Congratulations to JAXA and the safe retrieval of Hayabusa2's payload.
16 thoughts on “December 6, 2020: Happy Landing”
Apparently, it is wolf spider season.
It's always wolf spider season - they're probably the most common ground spider. Personally, I prefer Phidippus, as the two large eyes makes them look friendlier
I think that’s just the way of things late in the year. Fall land navigation in the Georgia woods was a webby nightmare. Hip pocket science-ing...Summer bug populations mean fall spider and web visibility, and reproduction... something, something... spiders become a Halloween thing.
Your ecosystem is probably a little different than the cultural “fall” template.
Wolf spiders aren't exactly webby; I think they (like ladybugs, boxelder bugs, etc) are exploring warmer locations to inhabit (like bS's house). While not exactly a spider fan, I will tolerate house centipedes in the basement.
The peperoncino is very into insects and arachnids these days, so I hear about wolf spiders from him. If you weren't so far away, he'd be happy to come over and catch them all!
You need to install Seek on your phone - very helpful to budding entomologists.
Already have it! 🙂
Then you're set!
Visiting relatives in Tulsa a few years ago, my aunt asked me to take care of a spider in the garage. She had a passage door and storm door that she never used next to the garage door and a wolf spider had taken up residence in the gap between them. There was a light right next to the door so it got lots of insect traffic, and that spider was as big as some tarantulas I've seen. I used half a can of pesticide on it, nearly asphyxiated myself, but that spider would not die. I eventually chased it out of the doorway with a broom and when it got into the open I did a jump stomp on it because adrenaline.
Those guys can get big alright. I remember giving people the willies showing them the huge legs sticking out the top of an opening in a downspout's buried corrugated pipe - and that included me.
On the Smoker
Pork belly with beef and game seasoning (currently at 147F, need to eventually get to 195F), smoke courtesy of oak chips from a barrel used to make craft beer in Stillwater.
Scratch biscuits (new technique here - freeze the butter 20 minutes prior, then use a box grater to shred the butter into pieces, then use fingers to mix gently into the flour mix).
And left over orange/cranberry sauce from thanksgiving.
I had a huge hunk of pork to smoke this morning. Got up, started the coffee, started gathering supplies for firing up the smoker and .... what the hell ... no charcoal?? ... No wood ?? WTF. Option b- I'm making carne adovada. Red chili sauce is made, and I'll be cutting up the butt to braise in a couple of hours. lemons to lemonade.
Nice pivot.
Mmmmm, pork. We've got dry rubbed country style ribs in the oven, I'll finish them on the grill. And then I'll ask Mrs. Claus for a smoker for Christmas.
Mmmmm pork. We made pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw this weekend.
Mmm, pork. Still living off tenderloin marinated in leftover enchilada sauce. Tonight was burrito bowls with roasted sweet potato, roasted poblano, and homemade refried beans. Last night was grilled cheese and pork sandwiches.
Apparently, it is wolf spider season.
It's always wolf spider season - they're probably the most common ground spider. Personally, I prefer Phidippus, as the two large eyes makes them look friendlier
I think that’s just the way of things late in the year. Fall land navigation in the Georgia woods was a webby nightmare. Hip pocket science-ing...Summer bug populations mean fall spider and web visibility, and reproduction... something, something... spiders become a Halloween thing.
Your ecosystem is probably a little different than the cultural “fall” template.
Wolf spiders aren't exactly webby; I think they (like ladybugs, boxelder bugs, etc) are exploring warmer locations to inhabit (like bS's house). While not exactly a spider fan, I will tolerate house centipedes in the basement.
The peperoncino is very into insects and arachnids these days, so I hear about wolf spiders from him. If you weren't so far away, he'd be happy to come over and catch them all!
You need to install Seek on your phone - very helpful to budding entomologists.
Already have it! 🙂
Then you're set!
Visiting relatives in Tulsa a few years ago, my aunt asked me to take care of a spider in the garage. She had a passage door and storm door that she never used next to the garage door and a wolf spider had taken up residence in the gap between them. There was a light right next to the door so it got lots of insect traffic, and that spider was as big as some tarantulas I've seen. I used half a can of pesticide on it, nearly asphyxiated myself, but that spider would not die. I eventually chased it out of the doorway with a broom and when it got into the open I did a jump stomp on it because adrenaline.
Those guys can get big alright. I remember giving people the willies showing them the huge legs sticking out the top of an opening in a downspout's buried corrugated pipe - and that included me.
On the Smoker
Pork belly with beef and game seasoning (currently at 147F, need to eventually get to 195F), smoke courtesy of oak chips from a barrel used to make craft beer in Stillwater.
Scratch biscuits (new technique here - freeze the butter 20 minutes prior, then use a box grater to shred the butter into pieces, then use fingers to mix gently into the flour mix).
And left over orange/cranberry sauce from thanksgiving.
I had a huge hunk of pork to smoke this morning. Got up, started the coffee, started gathering supplies for firing up the smoker and .... what the hell ... no charcoal?? ... No wood ?? WTF. Option b- I'm making carne adovada. Red chili sauce is made, and I'll be cutting up the butt to braise in a couple of hours. lemons to lemonade.
Nice pivot.
Mmmmm, pork. We've got dry rubbed country style ribs in the oven, I'll finish them on the grill. And then I'll ask Mrs. Claus for a smoker for Christmas.
Mmmmm pork. We made pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw this weekend.
Mmm, pork. Still living off tenderloin marinated in leftover enchilada sauce. Tonight was burrito bowls with roasted sweet potato, roasted poblano, and homemade refried beans. Last night was grilled cheese and pork sandwiches.