Yesterday, for reasons that are still unknown to me, my comments all disappeared from my blog briefly. Or at least, they were visible in Blogger and in Disqus (the comments platform I use) but not on the blog itself. After much trial-and-error, and several uninstall / reinstall efforts with Disqus, things were fixed in the evening but I'm still a little unsure of what went wrong. If you experienced anything odd in the process, I apologise!
The above comment glitch presented me with a technological challenge of my own yesterday, but that isn't actually the focus of today's post. The technology in question relates to the second of my two workplaces, which I returned to for the first time yesterday after the Christmas break.
In what has to count as the biggest workplace computing drama I have yet to see, I returned to a building with absolutely no network coverage. No email, no internet, no intranet, no access to internal drives and folders, and no access to printers.
The cause? A burst water pipe on the roof, which happened last weekend, and sent water through a meeting room on the first floor, the seminar room on the ground floor, right down to the computing and network section on the lower ground floor. I can't imagine the challenges they faced in getting everything back to functioning again, and certain aspects are still not fixed. The soggy carpet in the two affected rooms certainly suggests that it was rather a lot of water.
This experience threw up the musings I find myself having every now and then, on just how we would cope if there was a worldwide shut down of the internet and other wireless communication. I don't think we would cope, frankly, and it's a little startling to realise that. Most of those who came in to work yesterday morning had left to work from home by midday. To imagine a similar scenario on a city-wide scale (as has happened several times over previous years, in various places, after natural and not-so-natural disasters), never mind worldwide, is daunting indeed.
Technology musings aside, this is also a post about something altogether simpler. My courtyard garden to be general, and a lemon tree to be specific.
You see, the front corner of my courtyard used to look like the above picture (taken in November 2011). And also the below picture, taken after I got my new camera, in October 2011.
Now that same corner looks like this.
Spot the new addition? :-)
I am the proud new owner of a semi-dwarf lemon tree, which I really hope I can get through summer safely. Theoretically citrus trees like sun, so this should be a good test of just how strong that sun-loving streak is.
There's also one other new plant that I'm rather excited about, in the form of rainbow heirloom carrots. I have never been able to find coloured carrots available to purchase, so I'm hoping that these seedlings will allow me to grow my own. I'm not sure that mid-summer is ideal carrot planting weather, but for $3.95 it seemed worth a go...
...especially, it would seem, as no technology is required.
Do you have any current home or garden projects?
Any experience with large-scale technology glitches?
The above comment glitch presented me with a technological challenge of my own yesterday, but that isn't actually the focus of today's post. The technology in question relates to the second of my two workplaces, which I returned to for the first time yesterday after the Christmas break.
In what has to count as the biggest workplace computing drama I have yet to see, I returned to a building with absolutely no network coverage. No email, no internet, no intranet, no access to internal drives and folders, and no access to printers.
The cause? A burst water pipe on the roof, which happened last weekend, and sent water through a meeting room on the first floor, the seminar room on the ground floor, right down to the computing and network section on the lower ground floor. I can't imagine the challenges they faced in getting everything back to functioning again, and certain aspects are still not fixed. The soggy carpet in the two affected rooms certainly suggests that it was rather a lot of water.
This experience threw up the musings I find myself having every now and then, on just how we would cope if there was a worldwide shut down of the internet and other wireless communication. I don't think we would cope, frankly, and it's a little startling to realise that. Most of those who came in to work yesterday morning had left to work from home by midday. To imagine a similar scenario on a city-wide scale (as has happened several times over previous years, in various places, after natural and not-so-natural disasters), never mind worldwide, is daunting indeed.
Technology musings aside, this is also a post about something altogether simpler. My courtyard garden to be general, and a lemon tree to be specific.
You see, the front corner of my courtyard used to look like the above picture (taken in November 2011). And also the below picture, taken after I got my new camera, in October 2011.
Panoramic photo combining can lead to odd curves where no curves exist
Now that same corner looks like this.
Spot the new addition? :-)
I am the proud new owner of a semi-dwarf lemon tree, which I really hope I can get through summer safely. Theoretically citrus trees like sun, so this should be a good test of just how strong that sun-loving streak is.
The plants that used to sit where the lemon tree now is have just been moved, an arrangement made possible by this box...
Going up here...
Now one side of the courtyard is fully lined with planters, giving me more space overall.
There's also one other new plant that I'm rather excited about, in the form of rainbow heirloom carrots. I have never been able to find coloured carrots available to purchase, so I'm hoping that these seedlings will allow me to grow my own. I'm not sure that mid-summer is ideal carrot planting weather, but for $3.95 it seemed worth a go...
...especially, it would seem, as no technology is required.
Do you have any current home or garden projects?
Any experience with large-scale technology glitches?
I have a Kaffir Lime tree, chilli plants, Vietnamese mint, parsley and Thai basil on the go here. I love being able to plant things you can eat!
