Stream

Direct Link to MP3

Merry Christmas.

Happy New Year.

Donate here -> http://www.child-soldiers.org  if you are so inclined.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

I am catching up with recordings that I made in the last little while.

This one follows our trip to the zoo; a trip to WalMart; a weekend of goofing around; and a (sappy) realization about a song from long, long ago.

Enjoy.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

Link to the YouTube video that I talk about: http://youtu.be/yCjJyiqpAuU

A bit more talk of work. A bit of serious talk and frustration. Some questions. And a story about my little girl to try to lighten things up a bit.

No music this week. Just ranting.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

An episode that was recorded over a month ago and has been sitting in the hopper for a while as I try to get around to putting it all together and publish it.

I talk about work and I talk about aging. There is music.

Links:

Great Canadian National Day of Podcasting http://www.canadianpodcastbuffet.ca/?p=840

BlogTO took pics of my set and posted them so I didn’t have to break my NDA:  http://www.blogto.com/film/2011/11/resident_evil_turns_the_hearn_into_a_soviet_zombieland/

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

My heart swells.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

I talk about things I probably shouldn`t and come to a realization.

Some music shows up too.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

This episode, I complain then decide that I should stop.

My day is brightened by someone very tiny but full of Joy…

and there is music.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

I have missed you.

Still not sure if I have anything important to say, but need to do it anyway. Great song at the end though!

Good to be back.
Take care,
Doug

Direct link to episode 29 mp3

Music: Blue Diamonds – The Long Winters – When I Pretend to Fall

Tim Rocks by the way. Go listen.

Cheers,

Doug

Direct link to 61262and2

with some music thrown in.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

SiDe27: The Question

This one is heavy. It’s a downer. I apologize. It will not make your day happier for one hour. But it is important. It is important that I work this out. It is important that you listen. Or not.

There is some music.

• Drift 1- Brian Eno
• Always Returning – Brian Eno
• Wherever You Are – Ulrich Schnauss

Also, there is a clip from Keith McNally’s podcast XO-009-Photopia. You should listen to this and all of the other XO episodes.

Stream SlugisDoug episode 27

Direct Link to mp3

I also apologize for the crappy audio, especially during the second half of the episode. I am still getting used to the new microphones and apparently they are very sensitive to the noise of the bumpy road. So much so that you can hear every bump I go over.  Perhaps I shouldn’t record in the car while driving anymore. But when else will I be able to record?

Anyway, here it is.

I get my new in-ear mics.

I talk with myself.

I tell you a story about my new BBQ and what a journey it has been so far.

There is also some music.

• Thinking Out Loud – Fu Manchu
• In a Happy Moog – Jean Jacques Perrey and Harry Breuer

Stream (64 minutes)

Direct Link to mp3

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

• Flight of the Insane Clown – A Slug and 2 Fremlins
• Wake Up – Trio
• Must Be Dreaming – Frou Frou

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

• British Racing Green – Black Box Recorder
• Mini – SCSI-9
• The Work Song – Herb Alpert

Direct link to mp3

• With My Own Two Hands – Ben Harper and Jack Johnson
• Magic Moments – Perry Como
• Courtin’ in the Kitchen – Gaelic Storm

It is not well polished and is kind of hurried but big stuff happens anyway.

I get  a burger at the drive thru and something else happens, I forget what it is

Enjoy

Stream

direct link to mp3

1. Waiting – Cake
2. The Babysitter’s Here – Dar Williams
3. Our House – Madness

Enjoy

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

They

Will

Not

Be

Forgotten

Direct link to mp3

I get propane. I talk about stuff like my realization that my daughter will someday leave me. I get groceries. I try to sing and play the Uke. I swear a bit like the Scarboroughdude when complaining about health insurance. My computer has problemz.

You’ll hear… just listen will ya? I hope you enjoy. About 56 minutes.

• Transition (instrumental) – slugisdoug
• She’s going – English Beat
• Tennessee Waltz – Patti Page
• She’ll be comin’ ’round the Mountain – slugisdoug
• Oh! Susanna – slugisdoug

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

Yes indeed! A second episode this week.

This week I take you on a couple of walks that I took to calm my daughter.

Topics include: poop, poop, more poop oh some music and talk of some TV. 57minutes

Music:

• SlugisDoug Themesong (demo) – Junior
• Daddy’s Little Girl – The Mills Brothers
• Iko Iko – Dr. John
• Lazyhead and Sleepybones – They Might Be Giants.

