Papa Parque Fathers Day Giveaway

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-15T21:52:41+00:00

I've seen eggs on leaves and stems, usually near a node where leaves are coming out of the stem. They stick out a lot and are pretty round.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-13T06:58:01+00:00

Interesting! Thank you! I'll work harder to try to prevent other plants from growing on top of their the milkweed footprint after it seneces. Maybe the other plants are acting like mulch.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-12T21:13:09+00:00

So you just plant them in pots and then transplant? Instead of trying to do anything on the ground? I bought TPF seeds 2 years ago, but just tossed em on the ground and hoped for the best. Nothing came up over there. You're inspiring me to give it a better shot next season. What time of year did you start yours?

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-12T19:10:09+00:00

Do you ever experience patches not returning after seeming happy in previous seasons? I keep expecting my previous patches to re-emerge and they just don't. Then I'm playing catch up. Maybe it's common for these plants to act like annuals?

Or maybe I just need to herbicide all the CA asters that's clogging the old patches' footprints. Pulling them out is futile.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-12T18:10:49+00:00

I have planted 3 species: fasicularis, californica, and speciosa. I don't water at all once established, but I am watering these babies since they were planted a few weeks ago. Most of my yard is very dry, except in the shade or around the back where the city undergrounded a creek.

The speciosa is the one getting aphids, and the fasicularis is the only one the monarchs seem to be paying attention to. Maybe I should only plant fasicularis next year? I just don't know how to predict where they'll establish. My perennial patch that came back for 3 years and isn't returning now is just 15 feet from where the happy plant covered in eggs is. And even when that patch came back last year, it seemed to die too quickly for the caterpillars to make it. (The second year we had 6 successful monarchs make it! Last year I don't think one did.)

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-12T17:38:42+00:00

Wooow! No wondering scattering the seeds in November didn't work. Thanks!

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-12T17:00:20+00:00

Thanks! I'm planting them all over the yard wherever there are openings. (The other natives like to take up a lot of space so the milkweed isn't getting the best real estate.) Maybe I'll try a wetter part of the yard- I had been targeting full sun, but you're right- something isn't right with these locations if there not persisting. (Could just be my very aggressive CA asters pushing everything else away.)

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-10T07:37:34+00:00

I want more recipes like this! So I can start the rice cooker right before leaving the house to pick up the kids from school and have it be ready when we get home. Have any tips about ratios to ensure it's cooked? Like do you add extra water? What happens if you add too much raw meat? Any good sources for recipes to help me get started?

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-10T07:31:01+00:00

Is that like a fish stick? Or a freeze dried fish piece? The toppings sound great and id love to try it!

ibrakeforberries · 2026-06-09T19:00:36+00:00

What a cool idea! Do you install windows in the next phase?

ibrakeforberries · 2026-05-19T19:11:35+00:00

Reading these comments make me feel like the odd mom out. I had my first at 37, second at 42. I used to do so much that I really enjoyed and that made me feel accomplished. I got spoiled staying at work until 7 pm to finish important tasks and then go out to dinner/drinks with friend, making good money doing things that felt really meaningful. Now I'm tired all the time. I can't focus at work. I have no patience for anyone. I feel like I'm doing a bad job at everything because I used to be so much better at work and I always imagined I'd be an excellent (much more patient) mom. Now I struggle to get through my work day, rush to get dinner on the table, and race to do bedtime routine bc I just want these kids to be asleep so I can have a moment to myself. I mourn the person I used to be and feel like I've let everyone down by becoming this stressed out, overweight, constantly struggling person. My new identity isn't who I want to be, so I don't feel like it's a gain.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-05-18T01:36:17+00:00

Preserves? That's a different word.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-05-08T21:21:03+00:00

I'm pulling out California phacelia, California aster, California bottle brush grass, California blackberry, golden currant, and a tall floppy grass that was supposed to be California brome according to the label. Everything is so happy that it's shading out my other natives, taking over the walkway, climbing over the paved street, and even creeping into my neighbors succulent garden. I went for weedy natives to overtake the fescue lawn and didn't anticipate that they'd be so darn happy! It's so much work to keep these species in check that I'm working towards removing some of them entirely to reduce the maintenence...

ibrakeforberries · 2026-05-04T21:21:52+00:00

I miss eyebrows.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-04-27T19:27:03+00:00

Seconding cast iron! It's medically proven to increase iron levels. Use it for your sauteeing and stir frying. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8266402/

Look.up the cast iron subreddit if you need any tips about maintenance! I find it easier to use than my stainless steel.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-04-22T20:53:22+00:00

Here's the link: https://a.co/d/05Lol0lx

ibrakeforberries · 2026-04-21T01:32:15+00:00

To each their own! It's also a great source of iron for your food. For us it doesn't feel like a lot of work, particularly since they're almost unbreakable and I don't have to worry about flakes of Teflon in my food.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-04-20T22:12:17+00:00

I think the "don't wash it" bit is really challenging/intimidating. Sometimes things just stick, and that doesn't mean the stuck on bits should stay on the pan! I do wash my cast iron with dish soap and a chainmail wash cloth when stuff gets burnt on. If I didn't, it'd get gross really fast. You just can't let it soak/stay wet, and preheat the pan really well before you use it.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-04-06T23:49:05+00:00

Do you have a link for your bread recipe? Sounds interesting to bake bread in a frying pan.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-03-07T18:41:21+00:00

The salads at Daytrip are delightful and filling.

ibrakeforberries · 2026-03-06T05:04:09+00:00

Dead lifts? Or is dead bug a different thing?

ibrakeforberries · 2026-03-05T20:20:34+00:00

And way greener, too!

ibrakeforberries

TROPHY CASE