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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Sunday, January 30, 2022

This Image reminds us of The Bull (De Stier) by Paulus Potter 1647

 Whenever both of us are biking on Evergreen Road, in Dublin, Georgia we come upon a meadow with a bull and cows.
This certainly reminds us of The Bull (De Stier) by Dutch painter Paulus Potter 1647.
De Stier (1647) - Paulus Potter ←click link and it can be translated in English as well.
He is one of the most famous painters of The Netherlands.

Sadly, Paulus Potter only lived to be 28 years of age, he died in 1654 of tubercolosis.

Were you familiar with this great Dutch painter?

Friday, January 28, 2022

WORLD LEPROSY DAY

 On January 30, it will be the annual WORLD LEPROSY DAY
In 1989 this lady received a prosthesis from Princess Diana and then in 1997 from the Dublin, Georgia, USA Rotary Club.
As you quite well know, while working and living in Indonesia we got involved with the Leprosy project.


Even back in my birth country The Netherlands we had a leper colony...
The Windmill Herald was a bi-weekly Dutch-English Newspaper printed by Vanderheide Publishing Co Ltd. Langley, BC Canada.

Comments are off here, only via above link...

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Our Camellia Japonica Debutante in Winter

 All through winter we do have blooming flowers!
Such a JOY to see this!
Camellia Japonica Debutante is a GEM.
On December 8, 2021...
Pieter captured these on the iPhone
Such a prolific blooming Camellia!
Here you see a few Camellia Japonica Debutante in a pottery jug.
Our Spunky girl is sitting on a chair and looking towards us.
Yes, we had home baked waffles with frozen cherries from Costco, unsweetened shredded coconut and Coconut cream from Trader Joe's.
Roses were given by my choir director after practice on January 5...
A stunning Camellia Japonica Debutante with a bud next to it, in the afternoon sun...
The top and bottom photos were taken on January 9, 2022.

Do you have any Camellias?

Related links:
{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | previous post by me
{Let It Be A Happy New Year} | previous post by me
{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | previous post by me
{Happy 2016} | previous post by me

Monday, January 24, 2022

My Woven Sewing Basket

 One year for Saint Nicholas, my sister Diny and I received each a woven sewing basket...
Diny's was in a lilac color and mine was red.
This is how it looks after half a century...
Beautiful padded inside with red satin
From the outside...
No idea where it was made...
Do any of you have a similar one?

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Bridge and Underbrush Clearing

 Quite a challenge all the upkeep of wooden bridges...
Repairing the bridge and then preserving the wood...
Pieter is looking happy with the progress he made!
Wearing his Franklin Farms sweatshirt, see post below.
It is quite a length to be worked at!
Keep in mind that the creek can be wild and very wide during heavy rain.
On January 9, Pieter started cutting the underbrush, using his small electrical chainsaw with double extension cord.
So we will have a far more 'open view' of our wood garden.
On January 13 with good light...
LOVE all the mosses growing at the foot of this already huge oak that we once planted.
Bridge is in the back.
Pieter making progress with cutting the underbrush alongside the creek.
Lots of mosses along the creek's edge.
Lovely view of a calm and crystal clear creek...
The upkeep of our estate is quite a task but also very rewarding!


