tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52885889834020404022024-03-21T19:44:17.110-07:00Garden on the EdgeThis blog is about gardening and nature, two subjects that are inherently intertwined. I live outside of Boston (on the edge of an urban area) and near the ocean (on the edge of the land) and my property abuts a city owned natural area (on the edge of nature) what better name?
Zone: 6AUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-69220139198638572132016-01-01T11:42:00.000-08:002016-01-01T11:42:11.795-08:00Tiny Tank Challenge<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of my Tweeps recently posted a Tiny Tank Challenge. The idea was that participants would spend less than $100 and set up a tank that would hold at most 5 gallons.</div>
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Wait. I can hear you say (hi, Mom!), but this is a GARDENING BLOG. Well, you wait! This does involved plants!</div>
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So I decided to go along with the challenge because, while I love my 125 gallon display tank I am always thinking of other aquarium things to do. Sadly both they "cozy" layout of our house and The Husband keep me from setting up another good sized tank.</div>
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I considered a lot of different options and ended up choosing a combination of stuff I have experience with and new stuff.</div>
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Here is my current tank:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EBVc6s9QADOJsoYDKXDIS4k_Mmx4MrgKoeRDZRCznDUYxzfar-QbpjVaiTgUFemjDSIih6LACyQW517OZBBd4EfoqhElfexdLi2xC8BW6kYGkrN-6btThtXUo1Kw6kMU-etWvqWsjGg/s1600/Jan+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EBVc6s9QADOJsoYDKXDIS4k_Mmx4MrgKoeRDZRCznDUYxzfar-QbpjVaiTgUFemjDSIih6LACyQW517OZBBd4EfoqhElfexdLi2xC8BW6kYGkrN-6btThtXUo1Kw6kMU-etWvqWsjGg/s400/Jan+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A good number of fish, lots of live plants, but not "landscaped." </div>
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Now go Google "Planted Aquariums." Go ahead, I'll wait. </div>
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Wow, right? Those images are spectacular. And don't really look like the chaotic, life filled tank I look at every time I'm at my computer desk.</div>
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THAT is what I'm going to try to do with the Tiny Tank. I bought a 5 gallon aquarium, ordered a filter (the local pet store didn't have what I wanted) and when it comes in I'll get started setting it up. A nice, landscaped plant tank.</div>
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With Shrimp.</div>
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Because I like to watch tiny freshwater shrimp but the fish in my big tank aren't compatible.</div>
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[it takes a while for the bacteria to establish in a new tank so it will take a while before it's ready - you can check out the Tiny Tank Challenge at <a href="https://parlouroceans.wordpress.com/">Parlour Oceans</a>.]</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-3018411412108216762015-09-08T13:12:00.001-07:002015-09-08T13:12:38.099-07:00Elephants, elephants and more elephants<div style="text-align: justify;">
While elephants are in serious decline as a species some African parks have a different kind of trouble - over population. In Majete the elephant population has doubled since elephants were re-introduced to the park 10 year ago. Part of the research I helped with looks at population size and damage to vegetation to help assess what would be a healthy sized population of herbivores. Since the park is fenced and surrounded by poverty stricken communities there is no where for the elephants to migrate. Population control will be necessary at some point. There are hopes for a viable elephant birth control to help keep the population size reasonable without the trauma of capturing and moving herds or culling.</div>
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I saw elephants probably every day I was in Majete. The matriarchs had all been relocated from other areas into Majete but there are plenty of younger elephants who have grown up in the park.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedu0SUBJqFy3htpGJdqHCqIMZEkdIdC2rJ_LnrTWvZkimPRrotbh7xADrQusAtSDnlwiynYoAvB9FjQZTlynJyYb6awEGkl12xiUGBDFLanjro3RGT_ipF2tHD1bwMYKDl2Unq4ldrJw/s1600/elephant+n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedu0SUBJqFy3htpGJdqHCqIMZEkdIdC2rJ_LnrTWvZkimPRrotbh7xADrQusAtSDnlwiynYoAvB9FjQZTlynJyYb6awEGkl12xiUGBDFLanjro3RGT_ipF2tHD1bwMYKDl2Unq4ldrJw/s400/elephant+n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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At least one of the elephants is known to have killed a human and many of them come from areas where they were hunted. But elephants are smart and they are becoming accustomed to tourist who want to take pictures. Not all of them, but some [the "man killer" for example, will charge stopped vehicles, one can only image what sorts of trauma she experienced before coming to Majete, what former friends and family members she is thinking of when she charges].</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3stezSzUvc5-zSr5E5-MV7xkqxBxZCLY3Zlykq-hFnUsFXOLLjsWojRlyMBMzQVAYcBx9-BEdIOKAJ1o8tqY4ivC2yX2lL9xTcqVLICo3quVfSYksWOtsL43a5jD0hZ63EbFGTRluz0/s1600/elephant+toothless+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3stezSzUvc5-zSr5E5-MV7xkqxBxZCLY3Zlykq-hFnUsFXOLLjsWojRlyMBMzQVAYcBx9-BEdIOKAJ1o8tqY4ivC2yX2lL9xTcqVLICo3quVfSYksWOtsL43a5jD0hZ63EbFGTRluz0/s400/elephant+toothless+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some herds are quite willing to let the tourists get close. This elephant, Toothless (she doesn't have tusks, a rarity for African elephants), is an easy to identify member of one of those herds. Her group let us park and watch them for a good long time without getting alarmed.</div>
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Their youngest baby entertained us for quite a while playing in a mud puddle. She would throw herself down into the mud (sometimes face first) and roll around, get back up and do it again.</div>
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This same herd came through camp one day. We didn't know at the time which group it was - the researchers were in their own tents while us volunteers where in the research lapa.</div>
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The lapa is the structure in the back - it's an open sided tent with desks and tables where we would eat our meals and work on computers. The kitchen is in the front. It's got somewhat solid walls and we were told to go there if there was ever a lion or leopard in camp. We, the volunteers, decided that with elephants in the camp we were too exposed in the lapa and we went into the kitchen where we were quiet little mice. Very excited quiet little mice but quiet anyway. The elephants came around all sides of the kitchen, within just a few feet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-d7cYcarM4sXN8BGlFXLqNRfwYMIdXnpv1wZ5qx_H7Fsr-stEUe3rAYewfEOqnNj_2T0F8nOAdYV95pTb_tr7AWSERpx65AZ3CgkFyc6iplIdi5L3aq7loxF_LYfpNs-oX_N5gLu9N0/s1600/grumpy+elephant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-d7cYcarM4sXN8BGlFXLqNRfwYMIdXnpv1wZ5qx_H7Fsr-stEUe3rAYewfEOqnNj_2T0F8nOAdYV95pTb_tr7AWSERpx65AZ3CgkFyc6iplIdi5L3aq7loxF_LYfpNs-oX_N5gLu9N0/s400/grumpy+elephant.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fortunately the herd was a friendly herd so we probably could have stayed in the lapa and been fine.</div>
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Even more fortunately we knew to be quiet and not surprise or approach the elephants. Some of the other tourists didn't know that.</div>
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Our sleeping camp is open to the public and has a "barbeque" area so we had lots of day trippers and overnighters in the camp while we were there. Most of them were fine. One set of day trippers was there during the day when a family of elephants came through. The adult elephants stayed behind the tents in the dry riverbed and brush but one adventurous youngster stayed into the open area.</div>
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Yes, that's a young elephant.</div>
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Her mom was fine with us, we let the baby have her room, but two of the young day trippers were trying to get close ups with their camera phones. Not a great idea. The on-site staff had to yell at them to stay back and mom elephant did a brief bluff charge and threat display.</div>
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Notice the ears are wide spread and slightly lifted. That's elephant speak for "you better leave my baby alone."</div>
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Elephants are one type of animal that the more I know about them and interact (or see) them the more I like them. </div>
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And that's it. The last elephant photo I will post.</div>
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Today.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-69056469259193756492015-08-29T06:55:00.001-07:002015-08-29T06:55:39.686-07:00Africa part 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's been a long time since I posted. Part of the reason was that I spent nearly a month out of the country. I went on another <a href="http://earthwatch.org/">Earthwatch</a> trip, this time to Malawi to survey wildlife. I haven't finished going through the 900 or so photos I took so this is just the first post about my trip.</div>
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Malawi is a very poor country in southern Africa. It's at the bottom of the East African Rift (sometimes called the Great Rift Valley) that run along the eastern side of the African continent. It includes Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi (you may know about these if you're into fish, these are where the brightly colored African Cichlids are from).</div>
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I wasn't on the lake, instead I was in southern Malawi, in the Shire valley (pronounced Shur - ee), an area of open woodlands and scrub forests.</div>
