The three sisters are a relatively famous combination of plants: beans, corn, and squash. Tradition has it that these plants were grown in combination by native Americans: the corn grew as a support for the beans, the beans being a legume help to fix nitrogen, and the squash fills out to shade the ground beneath, […]
Three Sisters: A System and a Story Read More »
Ever since I was quite young, in August I would often get conscripted to help pick and process apples. It involves running around with giant apple-picking poles while being chased around by wasps, all the while avoiding over-ripe apples falling from the tree in a deadly rain. I assure you it was thrilling, especially the
The Applesauce Time of Year Read More »
Attack the Seagulls The elaborate structure beneath is a park in Oshkosh, WI. I might be living here (or rather, in the next city just to the north) Because I just got a job offer in Appleton, which I am leaning towards taking. Minneapolis Night Flight I was trying to shoot fireworks, but couldn’t get
Life's Little Drone Shots Read More »
I have spent my last six years, indeed, my entire adult life, around and attending the University of Minnesota. And it’s amazing! I am really going to miss this place. No really, it is amazing. Most people around the world, when I talk with them, assume that Minnesota – which they have vaguely, maybe heard
My Favorite Places at the University of Minnesota: a photo essay Read More »
In the cycling world, there is a wealth of data analysis and visualization tools, of which I have experience with Strava and TrainingPeaks. In fact, cycling is probably one of the most data-mature consumer industries, ironic considering at face value cycling brings up images of rugged mountain trails not computers and sensors. The data we
Processing Garmin .fit files to .csv files for Cycling Data Analysis Read More »
This book, Algorithms to Live By: What Computers Can Teach Us About Solving Human Problems, came to me via Amazon’s recommendation system and sold by being well-reviewed. The book’s premise is simple: take algorithms which are critical in various aspects of computing, explain them, and then connect them to human problems (such as parking, scheduling,
Reflections on reading "Algorithms to Live By" Read More »
Something is clearly different about the native prairie. The lighter green color may just be a result of the prairie growth being younger (several months, versus perennial grasses and plants established for many years). The much young prairie also already shows taller plant growth. The partridge peas were blooming this week, and were prettier than
Prairie versus Endemic Read More »
Despite the removal of eight trees and arborvitae in the last two years, my childhood home’s yard is filled with shade. Thus, we have lots of hosta, which my mom had picked up quite a number of varieties of, and is now quite attached to. But, with my parents retiring and moving fully to the
The Great Hosta Evacuation Read More »
I have just finished my first reading of Beowulf. It wasn’t an easy read, even in translation Reading Beowulf was inevitable for me. First brought to my attention in detail by Professor Nicholson in my late Latin class on Bede, it has since been on the periphery of my Early Medieval studies, trips to Denmark,
Kin, Rings, and Feuds: an Unlearned Reading of Beowulf Read More »
For all three people in the world who are really interested (myself and my parents), the Catlin farm’s newly-established weather/sensor database is difficult to understand just by glancing at the 40 columns of numbers. So I made a dashboard in which to look at, in particular, the trifecta of agriculture: rain, temp, and sun for
Live Dashboard of Farm Weather for WordPress.com Read More »
