Condo style salad

(My condo farm lettuce mixed with market-bought arugula. There was also some chickweed growing in there - not sure how that happened -  but it was a pleasant surprise.)

My lettuce bucket had become incredibly crowded so I have started thinning out my tiny crop so some of the plants have a chance to thrive. Baby lettuce is delicious. The radishes are going down next.

 

Katie and I transplanted all of my vegetables on the weekend using containers we found in the recyling bin in my building. I will be posting photographs and instructions at some point.

The vegetables are doing much better than I expected and seem totally capable of thriving in spite of being cursed with a neglectful, clumsy mother.

Nature is amazing. It also seems to have a sense of humour.

 

 

How to keep your bike from breaking down

My first lesson about who the Bike Pirates were came about because my own bike was a hunk of junk - at least it was in the hands of someone who knew nothing about bike mechanics.

Lured by its beautiful frame (I am a sucker for anything forest green) and thick tires, I paid a couple hundred dollars for a ride that took most of the force of my legs to move.

I like a good workout, but when I am cruising along the streets in the summer or trying to get to work I would prefer if my face didn’t resemble a hot water bottle.

I tried to get it repaired but was told that was just the way the bike worked.

Reselling a broken bike seemed like a sure way to screw my karma for life.

The first plan was to leave it out on the street for anyone to find but a former friend noticed the Bike Pirates at an outdoor event and dropped off the bike to them.

I plan to buy another bike this summer, but for someone who just uses it for short cruises the idea of paying $300 (on the low end) for something I don’t know how to take care of and fix myself leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

So back to the Bike Pirates where I can purchase an old bike and learn how to overhaul it myself.

The brainchild of a member of Toronto’s anarchist community, Bike Pirates is designed as a space where people of all incomes, beliefs and backgrounds can learn how to fix their bikes. The entire organization is volunteer run. I wrote a short story about my trip to the workspace here.

I filmed a video, but some head-scratching technical troubles ( I am about as handy with a finicky Mac as I am a bike) is holding that up. Stay tuned.

Here are some tips from volunteer Ainsley Naylor on how to clean your bike or keep grease and grime from causing damage.

Her full text is below.

“Details on cleaning your bike:

To clean your bike you should use a *Degreasing* agent — not soap, which will leave a film/residue. Bike shops and places like MEC carry degreaser, which can be used on your entire bike to clean off surface rust, grease, dirt, sand, etc.

You can dilute this up to 1:10 and use a spray bottle to apply it. Wipe with a rag. For more stubborn rust on mechanical parts (i.e. chain and gears) you may need a wire brush, and for cosmetic rust you can use steel wool — it does a great job of cleaning up handlebars and fenders (etc.).

Lubricant:

You should always be sure to wipe off all degreaser before lubing your chain. Chain lube should be applied every time you clean your bike and after every time you ride in the rain, or if you chain seems dry (every month or two depending on how much you ride).

Chain lube comes in many varieties. natural/biodegradable, light, heavy, dry lube are all things you may find in a bike shop. These are generally intended for different environments — one lube is better for being out in the weather, and one is better for indoor/track riding. One is better for bikes with lots of gears and one is for single-speed chains. Ask around and decide which is best for you. Prices vary.

Apply lube to a clean chain. You only need one drop per chain link. After applying, run chain through your gears then wipe off all excess/visible lube. You really just need it to seep into the inside moving parts of the chain links. Too much lube will attract more dirt and debris and get things dirtier than you want."

The best way to deal with a wounded baby bird or limping racoon

With summer almost here (we hope) the chances of discovering a wounded, or what may seem like an abandoned animal in the green spaces in and around our homes is pretty high.

So what should you do if you come across a wounded baby bird or mangy looking squirell?

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has released a list of tips and contact information you can use if you find an animal in distress. The short answer is don't mess with it or move it--and call for assistance.

Full text from the Ministry is below:

"If you see what you think may be sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, don’t remove it from its natural habitat. The bird or animal may not need assistance and you could actually do more harm in your attempt to help.

 

Determining if Wildlife is Orphaned

Some species leave their offspring alone temporarily, especially during the day. For example, deer and cottontail rabbits spend much of the day away from their well-camouflaged offspring to minimize the chance of predators finding them.

To determine if young wildlife is truly orphaned:

Check the animal periodically for 24 to 48 hours to see if it is still around, but keep your distance.

Keep cats and dogs away from the area inhabited by the young animal; the adult will not return if it is noisy or if predators or people are close by.

Signs of injury or illness

 

 Blood, wounds or swelling on the body

 

Body covered in fleas

Unusual or uneven loss of fur or feathers

Difficult or raspy breathing or sneezing

A dangling leg or wing

Closed eyes; head tucked under wing

 

Care Necessary To Help The Animal

Contact a wildlife custodian who can help you assess the situation and provide advice on what action to take.

If specialized and immediate care is necessary to help the animal, take it to a wildlife custodian or a veterinarian within 24 hours of capture.