Direct Link to mp3

Stream

It’s here my friends. The episode that I was working on as my daughter decided to arrive. In it I talk about some of the work that I’ve been doing around the house in preparation for baby’s arrival and The Scarborough Dude of the Dicks&Janes Podcast stops by for a beer and to hand over The Rock. (DnJ episode 23 link) It is a bit of a long one but I think that you will forgive me as I may not be back as often for a little while as recording and editing are low on the priority list as we get accustomed to having our beautiful Clara Joy with us, needing us, entertaining us.

Enjoy, and we’ll talk soon! I promise.

Direct Link to mp3

Stream

So, last time you heard a clip of me singing along to the ukulele as I played “You Are My Sunshine” as practice for the arrival of my Baby Girl.

Well BIG NEWS! Clara Joy Slater came into this world on August 19th at about 9:30pm. She is a cute little button of a thing and both she and her mother are doing very well. I have lots of photos and stories to tell but right now there is not much time for anything other than what I give you today; a remix of my version of “You Are My Sunshine” done by one of my two super awesome brothers, Junior, from over at Heroes in Rehab: the blog. I give it to you here for your listening pleasure. Please dance with me to celebrate our new bundle of Clara Joy!

Direct Link to mp3

Stream

I know that it has been a while since I have put anything out so I decided that while I was goofing around this afternoon, before installing some closet doors in the nursery, that I’d record a little something extra for you to enjoy or not. You decide.

I give to you my first ever official ukulele song. A little something that I have been practicing for my daughter when she comes home. I hope you enjoy it, otherwise… I’m sorry.

cheers,

Doug

link to mp3

Long time no release a podcast eh? Wait no more. Here’s just over an hour with me. It gets a bit rambly, a bit whiny for a moment but finishes well… like a fine w(h)ine.

Direct link to mp3

Enjoy.

Stream it

or:

Direct Link to mp3

more info later.

stream

direct link to mp3

Stream

Listen to this week’s tunes at Grooveshark if you like.

Sorry for the confusion. Hopefully, it all works smoothly now. I promise not to tinker any more… at least for a while.

Doug

A track list will follow in the next few days for those that would like to know what all the songs are.

Cheers,

Doug

Stream

Direct link to mp3

Hear the music at Grooveshark if you like

Enjoy.

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

I have had to post this episode on archive.org for now.

Let’s see what happens.

See posting for SiDe10 for more info.

Direct link to mp3

arg.

Update: WordPress was apparently down for 110 minutes as I was trying to post this episode and it was breaking everything that I did. It is apparently fixed now and streaming is available. Yay!

Stream

Direct Link to mp3

Update: WordPress was down apparently for 110 minutes while I was trying to post this episode. It works now. and streaming can happen again.

Stream

This episode’s music as a Grooveshark streaming playlist.

There is some music too.

Cheers,

Doug

Stream

Direct link to mp3

The music on Grooveshark if you like: link

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-124e76aaad6c7dabebb0155672c20032}

Very quickly now.
I’ve been VERY busy… here’s a new episode.
I go fishin’.
There’s some music and I talk in the car.
More details re: music and links later. Too busy at work for an exhaustive post.
It’s good to be back.
Cheers,
Doug

Stream

Direct Link to MP3

This episode spans a couple of weeks time.  It starts off just after Christmas and ends on January 6. I talk about my new microphone (Thanks Junior & Spouse) and take it for a whirl. I then talk about some audio cassette memories and issue a (somewhat emotional) challenge to you. Then another one. I also tell a story or two and talk about the Beatles. Thanks for listening and I’ll talk to you soon.  I am starting a new job very shortly and will be working 12 hours a day. I may have trouble fitting in podcasting time but I am committed to getting them out regularly. I’m going to find a way!

Quirky Nomads Podcast – Qn Day of Listening

Some tunes:

• White Christmas – SlugisDoug mix
• Pumping on your Stereo – Supergrass – Supergrass
• Jimmy Hoffa – The 2155 Windermere gang – Sometime in the 1950′s
• The Story of My Life – Social Distortion – Social Distortion
• Un Simple Histoire – Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon
• Mother and Child Reunion – Paul Simon – Paul Simon
• Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles – Revolver

Cheers.

Stream (55min)

Download mp3 (right click/option click and save as)

I talked of these photos at the end of the podcast. Listen and you’ll know why they are here.