Related link:
{Our Wild Creek} | previous post by me

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Our Home Freshly Painted

 Our home once again needed a fresh paint...
We used the very same Benjamin Moore Golden Mist.
Last time done was in May of 2013...
A lot of intricate painting work needed to be done on all the Vintage Woodworks spindles, ginger bread and trimmings. Painters Stanley Jessup and Randy Slaughter did a great job.
So after having it pressure washed on November 16, the painters finally started on November 29...
Our Interlock Metal Roofing, Interlock® Aluminum Slate in Aged Copper looks very nice as it is protected for a lifetime by AlunarⓇ embedded with TEFLONⓇ surface protector for ultimate durability and protection. See links of previous post below.
Above photo is taken under our Magnolia Grandiflora, which is now trimmed up and allows for a much nicer view of the home.
Since we'd requested the painters already in April of 2021, Pieter started doing preparations prior to their job... The lowest step, coming down from the gazebo into the garden was broken.
To the right, it is still missing its fulcrum on the left (only a brick) and right. This was on May 16, 2021.
Notice to the top left how the underside of the gazebo used to be white...
And yes, we removed all the boxwoods as they'd become rather lanky after 30 years.
When Pieter took this photo on January 9, of course, Spooky boy wanted to go with him.
Here the left and right fulcrums are clearly visible and the underpart is in Benjamin Moore Golden Mist, just like our home.
To the left you also see a brick for support, just in case...
Pieter took this photo from the side and back of our freshly painted home.
Taken on January 9, as well.
You can see where the newly DOORBRIM added (next to the chimney is visible ←click on link).
This photo shows more of the area to the left, where the retainer wall curves alongside our driveway.
Pieter did paint the retainer wall himself, after we had the fiberglass window boxes removed and placed inside the garage, out of the way for ladders and such.
You also see the bare spot where the huge live oak tree once stood near the chimney.
We got that first done...
This photo got taken on January 17, from the neighbor's lot over our vinyl picket fence.
The Japanese magnolia is already opening its buds; two are fully open!
And that with frost coming our way this week...
Both of us are so happy to have this mega task once more DONE!
It took forever till January 6, as it was raining on and off.
Yesterday, January 19, EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC cleaned the tiled patio near the Rose Suite entrance as well as the Rose Arbor.
You also can see the newly added DOORBRIM above Rose Suite's entrance door, see previous post below.
The Rose Stepping Stones got repainted by Pieter and are ready to be laid, once we have grass growing where the huge live oak tree once was.
Also yesterday, EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC cleaned our driveway as there were marks from the heavy equipment, used by the crew from 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC when cutting down and trimming our trees.
The orange cord visible, is from two long extension cords connected for Pieter being able to work on the underbrush with his electric chain saw, alongside the creek in our wood garden.
Looking neat and clean, all the way to the road.
This is our majestic Magnolia Namnetensis Flore Pleno to the right.
EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC also took care of our garage tiles.
So all the signs from different mega tasks have been 'erased' and the Vedder Estate looks nice!
Pieter's electric chain saw is visible in his hand wagon.

Related link:
{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived} | previous post with details about AlunarⓇ embedded with TEFLONⓇ surface protector 
Big Trees Down and others Trimmed  | pevious post by me
DOORBRIM added | previous post by me

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

DOORBRIM added

When the painters detected some rotting in one of the exterior door frames, Pieter had that section repaired with WoodEpox® from ABATRON, INC. 
After searching for some protection, this was the ONLY thing that would fit our entrance door.
DOORBRIM Rain Diverters from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
You can see our Florentine Fig peaking over the fence.
Our Home got again repainted with Benjamin Moore, Golden Mist and white for the windows and doors.
So that is what I ordered and Pieter installed it himself.
Yes, it is proudly MADE in USA
Pieter had to cut it out for making it fit on our stucco part.
Now that door frame is well protected!
Another Home Improvement... 

Related link:
Our Home Freshly Painted | more views about the DOORBRIM

Sunday, January 16, 2022

SOME VIRUS FACTS AND QUESTIONS

 Already on September 19 of 2020, husband Pieter did write this and send it to our local Laurens Now Magazine.
Figure 1. (from page 419 in our book) Three different types of virus particles (see arrows) have been found in mushrooms, suffering from dieback (see arrows). This picture was taken by electron microscope, enlargement 80,000 x.
Photograph, TFDL—IPO, (Task Dataflow Language at the Institute for Phytopathological Research WUR, Wageningen University, The Netherlands).

