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quinoa-sacred grain of the incas

10/19/2014

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My daughter brought me a handful of pink Brazilian quinoa last winter, and I planted some in my garden in the spring...I had no idea really, what to expect, but I certainly did not expect tiny little star-shaped flowers! and the leaves are edible too, and taste a bit like spinach. The plants may grow to 8 feet tall (so are not good candidates for container gardens).

It turns out that quinoa is a good cool weather crop and grows well in the northwest. It is an ancient grain that has been a staple for peoples living in the Andes for 4,000 years. Quinoa was a sacred grain of the Incas; today, it is considered a super-food, as it is both high in protein and gluten-free.
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Cedar Waxwings & RobinĀ 

10/15/2014

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Today we enjoyed our morning coffee watching a flock of Cedar Waxwings (and a robin) eating a breakfast of Washington Hawthorne berries.

I love how these birds have such precise markings: an elegant black and white mask, the scarlet droplets on the wings, and topped off with a lemon-yellow dipped tail.

It must be fall, and that reminds me...I need to get my bird-feeders cleaned and stocked– Project FeederWatch begins on November 8th!

Whether you are a bird enthusiast or a casual bird-watcher, this is a fun and low commitment way to support citizen science and gather valuable data for Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Brought to you by the same folks who sponsor the Great Backyard Bird Count!
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Cabbage White caterpillars

10/5/2014

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These little kale caterpillars are on their way to becoming invasive Cabbage White butterflies; they quickly went through their instars to L5 (27mm). You can see that this one sports the tell-tale two yellow dashes per digit and the yellow racing stripe down the back.

The photo shoot was exciting! One caterpillar was immobile and the other an explorer. Both caterpillars pupated within 48 hours (and to begin with were green). After 3 days, one had lost its green color, fading to a brownish tan. Both color variations are common and depend on where the caterpillar has chosen to pupate.

Cabbage White butterflies are non-native to Washington and they prefer disrupted areas, compared to native butterflies which do not choose to lay eggs in most people's vegetable gardens.
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(Left) That is the caterpillar's shed skin hanging off the pupae like a little helmet
(Right) This pupae was originally bright green


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    Tracey Byrne~

    I taught K-12 students from north of the Arctic Circle to the Puget Sound Ecoregion, garnering  40 years of experience as a classroom teacher, learning mentor, and private tutor. 

    I spent most of the 1980s and 90s in Alaska flying airplanes, floating wild rivers, winter camping, teaching, parenting, and living off the grid. 

    Here in Seattle, I am an advocate for environmental stewardship, place-based education, and outdoor play. I share my enthusiasm for birds, bugs, and backyards and have been a featured writer and photographer for Pacific Horticulture. 
    ​

    All photographs © T. Byrne unless otherwise noted.

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