JBen

Joy as an adult: Went to the supermarket to get semolina to make fresh pasta. They don't sell it in the location. I leave disappointed and defeated. Hours later, I happen to look in the pantry closet and the angels sing: "Hallellujah". There is a Bob's Red Mill box with TWO bags of semolina flour.

Some new autumn additions. Slowly plucking the grass carpet to make way for a Native landscape display. #nativeplants

Siesta time #nativeplants #bumblebees

Purple coneflower still showing off in the fall #NativePlants #autumnblooms #bloomscrolling

Wednesday Gnocchi Missed the tradition of the 29th but here we are, making up for it on the 30th.

Is anyone really buying houses at these prices and with these rates? Every time I open Zillow it looks like houses are more expensive and interest rates are higher.

17 Sept

This baby followed me home last night. I went for a walk and heard loud meowing. About an hour later it was still meowing. I came closer and it appeared behind me. It started headbutting and lightly scratching. I gave it a few pets and it just kept following me all the way inside. #cats #philly

13 Sept

Rockledge Auto Show 9-13-2026

I was beginning to lose hope of seeing these guys in my garden but we found two! #nativeplants #monarchs

en.wikipedia.orgTreaty of Paris (1783) - Wikipedia

3 Sept

Happy 243rd birthday to the United States of America.

30 Aug

Carpenter Bee munching on the Blue Lobelia #nativeplants

ecoportal.netMicrophones left running at 12 ecovoltaic solar farms in the Midwest heard nearly twice as many grassland bird species as the corn and soybean fields beside them, and more than 230 nests sat on the ra...Researchers planted acoustic recorders at 13 Midwestern solar farms and found nearly double the grassland bird species compared to nearby corn fields, plu

29 Aug

"A solar site seeded with native grasses and forbs and then left alone gives a ground nesting bird everything a crop field withholds." #nativeplants

21 Aug

These guys are feasting on the Mountain Mints #NativePlants

17 Aug

Bumble bee nomming on Great Blue Lobelia #NativePlants

10 Aug

Would having fully self sustainable Data Centers make them slightly more appealing to some people? These structures could be powered with solar energy. IKEA had been doing this for decades. They also could have closed loop systems to cool and reuse the same non-potable wastewater.

10 Aug

Having self sustainable data centers and other ICT infrastructures can be beneficial to communities around them. They can create jobs, generate enough power to sustain themselves and give back to the communities around them, lowering their prices. The problem is that legislation is too far behind.

To be clear: I'm not advocating for the increase of use of AI. Most certainly I don't agree with its use on high data consumption content that it's being used for. However, even without AI, we are consuming such enormous amounts of data that our older cloud infrastructure can no longer support.

9 Aug

Great Blue Lobelias somehow thriving on their own despite my lack of time to care for them. #NativePlants Being a dad for 2 young children takes a lot of time from gardening and yard work 😬

1 Aug

Next year's Sweetbay Magnolias survived some of the hottest days and worst droughts we've had on record and the worst air quality in recent years. (And also some neglect after becoming a father again) They look almost ready but we need to get them through at least one more winter. #nativeplants

7 July

Cardinal Flowers starting to show off #nativeplants

3 July

Extreme heat in the Northeast but the Natives in our small yard are doing alright. #nativeplants

30 June

Coral Honeysuckle in the backyard. #nativeplants

13 June

I'm just gonna put this out here: The most effective crime deterrent isn't police or military force but sustainable economic opportunity.

11 June

Scarlet Beebalm popping and saying hello to the neighbors. #nativeplants

I have questions

American Wisteria showing off! #NativePlants

8 May

Didn't know I was going to get this in the mail. This is cool!

8 May

New addition: Climbing (Prairie) Rose #NativePlants

6 May

Spiderwort blooming! #NativePlants

5 May

Native Plant Sale in Newtown Pennsylvania on Saturday May 9th maps.app.goo.gl/vwJwCoskeHBS... #NativePlants

1 May

Sweetbay Magnolia blooming slightly earlier this year in our front garden. #NativePlants

27 Apr

Virginia Bluebells starting to come out. #NativePlants

As requested, the city planted a native tree in our sidewalk. Canadian/Shadbush Servicetree Thank you Street Tree Philadelphia! #NativePlants

My request was for an Allegheny Servicetree but close enough 🤣

Eastern Carpenter Bee loving the Eastern Bluestar #NativePlants

m.youtube.comCultura Profética - Déjame Entrar (Video Oficial)YouTube video by Cultura Profética Oficial

New release from Puerto Rican icons, Cultura Profética 🇵🇷 I remember first listening to them as a young teenager before leaving the island in 2001. Damn, I'm old.

22 Apr

For Earth Month we have planted about 10 new species of native shrubs and perennials around our Philadelphia home. We are still missing one which is set to arrive next week. I'll have to count but I estimate we have about 25 different types of plants now. #NativePlants

22 Apr

We also requested the city to plant 1 of 3 native trees on the sidewalk in front of our house. Hopefully they won't mess it up.

17 Apr

These Bluestar girls came to say "Hello!" #NativePlants

10 Apr

The native garden is starting to come back to life