Comments for Tangled Branches: Cultivated http://tangledbranches.com/blog happenings in and around my zone 6b gardens in northern Virginia and in central Virginia Wed, 16 May 2012 10:25:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by entangled http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6985 entangled Wed, 16 May 2012 10:25:43 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6985 Oops, don't know what happened to the link. I see it on the administrator screen, but grayed out. The one you posted is fine. I have no idea. Oops, don’t know what happened to the link. I see it on the administrator screen, but grayed out. The one you posted is fine. I have no idea.

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by Annie in Austin http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6980 Annie in Austin Tue, 15 May 2012 16:52:17 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6980 Like the full circle idea! Thanks for that very interesting article - I remember the state-by-state reveal as the 1930 census was indexed. For some reason the link to the archive article only showed up in the subscribed email ... can't see it on this page. Maybe something with my browser? Adding it again. http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/spring/soundex-projects.html Like the full circle idea! Thanks for that very interesting article – I remember the state-by-state reveal as the 1930 census was indexed.
For some reason the link to the archive article only showed up in the subscribed email … can’t see it on this page. Maybe something with my browser? Adding it again.
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/spring/soundex-projects.html

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by entangled http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6979 entangled Tue, 15 May 2012 12:06:27 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6979 I had to look up jet jewelry. I'd seen the black mourning jewelry before, but it never occurred to me to ask what it was made of. So it's fossilized wood, and that would make the whole thing come full circle if you made insect jewelry out of it - kind of a satisfying idea! I haven't seen many more of the caterpillars, by the way. They were present in large numbers on the day I looked them up, but fewer and fewer each day after. I'm so happy there are wise and skilled volunteers working away on the census. I remember reading that the Soundex indexing of the early 1900s censuses was done as a WPA project; there's an interesting article about it on the archives website: <a href="http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/spring/soundex-projects.html" title="http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/spring/soundex-projects.html" rel="nofollow"></a> I had to look up jet jewelry. I’d seen the black mourning jewelry before, but it never occurred to me to ask what it was made of. So it’s fossilized wood, and that would make the whole thing come full circle if you made insect jewelry out of it – kind of a satisfying idea! I haven’t seen many more of the caterpillars, by the way. They were present in large numbers on the day I looked them up, but fewer and fewer each day after.

I’m so happy there are wise and skilled volunteers working away on the census. I remember reading that the Soundex indexing of the early 1900s censuses was done as a WPA project; there’s an interesting article about it on the archives website:

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by Annie in Austin http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6976 Annie in Austin Mon, 14 May 2012 18:49:06 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6976 I'd rather look at them in photo than run into one, Entangled! In your photo the caterpillar reminds me of Victorian Jet jewelry (wikipedia says that was lignite.) There was that whole time period when jewelry was made to look like dragonflies and beetles and other insects so I can imagine a Buck Caterpillar Hair ornament! Annie PS You asked about indexing the 1940 census ... it is time-consuming but very satisfying. I've already indexed more than 6000 people from many states and feel as if I have learned more about some parts of the country. There's a lot of cross-checking involved, so having an Ancestry subscription helps and for the geography place names, need both Wikipedia and Google maps. I’d rather look at them in photo than run into one, Entangled! In your photo the caterpillar reminds me of Victorian Jet jewelry (wikipedia says that was lignite.) There was that whole time period when jewelry was made to look like dragonflies and beetles and other insects so I can imagine a Buck Caterpillar Hair ornament!

Annie

PS You asked about indexing the 1940 census … it is time-consuming but very satisfying. I’ve already indexed more than 6000 people from many states and feel as if I have learned more about some parts of the country. There’s a lot of cross-checking involved, so having an Ancestry subscription helps and for the geography place names, need both Wikipedia and Google maps.

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by entangled http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6974 entangled Mon, 14 May 2012 10:42:51 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6974 I actually did admire the pattern of the spines before I understood their purpose. They remind me of some sort of sea creature. And I must have seen one or two before this year without really noticing them, but suddenly they're everywhere. I hope you don't have any! I actually did admire the pattern of the spines before I understood their purpose. They remind me of some sort of sea creature. And I must have seen one or two before this year without really noticing them, but suddenly they’re everywhere. I hope you don’t have any!

