My Top 20 songs of 2013- a totally messy list

There was so much joy brought to me via music this year as in all years that I must make a list...an entirely non-comprehensive blob of songs that came out in 2013 that I loved immensely and played a grillion times while jogging, swimming or doing other things that would be way less fun without music. Guaranteed to have forgotten some here. And with that, the historical list:


Rich Hair by Sombear- brilliant album too, but if I had to pick one song it's this.


Go Long by Nipsey Hussle- just a mixtape not sure, got off of Datpiff and the whole thing is great.


Furthest Thing by Drake- heard this one for the first time at his concert, an epic event...love me some Drake.


Disclosure by F for You- pelvis grinder


Love More by Chris Brown (feat. Nicki Minaj)- I hate having to admit this buuut love me some Chris Brown.


Pizza Guy by Touch Sensitive- this video entrances me.


Probably Should Have by Devin the Dude- Devin did it again. This album isn't as good as Suite #420 but it still bumps.


Destroyer by Panama- i'm a shoegazer


Function by E-40- Everyone be sure to check out E-40s new line of wines...including a "Function" Cab blend which sounds delightful!


Alarm by Wise Blood- well this was surprising, who is this guy? Love.


Know It Ain't Right by M.I.A.- could do without her politics but this song is rad, not sure I'm feeling the rest of the album though even though it was a prerequisite on all Critics List this year it seems along with Kanye West so they could fill the hip hop slot (barff!).
'

Crooked Smile by J. Cole -TLC, and if it weren't for Drake then J.Cole owned hip hop this year...but alas, Drake.


Promises by The Presets (this may be 2012 but I'm slow on the uptake, this song is truth)


A Toute A l'heure by Bibio- cute!


Bubble Butt by Major Lazer- controversial? perhaps but it's a slapper, so I'm turning a blind eye.


Extremely Blessed by 2Chainz (feat. the Dream)- why this song was not a top ten hit is beyond me. 2Chainz needs better management.


In Your Eyes by Kate Boy- such a good gooooood pop song!


Night Dunes by Ben Browing- i want this song to play at my death.
https://soundcloud.com/benbrowning/night-dunes

Bounce It by Juicy J(feat. Trey Songz & Wale)- lets get ignawnt!


Wild for the Night by A$AP Rocky (feat. Skrillex & Birdy Nam Nam)- heard this one for the first time right before the epic Drake concert event. This got a stadium on it's feet so judge Skrillex and the lyrical content but it's got a certain something to it, friends.


And with that, happy 2014!

Cloud Rap Hour DJ Shows- Summer 2013-Oct. 2013

I have been doing shows since early July...going to try to keep a record of them here in an effort to prevent overplaying certain tracks. I do seems to have my favorites, don't I? Either that or I just forget I played them!


The Cloud Rap Hour (Music) with Peanut Butter 10/19/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

09:58PM Safe Harbour Hours “PSA” from KBVR.

10:00PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

10:00PM Lil' Wayne “Started” from Datpiff exclusive

10:04PM Game “In The City ft. Fred The Godson” from OKE mixtape

10:07PM Nipsey Hussle “Go Long (Zro, Slim Thug)” from mixtape datpiff

10:12PM Eminem featuring D12 “blow my buzz” from RAW & UNCUT (2006) on Central Station Records

10:17PM Devin the Dude “See What I Can Pull” from Devin the Dude: Greatest Hits (2008) on Rap-A-Lot

10:23PM Beyonce “Check On It (feat Bun B & Slim Thug)” from Check On It (feat Bun B & Slim Thug) (Single)

10:27PM Cali Swag District “Run That” from The Kickback (2011) on (RED) Sphinx Music Entertainment

10:30PM Lil' Wayne “Thinkin About You” from Dedication 5

10:33PM Santigold “Look At These Hoes” from Master of My Make-Believe (Deluxe Version) (2012) on Atlantic Records

10:38PM Nipsey Hussle “Checc Me out (feat. Dom Kennedy & Cobby Supreme)” from Checc Me out (feat. Dom Kennedy & Cobby Supreme) - Single

10:46PM Swv “You're The One” from You're The One (Single)

10:48PM 2 Chainz “Extremely Blessed (feat. The-Dream)” from Based On a T.R.U. Story (2012) on Def Jam/RAL Records

10:54PM Drake “The Real Her (feat. Lil Wayne & Andre 3000)” from Take Care (Deluxe Version) (CD, Album, Rap, 2011) on Drake (Cash Money)

11:04PM James Brown Psa “psa” from KBVR.