First

Second

A quick one to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Remember:

War is over… if you want it.

Peace and Love,

Doug

Stream

Download mp3 (Right-click “Save As”)

Sorry to keep you waiting on this episode!

In this one, I go to the Toronto Maple Leafs/New York Islanders hockey game (Wednesday December 9). I take you along for the ride on the TTC; you join us in the stands for the game; then I talk a bit about what I’ve been watching on TV and some podcasts that I’ve been listening to.  There isn’t a lot of deep thought in this one. It is basically an audio version of a photo walk; perfect for listening to with the headphones on while grocery shopping, doing chores or whatever you like.  There’s a bit of music in there too. 60 minutes.

• Take the A Train – Lionel Hampton – Mostly Blues (in b.g.)
• Just One Beer – Rodney Carrington – Nut Sack
• Brother to Brother – Brian Keane & Omar Faruk Tekbilek – Beyond the Sky
• Passing By – Ulrich Schnauss – Far Away Trains Passing By (b.g. and end)

Be sure to check out:

• Quirky Nomads Podcast
• Extruding America
• Iterations Podcast
• The Shield

Cheers,

Download mp3 (right click save-as)

Another week has passed and I have been busy recording and thinking during this episode. It was a struggle to figure out but I finally got there. Stick with me to the end on this one.  It is a bit of a ride as I start talking about a “poem” that I wrote; then lose faith that this podcast is worth publishing; then use an old creative trick to help me to finish it… all with a little bit of music, some stories told from the heart and there’s even a breakthrough… again.

Links:

• Ronda on WikiP
• WikiPedia on Sketches of Spain
• Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies WikiP
• Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) Brian Eno’s first album using Oblique Strategies WikiP and EnoWebLyrics
• Online Random Strategies version of the Oblique Strategies
• Jamendo – the place where I get some really great free creative commons music

Music:

• The Pan Piper – Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain
• Taking Tiger Mountain – Brian Eno – Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
• L’Exil des arbres (part 2) – David Schombert – Quiet Life Vol. 2 ( in b.g.)
• Lagoon – David Schombert – Quiet Life Vol. 2 ( in b.g. to end)

Ronda-bout

a lone feather flies on its own spiralling in an updraft on a near windless day
cloud covers thick like a big ol’ down comforter [on a cold morning]
an attempt to capture all that embodies “heycoolness” on film
not so easy especially with low light
feet fall in familiar steps but still like they were virgin
down a mountainside to catch the perfect bridge; the perfect landscape; and the perfect portrait
nothing will beat the mental snapshot of calming pastoral settings in buttercups and green
the ultimate in calm, cool, collectedness
sublime times in which to kick mental stones
I could do this forever
if I were asleep I would be dreaming
but this time reality is all the more vivid
it’s Christmas time
in the city shoppers go store to store attempting to make someone’s wishes come true
for me Christmas has come early
not just for the year but perhaps for a lifetime
there is no gift that could give more than the contemplation of the sublime
while sitting on a rock some five hundred feet above the bottom of a gorge
waiting for the sun to move across the cliff tops
like a giant spotlight to highlight that little bit of crazy ocean sediment that is now a mountain
nothing like seeing the great chunk of solid, mostly-permanent matter transform
as the lighting conditions change in sync with my thoughts
unfortunately, all that I am able to say
at this time of great revelation and moving contemplation
all of these great feelings of exhaltation
are failed by words in the moment
and instead result in just one enormous whole body sigh…
[may my wind propel you forever little feather]

Dec. 20 1995

Stream

Download mp3 (right click and save)

I know, I know it’s been more than a week!
This whole podcasting thing isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Episode three is here now.
Join me as frustration turns to relaxation and talk about tools turns therapeutic.
Oh yeah and there is some music too.

THAT room, you know the one.

For those that need it,  I’m including approximate times for each “section” but I hope you listen to it straight through.
0:00 – THAT room.
6:06 – Silver Morning – Brian Eno – Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks
8:28 – It’s all exciting AND a trip to the Home Depot
15:52 – From the Same Hill – Brian Eno – Music for Film
18:33 – Tool talk with Doug
30:02 – Tesla – Cold Electric – Cold Electric
33:55 – Tool talk turns Therapeutic?   b.g.  Neroli: Thinking Music, Part IV (part) – Brian Eno – Neroli
53:23 – poursuite – fonetik – demo

Cheers!

