NWS Watches/Warnings/Advisories for MA
NWS Watches/Warnings/Advisories for MAINE
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For close to a decade, Dave has produced and published a regular video blog of topics relevant to diy home gardeners. The entire, searchable GrowingWisdom library of gardening videos are available right here on this website or by visiting our YouTube Channel. Below is Dave’s latest video.
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Weekend weather: What you need to know for every activity you have planned
This post was originally published on this siteA weather system will slowly move through New England this weekend, bringing a period of rain, especially in the south and mostly on Saturday. That said, sunshine will be hard to find on both days.
Friday also brings an increase in the chance of rain showers. Low pressure to our south will be close enough to allow its rain shield to move into southern New England. The Friday evening commute could be quite wet, with slower travel due to the rain. Even when it’s not raining, it’s going to feel damp and dreary outside.
Temperatures will average below normal this weekend, with highs only around 60 on Saturday and perhaps a few degrees warmer on Sunday.
If you’re going leaf peeping…
Cloudy skies can make the colors pop. Head north and west for the best color. The highest chance of rain is south and east, so the best color areas should also be driest this weekend.
If you’re going to a local farm to nab pumpkins, apples, and doughnuts…
While it will be wet on Saturday, don’t let that deter you from bundling the kids up and heading out to gather apples. It won’t be a picture-perfect day, for sure, but you can avoid the crowds. Sunday will be drier, but watch for scattered showers. Bring a dry pair of socks just in case.
Saturday will be a chilly, wet, and raw day. —Dave EpsteinIf you’re gardening…
The drought continues to be firmly entrenched and will likely remain this way for at least several months. Although rain is expected, it will do little to help the situation, and I recommend continuing to water shrubs and trees where it’s possible. Plants should not go into winter with dry soil, as that promotes damage, especially with evergreens.
If you’re running errands…
Either day is going to be sunless, so it won’t matter when you do your errands. If you want to avoid the rain and wettest part of the weekend, stay away from being outside on Saturday morning. I think the rain will taper in the afternoon on Sunday. While it won’t be 100 percent rain-free, it has less of a chance of showers.
If you’re going beaching and boating…
A persistent onshore flow of air has built up seas enough so the surf is quite rough. Additionally, a gusty wind will make boating more difficult. A walk on the beach in the rain is possible, but certainly not something most of you will want to be doing on Saturday. Sunday provides less of a chance of showers, but this is still far from a beach weekend.
Temperatures will recover into the 60s on Sunday afternoon. —Dave EpsteinIf you’re playing soccer, softball, baseball, or golf…
I have a flag football game on Saturday, which won’t be canceled due to the wet conditions—but yes, fields are no doubt going to be wet this weekend. On Saturday, dress for a raw, cold day with periodic showers and possibly even a downpour or two.
Sunday will bring clouds and a chance of showers, but some dry weather, as well. I would plan on this being a better day to at least try to get a round of golf in. Just prepare for that ever present chance of showers.
If you’re going to a concert, outdoor party, or wedding…
Saturday events may need to be moved inside or canceled/postponed. It won’t be a dry day. Sunday isn’t great, but you could manage to get lucky and dodge the rain showers.
If you’re going to Fenway for the final two regular games…
The rain on Saturday will likely taper off enough to get the game in during the evening. Of course, these things are always difficult to predict. Sunday will be a drier day, and the afternoon game is likely to be unaffected by any rain showers.
I will be updating the forecast on Twitter @growingwisdom throughout the weekend.
How to help bees and give back to your community at the same time
Several years ago I watched The Bee Movie, (DreamWorks) an animated full length feature staring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger and Mathew Broderick to name a few of the stars. I love the movie and the humor is fantastic, but the main point of the movie is to illustrate the importance of bees and how humans should care of these critical insects.
The Bee Movie (DreamWorks) has an important message about bees and their connection to the entire food chain
My passion for plants and their pollinators is powerful and extends back over 40 years. As an elementary school student I began learning about the inner connections of the natural world and how the survival of the planet depends on the success of the individual pieces.
To help the bees, I am teaming up with the Bee Sanctuary, a non-profit program in collaboration with The Best Bees Company’s beekeeping services. In short summary, this is a sponsor-a-beehive program, where select corporations, family foundations, groups of individuals or individuals themselves may sponsor honey beehives. The donation will allow full beekeeping management services throughout community gardens, schools, libraries, non-profits, farms, and low-income communities. This brings more pollinators to each area and with them more fruits, vegetables, and honey. Bees are dying nationwide and this is a way to get more bees out there.
I now have been on my own property.
We live in a time of the world when it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and frankly nearly impossible to make a difference. Further, so many organizations can use your time, talent or treasure it’s hard to know who to help.
Philanthropy in itself isn’t something easily taught. I donate my time to a couple of different organization and my treasure, what I can, to others. Donating time or money or even your expertise is very personal. Why each of us gives away something we have worked hard to achieve is unique to the each of us.
The feeling that I can make a positive chance in the world is intoxicating. The very fact I am writing this blog, hoping someone will read it, get excited about the prospect of helping bring bees to an area, which otherwise could afford to raise them, is exhilarating.
In The Bee Movie, the flowers are all dying because the bees have decided to stop pollinating. In the real world, bees are in danger of not doing their job not because they don’t want to, but because other factors, including what we humans are doing to our environment are harming this vital link to life as we know it.
Bees don’t want to stop working, but we can harm their environment so they won’t be able to do their work. (Image Credit:DreamWorks)
The Bee Sanctuary 501(c)3 nonprofit program is a tool to help reverse the trend of bee loses. It’s also a great way to give something back to those communities which don’t have the resources to do these things themselves. It’s not overstating it to say donating the bees is a gift not only to the neighborhood it will benefit but more importantly to the planet we live as well. Click here to learn more about the program.
Bees can be raised in almost any urban environment
