Tales from the Microbial Laboratory

~some days are just Nina Simone kinda days~

~Nina Simone, Harlem, 1969~

~a song from down the street~

~Ipomoea indica, oceanblue morning glory~ 

I spoke too soon about this morning glory a week or so ago - it's on my front fence, attracting a county's worth of cotton aphids (and not looking so good in the process) - and so what does it decide to do?  Bloom like a crazy thing.  What a pleasant surprise.

~~~~~

I enjoyed hearing today that someone from my very own neck of the woods won 1st place in the Coastal Conservation League's 'Music with a Message' contest.  Very cool.  Corey Webb will be playing this Saturday during the SC Green Fair at Marion Square.  Here's his winning song, titled 'Coastal Conservation Coconut'.

~~~~~

~a mood~

~moss on a clay pot, in grayscale~

You've had those days, those funky-wish-it-would-rain all day days, when your battery on the cell goes low and you let it die for awhile, because your mood is even boring to yourself so why would you want to bore someone else?  One of those moods where you feel the opposite of 'light' and would hate to have your mood infect an otherwise beautiful late September day.  What ashame that would be!  So instead of washing your hands a million times (for fear of transferring this mood to others) you choose not to attend a festive gathering that included a pinata and a trip to watch a roller derby match (are they called matches?  does anyone know this?).

The Microbial Lab's Poet Laureate emailed me that a line in the play she saw last night - 'A Year of Magical Thinking' - reminded her of me:  "getting nibbled to death by ducks" and I thought 'Wow!  She's right' and then... 'How horrible is that?'  My dysfunctional work situation is now beyond bizarre and if I could explain it to you I would - but then I'd bore you...and there's no point in that tonight.  Luckily a few others have decided to carry the torch for awhile - and with much gratitude I will let them.  I'm exhausted and crave quiet and happy dogs and a growing vegetable garden and no storms out in the Atlantic.  I want to sit and listen to Bebel Gilberto sing - a voice that a good friend recommended to me earlier today and by God he's right, she's good - really good.  So instead of infecting you with my boring nonsense, I'll share a bit of Gilberto with you.

~~~~~   

~cannas, my friend Candice and Britney Spears~

  

~Canna americanallis var. variegata 'Pretoria'~

~~~~~

A few days ago I posted a grayscale image of the variegated foliage of 'Pretoria' - I like the striking pattern on the leaves, and for many years I've cut off the flowers.  This year I didn't, and I must say that the bright yellow and orange flowers in combination with the variegated foliage is...something that I never thought I'd hear myself say that I like.

But I do.

I mean, striking is striking.  This canna is not shy about having it's presence known.  In fact, it's screaming about as loud as a plant can scream.

(Do you think Britney Spears would like this canna?  I'm guessing so.)

And while I'm on the topic of unusual combinations, I laughed for much of the day over something a friend from graduate school told me yesterday.  We both worked in labs in the same building - she was working on her doctorate in horticultural - and she's now at Kansas State University on the faculty.  Well, it seems that a few months ago, she was quoted in an article about Britney Spears and her new-found love of gardening.

From a piece in the UK's The Sun titled 'Why Britney digs getting dirty':

 BRITNEY Spears is getting down and dirty in the garden to overcome her health demons.

The troubled star, who has battled booze and drug problems, is a fan of flower therapy.

A source close to the star says: "Britney has tried every kind of therapy going. This time seems different though. She's committed to learning as much as she can about horticulture and how it impacts your well being."

And there are plenty of studies confirming the health benefits of digging the beds.

Researchers at Kansas State University found gardeners have better overall physical health, self-esteem and hand strength.

Candice Shoemaker, professor of horticulture at the university, says: "If we had a larger sample I think we would see more health differences between those who garden and those who don't, including in areas like sleep quality and life satisfaction."

I'm guessing Candice never imagined that she'd be quoted in an article about Britney Spears.

