Gardens are outdoors

I few weeks ago I built a garden box and planted radishes, carrots, peppers and tomatoes. 

The radishes and carrots germinated fine, I think the tomatoes did too, but the seedlings are still less than 1".  I may have lost a tomato seedling in a big thunderstorm today, I'll find out in the morning.

I have a large pot with banana peppers, Mexican green chilis and multicolor bell peppers in it.  Those are all growing great.  They are left over from seedlings I was given by my neighbor Jerry late last fall.  I got a tiny bit of production from them in the first round, but they are all lit up with veggies right now.  It's just a waiting game.

We picked up some cilantro, parsley and sweet basil from the garden center and those are in pots.  The basil is obviously thriving, the cilantro seems to be greening and thickening and the parsely is growing over one side of the pot, as if it's leaning into the sun.

The radish harvest is one week from today and I'll immediately replant.  Everyone else will take more time.


Problems to solve:
I may be getting too much rain into the box considering our frequent thunderstorms.  Even with the sandy soil in the box, it collected a LOT of rain today.  I may have to cover the box with a screen or clear plastic and water by hand.  I hope those methods would provide them with enough sun, but subtropical sun is strong so I bet it would be fine.

Problems to watch out for, based on the warnings of other gardeners:
Squirrels
Deer
Cutworms and their relation

I watched the squirrels today and they showed no interest thus far in my garden.  The yard was all engrossing.

Managing an iPod from Windows and Mac without iTunes (and free!)

This has little to do with the outdoors. 

A friend asked for advice on Facebook about using free software to manage an iPod that works on both Windows and Mac that is NOT iTunes.  This has come up repeatedly over the years, even though I didn't have much specific relevant information, I'd searched for it before.  And I was curious myself. 

Between web searches, and a list of software that he was recommended, I came up with a list.  From that list, a clear first choice emerged.

I'm recommending that he try Songbird.


Amarok - Linux and Windows only, no Mac
Banshee - Linux only, experimental support for Windows and Mac
Sharepod - Windows, no Mac
ephPod - makes CopyTrans, you're familiar with that one.
floola - Mac, Windows, reads like what he wants.  I installed it in Windows 7 and it discovered my music in seconds.
froddle pod - supports iPod Classic 6G, not iPod Nano 6G http://www.froddle.com/features.htm
gtkpod - Linux only
yamipod - a different twist on this category.  The software installs on your iPod and you execute it from there when it is plugged into your computer.  Says it works with Windows, Mac and Linux
RhythmBox - Linux Only
Songbird - Windows and Mac, very mature product.  I had to dig, but this page states they support his iPod SongBird Device Support