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The country of Malawi is very, very poor (one of the poorest countries in the world). Most of their environment is scared and damaged because the locals need to harvest food and fuel in order to survive. The park I was in, <a href="https://www.african-parks.org/the-parks/majete/about/about-majete">Majete Wildlife Reserve</a>, was taken over in 2003 by an organization called African Parks. African Parks took this denuded area and is in the process of turning it into a world class tourist destination. Majete is over 170,000 acres and is now enclosed by electric fence and patrolled to fight poaching. They also reintroduced species that had been poached out of the area, including elephants, lions, and zebra.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwn5Vh2j3AxSc26OPCv6guv4ebiuwVSKUvzl9Y3PZkhoxb1v3sBSsudWWhyphenhyphenFUzGvuh-CltOvA8acj0Shnqx3N4nStINwb4J043zLTeTjXMzAfHI_azx4bRKWLFu2zCM7DllPYX8TMtqs/s1600/elephant+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwn5Vh2j3AxSc26OPCv6guv4ebiuwVSKUvzl9Y3PZkhoxb1v3sBSsudWWhyphenhyphenFUzGvuh-CltOvA8acj0Shnqx3N4nStINwb4J043zLTeTjXMzAfHI_azx4bRKWLFu2zCM7DllPYX8TMtqs/s400/elephant+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Water sources range from the Shire river to artificial waterholes (which are designed to spread the wildlife around so they don't all congregate at the riverside). Tourist facilities include campgrounds (where I stayed), small lodges and a very fancy 5-star lodge in a "concession" area. The concession area is restricted to guests at the 5-star lodge and has it's own waterhole and blind. Being a research volunteer I was allowed in the concession.</div>
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This was my tent. See the vegetation behind? That's a dry riverbed. During the night (and sometimes during the day) animals would move through the vegetation back there. Especially Nyala.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKr_WsuN92Rh-s6sqsXtE4Ui0Io8Ysi4V4FrR5LlwrPCHtescdswSVPkXejzZ-vb_Fn64Rddnv_JiabVl8nbl5AQLdMbAccDtNPOjQEeHZxjs0VH8lhKiP3g8bIrymb0XKkHXPpmQlj4/s1600/Nyala+male+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKr_WsuN92Rh-s6sqsXtE4Ui0Io8Ysi4V4FrR5LlwrPCHtescdswSVPkXejzZ-vb_Fn64Rddnv_JiabVl8nbl5AQLdMbAccDtNPOjQEeHZxjs0VH8lhKiP3g8bIrymb0XKkHXPpmQlj4/s400/Nyala+male+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Female Nyala above, adult male below.</div>
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One of the first days in camp had elephants in the dry riverbed. Our group of Earthwatchers was very excited but we knew enough to stay back. There was a group of day tourists who did not know this. They kept getting closer and closer with their cell phones out, trying to get that super close up. One of the adult females wasn't too thrilled (that's the female in the image above, ears up and forward in a "stay back" signal). Finally the guys at the bar noticed and yelled at the day trippers.</div>
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Her "baby" came right through the camp and right past our tents.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_2MPe_kpzmkVEdwJBqnztHGNeJJKBMgDeiUUjLvYnBa5prIa0Hc6dsTzrWegPR7QTYmE6QBI-wp9kz_1GU1YcqfvAa_MMKn1UbFjeiMZWcYUtVl72u42w5x6C0EOndb977f7D9dwGQI/s1600/Elephant+in+camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_2MPe_kpzmkVEdwJBqnztHGNeJJKBMgDeiUUjLvYnBa5prIa0Hc6dsTzrWegPR7QTYmE6QBI-wp9kz_1GU1YcqfvAa_MMKn1UbFjeiMZWcYUtVl72u42w5x6C0EOndb977f7D9dwGQI/s400/Elephant+in+camp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not the best focus - I was too excited.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0ixuQLKnHEM4kF7-lzRMv2zEGydmNBBUd5TnCIZ58tvc-0aUykc6QWTzEod1FKuBKzfS9HSqFBbTvcUNi0i29BY9FIXVCIG2-401V7i_A_XKK5_ItopPBK-5NorJlxryOlmZ69mA2pY/s1600/Elephant+in+camp+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0ixuQLKnHEM4kF7-lzRMv2zEGydmNBBUd5TnCIZ58tvc-0aUykc6QWTzEod1FKuBKzfS9HSqFBbTvcUNi0i29BY9FIXVCIG2-401V7i_A_XKK5_ItopPBK-5NorJlxryOlmZ69mA2pY/s400/Elephant+in+camp+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here you can get a better idea of the size of the "baby." I could stand up in the center of the tent but had to duck under the shade canopy in front.</div>
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But I also heard (but never saw) hyena during the night, and elephants moved through (they are very noisy when eating), and kudu (very large antelope), and I saw a genet one night. I also heard screaming bushbabies, these very small primates are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMgwBgQi_jk">VERY loud</a>.</div>
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The bathroom was located at the other end of the campsite from my tent. After dark there was a guard on site and we could call him to be escorted to the bathroom. </div>
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I only saw antelope in camp once after dark but we did find this fellow in the shower one day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu-LbQYXz9MGlGhoCVw1057FBTe_wAfeCICZRwro6n-ue43NFyD_75DApz6t6KXOj3arqBt6ilIFs9WHQveg197oIze1k8IzMAivMRlyjRTiU-L_oCQAZBwkXsfJn3yWHNNR9QbTHfPk/s1600/Puff+Adder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu-LbQYXz9MGlGhoCVw1057FBTe_wAfeCICZRwro6n-ue43NFyD_75DApz6t6KXOj3arqBt6ilIFs9WHQveg197oIze1k8IzMAivMRlyjRTiU-L_oCQAZBwkXsfJn3yWHNNR9QbTHfPk/s400/Puff+Adder.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yeah, I didn't mess with him. This is a juvenile puff adder. The researchers we worked with very carefully encouraged him to get into the bucket and carried him into the bush.</div>
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My volunteer work involved counting wildlife. African Parks is trying to keep track of how many of what are around in order to help make management decisions. They don't want the animals eating all the vegetation in the park (or in one part of the park). Since the park is fenced and surrounded by villages there is no where for "excess" animals to go. Already the elephant numbers have increased so much that they're looking into options such as contraceptives.</div>
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What does this mean? A couple of days we had "waterhole sits" where we sat in blinds (or at lodges) overlooking waterholes and counted all the animals that came to the waterhole in a 12 hour period.</div>
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The blind at Nsepete</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wuRvzLSB1BMdMwbghtD-4lhss4zMWLq5LZGy3edPDecPyLdUvBw2JTVvSIUeZ_FUA0qekWrLucDyL2wY8UOL_1s5C7ZxZBNM733ILmcdKa5OWPV7t6Noxqi0GK3FUpOGs_t8AKc5fVM/s1600/Impala+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wuRvzLSB1BMdMwbghtD-4lhss4zMWLq5LZGy3edPDecPyLdUvBw2JTVvSIUeZ_FUA0qekWrLucDyL2wY8UOL_1s5C7ZxZBNM733ILmcdKa5OWPV7t6Noxqi0GK3FUpOGs_t8AKc5fVM/s400/Impala+6.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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Like Impala</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7GBawligRvjRqxRddPvaEdEoAg1rLwRGFhQeAYpfVRSUNZ_H62fHn3igltcL2b6vbegAU6v7N0gmw6g_N8VdQZjiBFMpYV3THt6Yh48V2K2r8Lih1hvYo0nhlGICcG_LPIxCuz2d69U/s1600/waterbuck+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7GBawligRvjRqxRddPvaEdEoAg1rLwRGFhQeAYpfVRSUNZ_H62fHn3igltcL2b6vbegAU6v7N0gmw6g_N8VdQZjiBFMpYV3THt6Yh48V2K2r8Lih1hvYo0nhlGICcG_LPIxCuz2d69U/s400/waterbuck+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or Waterbuck</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaprldXRp1XC6_ME167O9xHHpzENX3MJpleaLToLtJ35ywOnSaQvNkKR14VO-akItYOtQ7u_1C4l42msC4_V8bKF2xFNzFiacAuU0-WhS-dQwZwcrDNNO3mub_hDQwe2VbVZceq16VU98/s1600/warthog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaprldXRp1XC6_ME167O9xHHpzENX3MJpleaLToLtJ35ywOnSaQvNkKR14VO-akItYOtQ7u_1C4l42msC4_V8bKF2xFNzFiacAuU0-WhS-dQwZwcrDNNO3mub_hDQwe2VbVZceq16VU98/s400/warthog+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or Warthog</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshFs68F-PvARvWRukaDLxFTFyOApdsLKeMpsMe-WHZKRuwGGDM-G2ndbQT6dSFMnRnyt3r6V7xNLuFCpi3Yg0JuFc-Gv9ZbQX_Bk6JSi2S_s2QE2AWLI1eiJJNK5PxWrMeWgWEve2w20/s1600/elephants+at+waterhole+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshFs68F-PvARvWRukaDLxFTFyOApdsLKeMpsMe-WHZKRuwGGDM-G2ndbQT6dSFMnRnyt3r6V7xNLuFCpi3Yg0JuFc-Gv9ZbQX_Bk6JSi2S_s2QE2AWLI1eiJJNK5PxWrMeWgWEve2w20/s400/elephants+at+waterhole+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or Elephants</div>
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Gosh darn. Having to look at African wildlife all day.</div>
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More soon....</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-89638371895523161422015-06-11T06:16:00.000-07:002015-06-11T06:16:25.417-07:00Finding My Focus<div style="text-align: justify;">
My new super Macro lens takes great close up pictures that have a shallow "depth of field" (ie, the part of the picture that's in focus). That can be good for isolating the subject but you do have to decide what you want to focus on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mCH4v3EQD5D_bu9IPRsWJk0ETTymsBWHEXbT7PfLnGAN8DnT5rtWNXP9lkpAAsMmN81XMeQvgsY_tVmnIBAfMiSjO2xACNYrrXnVGWHT7rUotZ8_HoExMZNZjLio2oZubX0U3QvW4l0/s1600/Aqueligia+r+and+w+June+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mCH4v3EQD5D_bu9IPRsWJk0ETTymsBWHEXbT7PfLnGAN8DnT5rtWNXP9lkpAAsMmN81XMeQvgsY_tVmnIBAfMiSjO2xACNYrrXnVGWHT7rUotZ8_HoExMZNZjLio2oZubX0U3QvW4l0/s400/Aqueligia+r+and+w+June+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Do you focus on the details that are closest to you while making the "big picture" slightly out of focus? Or do you focus on the petals and leave the stuff closest to you blurry?</div>
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I was musing on this as it relates to photography while weeding the garden this week. Weeding is a great time for <strike>contemplating my navel</strike> thinking about my philosophy of life. The garden was very weedy so this topic expanded into finding the focus in my life.</div>
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When I was younger I always had plans for the future. After graduating high school I'll go to THIS college because I want to go to vet school. OK. maybe not vet school. Next I'll go to graduate school. OK. I need to take a few years between undergrad and graduate school. No problem. </div>
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Toward the end of graduate school I quit making much in the way of future plans. Graduate school didn't quite work out as I had planned and while I did eventually plan my next career move it kind of stalled after that.</div>
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So lately I've been plan-less. </div>
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And I feel "scattered." I have a good job that I mostly enjoy. I don't have any major career plans because once I reach full professor (tenured) I don't intend to move into administration. We aren't moving any time soon (a first for me in a LONG time - this house is the second longest I've ever lived in one place in my whole life). No major life changes coming up that require plans. No major changes coming up (that I can predict).</div>
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So that leave my "personal" life. I've taken an art class, I've enrolled in a Spanish class, I've dabbled in this and that but not really found a focus (except gardening). This leaves me feeling like I'm not accomplishing anything.</div>