If you must handle the animal, follow the instructions provided by the wildlife custodian on how to minimize risk of injury to yourself and to the animal.

Wear protective clothing and equipment, such as leather gloves, to avoid bites or scratches, and wash hands well after handling the animal.

It is important to recognize that many of the volunteer-operated organizations have limited capacity to accept animals, especially during the spring."

Contact information on who to call in Southern Ontario:

 

 

 "Potential resources for finding a wildlife rehabilitator in your area:
◘ (Southern Region)
▪
Ontario Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Network (OWREN) (www.owren-online.org): or call 905-735-6885


The Ontario SPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre: 1-888-668-7722
Find a list of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres at http://ontariospca.ca/8-branch.shtml or visit http://ontariospca.ca.

Contact information for the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Call 1-800-667-1940 – Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

What the Ministry suggests you do if you find diseased or dead wildlife or suspect rabies.

"To report dead animals, birds, or bats contact the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (www.ccwhc.ca) at 1-866-673-4781.

If you suspect there is a public health risk from a sick wild animal, such as rabies, or you or your pet had contact with a suspected rabid animal, contact your local Public Health Unit immediately.

Rabies is fatal for humans and animals if not treated.

Symptoms of rabies and several other diseases in animals can include tremors, aggressive behaviour, partial paralysis, convulsions, and loss of fear of humans."

 

Where an animal is in need of help, it requires specialized care to recover and return to the wild.

You cannot keep wildlife in captivity without approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources. However, a person may possess a wild animal for up to 24 hours to transport it to a wildlife custodian or a veterinarian.

Anyone looking for multitool at MEC will be SOL (my apologies)

Dear lovers of multi-purpose tools. Consider this a bit of an apology.

This week I dropped into Mountain Equipment Co-op to pick up some rope and check out an item I mentioned previously in the blog.

In March I raved about a survival kit I wanted to purchase from a New Hampshire company called the SOL Origin. The nifty orange case contains a compass, knife, LED light, quickstart fire-starting tinder, heavy-test braided nylon cord, stainless-steel wire, and an emergency sewing and fishing kit.

The knife has an emergency whistle built into the handle. The lid of the case is also a mirror or emergency signal.

I was told by a public relations person for the company the item would be at Mountain Equipment Co-op by the end of March. My trip to MEC on King St. revealed they have never carried it. Staff also told me I am not the only one who has asked about it.

On Wednesday the company's public relations person said that it was supposed to be at MEC but has not been picked up yet. "It still may," he said in an email.

He sent this information on where you can buy it if you still want it.

"The SOL Origin is available right now through Sojourn (in Barrie) http://www.sojournoutdoors.com tel: 705.739.9694 or it can be ordered through www.surviveoutdoorslonger.com."

 

How to survive a tornado

Tornados are relatively rare in southern Ontario, but when they touch down they damage not only our property but our general sense of security.

The violent windstorms have been all over the news in the U.S. In April, Harvard Health Publications, part of the Harvard Medical School website, published a guide on how to survive a tornado.

Here is the full text of the tip I find a bit frightening, mainly because in times of crisis it seems to make sense to flock to the mall à la Dawn of the Dead to scoop up rubber boots and shovels. 

"Avoid “long-span” buildings. Shopping malls, theaters, and gymnasiums can be especially dangerous because the roof is supported only by the walls. If there is no time to leave such a building to get to a safer place, get under a door frame or something else that could deflect falling debris."

Their information was compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. There are links to both sites if you wish to dig further.

Looking around for information on how safe it is to be on the seventh floor of an apartment building. I know enough to stay away from the windows and am fairly sure it would take a storm of biblical proportions (enjoy this video message from Harold Camping that at least for now threat seems to have passed ) to do serious damage. But wondering what it would take to make the building sway? I'm hoping I don't get to find out.

P.S. The fact that Rogers has a commercial leading into Camping's prediction of the next rapture seems like a sign of the end of the world to me.

At least one of my radish's days are numbered

My baby radishes are doing well. What concerns me is my growing desire to pull them out of the soil to see what is underneath.

Except for the few tiny vegetables that didn't want to sprout, the entire garden I have planted in my rented condo is growing quite quickly. We have not transferred the peat pots yet, but will likely just pack soil around them in a deeper plastic tray.

When it comes to the radish I feel like I am being pushed by the part of my personality that draws huge satisfaction from pulling out splinters or picking scabs (sorry if you are reading this while you eat) when I was a kid. 

To be honest, if I wiped out on a bike now you would need safety gloves to keep me from messing with cuts and scrapes on my knees.

I'm making an educated guess that putting it back the soil once I yank it out won't be a good idea. I will try to keep my hands off it for now.

Grizzly bear, bells, pepper spray, bear feces and acts of futility

 
Hope you enjoyed the information on fending off a black bear. Behold the cruel reality of the likely outcome of a grizzly bear attack.

This sign is a favourite of my younger brother's. Thanks to Frank for sending it in. We do not know who took the photo, otherwise there would be a photo credit.

