Richard Chinnis
@rchinnis.bsky.social
SC Master Gardener, SC Master Rain Gardener, reader. Clemson Tiger, sports fan, scale model builder, cyclist. Trying to learn birds, oh look, there’s a blue one. Retired SC coastal manager/regulator. Julian & Sutton’s grandfather. I’ve had a good run.
200 Large for a barely driven Grand National. As I’ve stated, don’t think any owner ever drove any GN.
September 29, 2025 at 5:13 PM
200 Large for a barely driven Grand National. As I’ve stated, don’t think any owner ever drove any GN.
Today in 1944, time ran out for John Frost & his brave troopers of the British 1st Airborne. Jumping into Holland & tasked with taking & holding the bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem for 2 days, Frost’s 750 men held off German armored columns for 4 days.
September 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Today in 1944, time ran out for John Frost & his brave troopers of the British 1st Airborne. Jumping into Holland & tasked with taking & holding the bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem for 2 days, Frost’s 750 men held off German armored columns for 4 days.
Deer are ravenously consuming my shade garden Hostas. Evidently they don’t care about the Fatsias. Have at it Bambi, just leave my peas alone.
September 15, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Deer are ravenously consuming my shade garden Hostas. Evidently they don’t care about the Fatsias. Have at it Bambi, just leave my peas alone.
Ripping out last of the pole beans. Had a poor season, only reason I can think of is excessive rain in July & August. Usually harvest a year’s supply to stock the freezers, but probably only put up 15 or pints. Still have producing Sea Island red peas which I actually prefer over beans.
September 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Ripping out last of the pole beans. Had a poor season, only reason I can think of is excessive rain in July & August. Usually harvest a year’s supply to stock the freezers, but probably only put up 15 or pints. Still have producing Sea Island red peas which I actually prefer over beans.
As always on this day, thinking about Rick Rescorla. No braver man has ever walked this earth.
September 11, 2025 at 2:46 PM
As always on this day, thinking about Rick Rescorla. No braver man has ever walked this earth.
Major League garage clean up/reorganization. Gifted a big 12 drawer rolling tool cabinet & hopefully most everything will fit in the cushioned drawers. Problem is all my tools are covered in garage dust & require a Simple Green cleaning & then wiping down with an WD-40 soaked rag. Very slow going.
August 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Major League garage clean up/reorganization. Gifted a big 12 drawer rolling tool cabinet & hopefully most everything will fit in the cushioned drawers. Problem is all my tools are covered in garage dust & require a Simple Green cleaning & then wiping down with an WD-40 soaked rag. Very slow going.
One of my favorite shrubs plus birds, bees & butterflies love it; Beauty Berry “Callicarpi americana.” A no maintenance plant, heat tolerant, little fertilization or irrigation required. Plant it & forget about it. Also nontoxic to humans or animals. Needs full sun, does well in nutrient poor soil.
August 23, 2025 at 3:17 PM
One of my favorite shrubs plus birds, bees & butterflies love it; Beauty Berry “Callicarpi americana.” A no maintenance plant, heat tolerant, little fertilization or irrigation required. Plant it & forget about it. Also nontoxic to humans or animals. Needs full sun, does well in nutrient poor soil.
Chasing shade to do a little weeding & the shady spot was right by this Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum”). The licorice aroma was so sickly sweet & powerful that I had to relocate. At least the hummingbirds like it.
August 12, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Chasing shade to do a little weeding & the shady spot was right by this Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum”). The licorice aroma was so sickly sweet & powerful that I had to relocate. At least the hummingbirds like it.
Monarchs on milkweeds is the reason I get up in the morning.
August 10, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Monarchs on milkweeds is the reason I get up in the morning.
Evidently cicadas like milkweed. I’ve taken 18 hours of entomology in the last 8 years & the extent of my insect knowledge is “yes, that’s a bug.” I can identify most any southern coastal zone plant, give you genus & species & outline appropriate care, but birds & insects mystify my aging brain.
August 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Evidently cicadas like milkweed. I’ve taken 18 hours of entomology in the last 8 years & the extent of my insect knowledge is “yes, that’s a bug.” I can identify most any southern coastal zone plant, give you genus & species & outline appropriate care, but birds & insects mystify my aging brain.
Been a tough year for vegetable gardening what with 22 rainy days since July 1 but at least the sunflowers like it.
August 7, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Been a tough year for vegetable gardening what with 22 rainy days since July 1 but at least the sunflowers like it.
“Tithonia” (AKA Mexican sunflower) finally making an appearance. My fault, planted late but worth the wait. These annuals grow to 7’ tall around here & the hummingbirds love them. The yellow variety hasn’t bloomed yet.
August 6, 2025 at 9:21 PM
“Tithonia” (AKA Mexican sunflower) finally making an appearance. My fault, planted late but worth the wait. These annuals grow to 7’ tall around here & the hummingbirds love them. The yellow variety hasn’t bloomed yet.
Quick trip to my favorite hotel on earth. Absolute generalization but You People from up north are freaking rude as hell to hotel staff.. Say what you will, but most of us in the backwater south have manners. And when the beach attendants carry your stuff, slip them 10 bucks. Sewanee is expensive.
July 30, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Quick trip to my favorite hotel on earth. Absolute generalization but You People from up north are freaking rude as hell to hotel staff.. Say what you will, but most of us in the backwater south have manners. And when the beach attendants carry your stuff, slip them 10 bucks. Sewanee is expensive.