And I never imagined that I'd like bright, crazy-orange flowers on top of such spectacular (and loud) canna leaves.

The world is indeed an interesting place.

~Canna americanallis var. variegata 'Pretoria'~

~~~~~

~I'll be there...~

There's alot of words being written today about Michael Jackson.  I suppose there is alot to be said.  But this is the Michael Jackson that I'll remember - a young boy with a beautiful voice and amazing talent.

~~~~~~

'...simple gifts'

 

The first daffodil opened today - I suppose it's not fully open, it probably didn't see the point on this cloudy and drizzly day - but I was certainly happy to see it there, reminding me that the days are growing longer and that spring, or at least hints of spring, will be more frequent in coming days and weeks.  Yes, 'simple gifts' indeed.

~~~~~

When I was reading the NYTimes this morning, the online version - I saw the piece from last Thursday about the performance on Inauguration Day of the John Williams piece 'Air and Simple Gifts'.  I thought that it was a beautiful piece, and when I read that it was pre-recorded, I first thought 'who cares?' and then realized that I cared so little that I found it odd that they just didn't say so.  Transparency, right?  Nonetheless, I enjoyed it - especially the section performed by the clarinetist, Anthony McGill (taken from, I believe, an old shaker hymn tune).  If you haven't heard 'Air and Simple Gifts', do listen to the pre-recorded, but matched, version...which '...served the moment.'

~~~~~ 

~some good music in the lowcountry~

 

~Cravin' Melon with the Whisperjets~

Yesterday I attended one of my favorite local events - the SeWee Association's annual Music and Oyster's for Wildlife.  I went last year - and thoroughly enjoyed myself despite the rain.  This year it was cool and sunny, just perfect really.  Perhaps I'm biased - this event is held just a few miles north of me, out behind the SeWee Outpost, in an area that I affectionately refer to as 'LA' or Lower Awendaw.  My hood.  I can get there without going through a stoplight, and it's next to Hidden Ponds Nursery, a place that I've grown quite fond of.

~~~~~

  

~Musicians & Songwriters Guild of South Carolina~

Since I'm not very fond of oysters, I generally go for the cold beer (Palmetto Amber) and the music.  The music is always fun - and it was nice to see a new group there, a SC non-profit organization that calls themselves the Musician & Songwriters Guild of South Carolina.  I spoke to one of the Directors, Vicki Whitehead, for a bit, and it seems like a great group - nice folks that are passionate about music.  According to one of their brochures, they 'sponsor music events, songwriting competitions, performance opportunities and educational clinics.  Our goal is to bring recognition to local talent and enrichment to the community through collaborative efforts and events.'   They're also collecting donated stringed instruments that they refurbish (if necessary) and provide to children without access to such instruments.  I don't have a stringed instrument to donate - but boy, what a good cause. 

The other Director of the organization, Danielle Howle, was one of the performers.  (You can download some of her songs from her website, if you're not familiar with her).  Through her website I learned about The Christopher Conner Foundation -- who:  '...works to support musicians and their families within our local community with medical and education fund assistance. The foundation's objective is to host annual events showcasing local talent and continuously striving to assist, promote, and sponsor "up and coming" performing artists.'  Something good emerging out of a lung cancer tragedy - yes, that's definitely a wonderful thing.

  

~Danielle Howle~

~~~~~

     

~The Whisperjets~

So another group that I heard for the first time last year is The Whisperjets.  These guys are in high school - and these guys are crazy-talented. 

~~~~~

 

~The Blue Dogs~

I hadn't seen The Blue Dogs in awhile - I think that some of the band members played last year, but not the whole group.  How could I not like a group that names an album 'Soul Dog Food' (1993)?  Anyway, they're a perennial favorite around here, and it was great seeing them again.