11:03PM The Dream “Rockin That Shit” from Rockin That Shit (Single)


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 10/04/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

09:58PM Safe Harbour Hours “safe harbour hours” from kbvr

09:58PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

09:59PM Monifah “TOUCH IT” from Mo'Hogany (1998) on Universal Records

10:04PM Ke$ha Feat. Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Ti.I. Andre 3000 “Sleazy 2.0” from Single

10:08PM Bun B, Killa Kyleon, Rapid Ric “Sittin Sideways (Paul Wall, Big Pokey)” from Whut It Dew 2 (2005) on Oarfin Records

10:11PM Groove Armada “Whatever, Whenever” from Vertigo (1999) on Jive

10:14PM Juicy J “Purple Kush (feat. Gorilla Zoe & Project Pat)” from Hustle Till I Die (2009) on Hypnotize Minds Productions/D-Brady Investments

10:18PM Devin the Dude “You'll Be Satisfied” from Seriously Trippin - EP (2012) on eOne Music

10:23PM Drake “The Real Her (feat. Lil Wayne & Andre 3000)” from Take Care (Deluxe Version) (CD, Album, Rap, 2011) on Drake (Cash Money)

10:29PM Touch Sensitive “Pizza Guy” from Pizza Guy (Single)

10:33PM Too $hort “Gettin' It” from Gettin' It (Album Number Ten) (1990) on Jive

10:38PM The Notorious B.i.g. “Warning” from Ready to Die (MP3, Single, 1994) on Bad Boy

10:41PM Ice Cube “What Can I Do? (Remix)” from Ice Cube: Greatest Hits (2001) on Priority Records

10:45PM Nas “LIFE'S A BITCH” from Illmatic (MP3, Album, Rap, 1994) on Columbia

10:49PM Paradise “Hoochies Need Love Too” from Above the Rim sountrack

10:56PM Cali Swag District “Run That” from The Kickback (2011) on (RED) Sphinx Music Entertainment


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 09/20/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

10:00PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

10:00PM Safe Harbour Hours “psa” from KBVR.

10:02PM Bun B, Killa Kyleon, Rapid Ric “Sittin Sideways (Paul Wall, Big Pokey)” from Whut It Dew 2 (2005) on Oarfin Records

10:03PM Da Brat “That's What I'm Looking For” from Unrestricted

10:06PM Trina “Long Heels Red Bottoms” from Mixtape Volume 2 - EP

10:11PM Joy Division “DEAD SOULS” from The Best of Joy Division (CD, Album, Private, 2008) on Rhino/Warner Bros.

10:14PM Al Green “Jesus Is Waiting” from Call Me

10:21PM Ciara featuring Ludacris “Oh!” from Goodies

10:24PM Chris Brown “Poppin” from Chris Brown

10:30PM The Notorious B.I.G. & R. Kelly “I Wanna Do You Tonight” from Life After Death

10:34PM Grimes “Be A Body” from VISIONS (Single, Rock, 2012, added 05/22/2012) on 4AD

10:43PM Remy Ma “Concieted” from Most Anticipated (2007) on Howie McDuffie Music Group

10:43PM Eddie Holman “Eternal Love” from Eddie Holman's Holy Ghost

10:46PM Down “Lean Like a Cholo” from The Definition of an Ese

10:50PM Rick Ross feat. T-Pain “The Boss” from Trilla

10:53PM Devin the Dude “Exercise” from Seriously Trippin - EP (2012) on eOne Music

10:59PM Freur “Doot Doot” from Doot Doot (1983) on Columbia


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 09/13/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

09:59PM PSA Don't Do Drugs: James Brown “PSA Don't Do Drugs: James Brown” from PSA Don't Do Drugs: James Brown

10:00PM Deniro Farrar “Social Status” from Social Status (Single)