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It's not an accurate perception but it's there.</div>
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So I decided to sit down and list all of the categories of stuff I'm interested in and have claimed to be working on and make plans. One year, two year, five year and ten year goals.</div>
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Do I want to become proficient in Spanish or just learn enough to help while traveling (the latter, definitely)?</div>
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Do I want to spend more time and energy improving my photography? My writing skills? My drawing/art?</div>
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Do I want to work on finally refinishing inherited furniture that needs work? Will I ever replace the no longer functioning innards of the 1950s era radio with a modern system (an iPod doc, anyone?) or is it fine as an aesthetic piece?</div>
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It's time to find a focus. What will I do in "this" lifetime?</div>
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<img src="http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20120902.gif" /></div>
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Thanks to Zack Weiner of <a href="http://www.smbc-comics.com/">Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal</a> and BAHfest for this GREAT concept!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-77001666246504847122015-06-10T12:52:00.003-07:002015-06-10T12:52:54.521-07:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
A small sampling of what can be found in my garden right now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pVG4lxDmEznNM9YzfuiOzC9Rd_TjrkbluAgdKxBa8W7RoyRinJpJBw4VnlMdg2EHCiQ7jL6OjUocG0BdZLy5Yz3McTqhYRmeI_4KumHn9fVVGajkwk7MvRZwm1p0ai_Nf9eWQg2AwuM/s1600/centaurea+black+sprite+2+June+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pVG4lxDmEznNM9YzfuiOzC9Rd_TjrkbluAgdKxBa8W7RoyRinJpJBw4VnlMdg2EHCiQ7jL6OjUocG0BdZLy5Yz3McTqhYRmeI_4KumHn9fVVGajkwk7MvRZwm1p0ai_Nf9eWQg2AwuM/s400/centaurea+black+sprite+2+June+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Centaurea montana </i>Black Sprite</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj3tfBv5SEHebpp0R9itsG45FKxIXd-c0LG8jolv-M2pRR_RFt3fbf6Azk6Cq3UB_ZbDT1K37_EDhjGC1RVRy9mfpSSS-pFlKUnnpU2Gd0an0HxPZ19e3Ex7ugQJGvED3Q99u7OAZOIw/s1600/Digitalis+June+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj3tfBv5SEHebpp0R9itsG45FKxIXd-c0LG8jolv-M2pRR_RFt3fbf6Azk6Cq3UB_ZbDT1K37_EDhjGC1RVRy9mfpSSS-pFlKUnnpU2Gd0an0HxPZ19e3Ex7ugQJGvED3Q99u7OAZOIw/s400/Digitalis+June+2015.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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<i>Digitalis too-lazy-to-go-check-labelii</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7SA6rE_ecOA4UsoNAmbQDfb8w6xhXllS9VyiihQGdgOZQiUpn11PLS224GVO2QQ_3QNgTx3jN_FecZgVA2dAv2kD66E2LWb6ozthPgih_1thCKIZ4OzddADfFjjMMPz-1Ke_Dv5UrjU/s1600/baptisia+june+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7SA6rE_ecOA4UsoNAmbQDfb8w6xhXllS9VyiihQGdgOZQiUpn11PLS224GVO2QQ_3QNgTx3jN_FecZgVA2dAv2kD66E2LWb6ozthPgih_1thCKIZ4OzddADfFjjMMPz-1Ke_Dv5UrjU/s400/baptisia+june+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Baptisia australis</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWXXYRSk3flcKJcrTTmhwxniApuCeTirfSzT58nh-_2BXSu7nDEhH_g_q0oXYAHXUNSpNVTZD766uc3Q0HCtv_xLibMXTyHz_dQbjMeDqqivy3bJO0SSwbmIfYCSSiyxldpiG42Awipo/s1600/Opilione+June+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWXXYRSk3flcKJcrTTmhwxniApuCeTirfSzT58nh-_2BXSu7nDEhH_g_q0oXYAHXUNSpNVTZD766uc3Q0HCtv_xLibMXTyHz_dQbjMeDqqivy3bJO0SSwbmIfYCSSiyxldpiG42Awipo/s400/Opilione+June+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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An unidentified Opiliones who clearly hadn't had her coffee yet</div>
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(these are commonly known as Daddy Long Legs or Harvestmen and they are ALL OVER my garden this year)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9exNuTmDOmwy6F_KNdjfJ5Lq_YTG3CPWpZXr_yrN5kT-bjTgn2bPjGWemYW6haXok1on2OpegQ2XFEoaJutLPdnnaaLrjAW-xCW10LBHFi7zKb_0w0Tj8KF3wFpmRGvn8G6qNuzvoR4/s1600/Tradescantia+June+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9exNuTmDOmwy6F_KNdjfJ5Lq_YTG3CPWpZXr_yrN5kT-bjTgn2bPjGWemYW6haXok1on2OpegQ2XFEoaJutLPdnnaaLrjAW-xCW10LBHFi7zKb_0w0Tj8KF3wFpmRGvn8G6qNuzvoR4/s400/Tradescantia+June+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Trasdescantia too-brightus</i></div>
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No, she's not quite that bright but I like the level of detail so I included it anyway</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-81907166860597388362015-06-05T07:17:00.000-07:002015-06-05T07:17:12.579-07:00Close Up FridayI'm still <strike>playing</strike> learning to use my new Macro lens so there's no "theme" to today's images except - NEW MACRO LENS WOO HOO!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADMruOB1Y6DdURRDwSgYgJ_9zM3rFk4qMMV5rRWbgmvxX7mlZ7XAdBev5FQ-3BoPLp6bJua0ZqOj6APiBpGEKziW84diDI0eO3Z9JYfY0vmaO8Uam9OR-DW10KwHH0SOM-lfeTWpb1Hc/s1600/veronica+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADMruOB1Y6DdURRDwSgYgJ_9zM3rFk4qMMV5rRWbgmvxX7mlZ7XAdBev5FQ-3BoPLp6bJua0ZqOj6APiBpGEKziW84diDI0eO3Z9JYfY0vmaO8Uam9OR-DW10KwHH0SOM-lfeTWpb1Hc/s400/veronica+1.jpg" width="362" /></a></div>
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<i>Veronica prostrata </i>(Speedwell Aztec Gold) close</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu9hi59t3fXu6AL2k-A-xLqYv2xJcpQrRSuPWztYpdu8sxsczykWeBsCWIWh6p3IKHnADJCtaLqUziMmFlMsOxKKcu9FHC6o36QJ6diKjOvfjSzperYTkLDMIGXtiwBr3O297DLoncDo/s1600/veronica+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu9hi59t3fXu6AL2k-A-xLqYv2xJcpQrRSuPWztYpdu8sxsczykWeBsCWIWh6p3IKHnADJCtaLqUziMmFlMsOxKKcu9FHC6o36QJ6diKjOvfjSzperYTkLDMIGXtiwBr3O297DLoncDo/s640/veronica+2.jpg" width="401" /></a></div>
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<i>Veronica prostrata </i>(Speedwell Aztec Gold) closer</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUDUpztVbRGXLkfimiCupFPFUuun9HVo3N6iFLdBZkHwe24hJEUTEFY_vT7GxrFkj-ZZeBcT-9UKXA-DS_ZzsnojdSUVi8m8pnZNBkH4yrVb5rkSgGRWGfIGTY5CAqz2MR-GsyVCwXsg/s1600/Eggs+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUDUpztVbRGXLkfimiCupFPFUuun9HVo3N6iFLdBZkHwe24hJEUTEFY_vT7GxrFkj-ZZeBcT-9UKXA-DS_ZzsnojdSUVi8m8pnZNBkH4yrVb5rkSgGRWGfIGTY5CAqz2MR-GsyVCwXsg/s400/Eggs+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unknown eggs on <i>Panicum virgatum</i> Cloud Nine</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdPbLfxa2JjqdGBDUgKLWNqW2T3XZplogDhQQm1-t4yd6yQA9JOYAGx46dGf8ix2L4pu1frkpHT4kCI90-1gHfUHi0r8-YVcE16dmWoGM921CvclqvOaJYaeTP49_azaNfZfanW7yCFs/s1600/eggs+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdPbLfxa2JjqdGBDUgKLWNqW2T3XZplogDhQQm1-t4yd6yQA9JOYAGx46dGf8ix2L4pu1frkpHT4kCI90-1gHfUHi0r8-YVcE16dmWoGM921CvclqvOaJYaeTP49_azaNfZfanW7yCFs/s400/eggs+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Possibly these are eggs of a predatory insect in the genus <i>Podisus </i></div>
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(based on one comment on <a href="http://bugguide.net/">Bug Guide. net</a>)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_fwR5tBy9NDuKdVt9evY8CMM6MWNsACgRpzGDibolLNpIyi4FQbxdeYRneAXiNv4zKgyK6rmndtGW-qA1ULeenoka1EBWiMZ3B5rFxDUZwj6IUcYFIPprBjrr7ewjVkJk1tlPS7WRBs/s1600/ninebark+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_fwR5tBy9NDuKdVt9evY8CMM6MWNsACgRpzGDibolLNpIyi4FQbxdeYRneAXiNv4zKgyK6rmndtGW-qA1ULeenoka1EBWiMZ3B5rFxDUZwj6IUcYFIPprBjrr7ewjVkJk1tlPS7WRBs/s400/ninebark+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Flower of Ninebark (<i>Physocarpus opulifolius</i> 'Diablo')</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV89PKgYCXYqCxTA1YLiagbLs5dY-wxYzBbwbi5xNpnUAgQb73MTih96CW7VlkeXptNjB279kT4iP9_AaOIzz2AbRDA3BdIynihZ88wX2ZWF_whX62DF6Jn7K_Ism1x4ae5KSGwsa0eU/s1600/ninebark+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV89PKgYCXYqCxTA1YLiagbLs5dY-wxYzBbwbi5xNpnUAgQb73MTih96CW7VlkeXptNjB279kT4iP9_AaOIzz2AbRDA3BdIynihZ88wX2ZWF_whX62DF6Jn7K_Ism1x4ae5KSGwsa0eU/s400/ninebark+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Even closer. I love the way the pinkish/redish anthers look 3-D</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kt8yRwHVN6xKwxn49-V3GtJkbazUr3zMCNVGxooXxdV28RPro0OzwDbY6snhp1Atw4h54yJVyIY3BBONuiXvyIskDBzs9SCS4rbGBUoa1_mx1JGsHNd_tL1hDzHYQg54tBiwAd_b_qc/s1600/spider+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kt8yRwHVN6xKwxn49-V3GtJkbazUr3zMCNVGxooXxdV28RPro0OzwDbY6snhp1Atw4h54yJVyIY3BBONuiXvyIskDBzs9SCS4rbGBUoa1_mx1JGsHNd_tL1hDzHYQg54tBiwAd_b_qc/s400/spider+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lastly, a little jumping spider that was crawling on my desk this week</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nJhT4ZU2Xv8JPsRgg0fvlrT4jGgXc-Cpc7Folriz_lTtx4HYcnLerGQesGO3KeErowii3yZ-VMUksyfqWP7mVtT6dtcMefItMHK1f6shzrAxEOAViF2PrQRCLyXgrJcr3Z9dBPWrSW4/s1600/spider+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nJhT4ZU2Xv8JPsRgg0fvlrT4jGgXc-Cpc7Folriz_lTtx4HYcnLerGQesGO3KeErowii3yZ-VMUksyfqWP7mVtT6dtcMefItMHK1f6shzrAxEOAViF2PrQRCLyXgrJcr3Z9dBPWrSW4/s400/spider+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yes, that's a pad of drawing paper. A little thicker than average printer or notebook paper but not much. Did I say little? I meant TINY. Jumping spiders are soooo cute. Too bad I couldn't get closer.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-915273944834702432015-06-01T09:27:00.000-07:002015-06-01T09:27:14.177-07:00Favorite NEW Plant in the Garden This WeekOne of my favorite new plants in the garden are the Icelandic Poppies (<i>Papaver nudicaula</i>).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72qx6uUQwh-dKL8N4MIQwBEQm3BrBGdbxfte4lR7-6c6c1FXOAWRAlXrzFQTgVrzSRoFt3PbetfnZ3rvSinuuxLgqGRAx6fmq9-5uplXcvwdVuUbzeE2dV0zJwLOpDI-myKCYPwW2d34/s1600/poppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72qx6uUQwh-dKL8N4MIQwBEQm3BrBGdbxfte4lR7-6c6c1FXOAWRAlXrzFQTgVrzSRoFt3PbetfnZ3rvSinuuxLgqGRAx6fmq9-5uplXcvwdVuUbzeE2dV0zJwLOpDI-myKCYPwW2d34/s400/poppy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I noticed these from several isles away at the local garden center. Yellow and Orange do not go with the front yard color scheme so I passed them up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHtOYZl432mr7qGZZEBUWK4KRJsshFdMhqXn7pSfYZran6d_VZYp9i00HK6QSYsES3zpuo15aaCV8q937jksvKWXOti9ZHFmtJXO6pNxqWv1km6qGof-H-5zXVT1538wIGJnk9Z_ipUY/s1600/poppy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHtOYZl432mr7qGZZEBUWK4KRJsshFdMhqXn7pSfYZran6d_VZYp9i00HK6QSYsES3zpuo15aaCV8q937jksvKWXOti9ZHFmtJXO6pNxqWv1km6qGof-H-5zXVT1538wIGJnk9Z_ipUY/s400/poppy+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But when I came home I kept thinking about them and looked them up on-line. They got rave reviews so I looked around the back yard (which does not have a color scheme) and found a spot they could fit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvaZS5wlS94C48BmIXDQXxcTD0vnh5f32AFJ__4DI2DyCz4lzuiu-zvqulw2vizvm8_6-Rmm81eXnPUmtWh1BRMm9gfoaQT5Pc41pQ7G6KZaVrdY___25G-bLO7sNtwbxgZGHjDO0ADU/s1600/Poppy+2..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvaZS5wlS94C48BmIXDQXxcTD0vnh5f32AFJ__4DI2DyCz4lzuiu-zvqulw2vizvm8_6-Rmm81eXnPUmtWh1BRMm9gfoaQT5Pc41pQ7G6KZaVrdY___25G-bLO7sNtwbxgZGHjDO0ADU/s400/Poppy+2..jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What bright and cheerful color. Before I could even get them in the ground they were covered with bees. That fits the overall theme of my garden - Pollinators R Us.</div>