~~~~~

 

~Cravin' Melon~

It was nice to see Cravin' Melon playing together again - I remember hearing them when I first moved to Charleston, and I think I read that they had stopped playing together in 2001, but are playing together again now.  They're good - originally from the upstate I think.  Head over to their myspace page and listen to the song 'Sweet Tea'.  It's about as southern a song as a song can be...'...on the eighth day God made sweet tea...'   Seems that Doug Jones, lead singer has a solo album that I hadn't heard about.    

~Doug Jones~

~~~~~

  

Perhaps one of the most interesting thing I learned yesterday was about Awendaw Green - whose sign I first noticed months ago just north of Hidden Ponds Nursery.  It seems to be a budding local music venue - and I think I heard them say yesterday that every Wednesday night at 7ish they have performances (and food).  It sounds like alot of fun. 

~~~~~

   

Which brings me to the final thing that I learned.  I hadn't heard about this at all, I'm ashamed to say.  It seems that we have an internet all-South Carolina radio station:  WeAreRadio.  I've been listening to it some tonight, and it's pretty good.  I think I'm going to enjoy listening - and I need to figure out how to add a link to the side bar with their logo (I know, I know - it should be easy).

~~~~~

So you see, you don't need to like oysters to enjoy this event - the music will carry you through the afternoon, rain or shine. 

          

~Odetta~

Odetta Holmes, 1930-2008

~~~~~

 

~letting go~

 

River Birch, Betula nigra

~~~~~

I planted this river birch eight years ago - a young tree that was only a few feet tall - that now fills in it's own bit of air space, devoid of leaves today as I prepared the garden for it's first freeze of the season.

I always think that I should pick all of the flowers, fill my largest vase with water and fill it with salvia and perennial marigold and butterfly weed and roses -- but after I've wrapped the citrus, brought in the plants off of the deck - I tend to let the garden do what it needs to do:  rest for awhile, take it easy, close down the show - perhaps go on an extended sabbatical.  Here, in zone 8b, we're on the 'cusp' of growing so many things, that often we're too tempted to take chances (which I suppose we all do), and the night of an early freeze (and perhaps a freeze that might last for more than a few hours) is a lesson in letting go.  I've done what I can tonight, the garden will do what it can - and I'll find out tomorrow exactly what that is.

It's all okay.

~~~~~

The day was an interesting one:  it was our 'every other year' biosafety inspection, consisting of three very funny and smart individuals assessing the lab's handling of microorganisms.  We did well, that is we 'passed' - learned a bit, have to modify a few things, made a deal (rather, a swapping of favors) - and humorously may incorporate a protocol into our lab's biosafety protocol that deals with how to dispose freshwater fish in a BSL-2 level facility.

Yes, that is when Rico or Joy pass on to the great fish pond in the sky, they'll have to be soaked in 10% bleach prior to being taken out of the lab (in a biohazard bag) for the traditional viking burial.  I only wish I had videotaped the conversation discussing the lab's aquarium, and how to handle 'living biologicals' (other than ourselves and our microbes) in a BSL-2 lab.  It was pretty hilarious.  

Of course, I had to mention that CatDaddy was still in a petri dish, in the freezer.  Now we'll have to also have him in a ziploc bag (with a biohazard sticker) - and yes, it's rather pathetic that we haven't found the time for his viking burial.

We're all busy, okay?

~~~~~       

So I can't resist posting another Kasey Chambers song - this one with her husband, Shane Nicholson, off their Rattlin' Bones album.  The song is 'Wildflower' - how beautiful.

And tomorrow the garden will still be beautiful -- just different.

 

~'When I grow up, I want a pony...'~

Ever have a voice just stick with you, follow you around as you go to work, stop and get gas (gasoline that cost below $2 a gallon) - another stop to buy dogfood (and a new ball for one of the Pointer Sisters) - and deal with the details of the day?  I must thank Blue Ridge blog not only for her wonderful images that remind me of home, but for this post that introduced me to Kasey Chambers.  I wasn't familiar with her.

What a voice! 

~~~~~