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by Annie in Austin http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6971 Annie in Austin Sun, 13 May 2012 15:23:59 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6971 Yipes, Entangled - one link led to another and I ended up in Louisiana where war has been declared against the Buck Moth caterpillars... with reason, it seems. They are weirdly beautiful but the stories of permanent damage are creeping me out. I have a couple of live oaks so this is good to know. May be wrapping the trunks in aluminum foil next year just to see if they are here. Annie Yipes, Entangled – one link led to another and I ended up in Louisiana where war has been declared against the Buck Moth caterpillars… with reason, it seems. They are weirdly beautiful but the stories of permanent damage are creeping me out. I have a couple of live oaks so this is good to know. May be wrapping the trunks in aluminum foil next year just to see if they are here.

Annie

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by entangled http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6970 entangled Sun, 13 May 2012 14:41:56 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6970 I'm glad I looked them up before I made closer acquaintance. If you don't look very closely, they look like any other fuzzy caterpillar. It was only when I got the photo on the computer screen that I could see how nasty those spines look. I’m glad I looked them up before I made closer acquaintance. If you don’t look very closely, they look like any other fuzzy caterpillar. It was only when I got the photo on the computer screen that I could see how nasty those spines look.

]]> Comment on Venomous Caterpillars by Ray http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/05/venomous-caterpillars/comment-page-1/#comment-6965 Ray Sun, 13 May 2012 01:13:53 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=932#comment-6965 Holy cow! I never knew these things existed (Tropical rain forests, maybe but not in Virginia.) Their appearance alone would make me back off. Holy cow! I never knew these things existed (Tropical rain forests, maybe but not in Virginia.) Their appearance alone would make me back off.

]]> Comment on Freshly Minted by entangled http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/04/freshly-minted/comment-page-1/#comment-6956 entangled Fri, 11 May 2012 11:57:45 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=877#comment-6956 Yes, definitely time to reread Sweet Apple Gardening. She was so good at the craft of writing. I remembered clearly the part about the mint, but only dimly the part about the too-big vegetable garden. It's like she was reading my mind when she wrote that, but expressed it so much better than I could. I repeatedly killed mints in northern Virginia until I started planting them next to the outdoor water spigots. They picked up enough drips and splashes to survive the clay soil and summer droughts there. But here in central Virginia, we have much more moisture in the soil. We don't drink much coffee any more, but I'm thinking the same infusion idea would work with tea and chocolate mint. I'm going to try it with my very next cup. My mom has been looking at the census. I think she started by looking for herself, then my dad, then her grandparents. I saw on Twitter, I think it was, that you're indexing? Bravo! Yes, definitely time to reread Sweet Apple Gardening. She was so good at the craft of writing. I remembered clearly the part about the mint, but only dimly the part about the too-big vegetable garden. It’s like she was reading my mind when she wrote that, but expressed it so much better than I could.

I repeatedly killed mints in northern Virginia until I started planting them next to the outdoor water spigots. They picked up enough drips and splashes to survive the clay soil and summer droughts there. But here in central Virginia, we have much more moisture in the soil. We don’t drink much coffee any more, but I’m thinking the same infusion idea would work with tea and chocolate mint. I’m going to try it with my very next cup.

My mom has been looking at the census. I think she started by looking for herself, then my dad, then her grandparents. I saw on Twitter, I think it was, that you’re indexing? Bravo!

]]> Comment on Freshly Minted by Annie in Austin http://tangledbranches.com/blog/2012/04/freshly-minted/comment-page-1/#comment-6950 Annie in Austin Thu, 10 May 2012 19:02:52 +0000 http://tangledbranches.com/blog/?p=877#comment-6950 Thanks for reminding me about this book, Entangled - is it time to reread my own copy? After last summer's drought the vegetable garden was downsized here, too. But mints have never traveled or spread at this house. I keep trying but can barely keep one alive longer than a season or two. When the chocolate mint was alive I think I few a couple of sprigs in the filter basket & gave a hint of that flavor to coffee. Annie PS any luck browsing the 1940 census? Thanks for reminding me about this book, Entangled – is it time to reread my own copy? After last summer’s drought the vegetable garden was downsized here, too.
But mints have never traveled or spread at this house. I keep trying but can barely keep one alive longer than a season or two. When the chocolate mint was alive I think I few a couple of sprigs in the filter basket & gave a hint of that flavor to coffee.

Annie

PS any luck browsing the 1940 census?

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