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<i>Papaver nudicaule</i> is a short lived perennial with a long bloom season in cooler climates. Native to circumpolar boreal regions (ie northern parts of North America and Asia). I'm hoping these will re-seed in the garden and come back next year. I'll be sure to leave some pods on the plants at the end of the season.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-25285264951976570892015-05-28T06:19:00.002-07:002015-05-28T06:19:37.686-07:00Gardening Philosophy<div style="text-align: justify;">
Part of my personal gardening philosophy is that I have a moral imperative to share "my" garden with the other animals that live there. I do have exceptions for potentially dangerous animals. No yellow jackets allowed, for example (The Husband is allergic and yellow jackets are too aggressive). But otherwise I live and let live. </div>
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My philosophy is sometimes strained. The year we had a sawfly outbreak and their larvae munched on my <i>Aqueligia</i> leaves (columbine) so bad that they actually killed a couple of plants (the Denver Gold was the only the only thing that didn't come back) was rough. But, unlike most of my fellow tool using primates, I restrained from dumping poison into the environment for the sake of aesthetics and most of my <i>Aquelegia</i> came back just fine.</div>
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Yes, I am a bit rabid about environmental protection.</div>
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This year I have a new challenge.</div>
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<img height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Tamias_minimus.jpg" width="345" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Tamias minimus" by Phil Armitage - http://www.philarmitage.net/glacier/glacier08.html. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons</span></div>
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Chipmunks. We seems to have a large number of them in our area this year. The Husband (and The Cats) have spotted them in our yard. I've seen several of them in our neighborhood and I've seen the signs in my garden.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJs5I4GgqHdu_UUaZLpJq2pD8jrMztZfxioEyy_7En2z9AgRJWFSEaS3knBIJbrJfzcqj2Y2FGJNGzFxtqcW8w80Tx8PHr-dDSfFjoyv7hvsaHyxfvKAIWO9kgRWtRBZGRMa7BlSNrO0/s1600/Chipmonk+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJs5I4GgqHdu_UUaZLpJq2pD8jrMztZfxioEyy_7En2z9AgRJWFSEaS3knBIJbrJfzcqj2Y2FGJNGzFxtqcW8w80Tx8PHr-dDSfFjoyv7hvsaHyxfvKAIWO9kgRWtRBZGRMa7BlSNrO0/s400/Chipmonk+hole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's hard to see but there is a chipmunk hole under the crocus foliage.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9reY6BhQrp8VHWMn05kFdeq76N8K68D5c0aUrVQIxscOnlhZvvxeBNdXYh8-Z6I03-h88gzALMioQVauCQNOzjaErDOOIuONyMS5BpKHAo6fUTP0XB-oCPCWb8rDYg2jl1wcG5vawNhc/s1600/chipmonk+damage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9reY6BhQrp8VHWMn05kFdeq76N8K68D5c0aUrVQIxscOnlhZvvxeBNdXYh8-Z6I03-h88gzALMioQVauCQNOzjaErDOOIuONyMS5BpKHAo6fUTP0XB-oCPCWb8rDYg2jl1wcG5vawNhc/s400/chipmonk+damage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sadly for me chipmunks eat bulbs. So much for my tulips. I guess I'll plant them in pots this winter.</div>
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Good for me chipmunks also eat seeds. They can have ALL of the maple seeds they can eat!</div>
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It may be a challenge for my garden but my belief system says I need to let them stay. Besides it would be really difficult to get rid of them. I'm a biologist and I understand how niches work. Got a niche? Something will fill it. I get rid of the girl in my garden and someone else will move it.Better a chipmunk than a ground hog or a skunk!</div>
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Besides. It entertains the cats.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFEVwDb4LA28CdDxUdsa71noz4_VFJmKeoLnfQGvynP-_gPHV65_adkbS1PHj7ZcJWHjA-3QthG8Jx8neh3vt7NMvxMXohGWK1DMDu4sCqBjoL6oSkmHBjFvX_ZlPUTGwsYn4Bk94CEk/s1600/Wren+in+the+Window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFEVwDb4LA28CdDxUdsa71noz4_VFJmKeoLnfQGvynP-_gPHV65_adkbS1PHj7ZcJWHjA-3QthG8Jx8neh3vt7NMvxMXohGWK1DMDu4sCqBjoL6oSkmHBjFvX_ZlPUTGwsYn4Bk94CEk/s640/Wren+in+the+Window.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-38877424549565934642015-05-26T14:16:00.000-07:002015-05-26T14:16:26.646-07:00I'm Ready for My Close Up<div style="text-align: justify;">
Working with my new Macro Lens is both fun and challenging. Fun because you get up close and personal with the garden (I'm sure the neighbors think I'm weird when they see me contorting to get the lens at the right angle that close to the ground) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYEAvfm1Ek16ukmUSOxuPnZLZEGTncFVULR-Oos0bZ1FRjuVQxFtN0IMFhgzqinKtfPT2E1ZgyojCWuQPIBr55rgr7DDK8z2kymYUiMDAYgLNos7aJPwCzVXRWt1uBxHgBKuy15D7bH8/s1600/aqueligia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYEAvfm1Ek16ukmUSOxuPnZLZEGTncFVULR-Oos0bZ1FRjuVQxFtN0IMFhgzqinKtfPT2E1ZgyojCWuQPIBr55rgr7DDK8z2kymYUiMDAYgLNos7aJPwCzVXRWt1uBxHgBKuy15D7bH8/s400/aqueligia.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>
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<i>Aqueligia fragrans</i> (columbine) against the sky - a fragrant variety I grew from seeds I had to order from <a href="http://www.plant-world-seeds.com/">Plant World Seeds </a>in the United Kingdom. Shot from BELOW.</div>
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and challenging because I live about 2 miles from the ocean as the gull flies and there is almost always a breeze blowing. This is nice on warm afternoons and miserable when you're trying to photograph plants.</div>
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Here's my latest stuff.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0obBJz53Ynq52cj2VH3gm71PRC0jjVHFOkzwS0C-_VzP8r83GJ4bzMJLxN7x7Y4X1hwxkaiuoacT8-Rn4rhaVF60s5O1BTkP-EHECBJ-SCuvTwzxDe60m171m2s6zwsdTwDBE6lQ7BcA/s1600/insect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0obBJz53Ynq52cj2VH3gm71PRC0jjVHFOkzwS0C-_VzP8r83GJ4bzMJLxN7x7Y4X1hwxkaiuoacT8-Rn4rhaVF60s5O1BTkP-EHECBJ-SCuvTwzxDe60m171m2s6zwsdTwDBE6lQ7BcA/s400/insect.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
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Hope you don't mind insect photos. I really enjoy all of the invertebrate life my garden attracts and now I can take pictures of all the little guys and gals!</div>
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I don't know what this is. Looks kind of like a small crane fly. I'll have to hit <a href="http://bugguide.net/">BugGuide.net</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtKZkPP8vIihyRYCuvK10q4LOvn0LGNDZjjGlztP0Ht2lPZkkr1EZcaCY66bWKR_x76L_S7gPkLCnlg8LaGapqOqxtSa_eHdEHwzm1vnXyY2JAFK9POwT8yXSBArU8S5NZo6Ttw9gd3g/s1600/pansy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtKZkPP8vIihyRYCuvK10q4LOvn0LGNDZjjGlztP0Ht2lPZkkr1EZcaCY66bWKR_x76L_S7gPkLCnlg8LaGapqOqxtSa_eHdEHwzm1vnXyY2JAFK9POwT8yXSBArU8S5NZo6Ttw9gd3g/s400/pansy+1.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNsKag8D5HfFkRYY7ZsDaNnKEF1ssbGgY6y535vDPWSv2ibkei9RXmi_AQhYuk7ffShJ0xAeYZOzpMiWnJ2lCDqWcewVZiUyp0hbJddz7OzMOxNGPg0ocpkbXnuwWGYLlcFejfNKqUSI/s1600/pansy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNsKag8D5HfFkRYY7ZsDaNnKEF1ssbGgY6y535vDPWSv2ibkei9RXmi_AQhYuk7ffShJ0xAeYZOzpMiWnJ2lCDqWcewVZiUyp0hbJddz7OzMOxNGPg0ocpkbXnuwWGYLlcFejfNKqUSI/s400/pansy+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxvTUkebBrkmTGI3HGZZSJ-XJJ1Ia3yQbE4cirpOmOi6JmD8g5MQ3eAxp0fry05-Iv7rXxbh-b4XyC74anG0gcFIpi6ZTi8zI4cBG5uhJvYE3NODWvr8e_OEnT-f1I3gYp3NMGNSbwjQ/s1600/pansy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxvTUkebBrkmTGI3HGZZSJ-XJJ1Ia3yQbE4cirpOmOi6JmD8g5MQ3eAxp0fry05-Iv7rXxbh-b4XyC74anG0gcFIpi6ZTi8zI4cBG5uhJvYE3NODWvr8e_OEnT-f1I3gYp3NMGNSbwjQ/s400/pansy+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pansies (<i>Viola tricolor var. bigboxus</i>) are still looking good. I suspect they'll be done after this week of temperatures in the 80s.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNlMWdVN1dpbAL5h1Dr_JZCNz_utSqaAsGJupGf9UBkA7ohwkwYa4GpeP0P5I6T7M2-mhh4yDPjxojE3681R1MSl3xvaeUJF5RcVAqiqjnGR5xWKQAzFLcaf86RZMLObZ3eZ0TVohmG4/s1600/garter+snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNlMWdVN1dpbAL5h1Dr_JZCNz_utSqaAsGJupGf9UBkA7ohwkwYa4GpeP0P5I6T7M2-mhh4yDPjxojE3681R1MSl3xvaeUJF5RcVAqiqjnGR5xWKQAzFLcaf86RZMLObZ3eZ0TVohmG4/s400/garter+snake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A friendly Garter Snake (<i>Thamnophis sirtalis</i>) wanting to know what I'm doing down on the ground by the pansies. She eventually turned around and went back in her hiding spot. I have at least three that are frequenting my front garden this year and helping me stay slug-free!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOuGbd27lbqkAKVpbdJFnQhczBKE6oZ-lisf7njyhxr5B0_sykzAKzLTnO422WhVLEf8kiYShxomnsSe4qiaagLkez6BWWc6g6xXOYwtU5atQveKYUuQ0nAeaWkB3VUlk9547HWFZcHc/s1600/Petunia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOuGbd27lbqkAKVpbdJFnQhczBKE6oZ-lisf7njyhxr5B0_sykzAKzLTnO422WhVLEf8kiYShxomnsSe4qiaagLkez6BWWc6g6xXOYwtU5atQveKYUuQ0nAeaWkB3VUlk9547HWFZcHc/s400/Petunia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A Petunia (<i>Petunia lgc</i>) that was planted around the pansies that will hopefully replace them as the pansies die from the heat.</div>
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So many of today's shots are from the area by the fireplace because that area is somewhat protected from the breezes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDmCMzizrrlBVSx65duuHeew6XaHCdcB8sZG_LLl6oxM7K17DfZOhxABtiXY-5JqQQRChxwG5miZEsM-v99vKsejF8QUfEofmQ-zo6MKswT2w5dWFDItXth60_aVNJXMkTC9ArMz0ijc/s1600/bee+on+petunia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDmCMzizrrlBVSx65duuHeew6XaHCdcB8sZG_LLl6oxM7K17DfZOhxABtiXY-5JqQQRChxwG5miZEsM-v99vKsejF8QUfEofmQ-zo6MKswT2w5dWFDItXth60_aVNJXMkTC9ArMz0ijc/s400/bee+on+petunia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And this Hymenopteran (bee or wasp) is what really makes my new lens exciting. It was crawling across the petunia as I was photographing the bloom and I just caught it.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-59295586817270796072015-05-21T18:15:00.000-07:002015-05-21T18:15:08.170-07:00New Toy<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had a busy and challenging semester this past spring so The Husband bought me a new toy. A macro lens for my camera. It's the <a href="http://www.venuslens.net/">Venus</a> (Laowa Lens) V-DX 60 mm F2.8, 2:1 super macro lens.</div>