10:02PM Devin the Dude “Probably Should Have” from Single

10:09PM DOMINO “Getto Jam” from DOMINO (1993) on Outburst Records

10:12PM Big Punisher “It's So Hard (feat. Donell Jones)” from Yeeeah Baby (1999) on Epic

10:15PM Curren$y “JOB” from Verde Terrace

10:20PM Angel Haze “Echelon” from Echelon (Single)

10:23PM MissyElliott featuring Da Brat “Sock It 2 Me” from Supa Dupa Fly

10:28PM UGK “Diamonds & Wood” from Ridin' Dirty (1996) on Jive

10:32PM Baby Bash “Body Moves Slow (feat. Krizz Kaliko & Paul Wall)” from Bashtown (2011) on Upstairs

10:37PM Prince “17 Days” from The B-Sides

10:42PM Force M.D's “Tender Love” from Chllin'

10:44PM 2 Chainz “Extremely Blessed (feat. The-Dream)” from Based On a T.R.U. Story (Deluxe Version) (2012) on Def Jam Recordings

10:48PM Geto Boys & Scarface “Gangsta Put Me Down” from Best of Geto Boys & Scarface (2013) on Rap-A-Lot Records

10:52PM Ludacris & Nicki Minaj “My Chick Bad” from Battle of the Sexes

10:56PM Lykke Li (feat. Drake) “Little Bit (CSS Remix)” from Youth Novels (Special Edition)

11:01PM Scott, Jill “The Way” from Who Is Jill Scott?


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 08/30/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

10:00PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

10:00PM Safe Harbor “PSA” from PSA (Single)

10:01PM Lykke Li (feat. Drake) “Little Bit (CSS Remix)” from Youth Novels (Special Edition)

10:03PM Angel Haze “Echelon” from Echelon (Single)

10:07PM Big Freedia “Azz Everywhere” from Big Freedia Hitz Vol. 1 (2010) on Big Freedia

10:11PM Petey Pablo “Freek-A-Leek” from Freek-A-Leek (Single)

10:15PM Nosaj Thing “Try (feat. Toro Y Moi)” from HOME (2013) on Innovative Leisure / Timetable

10:18PM Paul Wall “Sippin' Tha Barre” from The People's Champ (2005) on Atlantic Records

10:23PM Baby Bash & E-40 “GO GIRL” from Bashtown (2011) on Upstairs

10:26PM E-40 & Nate Dogg “Nah, Nah...” from Loyalty & Betrayal (2000) on Jive

10:30PM BackBone “5 Deuce - 4 Tre” from Concrete Law (2001) on Universal Records

10:34PM Bishop Nehru “Strictly Flowz” from Strictly Flowz (Single)

10:38PM T.I. featuring Trey Songz “Oh Yeah” from Fuck Da City Up

10:41PM Jet Life “1st Place (feat. Curren$y, Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy & Mikey Rocks)” from Jet World Order (2011) on Jets International / iHipHop Distribution

10:47PM Al Green “Jesus Is Waiting” from Call Me

10:52PM Devin the Dude “See What I Can Pull” from Devin the Dude: Greatest Hits (2008) on Rap-A-Lot

10:58PM Jayo Felony, Mack 10 & W.C. “Whatcha Gonna Do (Remix)” from Whatcha Gonna Do (1998) on Def Jam Recordings


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 08/09/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

09:59PM Lil' Kim “big momma thang” from Hard Core (CD, Album, Hip-Hop, 1996) on Undeas, Big Beat

10:00PM PSA “std” from std (Single)

10:04PM Missy Elliott “She's A Bitch” from Da Real Wold

10:07PM Nicki Minaj “Beez In The Trap” from 2012 Hit Music, Vol. 4

10:15PM Baby Bash “good for my money” from good for my money (Single)

10:18PM UGK “Diamonds & Wood” from Ridin' Dirty (1996) on Jive

10:23PM Curren$y “Job” from Verde Terrace

10:28PM Too $hort (feat. 50cent, Twista Devin the Dude) “I'm a Stop (feat. 50 Cent, Twista & Devin The Dude)” from No Trespassing

