Stanley,

The one bad thing about having all the room and space I run out of energy and that makes me feel old.
I need a garden slave.
Just dumped the outside water tanks today (horse and rain water) for winter storage and there was 2'' solid ice on top.

Sheesh!

Thanks, Stan - I need all the sympathy (with 6 horses, 5 dogs and 4 cats) that I can get!

Chunks o' Joy.... I'll have to remember that one.

'mare-y berries, nannyberries, Chunks o' Joy' I think we got off the subject a little? But I noticed in all the blogs and stories that nobody seems to consider their water. Now that 'fracting' is being used to extract trapped gas in shale...I believe most of our water supplies are poisonous to our beloved plants but at least you ladies seem to have the upper (or scrooper) hand on it.
I was thinking about plant roots eat dirt... Think about it for a minuet. We eat food,, they eat dirt. Of course not directly, but like us we need bacteria to break it down. So do plants. They have microbes growing on their roots and this breaks down the dirt so they could feed off it. When we give water already coutured with these microbes and bacteria, we give them a head start. So I think??? Makes since? With natural, not chemical, fertilizer we are giving them what they want. I think the word nutrients is the better word to use instead of fertilizer.
Stush
PS I do not always think so heavy,, It wears me out.

I think we got off the subject a little?....

No, it's just the same ol' sh..... oh, nevermind!!!!!

I like this topic, Stush you make good points. This house was rural and used to be on well. It is west of Milwaukee. As building escalated in the area, the community water tables began to get low enough (especially for the increases in hydrant needs) that our city decided to partner with the city of Milwaukee to connect to their water supply that is derived from Lake Michigan water. Those of us who had wells were allowed to keep them if they were properly channelled for outdoor use only. I use that all during the warmer seasons but have to turn it off during freezing temps. When it is on, my dawg has several fresh dishes of it and/or rain water at all times. Once there is snow he enjoys eating it and I melt it. In between like this he absolutely boycotts water from the indoor faucet! When I turn on the tap it smells like a swimming pool so I can't blame him. He will drink it once it sits for awhle, I imagine the chemicals settle, so we keep several pans in stages at once. I can see the dawg's reaction quicker than that of the plants but all the same, while I have thought it was simply a seasonal reaction, they likely are feeling the effects of the change in water too.

Settles or maybe evaporates, in the case of the chlorine.

Good point. Wonder what will happen to plants (well, every living thing) in Japan now where apparently the whole water table is inflitrated with radiation.

Well, if we take a look at what happened with Chernobyl, it gives a pretty good indication.

http://acidcow.com/pics/16330-...

I think the plants might be that which survived it best. Plants are often used now for "phytoremediation" - for instance, some trees and grasses have been planted at Superfund sites in the U.S. because they absorb and deactivate a number of toxins. I don't know if or how plants deal with radioactivity, however.

This is another great link to Chernobyl, I enjoy it because this lady rides her motorcycle into the area and takes pictures and provides descriptions of the effects, what's happened to the people who are still there, etc. Even now, some what, 25 years later, she can only stay there for a certain amount of time, or will be over exposed to radiation, and all the ill effects that follow could haunt her.

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/

Wow. That was great, Alan, thanks!

"Nature is relentless at reclaiming the land. In some hundred years all signs of humanity will be gone from here. Radiation will stay long after that. The future of this land is radiation, wolves and wormwood."

A poet, even in a strange language.

Sorry to all who wanted to talk about watering houseplants!!!!

Yes, I'm sorry too...but an incredible site, A real wakeup call on these nuclear reactors that everyone keeps building :(

Alan

Those are humbling journals, thank you both. I recently saw a documentary about the people that have chosen to return/remain in the area. Sheryl you make a good point that the plants have survived and so bring deeper thought to the subject of how plants are involved in the purification process.

I brought up Japan to start because our member over in the cubes, Jon (pajonica) lives with his family in Japan and so we have had much discussion about the process of life there after the quake. He typically gardens and grows much of his own produce and recently, after testing his soil for radiation was told to grow nothing to eat in his soil at all. Sheryl's point makes me think that overall vegetation propigation (not for food) might be advisable.

With regard to water supply however, it seems that there has been no way to contain the spread though the land but also in the oceans.

Right Sheryl....seems like we ran OT a bit, but maybe not.

Whoops Alan...do-si-doed. I've been quashed many times because I began objecting to nuclear power since my first visit/tour of a plant here in WI, during a camping event in my teens. The Point Beach nuclear plant on the shore of Lake Michigan (an early one) is only one of many sitting on our Great Lakes now. I remember feeling ill on the tour that excited others because my questions could not (or would not) be sufficiently answered. In fact the guide seemed to scoff down his proboscis at them.

Jamie,
If I was you, I would go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy a whole house water filter. The one with the canister. It cost about $30 or so. and use only the carbon filter (most expensive). I hook mine up to the cold water to our sink in the kitchen only. It does work. I also have a 'Brita water filter pitcher' for even more filtering before drinking. It doesn't filter radiation. Nature takes 100,000 years to do that. Some have half lives of only 5 years or so but all changes the DNA of our cell structure. that's why we end up with all sorts of cancers from it. Does the same to plants. I heard that is where the red head cactus came from Japan after the war. I will not be surprised to find some very beautiful plants coming out of Japan now. They will not be better by any means but changed to different variegations or leaf structure. The jet stream comes from Japan and travels all across the U.S. and nobody is going to tell us about it on the news. But with all the chemicals put in our water systems and add to drinking supplies, I would never drink simple tap water again.
Bust of luck and God bless during the holiday season.
Stush

Stush: good advice. I actually have one of those Brita boxes and filters but abandoned it when I got my newest fridge because that also has some high-fangled filtration. THAT punked out now though, so for the dawg's sake I have been thinking about locating the box again (it is carefully stored either in the basement or garage ... I'm afraid I hid it well ). Once in the water, it's in the fish, birds, food sources anyway though.

Hey, Stush, what's it mean when there are little black specks in the top of the Brita pitcher--does it need a new filter?

Renee, they are suppose to be changed every 2 mo. or 30 -40 gal. or so. Walgreens carries them in 3 packs

Here's detail:

This filter's activated carbon and ion exchange resin work together to transform ordinary tap water into healthier, great-tasting drinking water. Better for the environment and your wallet: One filter can replace as many as 300 standard 16.9 oz plastic water bottles.

Fits in all Brita pitchers and dispensers
Reduces harmful contaminants
Keeps a healthy level of fluoride, a water additive that promotes strong teeth (applies to fluoridated municipal tap water)
Reduces chlorine (taste and odor), mercury, copper, zinc (metallic taste) and more
This product reduces the following harmful contaminants that may be in your tap water
Copper: Source: Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits. Potential health effects: Short-term, gastrointestinal distress. Long-term: Liver or kidney damage
Mercury: Source: Erosion of natural deposits, runoff from landfills and cropland. Potential health effects: Kidney damage
Cadmium: Source: Corrosion of galvanized pipes, runoff from waste batteries and paints. Potential health effects: Kidney damage

Renee,
The small black spots are some of the filter carbon that leaked backwards from the filter due to pouring a glass too soon. Wait till all the water filters thru the filter before pouring a glass. Also no harm as far as I know.
Jamie,
You sure know what your talking about. Just through I would mention about water filtration just in case.
Stush

Stush, you are likely right about what the black spots are, the filters need to be fully soaked prior to use. I was thinking mold...

Ahh, thanks for that info, Stush.