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In laymens' terms - it takes pictures of tiny things very close up.</div>
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Like ants eating a nut.</div>
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Not close enough? How about this..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQdGBxZPoWzcfAOr2OoNyVvKrZ-dGjARTdh_gBs7whYTl-UZxISMoo8s1tIf82y-kg3fyLCLVcXnAOlISFYx-ujQOqKlTt-WU52aTGpIy2xjENX-YV_9oREabui0lSy1EcAbxNqK2mAw/s1600/ant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQdGBxZPoWzcfAOr2OoNyVvKrZ-dGjARTdh_gBs7whYTl-UZxISMoo8s1tIf82y-kg3fyLCLVcXnAOlISFYx-ujQOqKlTt-WU52aTGpIy2xjENX-YV_9oREabui0lSy1EcAbxNqK2mAw/s400/ant.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
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It was windy today (as usual) so I took the lens into the woods to take close ups of some native plants.</div>
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Fiddlehead, up close</div>
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Jack in the Pulpit</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCd6Qky-0TVgH20BEOCD-dlrAnL46tx5pq6tZc0Dxqcv-x4ltXG8FRfQWYRT9XkZAtxMa2bW4oA5V5knK8RsOQM2Dcez_qz2RpCi-oyg7JD9WunU5UDPbxjzpn88-7XxihLwvN5FILUs/s1600/soloman+seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCd6Qky-0TVgH20BEOCD-dlrAnL46tx5pq6tZc0Dxqcv-x4ltXG8FRfQWYRT9XkZAtxMa2bW4oA5V5knK8RsOQM2Dcez_qz2RpCi-oyg7JD9WunU5UDPbxjzpn88-7XxihLwvN5FILUs/s400/soloman+seal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Solomon's seal</div>
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The thing is, when you are close enough to the ground to take pictures this up close and personal you notice other things, too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVex4zA3SXePrdxeKidCOJFuncbYfmL4wOERBJrG1mHW7nrD3aLGo3x-a26VaVXwYoB57J94k2XLK60GHs9APYN6Z4bHnmvbFQH0ZGiiWvvliGuwrLbcdrN9TMjuDp1jRqizxI7n5Bzk/s1600/spider+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVex4zA3SXePrdxeKidCOJFuncbYfmL4wOERBJrG1mHW7nrD3aLGo3x-a26VaVXwYoB57J94k2XLK60GHs9APYN6Z4bHnmvbFQH0ZGiiWvvliGuwrLbcdrN9TMjuDp1jRqizxI7n5Bzk/s400/spider+1.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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Like a tiny spider hiding among the blooms on the Solomon's seal (the black dot is caterpillar frass!)<br />
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And the fly that keeps landing on the fiddlehead near the one I'm photographing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH99Sh-cTbevCM3f0TsfUVP4x6RpjG1p-vJ5l9-r8kIjcBtlO3rlc8AGBu0ID8xTqd4AC0MVs_ExD_r8xLcDn35QLvJ8fEU23o073gR8d3GgY-T27rlaTklKyKWBxcjkOnSMDG1buxpcc/s1600/wasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH99Sh-cTbevCM3f0TsfUVP4x6RpjG1p-vJ5l9-r8kIjcBtlO3rlc8AGBu0ID8xTqd4AC0MVs_ExD_r8xLcDn35QLvJ8fEU23o073gR8d3GgY-T27rlaTklKyKWBxcjkOnSMDG1buxpcc/s400/wasp.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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And the wasp (I think) with bright red "thighs."</div>
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I wish I'd taken entomology when I was in college. Or that an entomology class was offered at a university near me at a time I could attend the class (the only one I've found near by meets at the same time as our weekly faculty meetings - I'd much rather take the class!).</div>
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For you, dear reader, this will (hopefully) mean more and better photographs.</div>
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If I can muster enough patience to wait out the sea breezes.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-75314279537393345102015-05-15T04:03:00.000-07:002015-05-15T04:03:43.199-07:00Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - May 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
What a relief. A long, hard, snowy winter, even by New England standards, a challenging semester at work and now, finally, it's spring like weather and summer break (I love being a lecturing professor!) and my garden is full of blooms. Here's a sampling.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcZMg8O2w6a3i-wW9WZ3zO00-P5E1Hkxp7d3g11GwqaDs6CwdLwzxYO2SGdrmeOtf5zBQVsXSTfjtNBbEgObnxL2UO2bhlMxAu9qGspup7xBpxEiJEsU7H4Ktw_6R_n9f_5AXdgRKo9A/s1600/bleeding+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcZMg8O2w6a3i-wW9WZ3zO00-P5E1Hkxp7d3g11GwqaDs6CwdLwzxYO2SGdrmeOtf5zBQVsXSTfjtNBbEgObnxL2UO2bhlMxAu9qGspup7xBpxEiJEsU7H4Ktw_6R_n9f_5AXdgRKo9A/s400/bleeding+heart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1utF3cUfLgMf50omNXVMCnw00vwifwx54_QU6N3gmy_m5k7sURCvGC0-ucrkco0Il_-lnF0GxvBz0LJkRrpkFLgCKj0ymmzSJ7aMGSfzEftMHuvFcLQm7pweR6BnsOOXbKSQE7P9Nik/s1600/carolina+allspice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1utF3cUfLgMf50omNXVMCnw00vwifwx54_QU6N3gmy_m5k7sURCvGC0-ucrkco0Il_-lnF0GxvBz0LJkRrpkFLgCKj0ymmzSJ7aMGSfzEftMHuvFcLQm7pweR6BnsOOXbKSQE7P9Nik/s400/carolina+allspice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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All these irises are from <a href="http://rainbowfarms.net/">Rainbow Iris Farm</a></div>
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Want something out of the ordinary? This is the place to go.</div>
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I wish I had room for more...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleyFPbkX2lm1Mvor1v2ZfSHzkjS1njLphCHk3S759JxwuN8TuVf7T7FU5zNxlSyqDhT4eUX3uVRt_86qJttSIyK1eynNKO85sC9Llh6hyxSE5N4aFVWqIciwZ3XjFkijSuhu6NatbpS8/s1600/Iris+-+yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleyFPbkX2lm1Mvor1v2ZfSHzkjS1njLphCHk3S759JxwuN8TuVf7T7FU5zNxlSyqDhT4eUX3uVRt_86qJttSIyK1eynNKO85sC9Llh6hyxSE5N4aFVWqIciwZ3XjFkijSuhu6NatbpS8/s400/Iris+-+yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Guess which bulb got in the wrong bag...</div>
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Very fragrant Viburnum - can you smell it from there?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFYDvEM3pqyVzjB_x1sNQvZ8JLIWoFnS0gJRbSW9jEYdt2mbTZusSpFDZvWriiigsHYI9y6uXQq2LRh4jtVDTP8KJLCRjvBjobQh3m3OTjIGAtB6Kg688JHdn_8z-kfgtPe1Gbf6DiQk/s1600/viburnum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFYDvEM3pqyVzjB_x1sNQvZ8JLIWoFnS0gJRbSW9jEYdt2mbTZusSpFDZvWriiigsHYI9y6uXQq2LRh4jtVDTP8KJLCRjvBjobQh3m3OTjIGAtB6Kg688JHdn_8z-kfgtPe1Gbf6DiQk/s400/viburnum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some annuals. I have a lot of pots around the yard that I fill with annuals. These are just a sample.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-J1zjhsKS-1ajvdrwEZIrgfdnInl9DBLaJMWgeTnH13O-c7x3xLnFTQTsm6lDxh9wS_sgCXurD2x3jmTsGM-Ot994bldGi4kDwVPa1pYo021z9LzV5HI059D0H_l7-UkaFnus2SyMLs/s1600/geranium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-J1zjhsKS-1ajvdrwEZIrgfdnInl9DBLaJMWgeTnH13O-c7x3xLnFTQTsm6lDxh9wS_sgCXurD2x3jmTsGM-Ot994bldGi4kDwVPa1pYo021z9LzV5HI059D0H_l7-UkaFnus2SyMLs/s400/geranium.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
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And my volunteers. The "wild" violets that I allow to grow as a cheerful ground cover.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgFekXmpX1eCYQIZDFcD9EJzpGhguWHkiGQbSVgzhuEOEVcOs6LJJIyweZwZ985rmLetvpsHiUnN-4kyLGgq4fFkLPj0txrBuRsDaquEHFq1YRu2_rtcbHTKnF81CCTr8Bdzg7DYmlu8/s1600/violets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgFekXmpX1eCYQIZDFcD9EJzpGhguWHkiGQbSVgzhuEOEVcOs6LJJIyweZwZ985rmLetvpsHiUnN-4kyLGgq4fFkLPj0txrBuRsDaquEHFq1YRu2_rtcbHTKnF81CCTr8Bdzg7DYmlu8/s400/violets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks to Carol at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams</a> for this meme.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-61610384254437789872015-05-11T04:23:00.002-07:002015-05-11T04:23:56.458-07:00Bothering the Neighbors<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have several plants that will re-seed in the garden - <i>Liatris, Penstemon, Agastache</i> - mostly I don't mind because I can ID the seedlings and pull them out if I don't want them. But I do sometimes worry they're spreading into my neighbor's yard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ6W-zDrDWE9-yMvzJwFYzpVG-190Wmm2hs7ArcydaZJFPHRvKGdRt3GUGsHE-ulZGuXXvsSfa_92B0nvZxaTQ8RZLfR76t1Vww9fMBh70o5GTwNfCmSY551uytYjMgukjdFTCbWNUBk/s1600/Penstemon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ6W-zDrDWE9-yMvzJwFYzpVG-190Wmm2hs7ArcydaZJFPHRvKGdRt3GUGsHE-ulZGuXXvsSfa_92B0nvZxaTQ8RZLfR76t1Vww9fMBh70o5GTwNfCmSY551uytYjMgukjdFTCbWNUBk/s640/Penstemon.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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Notice the <i>Penstemon</i> is right at the edge of their yard (and yes, I have seen it show up in their yard, too. I guess I need to be better about dead heading).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5yMtI5Rc7D65m0lN1Yq3T5MBCuztpEQNFQBAnaiYiQeW_UCgpV2WpI8-O51xNFZVOd_9EUEnV8twunn4ivjajq2WRZwREk8keH0SXCHY8M0W2kczSz4KzNePe-3XzKkBBm8A0TUZgYw/s1600/Spreading+tulips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5yMtI5Rc7D65m0lN1Yq3T5MBCuztpEQNFQBAnaiYiQeW_UCgpV2WpI8-O51xNFZVOd_9EUEnV8twunn4ivjajq2WRZwREk8keH0SXCHY8M0W2kczSz4KzNePe-3XzKkBBm8A0TUZgYw/s400/Spreading+tulips.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But what I didn't expect to spread was one of my species tulips! This is a seedling of Little Beauty, a great species tulip that comes back every year [from <a href="https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/">Brent and Becky</a>]. This looks so good that I may have to order some more and plant them IN my lawn. The foliage would be disguised in the grass and I'd have a spring blooming lawn!</div>
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If my neighbor's complain I'll point to their even more problematic bamboo that keep sneaking under the fence! Guess which one will be harder to manage. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-65233088082426093992015-04-12T14:57:00.000-07:002015-04-12T14:57:02.301-07:00Finally.....After a long, cold winter it's finally looking like spring. We've had two weekends in a row without snowfall! And today it got up to around 70!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjme0juP_SIxpErAj3gART_iX5ZxK8Y0xbdaLWhT3xdlNPhMczylSXJGBb_zyOvujkIq3-kpMEMJDoD9YIFsyJC9_GgFQOJlUc-fT9egQKIn8-jx6pdRpnn4AeQHK4bsuhZHGLUUbdOE_M/s1600/Annual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjme0juP_SIxpErAj3gART_iX5ZxK8Y0xbdaLWhT3xdlNPhMczylSXJGBb_zyOvujkIq3-kpMEMJDoD9YIFsyJC9_GgFQOJlUc-fT9egQKIn8-jx6pdRpnn4AeQHK4bsuhZHGLUUbdOE_M/s1600/Annual.jpg" height="400" width="362" /></a></div>