10:32PM The Isley Brothers “For The Love Of You” from Love Songs

10:38PM Snoop Dogg Feat Raphael Saadiq “Somthin Bout Yo Bidness” from No Limit Top Dogg

10:43PM Bishop Nehru “Strictly Flowz” from Strictly Flowz (Single)

10:47PM Twista & R. Kelly “So Sexy” from Kamikaze

10:50PM DJ Quik “Luv of My Life (feat. Gift)” from The Book of David (2011) on Mad Science Recordings

10:54PM Shade Sheist, Nate Dogg & Warren G “WAKE UP” from Informal Introduction (2002) on Geffen*

10:59PM Devin the Dude “What A Job (feat. Snoop Dogg and Andre 3000)” from Waitin' To Inhale (2007) on Rap-A-Lot


Cloud Rap (Music) with Peanut Butter 08/02/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

09:59PM PSA “Safe Harbor” from Safe Harbor (Single)

10:02PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

10:03PM Cashy Kesh Dolla “Word To The Wise” from Word To The Wise (Single)

10:07PM E-40 “Function” from The Block Brochure

10:16PM Chance the Rapper “Acid Rain” from acid rain (Single)

10:16PM T Pain (feat R. Kelly & Bei Maejor) “Center of the Stage” from Center of the Stage (Single)

10:19PM Shade Sheist featuring Nate Dogg & Kurupt “Where I Wanna Be” from Classic Hits & Familiar Sh*t Vol. 1 (2007) on Red Handed Recordings courtesy of Big Fish Media

10:23PM Envy & Fancy “Fancy” from He Say She Say (2010) on Envy & Fancy

10:27PM Jaylib “STARZ” from Champion Sound - Complete Set (2007) on stones throw records

10:29PM A$AP Rocky “Pretty Flacko” from Pretty Flacko (Single)

10:32PM Smoke DZA “Cloud Making Machine (feat. Mookie Jones)” from George Kush Da Button: Deluxe Edition (2010) on FrankRadio / iH2D / iHipHop Distribution

10:40PM Kool Keith “NEW YORK” from Love & Danger (2012) on Junkadelic Music

10:44PM Curren & Jet Life “Fiend- Crawfish” from Red Eye Mixtape

10:48PM Funkadelic “Can You Get to That?” from Maggot Brain (CD, Album, Private, 1971) on Westbound Records Inc.

10:50PM Kendrick Lamar “Poe Mans Dreams (His Vice) [feat. GLC]” from Section.80 (2011) on Top Dawg Entertainment / Section.80

10:54PM Trina “Killing You Hoes” from Still Da Baddest

10:58PM Salem “Better Off Alone” from I'm Still In the Night - EP (2011) on IAmSound

11:03PM Main Attrakionz “Cloud Body” from Bossalinis & Fooliyones (2012) on (RED) Young One


The Cloud Rap Hour (Music) with Peanut Butter 07/26/2013 10:00PM to 11:00AM

09:58PM PSA 07-77 Willie Nelson “KBVR” from KBVR (Single)

10:01PM Main Attrakionz “Cloud Body” from Main Attrakionz (2012) on Young One Records

10:04PM Scarface “MARY JANE” from Scarface: Greatest Hits (2010) on Virgin Records America

10:11PM J. Cole “Land of the Snakes” from Born Sinner Pt. 1

10:14PM Santigold “Look At These Hoes” from Master of My Make-Believe (Deluxe Version) (2012) on Atlantic Records

10:17PM Curren$y “Airborne Aquarium” from Pilot Talk II (2010) on DD172 LLC / IDJ

10:20PM Missy Elliot Featuring R. Kelly “Dats What I'm Talkin About” from This Is NOT a Test

10:25PM E-40 “Tell Me When to Go” from My Ghetto Report Card

10:28PM Ski Beatz “Taxi (Instrumental)” from 24 Hour Karate School (2010) on DD172 LLC / IDJ

10:31PM SBTRKT “Wildfire (OVO Remix) [feat. Drake]” from Wildfire - Single (MP3, Single, 2011) on Young Turk

10:36PM Kendrick Lamar “Poe Mans Dreams (His Vice) [feat. GLC]” from Section.80 (2011) on Top Dawg Entertainment / Section.80

