by Wonder Worman | Oct 11, 2010 | Sidetracks
Hey Everyone!!! Meet Bob and Lucy.
Bob is on the left! Lucy is on the right, and my hubby, Carlos, is holding the two!
We just adopted Bob from the pound in Madras on Saturday and bought Lucy from a breeder when she was a pup. She’s 4 now. We think they are about the same age.
I usually brag about my Red Wigglers being the best sidekicks out there, consuming and transforming usable waste into rich, organic compost. Today’s a day to write about Bassets. Basset Hounds are really mellow, loving dogs which make really cute and cuddly sidekicks! I’ve written about wanting to hug a wiggler and thank them for all that they do for our planet. I know that’s gross and not possible. It’s actually rather weird….but hey so am I!
Soooo, I am going to hug my Bassets along with my family and thank them for all that they do for me! I look at these two cuddly, sweet dogs and smile! How could you not??!!!
Here are some books about Bassets! Claude the Dog is a sweet, sweet book about a Basset at Christmas! This was my first intro to Basset Hounds, and I have loved them ever since! I have not read The Hound from the Pound but seeing it reminded me of Bob since we rescued him from the pound! I am sure you can find these at your local bookstore or library, but if you can’t click below!
by Wonder Worman | Oct 10, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
My neighborhood is cool, especially my block. I live about a mile from downtown which is an easy walk to restaurants, shops and the beautiful Deschutes River. We are on a busy street, but looking at this picture you really couldn’t tell. That’s because this is the back alley. A place where the kids ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards, and the parents can let them without worrying about traffic. This alley has hosted many parties and gatherings in the warmer months and sled and snowboard races during the winter months.
I also have some really sweet neighbors. Yeah, they are sugar and spice and everything nice, well some of them (just being honest here), but what I mean is… they are sweet…. as in “cool”. Most of them know I am the Wonder Worman and have hoards of Red Wigglers on the side of the house. They tell me they don’t mind! Some actually think it’s pretty cool and some, well…. are a little “grossed out.”
Some have their own compost piles and others bring their food scraps to this blue bin located by the alley. They are helping to keep my sidekicks happy and healthy. I am thankful for their waste and am happy to see them do what is right for our planet!
I think this type of Neighborhood Drop Off Waste Collection Bin (I just made that up as I am typing this. LOL!) could work in many neighborhoods. If you have a worm bin and have neighbors who are not into composting, you could start a collection bin. Give it a try! Then after a year of feeding the wigglers, you could share the castings and beautify your flower beds in the neighborhood.
Just a thought!
Happy Wormin’
by Wonder Worman | Oct 7, 2010 | Red Wiggler World
Yesterday, Little a and I raked the front yard so she could do the anual dive into a crunchy pile of leaves. I am pretty sure these are Maple leaves. The colors were beautiful last week when they were still on the trees. After being on the ground for a week, you can see they are turing colors. The once vibrant reds are now various shades of brown. The colors are still pretty cool!!
I remember diving into piles of leaves when I was Little a’s age. I always thought it would be like jumping on a mattress and so did she. After the first landing, she was done! It ain’t what it used to be!
So, what’s next for this pile? Well it was bagged and sent off to winterize the first worm bin of the season.
Lavabelles is shutting down their composting operation for the season. Fall and winter are not very busy, and we decided to pick it back up in May when they have more vacation renters.
As you can see, these leaves make a terrific 3inch layer of insulation and will also provide a feast for the Red Wigglers over the next few months. About one inch of leaves were placed underneath the newspaper blanket and the rest were placed on top. I will feed the worms during the winter, especially the rotting pumpkins after Halloween.
by Wonder Worman | Oct 2, 2010 | Red Wiggler World
See that little tiny yellow speck that looks like a mini lemon. See it? See it?
Do you know what it is? huh? huh? come on do ya? do ya?
If you have a worm bin, maybe you’ve seen it before.
Well if you’re still at a loss and you’ve never laid eyes on it in your entire life, I bet you have an idea…just by the title of the blog.
It’s the result of doing “it”, making whoopie in the worm world. Red Wigglers, as with other worms, are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female parts and need each other to reproduce. I have seen this in action, and it is really cool. They actually form a love knot. After doing “it”, they each leave behind a cocoon.
After 3-4 weeks, about 5-10 worms will hatch from the cocoon. Then these babies will be reproducing new compost eating, earth saving creatures in 2-3 months and the cycle will start again.
Thought it would be cool to share this with ya! and don’t worry you won’t have worms crawlin’ out of your bin…they self regulate their population. They determine their space and reproduce accordingly!
Happy wormin’
Hey Everyone!!! Meet Bob and Lucy. 
