dimondites

The photo below was taken by Tim Champman of Dimond District. He captured images in front of Nama Japanese restaurant on Fruitvale. I chuckled out loud when I saw the photos.  After reading the title “Nama Geyser,” I was expecting, I don’t know, private label bottled water?

All photos can be viewed on Tim’s link. Trust me, it’s worth the view. Great photos, Tim.

photo: Roger Raiche via NPR.com

This is a Lyman Fern. A California native. I think these are the ferns I’ve seen on Lyman Road (the street I live on!) (And the road that ends the Dimond District north).  How cool is this little discovery? 

Information about the Lyman Fern from the Southern California Horticultural Society:

Polypodium californicum ‘Sarah Lyman’ (Polypodiaceae). Sarah Lyman Fern.
Napa County, California. This is the choice, and rarely seen, cut-leaf form of California polypody fern. The bright green fronds may reach 20 inches or so in length and are up to 8 inches across. It was originally discovered by Sarah Lyman and her son (Dr. W. W. “Jack” Lyman) in 1897 near their home on a hillside between St. Helena and Calistoga in Napa County. It is likely the oldest fern cultivar that is definitively of California origin and still in cultivation. This fern is summer deciduous, with the first new fronds appearing in November after the first fall rains. Plants are completely sterile and have never been known to form  ori or spores, therefore all propagation is vegetative by division. ‘Sarah Lyman’ grows best in partial shade and is an excellent container plant.

In summer, potted plants should be placed in the shade and may only need a splash or two of water in our hottest areas. When the plants are actively growing they should receive regular watering if the rains fail to come. It is easy to grow and is, obviously, long lived. (B. O’Brien/RSABG)

Photo via Growing Gone Wild

More information can be found at California Flora Nursery

Other than the primer, which was the first layer, we were able to create 10 gallons of mixed color paint to create this beautiful, neutral (and natural-looking) paint for our ceiling.  Thanks to the donations from Tim Little, Kristen Craven, Kathy and Freecyclers. You go, Dimondites (and Freecyclers)!

From Ron’s garage sale…

To Fernseed…

New small succulent gardens. Retail price $6 each.

Tips from Tim Little, a local Dimondite and painting expert…

Just because it is interior paint don’t confuse it with only being water based. High end painting is a combination of both. Use only oil enamel on trim (doors, shelves,windows, crown and base and casements) and flat or sheen latex on walls and now the new acrylics on walls and trim.

Interiors used to be all oil up to the late 60’s but latex took over the wall and ceiling market. They are now just beginning to come out with a suitable finish for woodwork that acts like an oil and gives the hard shell of an oil yet being water based and totally acrylic.

The best wood/trim primers are oil - whether interior or exterior. They are superior for hold out to staining from water or tannin from the wood substrate or surface impurities. None of it holds up to mold or mildew which should always be removed with a bleach solution. Failure to do so will cause it to pop back through any type of paint film.