10:40PM M.I.A. featuring MIssy Elliott “Bad Girls” from Bad Girls (Single)

10:44PM Psa 07-53 “std” from std (Single)

10:45PM Paul Wall “I'm Real, What Are You? (Featuring Juelz Santana)” from Get Money Stay True (2007) on Asylum/Swishahouse

10:48PM Ben Browning “Night Dunes” from Lover Motion - EP (2012) on Cutters Records

10:51PM Wale “Bag of Money” from Bag of Money (Single)

10:58PM Devin the Dude “Doubie Ashtray” from Just Tryin ta Live (2010) on Rap-A-Lot


The Cloud Rap Hour (Music) with Peanut Butter 07/05/2013 10:00PM to 11:00PM

10:03PM Snoop Dogg “Somethin Bout Yo Bidness” from No Limit Top Dogg on No Limit

10:07PM Devin the Dude “Exercise” from Seriously Trippen' - EP (2012) on Greenstreets Entertainment

10:12PM J. Cole “Rich Niggaz” from Rich Niggaz (Single)

10:17PM Eminem featuring D12 “blow my buzz” from RAW & UNCUT (2006) on Central Station Records

10:22PM Curtis Mayfield “So In Love” from There's No Place Like America Today

10:27PM Kurupt “We Can Freak It” from Kuruption (1998) on A&M Records

10:31PM Kid Cudi “Man On the Moon (Bonus Track)” from Man On the Moon - The End of Day (Expanded Version) (2009) on Kid Cudi P/S

10:39PM Remy Ma “Concieted” from Most Anticipated (2007) on Howie McDuffie Music Group

10:41PM Näääk “Maskrosbarn” from Näääk Vem? (2009) on Slang Musik

10:45PM Smoke DZA “Cloud Making Machine (feat. Mookie Jones)” from George Kush Da Button: The Deluxe Edition (2010) on I Hiphop

10:49PM Neneh Cherry “Move With Me” from Until The End Of The World soundtrack

10:51PM Paul Wall “Sippin' Tha Barre” from The People's Champ (2005) on Atlantic Records

10:59PM Jhonny Presley “On My Mind” from Chocolate Breast Milk

Late Summer 2013

Summer Garden Update 2013

well this is long overdue...there has just been so much to do! the garden is doing well though I wish I would have planted better cucumbers and more peas and onions...next year! i have no idea what I'm going to do with all of the grapes...maybe i will try my hand at fermenting them and making my own wine. seems logical. that'll be in the next update. for now...here's what's been going on the last couple of months set to Royksopp!

KBVR show #1

Bubble Butt- Major Lazer Extremely Blessed- 2Chainz feat. The-Dream TapOut- Rich Gang She's Always in My Hair- Prince Knockin' Doors Down- Pimp C A Toute a L'huere- Bibio Try- Nosaj Thing feat. Toro y Moi Rich N**gaz- J. Cole NY Is Killing Me- Gil Scott-Heron feat Jamie xx Shawty Is Da Shit- The Dream Since We Last Met- NDF Cloud Body- Main Attrakionz Hold On- Poolside

Mid-June Garden Update

Time to gloat about the garden...it's doing great this year! I learned some important lessons like planting stuff earlier and making sure to weed and fertilize. It DOES make a difference. Fine, everything I read and heard was right. I like to learn the hard way! The garlic has been harvested with great success...except I'm dreading making one of those braids (dreading is an appropriate adjective because whatever I make will look like a dread). With the big space gap left by the garlic I decided to plant some rainbow carrots and parsnips (from seed) for Fall. This is a gamble but I wanted to experiment. Previous carrot and non-potato root veggie attempts have been unsuccessful. Fingers crossed! Big green tomatoes are popping up on basically all of the 5 or 6 bushes, so I'm expecting quite a bounty there...next month we'll be poppin off the chizzain me thinks. Cilantro was tricky to get going in the herb garden but I think we now have success. Peas are going nuts, can't pick them fast enough...Anton is eating them off the bush each night so I don't have to worry about him getting his veggies (another reason to love warm weather!). Marionberries are going to be wild this year too. (insert crack smoking DC mayor joke here). Peppers are looking peppy. Raspberries are bushy but no fruits yet. Kale has recovered from the May cabbage worm attack. Richard Persimmons are showing themselves. We have 2 VERY active plum trees...one old big one in the backyard brought back to life with fertilizer (Colin's doing!). Apples be blowin up for a Fall release date. In flower news the dahlias have bloomed, at least the pink ones...more to come. Flower picking season has begun! I was working with some limited resources in the below video pix...pre-dahlia bouquets.

