Prehistoric Punch

Kudos to those responsible for the roses throughout Georgetown Waterfront Park.

A nice juxtaposition of the cultivated roses alongside the native Sycamore tree.

If I have correctly identified this mushroom, it’s supposedly delicious.  If I’m wrong, I might die.  Right now, the leading contender for species id is Horn of Plenty (Craterellus cornucopioides).

Apparently Snakehead Fish are still being taken below Chain Bridge.  This fisherman looks to have 1 or 2 in the bag.  In the other hand is his four-pronged spear.

The gold rush in Montgomery County dated to the late 1800′s has long since waned but rumors/alleged-finds persist to date.  Next month Archeo Camp will spend one day  panning for local gold.  Here is an example of our pursuit – on exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Gem Gallery:

I participated in NG’s Genographic Project by completing their Geno 2.0 test.  The test analyzes genetic markers, and provides percentage of DNA for distinct populations  (the world is divided into 9 “distinctive” living populations).   The test also gives percentage of extinct hominid populations Neanderthal and Denisovan – -  me %2.3 Neanderthal, me %2.2 Denisova, grunt.  My people -

No surprises, although I thought Northern European would have edged out Mediterranean.

The number of Snakehead fish being caught around Chain Bridge is pretty astonishing.  The method for taking these non-quota beasts is a long dip net, scooping them in small “resting” spots along the shore.  I’ve visited the river the past two days but have been equipped with the wrong type of dip net.   The successful fisherman uses a long pole with a supersize net.   Don’t be fooled by their lethargic appearance in the shallows as they bob for gulps of air (lungs?).  Two times the fish alluded my net by catapulting out of the water and darting off.

Below is Lynn’s double shad/herring catch prior to release.

Herring (at top) and shad below Chain Bridge, 4/22/13

Surprises this morning at a meeting about renovations planned for the Palisades Park.   Good ones!

They wanted to get my opinion on the local petroglyphs that will be formed on a big climbing rock in the tot lot.  I thought this was a fantastically creative idea.  Kids pawing local petroglyphs is a great way to give the playground a custom signature and recognize the Palisades’ deep history.  The surprises continued when Ella Faulkner of DPR told me that “skate features” were going to be added to the “skater” area.  If that was not enough, the final renovation project was to add more garden plots!  This progressive agenda marks a (welcomed) u-turn from previous DPR renovations at PP.

The plans are going to be presented to the community tomorrow night.  I hope my fellow citizens will be as enthusiastic about the plans as I am.

The undelicate, annual rite of transferrring the banana plants to their outdoor pasture went okay on Apr. 11, 2013.  At some point, a stalk of unseen bananas snapped from the largest (and oldest) plant.   Previous plants had produced on their third year in pasture, and this one was coming up on its fourth.

Bananas in April, DC

Banana Plantation, DC

Flowers bloom on distal ends of banana fingers.

The only thing good about living under DCA’s flight path – seeing the house on approach.

And then 30 seconds later -

Looks like a rendering for future construction

After returning home and looking at the photographs of this canine on the computer, what I thought was a coyote looked a lot like a fox. The overwhelming answer I got was fox. That said, I have seen foxes and this one appeared bigger than those spotted before.