Brown-throated Sunbird

This medium-sized and relatively short-billed sunbird is common throughout much of its range in open forest, forest edge, and urban areas. Look for male’s brown face, reddish throat, and blue-green crown and back. Female is plainer: note yellow underparts, gray-brown head, and faint “spectacles.” Compare with rarer Red-throated Sunbird. Sings from an exposed perch, giving a high, somewhat sparrow-like “sweet-sweet!” Calls include high “tseep” and “sweep.

Link: ebird.org/species/pltsun2
Photo Location: Thailand

Diverse populations of garden vegetables now available from Going to Seed.

This is US only, but the Canadian collection opens in a few weeks.

Pay what you can.

goingtoseed.org/collections/20…

#gardening #seeds #SeedSaving #AdaptationGardening #agroecology

I got a plant for £1 from the garden centre at the end of the summer. It was a tomato plant and I though, hey, why not...

It grew...
and grew,
and grew...

and the autmun came and I brought it inside my kitchen.

I asked advide. People told me it might die -
or maybe it would live?

It lived.

Today, on Feb 1 these are the tomatoes I picked.

It is still flowering and continues to fruit.
It reminds me to keep on keeping on.

#plants #gardening #tomato #lucky #goodthing #smallstories

Mussau Fantail

A beautiful bird, mostly reddish with a black head and chest. Face is mostly bright white with a thick black eye mask. Cinnamon below. Long tail is often fanned. The only fantail in its range. Reliant on forest, but tolerates degraded areas. Song is an explosive melodic “pwit-pwit-chiddley-diddley.” Most common call is a soft, chattering “tchu-tchu-tchu.

Link: ebird.org/species/matfan1
Photo Location: Papua New Guinea

I think I shared this tip before a year or so ago, but here it is again: If you store lettuce (like a head of red leaf) upright in the refrigerator with its bottom end in a container with a little cold water, then cover the whole thing loosely with a plastic bag (like a mini greenhouse), it will last longer and will even keep growing a little bit. All the tiny leaves in the middle of the first photo are newly grown after about two weeks, and are incredibly fresh and crisp. 🥬

This works with a bunch of celery, too, and herbs like cilantro or parsley. Just change the water if it gets a little old or discolored.

#food #veggies

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