Food for thought: Seeking Serenity in a Patch of California Land

I sometimes feel like the gov't gets carried away with touchy feely social things that don't end up helping...and at first blush this might look like ones of those. But it's not. This is needed. There are so many under serviced people who need mental healthcare (just like anyone! hey imagine that!) and they will never seek it even if it was offered. Seems like letting them sort it out for themselves in a garden is pretty cost effective! Go gardening!! http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/us/in-california-gardening-for-mental-health.html?smid=pl-share Seeking Serenity in a Patch of California Land By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN FRESNO, Calif. — Like Scotch broom and dandelions, despair can be invasive. This is why, every Monday, Lee Lee, a Hmong refugee, puts on her sun hat and flip-flops, grabs the hoe handmade by her father and brother in Laos and heads to the Hmong Village Community Garden here, where she tends rows of purple lemon grass, bitter melon and medicinal herbs along with other Hmong women. “It lightens the load,” said Ms. Lee, whose depression has led her to think about suicide. “It brings peace, so I do not forget who I am.” The garden, on the scraggly outskirts of town, is one of seven in Fresno created for immigrants, refugees and residents of impoverished neighborhoods with mental health money from the state. At the Slavic Community Garden, Ukrainian refugees persecuted for their religious beliefs in the Soviet Union now grow black currants for jam, dill for pickles and soups, and medicinal calendula flowers from Ukrainian seeds. The thinking of community leaders and health professionals is that gardens can help foster resiliency and a sense of purpose for refugees, especially older ones, who are often isolated by language and poverty and experiencing depression and post-traumatic stress. Immigrant families often struggle to meet insurance co-payments, and culturally attuned therapists are in short supply. The budget, about $171,000 a year for construction and maintenance of the community gardens and adjoining meeting spaces here, is made possible by the California Mental Health Services Act of 2004, which put a 1 percent tax on personal income of $1 million a year or more. Spending state money this way has been controversial, with some advocates for those with mental illnesss arguing that gardens are an unaffordable frill in an era of diminishing resources. From 1995 to 2008, the state cut $700 million a year in core mental health services like psychiatric facilities. “Should they be a priority when there is no evidence of how many seriously mentally ill are served?” asked Curtis A. Thornton, a member of the Fresno County Mental Health Advisory Board. The one-fourth of the tax proceeds that is designated for prevention, early intervention and innovative approaches to care finances a range of roughly 400 projects throughout the state. Many immigrant and refugee cultures do not have a tradition of formal mental health treatment, said Rocco Cheng, a psychologist and a director of the California Reducing Disparities Project, a statewide policy study. “Therapy is a Western concept,” he said. “The Hmong do not have a word for mental illness.” But, he said, they are well able to grasp the idea of mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellness. On a recent morning, Yer Vang, 53, sang a plaintive song about loneliness as she worked her rows of “zab zi liab,” a medicinal plant used to treat high blood pressure. Across the way, Mee Yang, a 65-year-old shaman, weeded long beans beside makeshift scarecrows made of rows of T-shirts slung over a wire. She said she suffered from diabetes and depression and worried about making ends meet (about 45 percent of Hmong children in Fresno County live in poverty, according to a recent report by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and the Asian Law Caucus). “This is my happiness,” Mrs. Yang said of the garden. “You