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Ahhhhhhh.<br />
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[OK, so that's a bit of a cheat. I bought the <i>Pericallis</i> above at a Big Box Store. What can I say? I'm feeling desperate for color.]</div>
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So yesterday was the Ceremony of the Moving the Snow Shovel into the Basement and the Putting the Parkas away till next winter. Today was the first day of the Spring Races.</div>
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I'm racing to cut back last year's dead vegetation before this year's new green grows up and make the job that much harder.</div>
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I won with the chives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxPHqkbYXtdXeKJAQPV6kq2MujIJ_GG679AWhbh1ckA4CSom6Q0YC3lBmsSZ5xfnwfHIjjjPDWQ86sn1pPCms5RGqiOXZ5PccE8WlUM5XRMrE7uj7ZZjYWiDWtpPsNzwTyZyxXEVQBmE/s1600/catmint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxPHqkbYXtdXeKJAQPV6kq2MujIJ_GG679AWhbh1ckA4CSom6Q0YC3lBmsSZ5xfnwfHIjjjPDWQ86sn1pPCms5RGqiOXZ5PccE8WlUM5XRMrE7uj7ZZjYWiDWtpPsNzwTyZyxXEVQBmE/s1600/catmint.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
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But the catmint, <i>Nepeta</i> Walker's Low, might have gotten ahead of me. I have my "short" day tomorrow so I'll scootch out after giving lecture and rush home to try to finish the spring clean up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX4GQsTJQ07DimZIoNpWCu9LCtr5aMbmRsp2ohhAhX9b_gtmYaTf7dSSGOjvjWklK1Yv3POFbZqRZ6wPWcVEPgdpMsWU7UX_h1SnZBE9aEf0RSAyYowp1fapx9Podx0x14yTm0dFbzQc/s1600/crocuses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX4GQsTJQ07DimZIoNpWCu9LCtr5aMbmRsp2ohhAhX9b_gtmYaTf7dSSGOjvjWklK1Yv3POFbZqRZ6wPWcVEPgdpMsWU7UX_h1SnZBE9aEf0RSAyYowp1fapx9Podx0x14yTm0dFbzQc/s1600/crocuses.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I will make a note that I need even more crocus for next year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XbZFuAyDaieP_A1xy4hLrzj6uZq4QhAmrln-0D3YoZJmhnuGQwMTczQnsan5M0W3SG6eG4hzdxD47fQAEHss3a3Dk9Y1WIgU5UXajGVtQTL5DufGl_OqqSnimbl7xUKhtwLNBpqtHIU/s1600/Bee+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XbZFuAyDaieP_A1xy4hLrzj6uZq4QhAmrln-0D3YoZJmhnuGQwMTczQnsan5M0W3SG6eG4hzdxD47fQAEHss3a3Dk9Y1WIgU5UXajGVtQTL5DufGl_OqqSnimbl7xUKhtwLNBpqtHIU/s1600/Bee+2.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
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Did I mention I was desperate for flowers? So are the bees.</div>
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They were all over my crocus today.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQCSX1Wz_wig_stG1Ezj669MJhklHyqivJ_KtWwRRdock_11zARFgwJvfKg6qndYCATPi_WAxmlQnpVYtIUC3wkG0Jz0cP4eqinQMbnk4M-UP2FVuXIINh7ag7fr2BoqpkzhBYlxBIiw/s1600/Dwarf+iris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQCSX1Wz_wig_stG1Ezj669MJhklHyqivJ_KtWwRRdock_11zARFgwJvfKg6qndYCATPi_WAxmlQnpVYtIUC3wkG0Jz0cP4eqinQMbnk4M-UP2FVuXIINh7ag7fr2BoqpkzhBYlxBIiw/s1600/Dwarf+iris.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hmmm... At least the Dwarf Iris were able to grow through the dead perennial. Now how am I going to trim back the dead.... </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-17144168403029444182015-03-29T13:03:00.000-07:002015-03-29T13:03:31.418-07:00First Flowers of 2015!Today the first flowers of 2015 (outside) have bloomed. Not surprisingly they're crocuses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX5cD2RSjQ8wcHtfTT0XuaravY-LTAkKpq1QpDXVzPNMmX5JqknQm4gGB654vHPmywl_lrK0s5aYPUezvm3YbnicDpzrY6khCNBbVSCt0J3hhMOl8bvCrBA2ywf2ew8CduVK9IfUbo3g/s1600/Crocus+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX5cD2RSjQ8wcHtfTT0XuaravY-LTAkKpq1QpDXVzPNMmX5JqknQm4gGB654vHPmywl_lrK0s5aYPUezvm3YbnicDpzrY6khCNBbVSCt0J3hhMOl8bvCrBA2ywf2ew8CduVK9IfUbo3g/s1600/Crocus+1.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></div>
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This does not herald the arrival of spring in all her glory but it does show that winter is (finally!) in retreat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtgP9qkWbOR04JXUp0mBVqAxgESfOskgmp4VwQ9bJUMd3DansMY_0TYMgm55hGZfGhCyKwOIc3O7fn0hE_CCBaM6FcRzlwrcenwHERogqoOFI_ulgF-KHd1C1DRaogOPmlQAOj89qZaM/s1600/Snow+March+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtgP9qkWbOR04JXUp0mBVqAxgESfOskgmp4VwQ9bJUMd3DansMY_0TYMgm55hGZfGhCyKwOIc3O7fn0hE_CCBaM6FcRzlwrcenwHERogqoOFI_ulgF-KHd1C1DRaogOPmlQAOj89qZaM/s1600/Snow+March+29.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yes, that's today. At least I can see some patches of ground.<br />
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In other news... One of our new kittens in living up to his name. We recently replaced our old couch and have temporarily turned it on it's end to take up less space till we can get rid of it. Wren manged to fly up and perch of the top of the couch, right up by the ceiling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpiHrzK2dHXrKIf1lYMkZ4dwf-PkX7zeG0jp0viw5O0AX_fV9hiArreaZcY32GP5kW8pwjH9GYNpjGU45dJW4VnDS2d7JuB9MocHdx7uI16OV-Llznhn61feClwpwTPAUa6rIp4i8A38/s1600/Wren+on+couch+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpiHrzK2dHXrKIf1lYMkZ4dwf-PkX7zeG0jp0viw5O0AX_fV9hiArreaZcY32GP5kW8pwjH9GYNpjGU45dJW4VnDS2d7JuB9MocHdx7uI16OV-Llznhn61feClwpwTPAUa6rIp4i8A38/s1600/Wren+on+couch+2.jpg" height="211" width="400" /></a></div>
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I just hope he doesn't try to build a nest up there...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-71378323970364516852015-03-23T14:07:00.000-07:002015-03-23T14:07:05.809-07:00Update from the Arctic HinterlandI've been looking at other bloggers post on their early spring flowers, spring clean up, mud season. Up here, North of Boston, we're still firmly in the grip of winter. At this time of previous years I've had crocus blooming.<br />
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This year I can't see the Hellstrip where I've planted hundreds of crocus bulbs.<br />
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These, tucked up near the house in a rare bare spot, are TRYING to come up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSORjPsGXss7Nzb-o-RGXfKlXfxp2g37bu-ympvoRCkKoMEuw_xo-vp4ZTRwPRJG3bSBw1dcOBzkEPgZe87yu06UTq08c15w_YvWr10I0WnMVgGdAysgtYH7f53oyck3UJ7aoQwSzc2w/s1600/crocus,+maybe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSORjPsGXss7Nzb-o-RGXfKlXfxp2g37bu-ympvoRCkKoMEuw_xo-vp4ZTRwPRJG3bSBw1dcOBzkEPgZe87yu06UTq08c15w_YvWr10I0WnMVgGdAysgtYH7f53oyck3UJ7aoQwSzc2w/s1600/crocus,+maybe.jpg" height="371" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can do it!<br />
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Well, maybe in a week or two more...<br />
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The snow is starting to recede in places, mostly up against the house and along the driveway.<br />
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Here's an unknown plant making a run for it. I can't even see what's near it to try and remember what I planted there - you're seeing basically from the edge of the house to the edge of the snow field.<br />
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Right by the front door my always early <i>Aquilegia </i>'Little Lanterns' is starting to show. Those early bloomers got to get started as soon as possible. When these bloom you know it's time to have your hummingbird feeder up.<br />
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Of course the receding snow is also showing signs of damage.<br />
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I don't think this holly is going to be nicely shaped this year. It should be quite a bit taller than it appears now. I guess I'll have some "rescue and recovery" pruning to do once the snow finally melts. [note the leaning gutter behind the shrub? Guess what The Husband has to repair once the snow finally melts?]</div>
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And my matching dwarf golden threadleaf cypress (<i>Chamaecyparis pisifera</i>) are sporting matching damage.</div>
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The plant should be growing up in this picture, not sideways.</div>
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In this image "up" on the plant is to the right. *shudder*</div>
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I think I'll be replacing those this year. They bracket the front door. I'll have to think about alternatives for those spots...</div>
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When is spring arriving this year? </div>
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I visited my mom in NC last week. She sent me home on the plane with a lone daffodil in my hand. Thanks, mom. I need that on my desk this week! I won't be seeing those in MY garden for a while yet.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-83166723800570776162015-03-08T06:24:00.001-07:002015-03-08T06:24:41.210-07:00New Anthurium<div style="text-align: justify;">
My regular local source of fresh eggs got a new job and is no longer convenient. My back up options (farm stands) are all closed for the winter. BUT a local garden center has a Winter Market in their greenhouses. Local meats, home made breads and local eggs. So we drove half an hour to pick up some eggs.</div>
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Did I mention it's in the Greenhouse? </div>
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I love visiting greenhouses in winter. But I'm often feeling so deprived of green that I end up buying houseplants. </div>
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I'm kind of full up of houseplants right now. So I swore I wouldn't buy any.</div>
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I only came home with five. And two were small.</div>
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Today, however, I'm only going to post pictures of my new <i>Anthurium</i>. I've been having problems with my <i>Anthuriums</i> this winter (probably low humidity and I recently found mealy bugs. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) so I swore I wouldn't buy any new ones until I figured out the problem.</div>
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Yeah, right.</div>
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Then I saw this beauty.</div>
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Gorgeous purple flowers. Yum. And a slightly pinkish purple, different from my other purples.</div>
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The flower age more pink.</div>
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Still a nice color.</div>
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AND she's pregnant!</div>