You waited patiently for a week and now your patience will be “rewarded”.  I present to you episode 2 of the, now officially a podcast, SlugisDoug podcast.

In this, his sophomore effort, Doug takes you along with him as he makes a trip to the supermarket.  There are some thank you’s; an apology to Montreal; insight on the SlugisDoug concept; some rambling stories; a bit of thinking aloud and of course some music. Junior from Heroes in Rehab: The Blog makes an appearance. Plus, we find out what Doug had for Breakfast and what he is having for lunch!

All in a 54 minute package.

For you listening pleasure:

• Lost in the Supermarket – The Clash – London Calling
• Cats, Dogs and Babies Jaws – Ganger – Hammock Style
• Light Enough to Travel – The Be Good Tanyas – Blue Horse

Links for this show:

• The TWiT Network
• DicksnJanes #222 opened by me!
• Doug was on episode 22 of Dr. Kiki’s Science hour (at the very end)
• Brick Street Bakery
• The French Toast Recipe

Thanks for listening. Thanks for all the support and comments.

Cheers!

Inspired by various podcasts and especially by Scarborough Dude over at dicksnjanes.blogspot.com, I am going to do this blog post as an audio entry.  I will refrain from calling it a podcast until I decide if I am going to continue the format. So, instead of reading my nonsense, spend 53 minutes or so with me as I talk for a bit and then play some music, then talk a bit more and play some more music etc…

Some of the stuff I talk about:

• Scarborough Dude’s podcast dicksnjanes
• Podcasts I started listening to thanks to Scarborough Dude: detroit digital radio; electric sky; Island Radio; BFF Show; Shane and Tom’s Squeezebox
• The old tape deck that my Dad had – this guy has a video about the same one
• Sketchup is cool and some people do some cool stuff with it.
• My Garden
• I try my best to misunderstand Montreal while loving Quebec City
• My trip to PEI
• Work
• Food and NYC
• also, DearJ and HeroesInRehab

Music:

• Telephone Line – ELO – Flashback
• I’m the Coolest – Alice Cooper – Alice Cooper Goes to Hell
• Garden of Earthy Delights – XTC – Oranges and Lemons
• Come On – phon – beatles are dead

comments are welcome.

I have been neglectful. I apologize.

But, I have (good) reason.  I have been quite busy in the garden.  Not only with the vegetables but with the great collection of weeds that we were trying to pass off as a garden.  Also, I have had a few other projects that I have been following up on like: Project: Find-A-Porch-Contractor (our current one didn’t survive the winter very well); Project: Figure-Out-What-I-Wanna-Do-When-I-Grow-Up (ongoing); Project: Play Wii (a serious time commitment); and Project: Learn-Java-Programming.  Unfortunately, Project: Keep-up-with-the-blog fell a bit to the wayside. ANYWAY!

Update: Garden.

The most recent pics of the squarefoot garden are here.

Progress in the squarefoot garden

A lunch harvest worth the wait

Two Lunch Salads. One with Meat.

I have had my first real harvest. There was enough arugula, basil, parsley and even a tiny onion that I was able to make two nice salads for us for lunch on Friday, my day off.  With a little added tomato from the kitchen and some walnuts, a couple of chunks of watermellon and some sliced grapes it was a satisfying repast. It felt great to be harvesting and eating  food that I grew. I knew how it was grown, where it was grown and when it harvested. The only way that it could have been any fresher would be if I actually sat in the garden and ate it.

Update: Work

I have started work on the TV Series that I had done the pilot for earlier this year.  It is one of only two scripted dramas that the network has picked up this year and I dare say that it may end up being a hit with the changes that they have proposed for it.  I don’t want to say too much because I’m sure that, in the mountain of paperwork that I signed at the begining of my tenure there,  I must not be legally able to say anything about it without threat of them coming to take my home, my legs and future children.  It is temporary work for now but that may change as things seem to always do in the world of film and TV.

Long hours, unfortunatlely it all started just as T. was beginning summer vacation from her teaching  job.  This will be the eternal battle if I don’t move into teaching get a job that allows for vacation time during the summer.  Summer is my busy time here in Toronto for film. But, I want to make a shift anyway. Perhaps “teaching”  in some form is an option.

Update: Being a Geek.

