earlier this evening and said they were down to one lane in spots.

So I am working on trying to improve this blog, lay out and stuff like that. And catching up on some other sites. Any suggesstions for this page, just let me know. Thanks