Gardening and Observing Life in SW Washington

Quoting BriarCraft:
So my question is:

Is there a gadget out there that can record audio in a format that can be transported to my computer? If so, hopefully said gadget costs less than an arm and a leg.

Yes there are digital recorders LOL Just go to any store like Meijers or Walmart and go to the audio section where the audio cables are. You will see digital recorders. They record the audio on a digital file which you can send to your computer via a usb cable. They are quite easy to use in general.

Here is one on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Digital-Recorder-14 2640-Silver/dp/B003XEC0I0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1 361173705&sr=8-7&keywords=digital+recorder

Hi Briar! Going to Portland sounds like fun to me - any outing is calling to me lately... Hope you have a good day and trip.

It sounds like we have had more rain than you have, which surprises me twice in a row now. We are up to 1.15" for the month now, which is pretty paltry. It surely has been a dry month and I, too, have seen hints of spring in the air. Maybe because the sun has a little more strength and brightness when it comes out, so it is stirring that inner part of us that reawakens with spring. Too bad it really isn't here yet and I wonder how it will go? It seems like February is often kind of "mild" and dull, then the rains find us again for March/April/May/June. Right when we most want to pull out of the winter gloom. I guess we are going into a cooling spell for a few days this week. Just letting us know that winter isn't forgotten quite yet.

Hi, Briar! Are you going to Powell's while you're in Portland?!
[btw, I wish they'd make up their minds about that apostrophe!]

I have a nifty little digital voice recorder that I used for years to record lectures and stuff (I even used it to record my nephew's high school commencement ceremony). I then transferred the recordings to my computer (the software that came with the recorder converted the file to the type I chose) and then burned them onto CDs so I could take them anywhere and/or lend them out. What I never have figured out, though, is how to post a sound file online. To do that you need a host site, just like with video and photos. There is at least one that I have seen that musicians use to post their own stuff (I first saw it used by wuphotog Lunada in the comments to some of his photos but the music file was not his - he just posted someone else's stuff, much like a youtube video). I don't know that that is free or that you could post some other kind of audio. What I mean is, I think it's meant for musicians exclusively.
I would be very happy if someone could tell us about an audio file hosting site.

In the meantime, if I wanted to post sound (and I've considered doing so for my morning serenade of house birdies), I would do as Karen suggested (and did to such great effect) and use video and youtube. On your camera just push the video button to start and to stop and see what happens – you won't break anything ;) You know how to transfer photos from camera to computer and it's the same for video. You know how to upload a photo to wu or flickr or whatever hosting site you use and it's the same for youtube – just click “upload” and browse to the file. Should be super simple. The only issue you may have is setting up a youtube account which now requires a gmail account but, seriously, no big deal at all. You can do this! Well, if you want to :)

Okay, hopefully that came across as encouraging rather than nagging.

Stay warm on your trip, and safe, too!

Briar, I start my tomato and pepper seeds in February even though they can't be planted out until Mother's Day. I put them in the greenhouse during the day and bring them in at night. Easy!

Briar
You ask how a guy from S. Fl. knows about Cold Weather Gardening?
Well I grew up in Maryland,I started gardening before I could read the words on the seed packages.
We had a 40' by 200' vegi garden on three acres of land.
I have lived half of my 48 years up North and the other half down here.
So Some of those formative gardening years are ingrained deeply.
Although I must admit I am starting to forget more than I knew up there and down here LOL!

Wow. The Universe provides. Or, in this case, Twitter and Stephen Fry. Listen to his recording and then check out audioboo. Not sure that's the perfect solution but I'm thinking that if there's one such site, there must be more.

I've been popping over and browsing but, bad me, haven't left a post. I always get interrupted or sidetracked.

I don't think anyone has posted about this but if it's a repeat, be nice and don't hit me!

Reuse your egg cartons to start seeds. Cut the cartons in half, separating the tops from the bottoms. Poke a small hole in each cup. Fill with dirt and plant your seeds. Use the top as a tray underneath the cup section, if the egg carton is styrofoam.

If it's that reconstituted cardboard stuff, use any kind of waterproof rectangular tray shaped item. Use your imagination: if you are tossing an busted up plastic storage bin but the lid is still good, use it. Old baking pans work, too. Check trash on the curb before trash day and see what you can find to hold your seedling containers, whether you use egg cartons, small paper cups, yogurt containers, whatever. Even small wood framed window screens can be lined with aluminum foil.

Ah.. nice kitty. Not too bad for a first production. You'll get the hang of it!

Well look at you! Not only taking a video and uploading it, but splicing it too! I haven't even done that! Well, I have tried using Windows Movie Player or something like that, but it's been a while. I have it on my computer, came with it.
I'm very impressed.

Thanks for the heads up about the dental crown. I'm going to let the lab guy decide. I figure he's seen enough of them to know. This is the lab where they will make the crown, so he'll see me in person, with temporary on and permanent tooth next to it!

Well look at you! Your blog title needs changing to "Learn something NEW"!

I do think your little kitty with the three legs definitely has some Russian Blue in her. She has the right coloured coat and eyes, and wanting to be with you is a definitely BLUE trait. The Russians had been in the UK since the mid 1800's. I also found they had been called 'Archangel cats' as the first cats arrived on boats from ArchAngel, Russia.

I knew there was someting good in here today. Too bad I'm having one of those "tic toc" mornings where time is going a lot faster than I am. Will be back to see video.

The late frosts in my area are because of our altitude. The altitude also keeps fleas away which is a huge bonus. So I will take the late frosts.