I have undertaken the task of teaching myself to program in Java.  For those of you that are not geeks this means nothing to you.  For those of you that ARE geeks, you may understand what I am talking about and why I might want to learn it.  I have considered going into computer programming as a career but I decided that before I do so, I might want to give it a try before I trash all of the learning and experience that I have been working on for the last 20 or so years. I’ll try it out, see if I like it or even understand it and then maybe think about taking a course. For now, the “Head First Java: 2nd Edition” will be a good start.  I quite like the approach that the book takes to book learning something so dense and dry.  It offers up lots of pictures, puzzles, and humour to help make it sink in to the brain.  I guess we’ll see how effective it is soon enough.

Update: Podcast listening

I have found a few more podcasts that I have begun listening to with regularity.  Some of them I even listened to all of them to get caught up and am now impatiently awaiting new episodes. I looking at you Extruding America!

That said, here are some new faves:

Extruding America: A comedy podcast with a storyline. It feels like slightly bent old time radio.  Maybe like Vinyl Cafe meets Hunter S. Thompson without the drugs and guns but with the search for America.

Arrive Having Eaten: Another comedy podcast.  This one is just two people (Ben and Erica) that “met” through their interaction on Twitter. They record their Skype conversations, that are usually quite entertaining and funny,  edit them and release them as podcasts.  Light hearted fun with some slightly juvenile humour. Just up my street.

Grammar Girl: I have just recently started listening to this informative podcast.  Hopefully, I will learn from it and my grammar will become much more gooder.

That is all.

For now.

Out to sit and have a Sunday evening beer in the backyard,  look at the garden and Q up some pork chops for dinner.  I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.

Ross Rader: Cross Ontario Record Holder

Congratulations are in order for Ross Rader and his awesome achievement of setting the record for cycling solo across Ontario.  He pedaled his way into the record books after leaving Parliament Hill in Ottawa at 7:15 Friday morning and arriving at Windsor City Hall at 6:12 Saturday evening. That is 34 hours and 57 minutes and breaks the previous record ( held by Ron Dossenbach of Windsor) by 42 minutes.

Not only did Ross have to battle the awesome physical requirement of pedaling over the long 775 km distance, but he did it with no breaks for sleep.  What’s more, on his journey, Ross had to pass through some very nasty weather.  When we saw him at the half-way point on Friday night, he had already ridden through rain and hail in the Peterborough area and battled winds along the way.  Over Friday night he was faced with rain and wind as the rest of us slept calmly and comfortably in bed at home. On Saturday morning, he faced more challenging weather and steady headwinds of 30+ km/h as he continued pushing to his goal; strong, focused and determined.

Encouraging Ross online Saturday.

At home and on computers all around Ontario and the GTA, many of us were desperately watching ultrarider.ca as the updates from Ross’s crew informed us of his progress.  I imagine we were all fevereshly clicking reload,  pressing F5 or clicking on the ultrarider banner to get the latest update.  The comment section of each posting served as a soundboard for those of us watching. There was a steady stream of encouragements for Ross as well as updates from those in contact with the crew in other ways.  There were even a few comments about impending peeing of pants due to the excietment.

When we got the official news that Ross had completed his journey, the site was flooded with congratulations.  I swear that I could hear the cheers of excitement coming from all over Canada and the U.S. , even over my own loud cheering.

Ross is an inspiration to us all and he has captured the hearts and imaginations of many through his determination, training, dedication and action.  I can’t wait to shake his hand to congratulate him personally on this great achievement.

Congratulations Ross!  I am sure that Amanda is glad to have you all to herself for a little while before you move on to your next big ride, whatever that may be.

Read the coverage of Ross’s journey on Ross’s blog where he will also be posting a recap once he has had some much needed sleep.

I would also like to thank everyone for coming by and visiting slugisdoug.  Saturday saw the most views ever in my little corner of the internets and was quite thrilling. Now I need to find content that is as compelling as Ross’s story. It’s gonna be tough!

Here is the video of our view of his great accomplishment.  Please don’t forget to donate if you haven’t already.

Ross at the Sebring24 in February

I just wanted to take a moment to mention someone who’s drive, courage, ambition and selflessness I admire.  His name is Ross Rader.  He is a friend of mine who is, once again, doing something amazing.  On Friday, May 8, 2009 Ross will be attempting to cycle solo from Ottawa to Windsor in 36 hours  to break the world record for crossing Ontario.  So you don’t have to look it up on Google, that is 775 Km!  He is doing this to raise awareness and donations for the childhood cancer charity Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation.

