Month: August 2018

In a Canoe to Up a Tree

| Flower Roberts

My family spent a cool afternoon in the mountains20180813_125423.jpg

paddling around a lake in kayaks and a canoe.

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We stick to the perimeter because there is so much to see along the shore.

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That’s how I spotted these lovely brackets from the water.

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After our time on the water, I tracked down this dead tree.

I had to do some climbing to get these photos.

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There were at least three years worth of Ganoderma on the trunk.

I am hesitant to identify any fungi for fear someone will

find that fungus and eat it or make some tea

and lose their liver because of me.

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Ganoderm

It is a polypore.  That means it has pores instead of gills.

I am so happy that when the flowers start to fade,

the fungi emerge.

FLOW

Magical Mushrooms

| Flower Roberts

Mushrooms are the flowers of the Fungi kingdom.

I think they are beautiful.

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I had to rush outside with my camera this afternoon and get these photos

before mean Mr. Flower mowed them down.

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No worries, they will be back.

The part above ground is for reproduction, just like the flowers of plants.

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I expect to see another lovely crop after the next good rain.

Some mushrooms like this oak conk do not look like mushrooms. This looks bread.

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Most of these mushrooms have gills

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and stalks with a club foot.

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Some of them have pores under their caps instead of gills.

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Like this blob-shaped, one with a yellow stalk.

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Its cross-section has different layers.

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These tiny groups look like bird’s nests. Rain washes the spores out to spread.

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These two look like potatoes.

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This one is gray like a stone.

Some caps are like funnels instead of parasols.

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I love to find little buttons just emerging from their veils.

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I enjoy finding mounds of mushrooms, too.

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The red-capped ones are my favorite.

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I like mushrooms so much that I make my own out of concrete.

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This lizard uses this one for his lookout post.

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FLOWER loves Fungi

 

 

Quashing the Squash Bugs

| Flower Roberts

I am beginning to hate squash.

I love fried squash and squash casseroles,

but I am having to work too hard to save my squash plants.

Every day I go out to the garden with my jug of soapy water .

I first look for all the patches of copper eggs.

These may be on the tops or undersides of the leaves.

Sometimes the tricky, yucky bugs even lay eggs on the flowers.

I rub these off with soapy fingers and dip my hand into the jug.

Then I search the stems for copulating adults.

I chase them down and throw them with disgust into the jug to drown.

The last task is to chase down all the youngins’ (nymphs)

and smash them between my soapy fingertips.

These little bugs may be green or gray depending on their stage.

They move in groups like a gangs of tiny thugs.

I really don’t like squash enough to keep this up…

unless there is a recipe that includes chocolate!

Quashing the Squash bugs is not worth it unless some chocolate is involved.

FLOWER

A New Leaf

| Flower Roberts

If you want to know if a plant is happy,

check out its new leaf.

I have been watching my new elephant ear, ‘Frydek’ for the past eight days.

I wasn’t sure if it would like the its new spot up against the house.

Its first new leaf has expressed approval of the new location.

It came up furled, as usual.IMG_0831

Then a few days later, it started to open

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and show its colors.

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Then it drooped a bit in the rain.

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Now it is standing up big and strong.

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The new leaf is twice as big as the leaves that formed when it was in the pot.

Frydek likes its new home.

I wish I could “turn over a new leaf” in just eight days.

FLOWER

Close Fronds

| Flower Roberts

All the ferns are happy that it is raining.

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Autumn Fern / Dryopteris erythrosoroa
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Korean Rock fern/ Polystichum tsus-simense
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Japanese Holly fern / Crytomium falcatum
wild Chain fern/ Woodwardia areolata
Buckler fern / Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’

My little fronds look refreshed.   I’m happy they’re happy.

FLOWER