October Night Skies

The Draconid meteor shower is comparatively a short-lived event in the general ranking of meteor showers.  The Draconids occur when the orbit of the earth bisects the orbital path of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

When the dust and icy debris of the comet collide with the upper atmosphere of the earth it burns-up as the Draconid meteor shower.  

This comet is named after its discoverer when Michel Giacobini first observed it on December 20, 1900.  A subsequent observation by Ernst Zinner in 1913 added him to the name - thusly 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

Radiating from the constellation Draco - the dragon - this constellation found in our northern hemisphere can be spotted near the bright star, Vega. This year the meteor shower is expected to peak around midnight October 8 and 9. A great opportunity to observe shooting stars and a waning crescent moon won't interfere. 

Follow this chart facing north.  Locate the Big Dipper low in the northwest. Traced backwards the Draconid meteors radiate from the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon.  It is helpful to know that it is very easy to locate Draco - yet be assured that meteors can appear anywhere in the night sky.   

Pro Tip - The Draconids are notoriously unreliable as to activity.  Most of the time it is minor meteor shower.  Other years it exceeds the Geminids and Perseids.  In 2011 astronomers documented more than 600 meteors per hour at its peak!

Parasites

We recently went hiking at a newer acquisition to the Door County Land Trust - Bear Creek Nature Preserve.  While there our guide explained for us a couple of common parasites that make use of all of the Canada Goldenrod that is feeding the bumble bees this time of year.  The following photos were from our walk here on Saturday.

The structure at the top of the stalk is a goldenrod bunch gall or goldenrod rosette gall. It is caused by a tiny insect called the goldenrod bunch gall midge - Rhopalomyia solidaginis.

In early to mid-summer a female midge lays an egg in the top (terminal) leaf bud of the plant stem.  As the larva hatches and feeds, chemical secretions interfere with the normal growth signals of the plant.  Instead of the stem growing taller it arrests the plant growth and produces a dense, rose-like cluster of short leaves.  

The midge pupa overwinters in its chamber deep within the rosette, pupates the following spring and emerges as an adult.  The midge gets free shelter, protection from predators, hijacks the plants resources for food and prevents it from flowering and producing seeds like a healthy plant.

You've likely spotted this before; it is called a goldenrod ball gall or stem gall.  It is caused by the goldenrod gall fly - Eurosta solidaginis.  It is another parasite.

In late spring a female gall fly lays a single egg inside the growing stem of the goldenrod.  After it hatches, chemical compounds secreted by the maggot's saliva mimic the plant's growth hormones.  This triggers the plant to grow a dense, corky ball of nutrient-rich tissue surrounding the insect. The larva chews an escape tunnel before snowfall, overwinters inside the sphere and by springtime the pupated adult fly escapes.  Most of the time.

Further evidence that only the strong survive and weak are killed an eaten; the parasitic gall fly is the target of another parasite. 

A small wasp - Eurytoma gigantea uses its ovipositor (egg-laying tube) to lay an egg with the fly larva.  Upon hatching, the wasp larva consumes the fly larva, takes over the gall for the winter and emerges as an adult the following spring.  Take that!

It's not over yet.  Overwintering chickadees and woodpeckers easily locate these round spheres and will peck into them to feast on the fat, protein-rich larva inside.

It's a rough world in nature and a fascinating food web.

Getting Ready

Doggo and I have plans to take a road trip.

Yup, we're going west to chase pheasants in South Dakota along with some of our pals.  This will be her third trip and who knows what it is for me.  Three dogs later I've lost track.

Most days our walk now includes a shell vest for me and Mr. Browning accompanies us.  You just might have an opportunity to shoot something for dinner.  

For the dog it's mostly about the routine.  She knows that as soon as I go for my boots the pacing begins. Donning a shell vest the pacing intensifies. Strapping-on the e-collar is further confirmation.  Grabbing Mr. Browning from the bench leads to a rush for the door.  

Wisconsin's pheasant opener is in a couple of weeks.  Between now and then there is a possibility of kicking up a grouse, doodle bird or wing shooting some doves. 

Which is why The Frau calls it hunting.  If it was easy it would be called shopping.   

Meanwhile, from Friday's walk there was this.

I'm not sure if Ruby is laughing or grinning... 
 

 

True Or False?

If you had a dollar for every trans woman playing college sports you would not be able to afford a gallon of diesel.

True or false? 

Ask any three AI agents I have bookmarked and you'll find general agreement with something like this...

The Garden Chronicles

Raised bed gardening this season was exceptionally successful. 

 

Just enough fresh produce on a regular basis for two adults. 

 

 

This was possibly the 5th sowing of radishes for the season. Geopolitically-speaking those are German beer radishes on the left and French breakfast radishes in the colander. 

 

Spinach started coming on line this week.

 

Feeling lucky I planted an addition row of all three.  Cool weather crops you know... 

Recipe Of The Day

This recipe has become a household favorite and as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop this will warm you from top to toes.  If you have garden tomatoes and fresh basil put them to use.

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Autumn Shrimp, Sausage and Tomato Stew

This is the time of year that tomatoes are really coming on-line and if you’re like me you’re eating fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes multiple times every day. If you have an abundance of tomatoes from your garden or the farm market here’s a terrific recipe that is an easy-peasy meal to enjoy in a bowl by the wood stove accompanied by a chewy baguette.

Ingredients

4 cloves of garlic – finely chopped

1 pound smoked sausage of your choice (andouille, venison, chorizo, etc.) – cut into pieces.  I used smoked Conecuh from Alabama.

Olive oil

½ t fennel seeds

2 - 15 oz cans of garbanzos – drained and rinsed

4 C of garden tomatoes cut in chunks 

1 C dry white wine

24 jumbo shrimp (peeled and de-veined)

½ cup fresh basil leaves - chiffonade 

Fresh-cracked sea salt and black pepper to taste

Crusty baguette

Crushed red pepper (optional)

 

Instructions

 

In a stock pot brown your sausage in olive oil until it is brown and beginning to crisp. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

 

Add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook (covered) until the tomatoes begin to break-down. 

 

Uncover, add the shrimp to the pot and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir-in the basil.

 

Serve with slices of baguette and that bottle of dry white wine. Fireside is best.

It’s acceptable to dunk your bread in the stew.

 

Recipe serves four. 

Oktoberfest

I pulled-out all the stops for the festivities here.

German beer radishes from the garden and a frosty lager from the Fatherland...