Littlefoot Remembered

LITTLEFOOT

March 2002 to February 27th 2012

Have fun running in Kitty Heaven!

We will miss you!

Freedom Park Steam Locomotive

2-15-2012
Freedom Park, Charlotte NC
On one of my many lunchtime wanderings I decided to check out Freedom Park in Charlotte. I didnt have a lot of time so I planned on doing a quick walk through I get a general Idea of what was here.
(Too check out details on this park click here: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Parks/ParksByRegion/CentralRegion/pages/freedom.aspx )

Much to my surprise when I parked, I spied something I did not expect....

I freakin dont believe it, a Steam Locomotive!! ( I like trains ;) )



I look forward to my next visit here to see what else I can find on my lunchtime wanderings!

Until next time....

Cheers!



St. Mary's Chapel at Thompson Park

I am amazed at the cool places I find while walking during my lunch hour. Today I wanted to share a very interesting Building in the middle of town.....

St. Mary's Chapel at Thompson Park, Charlotte NC

" Nestled beneath the trees in an urban oasis, St. Mary's Chapel was originally on the campus of Thompson Orphanage and dates back to 1892. Today it stands in Thompson Park, which also features a gazebo and a Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Read about it here: http://www.charlottevietnammemorial.org/history.html ). The chapel seats approximately 125 people and may be rented for weddings and other special events"*

* from http://www.charlottecultureguide.com/organization.php?id=192

This was a very picturesque chapel and it was cool to learn it was once an ophanage. Im pretty happy with the picture below, It came out quite nice!

I got to this park by walking along the Charlotte Greenway which follows Sugar Creek. Here are a couple of pix of the creek...

Until next time....

Cheers!

A walk around my new jobsite

2-7-2012
As most of you know I have a new job, which is turning out to be awesome! Working down in South Charlotte NC allows me some very interesting walks during lunch. Below is my first photo take of my South Charlotte lunchwalks...enjoy!



Until next time...

Cheers!

A Saturday Jan 28th Drive to Virginia

1-28-2012
Sometimes, my Wife and I just like to get in the car and drive. So on Saturday Jan 28th we did just that!
We intended to drive and look for thrifft stores (goodwill and the like) and see what other places might have (Its fun to pick up a hardback book that you want to read for 25 cents ;). )
So we headed North. It was a nice trip with our daughter in tow (quietly in the back seat with her iTouch)

Although we found a few places, I dont think we actually bought anything, it was more like, thrift browsing.

But what I thought was real cool, was the wall of mountains we ran into (and up into)

What I didnt realize at the time of taking these pictures was that we were already standing in Virginia and looking back south into North Carolina. Below is Pilot Mountian in the distance.

and of course as soon as I started taking alot of pictures, dark clouds started moving in. Oh Well!

We ended up hopping on the Blue Ridge Parkway and driving over to Hwy 52 and South back into NC. As we hit the state line we stopped at a wonderful fruit and vegi stop on the Virginia side. Appearently this area has over 60 years of history selling fruits and such. It has taken on the name Cana's Produce Alley.

"Visitors traveling along Route 52 from the North Carolina State Line into Virginia can witness a unique cultural experience. This six mile stretch of road features a vast array of businesses primarily agricultural which typically showcase produce stand after produce stand of the freshest items items available in season. Peaches, apples, cantalope, watermellon, beans, tomatoes,...- it can be found (individual or bulk). Other items include jams, jellies, hams, and fresh plants. The tradition for this interesting cluster of businesses dates back to at least the 1950s before the modern day interstates. Aside from the businesses, this is a scenic alternative to Interstate 77. The route then winds its way along route of historic road bed up the slopes of the Blue Ridge Escarpment to Fancy Gap - major access point to the Blue Ridge Parkway."

http://www.virginia.org/Listings/Shopping/CanasProduceAlley/

We picked up some apples, local honey (blueberry honey to be exact), some cheese, butter and some other vegis.

All in all it was a relaxing trip.

Until next time....

Cheers!

 





Hugelkultur Experiment #1

"Hugelkultur is an ancient form of sheet composting developed in Eastern Europe. It uses woody wastes such as fallen logs and pruned branches in order to build soil fertility and improve drainage and moisture retention."

kerryg - http://kerryg.hubpages.com/hub/Hugelkultur-Using-Woody-Waste-in-Composting

So basicly, you dig a hole, pile some logs and branches into it and then cover it up with dirt to form a mound.

Then you can plant various ..plants on top of it. What makes this nice is wood is a nitrogen trap and as it decomposes over time under the earth, it releases that nitrogen to the roots of the plants...and makes them happy.

and that is what I have done in my back yard!

Hugelkultur Experiment #1

Why am I doing this? Cause I love to experiment! This area of the yard behind the garage isnt used for anything so I thought I would pu tit to some use.

My plan is to plant some early radishes and then once they mature, ill harvest 80% of them and let the leftover 20% go to flower. Why?

Im glad you asked. Appearently Honey Bees love these flowers! I plan to plant pumpkins inbetween these radish plants to see if the combo of the Hugelkultur with heavy pollinating activity will give me some good results.



My Old Wood Pile



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Future Hugelkultur Location



Even Brightheart wants to help out with the digging



Filling the hole with semi decomposed wood

The...Wood!



Completed Hugelcultur

Doesnt look like much right now, but I will take you on this journey of mine and report back from time to time and let you all see the progress, good or bad.

Until next time...

Cheers!