feel the world in this place, and it brings you back home.” Four of the seven gardens are dedicated to Southeast Asians, many of whom were subsistence farmers in their homelands. The Hmong garden was established two years ago by the Fresno Center for New Americans, a nonprofit refugee organization. During the Vietnam War, many Hmong experienced rape, starvation and the murder of family members. Mrs. Yang survived by eating longleaf jungle plants, “the kind Americans put in the mall to decorate,” she said. Ghia Xiong, a psychologist with the center, is willing to meet clients on their own turf. He consults with the gardeners over a shovel instead of in an office. He said the garden “de-stigmatizes” mental health treatment by providing a safe place to talk. “Many Hmong have been in refugee camps, where there was fear and intimidation,” he said. “Then they get to America and it’s ‘O.K., open up.’ ” Neng Yang, an outreach specialist with the center, said, “Sometimes you’ll drop by and see three or four ladies crying together, rain or shine.” Andrey Kovalenko, the director of Slavic family support services for Fresno Interdenominational Ministries, which operates five of the gardens, said that the 7,500 or so Russian-speaking evangelical Christians, including members of his own family, still contend with emotional reverberations from religious persecution, which included humiliation at school, arrests and forced exile. For many, mental health treatment is “a taboo subject, associated with the Soviet system of being locked up.” The garden, he said, “helps them to reattach.” Assessing the results is a challenge. “We don’t know what kind of effect it has,” said Jessica Cruz, the executive director of the state’s National Alliance on Mental Illness. “But any entryway into mental health is positive, especially for underserved populations.” In West Fresno, the Growing Hope garden, a collection of raised beds, is on the grounds of the West Fresno Family Resource Center in a black and Latino neighborhood with widespread poverty and toxic industrial sites. The area is nicknamed the Dog Pound after a local gang. The garden draws mothers like Alejandra Vasquez, who has seven children and is growing tomatillos, cilantro, green squash and other vegetables. Organic produce is too expensive, she said, and the nearest supermarket is more than 20 minutes away. At the new Punjabi Sikh Sarbat Bhala Community Garden, which means “may good come to all,” older Sikhs are mentors to younger gardeners, instructing them on how to harvest fenugreek seeds and use a hand sickle called a datri. The old men who were farmers in India share memories of oxen races and tell folk tales that invariably end with a moral: hard work pays off. Amandip Singh Gill, a 32-year-old garden organizer, observed that in the Gurdwara, or temple, “guys have to maintain a successful persona. You can’t say: ‘Oh, man, I just lost my job. How will I support my family?’ But here,” he said of the garden, “a shared history kicks in.” In a warehouselike shelter, they gather to discuss mental health and community concerns, including a recent attack on an 82-year-old Sikh in Fresno who was beaten with a steel rod. The plan is to bring counseling and other social services to the garden, Mr. Gill said. The young novices include Parmeshvar Kaur Dhaliwal, a high school senior, who is part of a group of female gardeners. Ms. Dhaliwal was pruning as the night turned cool, a stack of rubber message bracelets — including ones for Sikh unity and Fresno conservation — on her wrist. “Young women have to prove ourselves more than our brothers do,” she said. So the group members supports one another, “especially if a girl is down,” she said. Arminder Singh, a young gardener and a former gang member, said he found himself fortified by his elders, including his grandfather, as they hoe and weed side by side. “When I used to have free time, I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “Here, I don’t have to sit at home thinking about the past and what I don’t have.”

