"Derald" wrote in message
"Farm1" wrote:

Well, if you are asking if we have them and name them as such to coincide
with the rising of the Dog Star as did the ancient Romans and Greeks, then
no, we don't have them because the Dog Star can be seen for much of the
year
here (or so I've been told).
Yes, that was the question. Although, I "thought" that it must be,
I was unsure whether Sirius is even visible at Australia's latitudes.
I'm in the SE USA, where Canis Major, Orion, etc. are pretty high in the
sky.

I love usenet because of the things I can learn as a reuslt of the
interaction. I know sod all about stars but I've just done a google and
according to the results of that, Canus major is a 'constellation of the
southern hemisphere'. I would have thought that would mean it's more
visible in my hemisphere than yours?????? In any event, the whole
constellation is apparently visible in my latitude but to you it would look
upside down.

Of course, a fire would be required in order to get me up early
enough to see it this time of year. "Dog days" are when Sirius and Sol
are in conjunction and rise at (about) the same time of day.
Glad to read that you're seeing a few optimistic harbingers of
Spring; reassuring, isn't it? Is winter over

No way Jose! We still have lots of cold and frosty mornings to come still
but that doesn't stop either the flora or fauna in my garden and surrounds
knowing that spring is coming.

or do you still have more
cold weather coming on? I'm far enough south in US that, for practical
purposes, "spring" arrives in mid-late February and outdoor gardening
can begin, although, a slight possibility of a nasty "March Surprise"
still exists.

Spring is uncertain here too and we often get a late frost. That is why I
prefer the long balmy days of Autumn.

This time of year, here, all but the most heat tolerant plants are
gone from the garden and it's still a bit early for a "late" planting
of beans, curcurbits and tomatoes; far too early to put in cool weather
crops. Just as well, for the time may be used for chainsaw tuneup/repair
(firewood on hand but not yet bucked to length or split),
manure-hauling, etc.

I drag in manure or clean out the chook pen when I get a round to it. I
never have any defined season or time for doing it.

Making plans and putting together a final seed order for the
fall-winter garden, though. At your suggestion, "Fordhook" Swiss chard
will be included in this year's mix, with a series of succession
plantings starting once the weather cools a bit. Never had any "luck"
with chard and don't recall having tried any other kind of beet.

I can't understand why you've not been successful. It's one of those 'tough
as old boots' plants. Mine self seeds and I find it in all sorts of add
spots and it lasts thorugh winter and gives a few greens at times when other
greens are in short supply. And the tiny leaves are great in a mixed salad
with tomato, crispy bacon, grated cheese and a tomatoey pasteish style salad
dressing.

Of
course, it's all on you, if my dismal record continues: It's the new
"American Way", LOL!

Yeah well I'll blame you Merkins for the loss of our language.

Every young Australian who keeps chooks now says they keep 'chickens' and
they don't know that a real chicken is quite different to what they think it
is. But what would I know, I'm just an old woman who was raised on a
poultry farm........................

...over the old ton....
Of course, I have no idea what that means unless it's a sailing
reference and is hot, indeed. Rarely gets out of high 20's, maybe very
low 30's, here.

We use Celcius for our temps and ahve done for decades but I grew up with it
and so know what American mean when they complain of high 90s etc. A ton is
a 100 (and yes IIRC, it is derived from a reference to speed). 100degrees F
was hot but that is now an old measure so anything that is over the old ton
is still darned hot. These days darned hot is about 39degrees C or somehing
close to that in the old ton measures.