My almost daughter-in-law, the thoughtful child as my wife calls her, bought another ticket night just to get me a @phish.com poster since they sold out on Friday night when we were there. My wife matted, framed & hung the poster in our bedroom. My stuff usually gets relegated to the garage or attic
July 19, 2025 at 2:05 PM
My almost daughter-in-law, the thoughtful child as my wife calls her, bought another ticket night just to get me a @phish.com poster since they sold out on Friday night when we were there. My wife matted, framed & hung the poster in our bedroom. My stuff usually gets relegated to the garage or attic
Bright sunshine. And it’s raining.
July 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Bright sunshine. And it’s raining.
Spotted lanternfly; highly invasive species. So much so that the State of SC through Clemson Agriculture has issued a kill on sight order. Imported from China the lanternfly feeds on trees & cash crops like soybeans, grapes & stone fruit like peaches. So far it has only been spotted upstate.
July 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Spotted lanternfly; highly invasive species. So much so that the State of SC through Clemson Agriculture has issued a kill on sight order. Imported from China the lanternfly feeds on trees & cash crops like soybeans, grapes & stone fruit like peaches. So far it has only been spotted upstate.
Second cucumber planting starting to come in as are figs. Hope to harvest 50 or so figs but the tweety birds are starting to take big bites out of ‘em. It’s just mid July, can I bring in 3 separate plantings/harvests of both cukes & tomatoes? Never done 3 plantings before.
July 14, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Second cucumber planting starting to come in as are figs. Hope to harvest 50 or so figs but the tweety birds are starting to take big bites out of ‘em. It’s just mid July, can I bring in 3 separate plantings/harvests of both cukes & tomatoes? Never done 3 plantings before.
Sad hearing the Grand Canyon Lodge on the north rim burned down yesterday. We stayed in a cabin adjacent to the lodge on a trip in 2014. Ate at the lodge’s white tablecloth grand dining room for supper one night & breakfast every morning for their spectacular buffet. Best beer drinking deck ever.
July 13, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Sad hearing the Grand Canyon Lodge on the north rim burned down yesterday. We stayed in a cabin adjacent to the lodge on a trip in 2014. Ate at the lodge’s white tablecloth grand dining room for supper one night & breakfast every morning for their spectacular buffet. Best beer drinking deck ever.
Beans starting to come in; first these Rattlesnake pole beans & soon to follow the venerable Kentucky Wonder. Also grow Fordhook bush Lima beans. Peas are about 2 weeks away & in my garden I grow a California black eyed pea & the almost mythical Sea Island Red Pea. Highest yield per square foot.
June 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Beans starting to come in; first these Rattlesnake pole beans & soon to follow the venerable Kentucky Wonder. Also grow Fordhook bush Lima beans. Peas are about 2 weeks away & in my garden I grow a California black eyed pea & the almost mythical Sea Island Red Pea. Highest yield per square foot.
This heron, egret, long legged wading bird has basically moved into my backyard. He’s quickly learned that I drop mealworms under the bluebird feeder & big skinks come to feed on the mealworms & this guy hoovers up the skinks. Everybody gets fed except the mealworms.
June 27, 2025 at 2:11 PM
This heron, egret, long legged wading bird has basically moved into my backyard. He’s quickly learned that I drop mealworms under the bluebird feeder & big skinks come to feed on the mealworms & this guy hoovers up the skinks. Everybody gets fed except the mealworms.
Turtle nest in my butterfly garden hatched last night. Counted 6 egg shells. Little turtles gotta cross the street to get to the lake; how do they know which way to go?
June 21, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Turtle nest in my butterfly garden hatched last night. Counted 6 egg shells. Little turtles gotta cross the street to get to the lake; how do they know which way to go?
Why this guy has taken up residence in my backyard is beyond me. Had a long talk with him morning telling him the lake is across the street but he’s not interested. Apparently he prefers skinks & anoles to fish. Never seen him fly, maybe he’s injured. Join the menagerie.
June 18, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Why this guy has taken up residence in my backyard is beyond me. Had a long talk with him morning telling him the lake is across the street but he’s not interested. Apparently he prefers skinks & anoles to fish. Never seen him fly, maybe he’s injured. Join the menagerie.
Turtle nest eggs hatched last night, right in the middle of my butterfly garden. Little turtles gotta cross the street to get to the lake, hope they made the journey. Is that why the heron has taken up residence in my backyard? Heron has hovered several big skinks so a little turtle is an appetizer.
June 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Turtle nest eggs hatched last night, right in the middle of my butterfly garden. Little turtles gotta cross the street to get to the lake, hope they made the journey. Is that why the heron has taken up residence in my backyard? Heron has hovered several big skinks so a little turtle is an appetizer.
Just when the big tomatoes are ready for harvest, 7 straight days of rain are causing them to explode. First heirloom pink, in this case the famous Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter, is ruined. The fruit isn’t useless, but the inside is too watery for slicing. Roasting them is an alternative.
June 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Just when the big tomatoes are ready for harvest, 7 straight days of rain are causing them to explode. First heirloom pink, in this case the famous Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter, is ruined. The fruit isn’t useless, but the inside is too watery for slicing. Roasting them is an alternative.
Zoltar for 3 hours. My Backyard Bounty Basket is always a hit. Always prompts questions.
June 11, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Zoltar for 3 hours. My Backyard Bounty Basket is always a hit. Always prompts questions.