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It's too bad (ha!) I don't live closer to <a href="http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com/">Mr. Subjunctive</a>. If I did I'd constantly be dropping off plants and seeds in the middle of the night. This would be one of them.</div>
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Of course he'd probably figure me out and in turn drop off plants at my house in the middle of the night and I'd end up with a house full of over 1000 plants like he has so maybe it's good for both of us that we're not feeding each others addictions.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-56372928125818616452015-02-28T12:42:00.001-08:002015-02-28T12:42:59.500-08:00Winter InterestI know some gardeners like to talk about winter interest in their garden. We've gotten over 100 inches of snow in about a month. My idea of winter interest is... well...<br />
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I'm interested to see if our dog figures out that the fence is proportionally low enough for her to get over...<br />
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I'm interested to see how much work and/or money it's going to cost to repair the damage from the leaking roof...<br />
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I'm interested to see if the gutters stay on the house or if the ice dams are strong enough to pull them down...<br />
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Most of all I'm interested to see how long it will be before the snow is gone and I can even start to THINK about planting my vegetable garden... It's under there. Somewhere.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-63714874303722752022015-02-15T08:36:00.003-08:002015-02-15T08:36:57.604-08:00The Problem with Snow<div style="text-align: justify;">
In case you've been living in a hole - Boston (just down the road from me) has had it's third snowiest winter on record this winter. And most of that has been in February. I've got about 4 feet of snow on the ground in my yard right now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL2No3YiWoAQJFrcMhtCIvSD6WvwKyUFHhvBI5aJ9JNDHaUdPyVszVdrT1m0v6QBgSgaX0606yh5eMO2p95yLVwJonfySfs0OIemVgYuA9RWJaQ1j8jkWpVdqLrS12GC5cNQPUKwpoMo/s1600/Piper+in+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL2No3YiWoAQJFrcMhtCIvSD6WvwKyUFHhvBI5aJ9JNDHaUdPyVszVdrT1m0v6QBgSgaX0606yh5eMO2p95yLVwJonfySfs0OIemVgYuA9RWJaQ1j8jkWpVdqLrS12GC5cNQPUKwpoMo/s1600/Piper+in+snow.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></div>
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The bit of plant to the right is part of a four foot tall <i>Pieris </i></div>
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Even our fuzzy dog is tired of it. </div>
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But what problem is this causing to my garden? It's causing a problem that I'll have to deal with in April and/or May.</div>
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I'm still getting new catalogs from mail order companies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbV0Al55lvYZ5mYUKTPw2Y6ooKhmvl01aWEBf3j56hRd1YxnaFzuDhZvxbtw2QlFl0qVh3TCCh3y0x6DZDA2GK_F0ZdR5KUFYvbZ3rdVBXdF49aEm47iGzzUgQJa876-mqq7BgIoWjqI/s1600/catalogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbV0Al55lvYZ5mYUKTPw2Y6ooKhmvl01aWEBf3j56hRd1YxnaFzuDhZvxbtw2QlFl0qVh3TCCh3y0x6DZDA2GK_F0ZdR5KUFYvbZ3rdVBXdF49aEm47iGzzUgQJa876-mqq7BgIoWjqI/s1600/catalogs.jpg" height="162" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've ordered too many plants.</div>
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Because of the snow I'm not getting out of the house as much as normal. So I'm stick inside, bored, and longing for some green. And I've got this great big stack of catalogs on my desk. </div>
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Add to that the fact that my garden looks like this...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQT6V2kJwsal_-hv5rXyhXbmnTa_IQDBrDopDoJyb1g7ttEuCqa2vfKOkGSHdCDiYV2rpNGGcYlJPoKhHfjYaDcJElfbYKHwd_kxY653Ubki4PVQQoDX_0U42roj2zsBxR_8tF0qh29k/s1600/John+in+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQT6V2kJwsal_-hv5rXyhXbmnTa_IQDBrDopDoJyb1g7ttEuCqa2vfKOkGSHdCDiYV2rpNGGcYlJPoKhHfjYaDcJElfbYKHwd_kxY653Ubki4PVQQoDX_0U42roj2zsBxR_8tF0qh29k/s1600/John+in+snow.jpg" height="337" width="400" /></a></div>
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and I can't exactly go outside and look at the garden and notice where the empty spaces are or where I could possibly tuck in a new plant. I think I've ordered about 2 or 3 plants for each space.</div>
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Oh, look. I haven't ordered anything from the new High Country Gardens catalog yet...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-29079390409460136322015-02-02T05:56:00.000-08:002015-02-02T05:56:30.099-08:00What's that smell?<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm a mad biologist who has filled her house with life: about 70 houseplants, 3 cats, 1 dog, 1 large fish tank and Walter the snail. So sometimes my house, well, smells (not in a bad way, just in a well lived in way. Well, I guess the house perfume industry would argue that any smell except for their house perfume is a bad smell but I just don't buy that).</div>
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Last Friday I went upstairs to bed and smelled an unfamiliar odor. Sweet. Floral. Hmmm... I didn't think anything upstairs was blooming. I checked. Nope nothing. Maybe the maids used a new cleaning product when they came earlier in the day?</div>
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I found the source the next morning when I walked into my home office (which is right below the bedroom) and go a stronger wiff. </div>
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Ah-ha! Hoya!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUN0ZVnGFXClAIMBYBBOw97k70AEFV63EHPH8C6G7WMF38fMh0WyqWESh65_YDYuTmE9dwrw0htPblHFodErP7saMdej71VCG9LBZN1o40k4Goadkp3wgrfbRih-7YkeqrWp91PrkSQ0c/s1600/Hoya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUN0ZVnGFXClAIMBYBBOw97k70AEFV63EHPH8C6G7WMF38fMh0WyqWESh65_YDYuTmE9dwrw0htPblHFodErP7saMdej71VCG9LBZN1o40k4Goadkp3wgrfbRih-7YkeqrWp91PrkSQ0c/s1600/Hoya.jpg" height="390" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Hoya iacunosa</i></div>
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This is a very small Hoya and it only has one bloom cluster (yes, those are my fingers holding the bloom) but it is enough to spread fragrance throughout the office, through the ceiling and in to our bedroom. Very impressive!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-36378161276600326182015-01-26T12:45:00.002-08:002015-01-26T12:45:55.108-08:00Preparing for The Storm<div style="text-align: justify;">
The weathermen are predicting The Apocalypse tomorrow. Well, they're predicting a strong blizzard but the hyperbole is heavy. It's the Storm-of-the-Century of the Month. We'll probably get a foot or more of snow.</div>
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So we made sure we were ready just in case. Fuel in the car, check, food in the pantry, check, pet food, check and back up water supply.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IqYd_PNh4dYBTZ7_u-QW0ZR7ejHIgVkiG3sQ7-dzkfH_UVIDGxBbFkeb-Bl7c3UqxVdhqNahhyphenhyphenKSl5DZv26VaDWwEegtjT99O9ATkHxzI_z4mpHH6Z3tulJNBS9LKgkkmHLSQJLmqoY/s1600/water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IqYd_PNh4dYBTZ7_u-QW0ZR7ejHIgVkiG3sQ7-dzkfH_UVIDGxBbFkeb-Bl7c3UqxVdhqNahhyphenhyphenKSl5DZv26VaDWwEegtjT99O9ATkHxzI_z4mpHH6Z3tulJNBS9LKgkkmHLSQJLmqoY/s1600/water.jpg" height="218" width="400" /></a></div>
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If this doesn't do us there's always the other option.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoVvjfXi4rd6qi2yb80mPHv9ttBspxJeh61cHye_GdRRoexnpK6JneDQED9SWz2Bq6fd1AkEw03sU6BGjtylAiVN0noSoYzCrbKtroPPrUgIQAryKv1Yu6iLLqvNUYgta2l98y60dWWk/s1600/aquarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoVvjfXi4rd6qi2yb80mPHv9ttBspxJeh61cHye_GdRRoexnpK6JneDQED9SWz2Bq6fd1AkEw03sU6BGjtylAiVN0noSoYzCrbKtroPPrUgIQAryKv1Yu6iLLqvNUYgta2l98y60dWWk/s1600/aquarium.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yep, that's 120 gallons of less than ideal but still safe to drink water. I don't think the fish would appreciate it if we started in on their water supply, though. I did a partial water change yesterday so it's relatively clean.</div>
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Fill the bird feeders.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOZM_cZTHv5AeyzfNlq5KXpEuWM4aWAYvsq6EDq3p2z4ju6jBTQx4I9qENWaChIKqWrUfrOIN4xNudRTDYrZV9NYB4Vhnz6uDPtJtwqKXosMpGqDE4lW5j91LNySVc4GZC_AYZwxEAws/s1600/bird+feeders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOZM_cZTHv5AeyzfNlq5KXpEuWM4aWAYvsq6EDq3p2z4ju6jBTQx4I9qENWaChIKqWrUfrOIN4xNudRTDYrZV9NYB4Vhnz6uDPtJtwqKXosMpGqDE4lW5j91LNySVc4GZC_AYZwxEAws/s1600/bird+feeders.jpg" height="400" width="313" /></a></div>
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Realize the birds are emptying the feeder fast today and put "fill the bird feeders" back on the to do list.</div>
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My job is cancelled until Thursday. What should I do with this unexpected (and probably house bound) new time?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCMaB5v-rt0EYOFgMGJLTGSCdZp2sYrtZLPhQANHfhdkUu0tK3Dap7Nw_epUJ_2oMis3bbLad_23qKx5VafO34PAF2djDKbOpnwB_S7w0jQj_YMuZJi0cvS1n4XaE08KYSNiAeqHO7Og/s1600/seed+catalogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCMaB5v-rt0EYOFgMGJLTGSCdZp2sYrtZLPhQANHfhdkUu0tK3Dap7Nw_epUJ_2oMis3bbLad_23qKx5VafO34PAF2djDKbOpnwB_S7w0jQj_YMuZJi0cvS1n4XaE08KYSNiAeqHO7Og/s1600/seed+catalogs.jpg" height="327" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!</div>
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So what if I've already placed my orders for this spring. I bet I can find something else I just HAVE to have....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OjjW1UU2jUiCDg4Mah_Jxy3oqqaZf_yKy6Rtvqkd6hxYRViXf_yg_FShFuq5DeO0sO7Rm8JygA4PErfuLCeUZYX_lLzzN8SjYI8-S8tbESfpF21ipWMt5AAejv_ALtGSvWL-yWJ2wVk/s1600/wren+in+from+the+cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OjjW1UU2jUiCDg4Mah_Jxy3oqqaZf_yKy6Rtvqkd6hxYRViXf_yg_FShFuq5DeO0sO7Rm8JygA4PErfuLCeUZYX_lLzzN8SjYI8-S8tbESfpF21ipWMt5AAejv_ALtGSvWL-yWJ2wVk/s1600/wren+in+from+the+cold.jpg" height="301" width="400" /></a></div>
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And now [because the relationship is new and I can't get enough of my new kittens] here's Wren. Young and naive enough to get shocked by the weather forecast and very glad he got rescued and is now an indoor cat.</div>
