Tuesday, May 31, 2011

My WW1 Connection.

Yesterday was memorial day and today I decided to see what I could find on my Great-Grandfather's Service Record from World War One. Vernon Vain Veysey was less than a week from turning 23 years old in 1915, and thought the US was taking too long to enter the Great War. So, he took a trip across the border into Canada and up to Calgary. After just seconds on the webpages of Library and Archives Canada, I found his enlistment papers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which he signed exactly 96 years ago today.







There it all is, in his handwriting! I want to take thank the staff at Library and Archives Canada for taking the time to digitize these documents in order to give not only the citizens of Canada but also of the world the opportunity to feel closer to history & to their families, whom they may never had a chance to meet.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Setting up my Worm Composting Bins

Yesterday I set up my worm bins for vermicomposting. The first thing was to find suitable boxes. I choose wood.


I found these lid-less wine boxes for 10 bucks each on craigslist. I bought 6. I don't think I'll use them all for composting but I got them while I could. I am starting with 2 & will probably expand to 4 & use the extras for planters.



The next thing I did was add some wood dowels in the corner to reinforce & protect them. I also had to drill holes in the top to allow for air circulation. I used coconut coir as the bedding. I soaked the brick in distilled water in order to protect the worms from chlorine.


In go the worms! Eisenia fetida to be exact.




Here they are all stacked up with the lid on top. For now my strawberry & herb starts are weighing it down, but I'll have to find something else & soon, since I'll be potting them this week.