This is not Ross’s first long ride on a bike.  Last year, he and a team of 49 other cyclists and a crew of 45 cycled across Canada in just 19 days in the Sears National Kid’s Cancer Ride.  He has also competed in other long distance endurance events including the Bike Sebring 24 Hour event,  his longest solo ride yet at 621 Km in 24 hours. This ride will be longer with more hills and, according to the forecast, more weather; a bit windy, wet and chilly. Ross is not letting this bother him.  He figures that the mental and physical challenges that he will suffer, pale in comparison to a child being diagnosed with cancer.  He is willing to do what he loves to do to keep another kid from hearing that he has cancer.

Ross on beach in Halifax at the finish of 2008 SNKCR

I am very proud to know Ross and to call him my friend.  I hope that you will take a moment to visit his site and his blog and consider making a donation to support him.  This is no small feat that Ross is attempting and he has my best wishes, support and respect (for what it’s worth).

Good Luck Ross!

Things are progressing on the garden front and I will have a special post soon regarding its progress.

Last night I barbecued for the first time in 2009.  I would say that it was a success.  T. may have had to wait a little extra-long for her dinner but I think that she would argue it as a success was well.

After quickly cleaning the BBQ and realizing that it needs a serious tune up, if not replacing, I was able to start preparing dinner.

On the menu:

• Smoked Tilapia with a creamy Tarragon Lemon sauce
• BBQ stuffed zucchini
• Boiled fingerling potatoes sauteed in butter.

Rob Rainford my be a little annoying on Licence to Grill but he has some damn fine recipes and these ones did not disappoint.

I had a little trouble with my smoke pack though.  I placed the packet directly on the burner and ended up burning holes through two of the aluminum foil packets.  I guess that the propane flame generates enough heat to melt through the thin aluminum. I used dry wood pellets (they say no soaking needed on the package) instead of half soaked and half dry wood chips and this may have been the problem.  I figure that the wet wood chips offer enough cooling power on the aluminum foil to keep it from burning through.  In the end I was able to get it to work by making triple layer packets but I will need to change my methods next time.  Perhaps chips are the way to go. Perhaps I can soak some to the pellets.  Perhaps I can put down a pie plate between  smoke packet and flame.   The other minor issue that I had was keeping the temperature of the BBQ at the low 220F that the recipe called for.  Even on the low setting of my Q it was a little too hot.  I could only get it to stay as low as 260 or so but It turned out okay in the end.  I may be able to get better control with a good venturi tube cleaning and a bit if fine tuning.  Or I could just get myself  one of these electric bad boys!   But really I want a Big Green Egg.

On the garden front, things are going well there and the seedlings are progressing. I now have to get the actual garden ready to plant.  That is what I was doing on Saturday and will be continuing today.  There will be a full special update here soon so stay tuned.

On the weekend, I planted some seeds in my first attempt ever to grow plants from seed.

I planted:

4 tomato seeds
8 basil seeds
8 parsley seeds
2 pepper seeds

I am hoping for a 50% germination rate on the seeds. The Square Foot Gardening Book recommends only planting one or 2 seeds per desired number of plants instead of the higher numbers of traditional gardening techniques where you end up thinning the plants out in the end and wasting time, money and seeds. This first assumes that you can germinate seeds properly. I am hoping that I have success on my first try.

The results are encouraging so far. For today, I have photographic evidence of the first signs of germination of at least 4 if not 5 of my basil seeds! I am very excited and impressed that they have started after only 2 and a half days. I am now anxiously awaiting signs of life from the others.

The Future Crop

3 Little Basil Sprouts

The Set Up

My next project is getting some chain so that I can hang the grow light closer to the plants. Most of the information that I have been able to gather on the interwebs suggests that the light be within 4 to 8 inches of the young plants. Mine is currently around 24 to 36 inches from the plants. With my summer harvest depending on so few starter plants I want to make sure that I give those little fellas a decent chance.

I am also going to get some 2 x 6 lumber (hopefully free from the guys at the carpentry shop) and make my frames this weekend so that I can put some soil in and get them ready for planting on the May long weekend. I like building things. Break out the power tools! (Insert manly grunting noise here)

Here is a link to the coolest thing that I have seen on the internet… Today…. perhaps ever.

Kutiman (Ophir Kutiel)remixes YouTube. Wow… that is all that I can say…… wow.

I found this through a 43 Folders post.