Feb 26 - two six quarts today

The world of dry measures - pints, quarts, etc. have little poetry in them even though they have been with us for as long as we've transported food. Niagara has an intimate relationship with dry measures - we're the fruit belt. At the farmer's market in St. Catharines,  the apples and potatoes are displayed in the traditional wood veneer (or cardboard) baskets and bushels.  When we buy our 4 quart or 6 quart basket of potatoes, the transfer to a plastic bag happens. The basket goes back to the vendor to fill for the display. The sizes are half pint, pint, quart, 4 quart, 6 quart, half bushel, and full bushel.  During jam season, out come the trays that hold up to 12 quarts.  Walking around with a 12 quart tray of strawberries is almost as good as walking around with a puppy. These familiar baskets are still available from the original supplier - Vineland Growers Co-operative.  They have been selling these supplies for over 100 years - since 1913.  I drive by the corporate head office/retail store in Jordan Station and the retail store in Virgil on the East West Line.   They have the distinction of being the longest continually run co-operative in Ontario. From their website: "The history of Vineland Growers' Co-operative closely parallels the development of the co-operative movement in Canada. The original directors and those who have followed throughout the years have been steeped in the spirit of co-operation, coming as they did from hardy Pennsylvania stock that immigrated to Canada in the early 1800's, when barn-raisings and other co-operative activities were commonplace". The original directors have familiar Niagara names: Honsberger and Moyer.  The Honsberger Estate Winery is located in Jordan today.  Nearby in Vineland is Cherry Avenue Farms - the home of the Moyers family - in operation since 1799.   I drive by Cherry Avenue Farms on a regular basis.  They sell all kinds of fruit - fresh and frozen. Today's picture comes from the Royal Botanical Gardens Orchid Show on the weekend.  There were many beautiful specimens arranged together into garden-like displays.  While Longwood Gardens has the big display wow factor of hundreds of orchids in an arch or column, this show has the beauty of a miniature garden.  Both are wonderful experiences.

Snow in the Headlines

Today's weather headlines:   Blizzard barrels towards northeast Snowstorm slams northeast Here are more great headlines about snow: Ice Scream! Now, Melt! The Brrrfect Storm From snow to whoa Gee bliss - New York socked by snow Snow fly zone No-mageddon:  The Washington, D.C. snow hole Snow Maggetin' Gipped The Snow Must Go On S'no Foolin' BONUS:  Have You Been Plowed? How many snowflakes are in a blizzard?  Is there a number big enough to represent a snow storm's parts?  Of course there is, and someone has created a table to show us this at thealmightyguru.com.  Here's the introduction: "Ever wonder what a number with 228 zeros after it is called? No? Well who asked you anyway? Actually, it's called a quinseptuagintillion. Duh! Here is a list of all the big numbers up till the infamous centillion. Just some more incredibly useless trivia for you from TheAlmightyGuru." I scrolled to the bottom and clicked on Pointless to see a page with  "all the useless knowledge I've posted over the course of my page. I've been told many times that I know too much about everything, and not enough about anything. As you can see from this page, it's pretty much true. I'll continue to update this page with more and more pointless data just so you'll know all sorts of things you never really cared to know in the first place. I'm doing this as a public service. You're welcome."

And the Winner...

My inbox tells me that Michael's, the craft store, is SLIME headquarters and that Spring camp is next weekend. We just finished the Coldest Night fund-raiser on Saturday.  Winter and Spring are overlapping somehow.  Perhaps it is the anticipation of Spring that has us starting early.  The real break in Ontario is the middle of March - the 13th to the 17th.   I missed seeing the Oscars mix-up for the best picture award last night, with the 'winners' in progress of accepting the Oscar before the correction was made and the declaration that they had lost.  An exciting event in the Oscars that will replay thousands of times, like Jimmy Kimmel's famous tweet to Donald Trump.  We're looking at pictures from yesterday's Royal Botanical Garden's Orchid Society Show.  Spectacular specimens from all over Ontario in displays that showcase these beautiful and complicated plants.  What a lot of camera equipment - the macro ring light was hugely popular, and I could see why.  One can bring it close to the flowers, correct the light temperature, and have even light on the flower.