~

SOME VIRUS FACTS AND QUESTIONS

Together with my wife Mariette, I have spent almost my entire life in the mushroom world. We both have gained a very specialized knowledge and experience in that field, and because of that, we have done consulting work, training sessions and lecturing all over the globe.
We just have published our latest edition of the book 'modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting', in which we have written down that scientific and practical knowledge, gained in our lifetime, on 448 pages, including over 200 color images.
To become an expert in the mushroom business, one has to study of course, what is going on in that special world of moulds, mushrooms and all kind of microorganisms, including viruses. You have to know that one of the most disastrous diseases in mushroom production is caused by a virus infection. Because of that, we know a little bit more about a virus than the average person. The COVID-19 virus is of course not the same as the virus causing the problem in the mushroom business, but there are enough identical characteristics, worthwhile for keeping in mind.
To avoid a virus problem on a mushroom farm, first we have to follow a very strict hygiene program; almost at a hospital level.
Secondly, we have to filter all incoming air for the growing rooms. Most modern mushroom farms have a sophisticated air handling system, controlling temperature, relative humidity, CO₂ concentration etc., including air filtration. By filtering the incoming air, we try to keep harmful organisms, like little insects, spores from competitor moulds and virus particles out of the growing rooms. And here comes the point. It is relatively easy to catch flies, butterflies, midges etc.; for that we are using a so–called pre–filter, more or less like a normal fly screen. Catching spores from competitor moulds and virus particles, however, is another story, because of the small size of those organisms. Such a filter, we call that an 'absolute' filter, has to catch particles, the size of three to five micron, with an airspeed through the filter of approximately 4 to 6 feet per second. The problem here is, that the virus particles are so minuscule, only 0.003 till 0.05 micron.
Figure 2. This figure gives a good insight in the size of virus particles, in comparison with other airborne particles, (Source Paul Stamets).

~

In the image you can see that the average virus particles are even smaller than substances in tobacco smoke, and also much smaller than bacteria and spores from moulds and mushrooms.
Therefore, a filter able to catch virus particles in the air would have to be so dense that hardly any air could pass under normal pressure and air speed.
But here comes some relief. A virus does not possess an independent metabolism; it can only 'grow' and multiply the metabolism of more developed cells. It cannot live that long on its own; it has to be attached to other living cells like bacteria, spores or even small droplets of human saliva. That's why we are advised to cover our face with a piece of fabric.
From the foregoing, you can figure out, that such a piece of fabric cannot catch virus particles; it can only catch particles attached to a bigger sized object, like bacteria, spores or a little droplet of moisture, coming out of your, or other person's mouth. Hopefully that piece of fabric fits tightly, so there are no 'leaks'. Some even are using a plastic shield. Does such a shield give you any protection; being open at several sides?
Another problem I see, is that if the mouth cover indeed has caught some virus, attached to whatever, what are you doing with that cover, coming back from e.g., shopping, putting it down somewhere and wearing it again?
Once a virus has invaded a host, it starts changing their metabolism in such a way that it multiplies the virus, instead of their own cells. As soon as a virus enters the host, a healthy host, immediately starts fighting off the intruder. By doing so, building an even stronger immune system. That is the reason that a little blood from a person who has overcome a virus attack, can help somebody, who is struggling, to fight the disease. Two things are important here; first, we are mentioning a 'healthy' host, with therefore a strong immune system.
Secondly, very important is the level of infection. A little infection to a healthy person is not a problem because that gives the immune system the time to build up the resistance. The problem is a high infection pressure upon an 'older' somewhat unhealthy individual, with a weak immune system. That gives the virus the opportunity to multiply, and so creating the problems, especially attacking the respiratory system.
Over the years, we have learned that a strong antagonism is often the key to fight off an invader; think e.g. about the penicillium mould, fighting infections 'extract penicillium'. 
I don't come up with conclusions; after reading these facts it is up to you, using common sense.
Because of politics there is already enough confusing information around.
We always have made our decisions, based on facts and by using common sense.

Pieter J. C. Vedder
September 19, 2020


Pieter mailed the file out on Saturday, September 19, 2020 but it never got published in Laurens Now Magazine...

Reading now Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s book, which we purchased on November 24, 2021 we decided to as yet publish the above.

On February 16, it also is available in Germany and in our opinion in a better print (on 900 pages instead of 480!) for easier reading. 
Already ranking very high in Germany!
Our book is of course not a bestseller ranking #1 but together with Paul Stamets (Figure 2, used here above) whom we mentioned in our book, we are listed under University Textbooks.

Both of us have no PAY MASTER, but we publish the truth, not anything unfounded in science. 

Related link:
modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting | previous post by me about our publication
P.J.C. Vedder's 1987 Design for NEW COMPOSTING SYSTEM (Phase I) | previous post by me about the WUR Wageningen University and Pieter's exceptional grades

Friday, January 14, 2022

ResistAll

 On April 28 of 2021 we were in Atlanta at the office of Nalley Infiniti
In the sales person's office we noticed this...
ResistAll and some coffee spilled out!
ResistAll
Preserving the Beauty of Your Vehicle
WAIT a minute...!
Such a clever design and it sure caused some good laughs!

Copyright:

MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

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