Mid-May Garden Update

This post is all about ups and downs in gardening. On the one hand the garden is thriving, everything I planted last year has come back. Things I don't recall having planted are also popping up to say hello. It's not totally peachy though...old ghosts are coming back to haunt in the form of cabbage worm and fungus blight. My kale which once was so promising was destroyed in a matter of days while I was away thanks to cabbage worms. My new hobby is squishing those little green pests. I planted new kale, sprinkled some organic killing product on them and am hoping for the best. The fungus on the grapes and hollyhocks has been there in previous years. I sprayed them with copper but clearly not diligently enough. I now must spray every 2 weeks all summer long. Fortunately it won't mess up the grapes...yet, but I need to get it under control. The hollyhock also stabbed me in the eye, missing my actual eyeball by about a 1/4 inch. This happened while i was laying down drip hose. But I still have my eye and the drip hose is all set now so all's well that ends well. The veggie garden is doing well, the strawberries, figs, rhubarb, peas, raspberries, etc. are looking awesome and I'm hoping for a big ticket gardening season!

Late April 2013 Garden Update

Tis the season of rebirth...ye ole time of revival of the plants and springing forth of dem flowers n' shit. OK enough old English speak. A lot has happened over the last several weeks that I foolishly didn't think to capture in real time and post as it was actually happening on some sort of device. I MUST BE GOING MAD! But here is a recap taken on my phone in about 5 minutes. By the way everything I did over the last few weeks was happening to this Bat For Lashes song called "Lilies". So Kate Bush-y and wonderful...joyful music! - Dahlia tubers are finally blooming...my concern was stirred when I noted that Mary on my MOW route had this huge dahlia plant already and i had nothing, but they are just taking their time. No rush, ladies! Just wait until you are ready, you are going to be beautiful. -veggie garden...tomatoes are out of the igloos now, rhubarb is doing well, snap peas are hopeful. Garlic and onions planted last year are about a month away from harvest. I tore down some of the favas (planted for soil quality purposes mainly)to make way for more non-igloo dwelling tomatoes, peppers and I found FENNEL hiding in the favas...coming back for a repeat performance from last year, yay! -spring bulbs, the final chapter...going to say goodbye to the pansies soon too, but am excited about those sweet peas peeking up next to them...they need their own space. -raspberries came back in a big way! the stalks started peering out a couple of months ago. So many that I decided to thin them out and plant them in a straighter line for a bigger yield. Let's see if my experiment pays off. They seem to be growing nicely so far in their new soil patch. Stay in your lane, ladies. -potato grave...i just put some compost on the leaves...they were really popping up and you have to keep burying them. It is really fun to pull potatoes out of the mound in the fall...I think this is going to pay off. -Front yard grass removal project is now complete. I used the newspaper method for most of it but Colin did take some clumps back to patch the backyard sod. And then we built the mounds. Planted Irish moss mainly but with a few interesting perennials intermixed. Hopefully they take off like the other mounds did...the moss covers those now and the plants are out of control 2 years in. This is a big accomplishment for me. I finally feel like the front yard is essentially done. I will be making lots of adjustments as things grow in and I want to add more Bamboo along the brick fence..oh and there's that hot tub in the backyard...it actually well never end. -Kale and mesclun...it takes forever to really get going. At least in my experience. I'm very happy that summer is coming and lots of gardening is on the horizon...grateful!!

Easter 2013

Have been doing lots of spring updates to the garden. General spring maintenance, planting early tomatoes inspired by this crazy warm and lovely weekend. Made tons of easter (and passover food) did an egg hunt, started ripping up the grass on the other side of the front yard. Onward!

St Patrick's Day 2013 Garden Update

OTP: Beautiful music

There is so much good stuff right now...either that or i'm just paying more attention than usual at the moment. Whatever it is I'm thankful because melodies like this FEED MY SOUL.


Night Dunes by Ben Browning

A gif(t), from me to...me?

Hold on for one more day.

It's an early spring...Feb. 2013

Of course it's inevitable that we'll have at least another couple of cold snaps and probably snow before all is said and done...but for now it's beginning to look a lot like Springtime! This Sergio Mendes song is an all-time fave and makes me feel very spring-ish and happy. I remember being danced to this song as a baby by my parents. Happy early Spring!

January Garden update

January is probably the least interesting month of the year for gardening but it seemed like it was time for an update. I planted some primrose today because it's the only colorful thing available right now. I also put a few more ornamental cabbages in a couple of weeks ago, again...just needed a blast of color. And that is the reason for the yellow pot with rosemary in it. I want to add more permanent visually pleasing things and that seemed like a good start. I am getting desperate for things to do in the garden so i trimmed the lavender and did some general clean up of dead stuff last week. Still need to prune the fruit trees. The fava beans are doing well as is the garlic. It will be interesting to see if the favas get as big as last year. So far they are relatively small bushes but that could change if we ever get some sun. Corvallis has been under a blanket of freezing fog for the last week. But during my run up Dimple this AM all it took was a couple of miles to get to beautiful sunshine. I don't think i've ever seen such a thick covering in the valley though, it was obvious it would not be burning off, so I was glad I ran up their for a bit of vitamin D. Just a smidge but it can't hurt. Looking forward to Spring for sure...