ReplyDeleteYou have a great collection! I spot a theme too - it sounds like they would all pair rather well with Asian flavours :)
DeleteHow funny! Our server was down when I came back to work this year too, and because of our office being tiny, I was the only person there and had to deal with trying to fix it by running back and forth from the room with the server to my room with the landline with the tech guy giving advice :P It's ridiculous how impossible much of my work is without the internet!
ReplyDeleteAlso... lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flowers are sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon, is impossible to eat! :P
I am very glad I didn't have to liaise with any tech guys! That is an amusing coincidence though, and the thought of you taking care of it single handed is impressive :)
DeleteI'll let you in on a secret: I actually like to eat lemons. I can suck the middle out of one with no problem at all. I do usually restrain myself though, because it can draw odd looks!
Our lemon tree in a pot is (I think) a dwarf meyer lemon and it has lots of young lemons on it right now - sometimes I am so slack with watering I am amazed it does as well as it does - the cooler summer last year and this year helped.
ReplyDeleteAs for technology, I share your worries and I think this is why I sometimes resist extra technological innovations - I like to think I can get by without a mobile phone - though I would be totally lost without the internet - it has changed how we see the world. But just as long as we still have books I think I could cope! (yes I know they need technology)
Your lemon experience fills me with hope - I'm normally ok with watering but fertilising efforts are rather hit and miss! Mine is a dwarf eureka but I think the dwarf meyer are quite similar.
DeleteI'm with you on the books :) In fact, that's almost a nice though. No connections, no interruptions, just books...
I would love to have a little lemon tree (and basil and mint.) I've never had the space to garden and I'm really not sure how I would do with it. My friend has a lemon tree and she said it's a bit of a pain to take care of.
ReplyDeleteTechnology shut-down is scary to think about. I feel less connected than the general population because I don't have a smart phone with access to the internet 24/7. I do use my computer a lot though.. for fun and work. It would be really hard to get by without it!
I don't have a smart phone either...although I'm sure it will happen eventually. Like you, I'm rarely without a computer though!
DeleteLemon and basil and mint sound like a lovely trio. I've found trial and error works well with gardening learning, so I'm sure you'd be just fine :)
Hmmm, nicely timed Kari. I have been thinking about getting a lemon tree in a pot, but need to do some research into what would be the most suitable... I'll look up your little dwarf lemon.
ReplyDeleteAs for technology wipe out... imagine all the extra time we would have though :-)
I think there are a couple of dwarf lemon options if you pursue it...I went with a dwarf eureka and dwarf meyer is the other one I read about. Both are meant to be relatively hardy and good for pots. The tree itself also cost less than the pot ($29 for the tree) so I'm hoping it will be a fruitful (couldn't resist!) investment.
DeleteExtra time...yes, oh yes :-)
We planted a fairly large lemon tree a few months ago along with some olive trees along our fence to act as screen as well as providing us with with fruit. I also have a small Kaffir lime but I would love a Tahitian lime given all of the Mexican cooking I do. Our back garden still needs a lot of planning post renovations so I don't have a proper vegetable garden this year although I have grown some tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and herbs in pots for the meantime. Good luck with all of your plants, I hope your heirloom carrots grow well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mel! I love the sound of your plant collection too. Pots can go a long way...or at least I like to take that stance given they're all I have ;) Lime is something I would like one day too, it was a hard choice between the lemon and lime options.
DeleteIn my little courtyard I grow tomatos, spinach, lettuces of various varieties, herbs and a lemon tree. Lemons in pots need lots of food. I've found I get the best results when I give it a slow release fertaliser twice a year, a top up with mulch once a year and seasol fairly regularly (aka when I remember).
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago the internet cable on the street where my office was got dug through. We had no internet or email for about 3 days. During that time we also had a power outage so we had no computers at all. For an IT company, it effectively meant we had no work. I think everyone did tidying and filing for about half a day, then when the power came back on sat around watching TV till it was fixed!
Thanks for the lemon advice...I did buy some citrus fertilizer and I have seasol, my challenge will just be to remember. I'm sure I ask far too much of my poor plants because so often I forget to feed them!
DeleteAn IT company with no internet is an amusing thought :) I'm glad you had the TV! Pity you couldn't just go home...
I do that too :)
ReplyDeleteTruly?? Wow :D
DeleteWe had a similar glitch in 2010 at my uni, but instead of a burst pipe it was caused by a possum dying on the network board (or whatever the important tech is). Another time by someone two suburbs away digging a trench in their backyard and accidentally cutting the network cable. It is amazing how much of my work relies on the internet working - I basically had no idea what to do with myself, but had to wait around all afternoon because I had class at 3.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your lemon tree! As a fellow court yard gardener, I am highly impressed with your set-up.
A possum dying sounds slightly more adventurous (although very sad for the possum) than a water pipe. The trench digging just sounds foolish!
DeleteThanks for the courtyard garden well wishes - it's nice to know there are a few of us who rely on courtyard planting.