On the writing front (book content is French-only) #
Le Cabinet des Mauvais Souvenirs :
« Le dispositif la guide dans une rue résidentielle étroite, aux maisons serrées les unes contre les autres. Le pauvre numéro 5 a perdu la bataille de l’espace, complètement aplati entre le 3 et le 7. La largeur de l’étage accueille un balcon dont la rampe apparaît bien fragile sous l’amoncellement de pots de fleurs qu’elle doit supporter. Un habitat sans doute agréable pour nombre de passereaux et petites bestioles des jardins, ne peut s’empêcher de noter Merle, surtout au vu du lierre qui envahit le mur. Le lierre, une plante mal aimée, pourtant si merveilleuse. »
On the web front #
Today, I would like to talk about the Ember.js framework, a frontend JavaScript framework that makes it easy to build complex web applications. I like Ember for several reasons:
- It’s a community-driven framework. It’s supported by individuals and companies of all sizes, not primarily funded by a single tech giant like some other frameworks.
- It stays close to JavaScript, aiming to align as closely as possible with the native language. If you know how to write JavaScript classes and HTML, you already have a good grasp of Ember. The framework evolves to minimize its own specific features, and its core developers actively think about the future of JavaScript (see, for example, the TC39 Signals proposal, where Yehuda Katz and Preston Sego are listed as contributors).
- Along the same lines, Ember also aligns with broader web standards. For instance, Ember apps are now built with Vite, and TypeScript typing configuration is available out of the box when you generate a new app.
- Finally, deprecation as a philosophy is central to Ember. When maintaining an older Ember app, there’s always a clear path and codemods to modernize it at your own pace. Upgrading to a new major version is typically a manageable (even minimal) effort if you’ve addressed deprecation warnings incrementally.
In the garden #
The National Garden Birds Count is this weekend!
With the recent rains and milder temperatures, the soil has softened. I was finally able to retrieve and plant the tree and shrub species that will make up my bird-friendly hedge, replacing the old row of thuja. My new additions are field maple, whitethorn, red dogwood, sea buckthorn, and a second chokeberry. The last two came from the Haudainville nursery, while the first ones (the maple, two whitethorns, and two red dogwoods) were dug up directly from the forest among their many peers. The new hedge will be shorter than the previous one, making it easier to maintain along with my outdoor woodwork, and the sun will also reach a final free section of my fence, allowing me to plant some edible climbers like kiwis.
How to Plant a Straight Hedge, a Tutorial:
- Start by roughly laying out your plants on the ground to visualize the result until you’re satisfied. Your saplings can be more or less spaced depending on the species and how they might intertwine with their neighbors.
- Then, plant two stakes at each end, equidistant from the fence. (Allow for a good meter to a meter and a half of space from the fence, as you’ll need to be able to pass behind your trees for maintenance as they grow.) These stakes will help you judge the alignment of the trees from either end.
- Next, dig all the holes with a spade, using the stakes to ensure the holes are centered. Don’t scatter the garden soil you remove, as you’ll need it to refill the holes. At the bottom of each hole, loosen the garden soil with your spade and mix in a small bucket of compost or potting soil.
- Finally, proceed with planting one tree at a time. For each tree, take the time to position it to your liking, using the stakes to check that the trunk aligns with the others. (This part is a bit easier with two people.)
- Refill the hole with the garden soil you set aside. When the hole is about two-thirds full, add more compost and mix it with the soil to finish filling. Firmly press down the soil with your foot to secure the tree and prevent it from shifting, adding more garden soil as needed to level the ground.
- Once all your trees are planted, a thorough watering may be necessary depending on the weather. If the soil is already very moist, this may not be needed.
(Source: My father, a retired ONF agent who spent his entire career planting trees.)