I am working on a “Weeds” post, so I have been taking pictures of all my weeds.
You will love this when it’s done. It has song lyrics.
While I was out lamenting the success of all the pesky weeds,
I also took pictures of lovely plants that I did not plant. At least not on purpose.
Here are some serendipitous surprises.
They have come from a land of shifting sand.
Where people flee across borders to live in tents,
Where battles are fought and drones are flown,
There is no safety or certainty.
The man came first to earn and learn on this safe soil.
He studied the language,
he worked long days,
he filled out forms.
Two years went by. The boy grew older.
Now FINALLY his family is here.
We must celebrate their arrival.
We will have a cook-out,
with cookies and watermelon.
We will make some Jazar Halwa
with ingredients familiar to them, though strange to us
.
Will the flash and bang of our fireworks scare them?
Or will they delight in the sparkling colors
of red, white and blue
On this safe soil.
Happy July 4th
CELEBRATE YOUR FREEDOM.
Follow the Flower!
Let the flowers come to the funeral.
We mourners need to see their up-turned, shining faces.
While our heads are bowed out of respect and sadness.
We need them to brighten this darkness.
We need their ribbons and tags.
So that we can read the names of the people moved by his passing.
We need roses and mums, lilies and glads
to add scent to the hushed air.
Let them line up at the altar and surround the tent.
In lieu of chicken and biscuits,
In lieu of casseroles and pound cakes,
In lieu of a check to the church,
SEND IN THE FLOWERS.
To stand like sentries over the plot after the mourners leave,
Making the grave look like a garden.
In memory of my precious cousin Mark Bayzik, who died yesterday.
I went into my neighbors houses while they were away and took pictures. I knocked at the door and if no one answered, I went in with my camera to check out their housekeeping and furnishings.
At one house, some babies were home alone. I took their pictures while they were sleeping.
Once the lady of the house ignored my knocking and was inside when I opened her door. It was quite a shock for us both, but she let me take her picture without a fuss.
Here is Mrs. Chickadee stuck at home incubating those eggs.
She was probably glad for my company.
That fluffy stuff is fur from my New Zealand rabbit named Barley. How cozy? I love her colors.
Here are the babies that were left home alone.
I don’t get this free-range parenting.
I’m a helicopter mom, like my mother before me.
I saw Mrs. Wren leave, so I took the opportunity to check out her decor.
Then I dropped by the Bluebirds’ house and…
What’s this? Darn cowbird. You brood parasite! You need to mooooove on.
Kidding aside, let’s compare these three nests of three different species.
All three nests were in birdhouses connected to the deck on my home. They are the standard bluebird type houses.
The Carolina Chickadee lays 6-8 lightly speckled white eggs in a flat, soft nest with fewer twigs.
The Carolina Wren usually lays 5 brown-spotted, whitish eggs in a domed nest. It looks like a bassinet made of twigs and grass.
The Eastern Bluebird lays 4-6 light blue eggs in a loose, cup-like nest. All three nests included pine needles and moss.
The Brown-headed Cowbird (not really pictured)lays one white speckled egg at a time in the nests of other, usually smaller songbirds. The foster chick grows more quickly than the biological offspring of the nest owner. The cowbird chick out-competes the smaller chicks for food and sometimes pushes his “siblings” out of the nest.
If you hear a squeaky, rattling gurgle-like sound, look around. If you see two strangers and one is in all black with a brown hood, alert your neighbors to the possibility of an impending invasion.
NO, not me with my camera. I was referring to the cowbirds.
Follow the Flower!
No, this is not going to be a rant against Monsanto. I won’t even go there.
I am sharing my methods for saving seeds of annuals, biennials and perennials.
I do this to have more plants, keep “heirloom” plants going, share seeds, and avoid buying annuals’ seeds every year.
I will demonstrate with some poppies that were given to me by a dear, artist friend, Bill Troutman.
He is no longer around, but every spring these poppies take my breath away with their beauty.
Poppy Pods
Once the pods are brown, the holes around the crown will open. Shake some seeds out onto a piece of paper with the name of the flower written on it. This labels the inside of the seed packet. I do this to avoid that “What is This?” issue if I forget to write the name on the outside of the folded paper.
I do this on a box lid to avoid losing seeds in the process. I have multiple sheets of paper in it, so I can walk around the yard collecting different seeds at the same time. It’s also handy for carrying the roll of tape and the marker.
Then fold up the paper and tape it up. Then write the name again on the outside.
I sow these poppy seeds in November.
Some other seeds I save in June are foxglove and columbine.
Now, share some seeds with your gardening friends.
They make great hostess gifts for garden parties. Just add a photo and bow and wah lah!!! Future flowers.
Follow the Flower!
Years ago my little niece came to me with a fund-raiser catalog for her school. I was pleased to find bulbs offered among the usual nuts and wrapping paper. I ordered a packet of five pink “Fairy Lily” bulbs. The scientific name is Zephyranthus robustus. It’s nickname is rain lily.
I planted these in a pot that had some extra space and forgot about them. Later, I noticed little green shoots. Then one day some sweet little pink faces were peeking out. When the central plant finally out-grew that pot, I divided the bulbs and put them in many more pots with space in them and even planted some in the yard.
The fairy lilies tend to bloom after it rains. I am surprised to see some blooming in different spots at different times. The blooming periods are unpredictable, so it’s like getting a little surprise from my niece whenever more bloom. I smile every time I find some blooming and remember my little pink fairy niece.
You know you are getting old when you plant things yourself and then are surprised to see them later.
Follow the Flower!
White flowers pop in shady spots. They never clash with other colors. They even show up at night.
Here are some of my favorites.
Follow the Flower!
A quick walk around the yard with my camera to capture all my little friends in the garden.
I almost stepped on Mr. Snake while looking at clouds. My daughter calls him “Big Guy.” He showed up at one of our parties. We had to stand in front of him as my sister-in-law passed. I hope she doesn’t read this!
We have lizards everywhere. I suspect some arrived in bales of pine needles. We have had baby snakes come that way also.
The tree frog on the rocks is named Mortimer. He used to stay near our front porch at a little patio pond. He has now moved onto the porch behind a piece of art. He peeks out as we go and come. You will see him in future posts.
I wish this picture of the frog at my daughter’s pond did this frog justice. He is bigger than my hand and makes a big SPLASH as he jumps into the pond.
Follow the Flower!
floweralley 