It is a bit hard to read. But if you don't feel like squinting, friend and colleague Bill Taylor added text from a similar sign (sent to Taylor by a friend) to the comments in my post on black bears.

“In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is advising tourists, hikers and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while traveling this summer.

We advise that people wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears that are not expecting them. We also advise everyone to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a grizzly.

It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear dung.

Black bear dung is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear (dung) has little bells in it and smells like pepper.”

For anyone who wants to get an idea of how powerful a bear of this size actually is I suggest watching the hilarious and informative film Project Grizzly. Also recommended for anyone interested in watching a grown man dress up in a safey suit and get hit with baseball bats, chainsaws and large logs.  

The rapture is coming? Break out the supplies for smores and the hip waders!

If you follow the news of the absurd you already know that May 21 is the start of the end of days. Signs will include flooding, epic fires and earthquakes that essentially crack the world in half. Thankfully people like this will be lifted towards the skies, giving the rest of us five months of relative peace before the earth implodes. 

In celebration LasVegasWeekly has created a Rapture ready survival kit, by that I mean playlist.

For iPhone users there is an app. The rest of us are just stuck watching the skies and listening for the whinnying of really angry horses.

On a more realistic note NiagaraThisWeek.com is reporting on a reminder from Grimsby officials - following severe wind storms across Southern Ontario - that storing enough food and water for 72 hours in your home is a good idea. Yes, yes it is.

How to avoid a black bear attack

Summer is coming and with it comes long walks in the woods, trips to the cottage and chance encounters with large, black, furry animals with long claws.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has released a long list of how to avoid surprise encounters and what to do if you do have a run in with a  black bear. The list is pretty thorough, including a fairly frightening description of what an aggressive black bear would look like.  

HowStuffWorks also has a guide on how to survive a grizzly bear attack, but in Canada their populations are concentrated in and near British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territorities. (I do not have a precise map of where grizzly bears live across the country but I am hunting for one.)

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind people who feed black bears or leave garbage out (or anything that reduces a bear's fear of humans) you are ruining summer and nature for the rest of us.

May your smores collapse into your campfire and I hope you have half your blood sucked out this summer by mosquitos and leeches.   

To the rest of you, happy camping!

The full text of the ministry's tips are below.

"Bears usually avoid humans. Generally, you won’t see a bear even if one is close by. Remember, you are a visitor in the bear’s home range, so do all you can to avoid encounters.

Make noise as you move through wooded areas, especially in areas where background noise is high, such as near streams and waterfalls. Singing, whistling or talking will alert bears to your presence, giving them a chance to avoid you.

Travel with others if possible.

Be aware of your surroundings:

Do not wear headphones.

Keep an eye out for signs of bears, such as tracks, claw marks on trees, flipped-over rocks or fresh bear droppings.

Consider bringing a whistle, air horn, long-handled axe or bear spray. If you bring bear spray, know how to use it.

Avoid strong fragrances that may cause a bear to be curious; put any food you are carrying in sealed containers in your pack.

If you are out with a dog, control it. Uncontrolled, untrained dogs may actually lead a bear to you.

While berry picking, occasionally scan your surroundings to check for bears, and rise slowly from your crouched position so you don’t startle any nearby bears. They may not recognize you as a human when you are in a crouched position.

If the bear is not paying any attention to you, slowly and quietly back away while watching the bear to make sure it isn’t following you.

Do not approach the bear to get a better look.

If the bear obviously knows you are there, raise your arms to let the bear know you are a human. Make yourself look as big as possible. Speak in a firm but non-threatening voice while looking at the bear and backing away.

Watch the bear to gauge its reaction to you. Generally, the noisier the bear is, the less dangerous it is, providing you don’t approach the bear. If a bear huffs, pops its jaw or stomps its paws on the ground, it wants you to back away and give it space.

If a bear closely approaches you, drop any food you may be carrying and continue backing up.

If the bear continues to approach, stand your ground and stay calm – use your whistle or air horn, speak loudly, stand tall, wave your arms and throw objects.

If a bear keeps advancing and is getting close, be aggressive and continue to stand your ground. Use bear spray and anything else to threaten or distract the bear; bears will often first test to see if it is safe to approach you.

Do not run or climb a tree. Bears can run faster and climb better than you.

If the bear makes contact, fight back with everything you have."

To report a problem bear call 1-866-514-2327.

How a knife, saw and set of pliers from a (sort of) stranger ended up in my purse

If anyone wants to know how I came to own the multipurpose tool I carry in my purse you can read about it here. Thanks to Frank for the gift and being a good sport.

One of my favourite parts about putting this story together was having the photo taken. Not that I am in love with the image (I never like posing for photos), but before I sat down to pose, Star photographer David Cooper spent some time showing off a Leatherman he bought a few decades ago. It came is a super-slick leather case that has become beautifully worn over time. Hoping I can find something similar the next time I buy a tool.

  (Emily trying really hard to look natural while holding her new multipurpose tool)