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Most Prolific?
Keeping live-bearing tropical fish in has been fun and educational. At roughly the same time, I added two females of three different varieties to the tank. The most prolific variety surprised me. I expected red cobra guppies to run away with the competition. They had a head start of several weeks and a reputation for…
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Getting Ready for Fall
The last of the tomato plants went to the compost pile last week. Bell peppers are still producing, but the other summer veggies are gone. Time to start my fall/winter garden. Experience helps. Wisdom accumulates with each new season. Lessons learned last year resulted in a few changes this year. I need to plant fall…
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Suddenly Speedy
I’ve logged 3500+ miles in just over 1000 outings on MapMyRun since 2012. After every mile, a female voice announces the number of miles this time out, the average time per mile, and the time for the last mile. The free version saves these details, a map of the route, and tons of other information…
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Population Explosion
The population in my 29-gallon aquarium is growing exponentially. The momma fish keep having babies! Several will soon be grandmas. I have no idea how many guppy, platy and molly babies have been born. Given the chance, fry of all three varieties grow quickly. Hiding until they’re too big to be eaten by bigger fish…
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Veggie Delight
For me, gardening is mostly about flower. A sense of obligation and a desire for fresh tomatoes motivate me to plant a few every year. Harvesting just a few is typical. Some years, I don’t harvest a single fruit. Lessons learned last year led me to switch things up a little. Overcrowding is much less…
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Full Tank
Once the goldfish had to go, the vision for my 29-gallon aquarium shifted to guppies. The tank is too big for just guppies, so I expanded the vision to a community tank with mostly livebearers. Changing my mind all the time is a gift. The Red Cobra guppies are doing great. They’re always on the…
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Deer-Resistant Annuals
Outside of my fenced in backyard, deer are a problem. Trial and error has taught me a few lessons about what they will and won’t eat. The bottom line: Hungry deer will eat just about anything. Deer won’t touch toxic plants. Most are perennials, but a few can be grown as annuals including castor beans…
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High Drama in the Tank
All but one of the baby fish have disappeared. I suspect the swordtails, but can’t say for sure. Nonetheless, they were exiled to the outdoor pond. If they’re guilty, the baby population will rebound. If not, I was wrong. Time will tell. Banishment was contingent upon catching the trio without tearing up the well-planted tank.…
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Swordtail or Platy?
Maude has a new boyfriend. His name, of course, is Stanley. I’m happy to report the mismatched pair hit it off right away. It’s a May/September, mixed marriage. Maude, the cougar, comes from the ‘Brick Red’ clan. Stanley is a young green swordtail–like those found in the wild. Maude clearly enjoys a walk on the…
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Training Tootsie
Tootsie and I have had six-and-a-half hours of training with Bethany in ten visits. Tootsie adores her. The Training Game is fun, all about Tootsie, and chock-full of treats. What’s not to like? Sessions last sixty minutes or until Tootsie loses interest. She vastly prefers Cheerios over packaged training treats. Even so, she’s often too…