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Stay safe ya'll.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-74136990558367798432015-01-16T12:06:00.001-08:002015-01-16T12:06:19.849-08:00Foliage Follow Up - January 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's time for Foliage Follow Up. There's snow blowing around outside but I stayed safe and warm inside, photographing the wonderful foliage of my numerous house plants. And wishing I had a better flash rig. Make that ANY flash rig besides the one that came with my camera. It's high on my wish list. If only the house can stay standing without a major expense for a while so I can afford it.</div>
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Here we go: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXtuPlzfK4SwFen59W3nMJEEsUTCru82qEUBA_DR7FQ0qD3xaqDBL6-lRsdDkmeshB8NtVWChj4QmbFzXtXmgC3X2uGOceibm5ky4OPJRBNCNJP5sDkdoPLY2GrqynWTenA_jlvWQts0/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXtuPlzfK4SwFen59W3nMJEEsUTCru82qEUBA_DR7FQ0qD3xaqDBL6-lRsdDkmeshB8NtVWChj4QmbFzXtXmgC3X2uGOceibm5ky4OPJRBNCNJP5sDkdoPLY2GrqynWTenA_jlvWQts0/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+2.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've been developing an interest in <i>Aglaonema</i> lately. Unfortunately each grower seems to have a gazillion varieties with the growers own unique name and I can't get a consensus about which varieties mine actually are.</div>
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This one has a bit more of a pale yellow wash than shows up in the photo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBXr1gdSMgdsPGgWNxfyvFXV36Fn04WcvA0FBjY5hCo24akl6d0ZI8SeEG9aa9H2z8xFEZAkugQ_eSIoMHEPjxu7ycAbc3vtxRAMMOdne1-WLyqNnBLE6Pl6GP78FbPihdtOmj1AXciU/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBXr1gdSMgdsPGgWNxfyvFXV36Fn04WcvA0FBjY5hCo24akl6d0ZI8SeEG9aa9H2z8xFEZAkugQ_eSIoMHEPjxu7ycAbc3vtxRAMMOdne1-WLyqNnBLE6Pl6GP78FbPihdtOmj1AXciU/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+3.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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Another <i>Agalaonema</i>, this one has more splotches on younger leaves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LUIApKSNFrICo3KHu2XNmIXqkT3j-_fHsnG9TvoBecYBUsReS8-gOZPnIyI6mzt_3ONalMCQwat6ZYfbx5FvPmwHxJ1q1iprGwqgPSDi_fOrWcTU6XpXp-GmP-cEdj7Ot0NaICBV3_A/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LUIApKSNFrICo3KHu2XNmIXqkT3j-_fHsnG9TvoBecYBUsReS8-gOZPnIyI6mzt_3ONalMCQwat6ZYfbx5FvPmwHxJ1q1iprGwqgPSDi_fOrWcTU6XpXp-GmP-cEdj7Ot0NaICBV3_A/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema+4.jpg" height="400" width="145" /></a></div>
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This <i>Agalaonema</i> looks like the one most commonly found in public spaces. I would have passed it up except it was on sale for $3.00 at the Big Box Store and I'm a sucker for cheap plants.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidP4hrjHfGch_Egil0RShpo6DCVQkfFbd_ZST1dLkOtfj5jCQRHqSPuuVQc_SG75q9eJq95LjSlXVKm3hWZXGiiZ6gyadX0EWE8v91hRoiFuEt2O9SkVpoN3oXz6wOGdT1-4A7w4yO7g/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidP4hrjHfGch_Egil0RShpo6DCVQkfFbd_ZST1dLkOtfj5jCQRHqSPuuVQc_SG75q9eJq95LjSlXVKm3hWZXGiiZ6gyadX0EWE8v91hRoiFuEt2O9SkVpoN3oXz6wOGdT1-4A7w4yO7g/s1600/foliage+-+agalonema.jpg" height="400" width="252" /></a></div>
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Another $3.00 <i>Aglaonema.</i> This is one of my office plants that came home for the Holiday Shut Down and needs to be carried back as soon as it's reasonably warm outside.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySmEW9PmqrDP_uzKbr8womlMDPoO4kighdSuEd3aJKRV8pGpMWujVxVWa1r4xakvrwoxMsNN-KajMq-1EvzhynR7pCpeobyo0k92-79pwodCPXBOHwDkfB0Y9meXxklcBQSLILZJIVfU/s1600/foliage+-+calathea+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySmEW9PmqrDP_uzKbr8womlMDPoO4kighdSuEd3aJKRV8pGpMWujVxVWa1r4xakvrwoxMsNN-KajMq-1EvzhynR7pCpeobyo0k92-79pwodCPXBOHwDkfB0Y9meXxklcBQSLILZJIVfU/s1600/foliage+-+calathea+2.jpg" height="400" width="146" /></a></div>
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I have mixed feelings about <i>Calathea. </i>This is <i>C. lancifolia,</i> aka Rattlesnake plant. The underside of the leaves is dark purple. I like the foliage and it grows well but if I'm not careful about de-chlorinating the water and watching the temperature these guys seem to get a lot of leaf burn. Then again most of my <i>Anthuriums</i> are also suffering from leaf burn right now, too, possibly due to the extremely dry air inside. Maybe I should set up my old 55 - gallon aquarium as a plant tank... If only I could convince The Husband (and find a spot for it).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiWe6RWq5KEtPV3e7OkJfzC9JMNwYnVJ6rn9FWewgSL5-XO2lcUL1kExsklIX65vZyG_8e7tU0w3ZIGzq8ijbF_fQ6oDCerqtOQB1zUn1MsWWtcBj_Rezx9c5ZlOCVjNHrA_G72PWUaQ/s1600/foliage+-+calathea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiWe6RWq5KEtPV3e7OkJfzC9JMNwYnVJ6rn9FWewgSL5-XO2lcUL1kExsklIX65vZyG_8e7tU0w3ZIGzq8ijbF_fQ6oDCerqtOQB1zUn1MsWWtcBj_Rezx9c5ZlOCVjNHrA_G72PWUaQ/s1600/foliage+-+calathea.jpg" height="400" width="215" /></a></div>
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This is a bit of a cheat. That's the shadow of a bloom on my <i>Calathea corona</i> (again, I'm not sure of the specific variety. I wish plant sellers would do a better job of labeling).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMdm_hi9JM8qbvR2qzZt_2bMgJecUexcSuGQbLTG41ybpptoArKTG7ELJA_J0nAUeuysgsa8qbUG-KxA5tlYR6ONJbXfIebIbcGvTEC0JH04eMXhr5MKmfFJGmO0c76qR_xjCvmQQnjw/s1600/foliage+-+corn+cne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMdm_hi9JM8qbvR2qzZt_2bMgJecUexcSuGQbLTG41ybpptoArKTG7ELJA_J0nAUeuysgsa8qbUG-KxA5tlYR6ONJbXfIebIbcGvTEC0JH04eMXhr5MKmfFJGmO0c76qR_xjCvmQQnjw/s1600/foliage+-+corn+cne.jpg" height="400" width="183" /></a></div>
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This is a small Corn Plant (<i>Draczenea fragrans</i>, unknown variety with yellow-green leaves)</div>
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Cuban oregano, <i>Plectranthus ambonicus</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB83czbSOfEau0KLFP6wlriVqCYAKmQqRtKIQuqBd7fQwclEJ4R53uhGbx9T9Ik5IbUNtCfxPXR-smpsU_x_b_mVlbfJ_CBYx4NYLP3exljS1-k7TFnQl2TUsomC3ePaovzKT9PMBox0I/s1600/foliage+-+lemon+lime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB83czbSOfEau0KLFP6wlriVqCYAKmQqRtKIQuqBd7fQwclEJ4R53uhGbx9T9Ik5IbUNtCfxPXR-smpsU_x_b_mVlbfJ_CBYx4NYLP3exljS1-k7TFnQl2TUsomC3ePaovzKT9PMBox0I/s1600/foliage+-+lemon+lime.jpg" height="400" width="185" /></a></div>
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<i>Dracaena deremensis</i> Lemon-lime, an old reliable for me and a really nice looking plant</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjC8kMwkynv1cOkTnkvQPhXpQrHu6tQVl77dGeM60pk2Rb3H9RU94-L9yvMq29XbGHyRVmKbA1cDKl339_dj8TijfGR9AUGpxuP51ZUYSzcagPArG5WwMXIlEso9pazFFAuFJF3Mhils/s1600/foliage+-+palm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjC8kMwkynv1cOkTnkvQPhXpQrHu6tQVl77dGeM60pk2Rb3H9RU94-L9yvMq29XbGHyRVmKbA1cDKl339_dj8TijfGR9AUGpxuP51ZUYSzcagPArG5WwMXIlEso9pazFFAuFJF3Mhils/s1600/foliage+-+palm.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Chamaedorea elegans</i>, a nice, very small palm that normally lives in my office at work, where the cats can't nibble on it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLSLyLz8RxAgqyM6CjfMkKg5qGVbGIScNjB0UPmhArmoDzXAgIZkFUPdOynOZg-7rBB0DUjl1dxFWu5VfHw2Gv66mNhtMgoG8mpm9ECdapZBINqtP-MgEKkEukGqDpJPH-5D7e6TiNa0/s1600/foliage+-+snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLSLyLz8RxAgqyM6CjfMkKg5qGVbGIScNjB0UPmhArmoDzXAgIZkFUPdOynOZg-7rBB0DUjl1dxFWu5VfHw2Gv66mNhtMgoG8mpm9ECdapZBINqtP-MgEKkEukGqDpJPH-5D7e6TiNa0/s1600/foliage+-+snake.jpg" height="400" width="141" /></a></div>
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Last up, <i>Sansevieria trifasciata </i>var. inheritedfrommomii</div>
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As you can see I tried to get a little creative with my photos this afternoon. Anything to avoid working on preparing my syllabus for classes that start next week.</div>
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Thanks to Pam at <a href="http://www.penick.net/digging/">Digging</a> for this meme</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-9703542256597250842015-01-15T05:42:00.006-08:002015-01-15T05:42:37.185-08:00Garden Bloggers Bloom Day January 2015My outside garden is sleeping the winter away this month. Even the pansies look cold. But inside my houseplants are keeping my spirits up.<br />
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Unfortunately I didn't have much time this morning so you'll have to make do with lower quality pictures. Sorry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yXoys_8-7j0iQeEV9ivyuB19NF0Kx1WXK1sodoAX35xK2-ziXOK67NWGjGFzDd3iasl2OjVo3jwSntcn9tH3QRuYbkDF_Q1ni4RLnQ8JhsOLPWWJea3dDScqjrISPDV7fnFMYN8A_Vw/s1600/african+violet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yXoys_8-7j0iQeEV9ivyuB19NF0Kx1WXK1sodoAX35xK2-ziXOK67NWGjGFzDd3iasl2OjVo3jwSntcn9tH3QRuYbkDF_Q1ni4RLnQ8JhsOLPWWJea3dDScqjrISPDV7fnFMYN8A_Vw/s1600/african+violet+2.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nCbchfHQk7Beopq6mg0E5kh-DWNSCTRuymZwrjUwNhcCkay_Dciw0dvqU_JEqVYUWw9sBGb0t_cs8jPhBNqy_4VBzqF3l4AGSUlxmocHkt0lHyXur4gXGTERzEUt_GYSGXzmXqRVwA4/s1600/african+violet+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nCbchfHQk7Beopq6mg0E5kh-DWNSCTRuymZwrjUwNhcCkay_Dciw0dvqU_JEqVYUWw9sBGb0t_cs8jPhBNqy_4VBzqF3l4AGSUlxmocHkt0lHyXur4gXGTERzEUt_GYSGXzmXqRVwA4/s1600/african+violet+3.jpg" height="382" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzXYfColSMM517KVarD8zf574cHqsro_n_xba4ZFdOYUiaBdl6z9hJuUfU1wCfvQePKqs0wakA0-rBE7h3PBYDf1fAYnqgFXxJEJ5nsgfVafpeW2M-4wdI39tJf5B8Goj2U4spGSpmQQ/s1600/African+Violet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzXYfColSMM517KVarD8zf574cHqsro_n_xba4ZFdOYUiaBdl6z9hJuUfU1wCfvQePKqs0wakA0-rBE7h3PBYDf1fAYnqgFXxJEJ5nsgfVafpeW2M-4wdI39tJf5B8Goj2U4spGSpmQQ/s1600/African+Violet.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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I don't have tons of blooms but all but one of my African Violets are blooming.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx730wMi05se-VbyMAwmUknsc_G1mZsWILRbCD5pvt2dXwlTQVPHGeWU_nvay-KKtU9QxllRAFOvwwL0U2m4_DUU-uM7840H3veXDrA8ltEcxnLwsc6zPBoRA5hQmbhIjg7so1RRivKMk/s1600/calathea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx730wMi05se-VbyMAwmUknsc_G1mZsWILRbCD5pvt2dXwlTQVPHGeWU_nvay-KKtU9QxllRAFOvwwL0U2m4_DUU-uM7840H3veXDrA8ltEcxnLwsc6zPBoRA5hQmbhIjg7so1RRivKMk/s1600/calathea.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywsgB9inKq7Bopx2WYHRutkJaO3AX3KUW62IYosRWut9yjC06CsU-n53Ls-UOPMlQWcOg3K3rXg9RrmHFZX-BVFev7SOpOs_7_rtqD2CkCf96zECFDVE6sPwkTmHot3rFhgcvXIcLGd0/s1600/calathea+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywsgB9inKq7Bopx2WYHRutkJaO3AX3KUW62IYosRWut9yjC06CsU-n53Ls-UOPMlQWcOg3K3rXg9RrmHFZX-BVFev7SOpOs_7_rtqD2CkCf96zECFDVE6sPwkTmHot3rFhgcvXIcLGd0/s1600/calathea+2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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And this <i>Calathea</i> shows no signs of stopping or even slowing down with blooming (even though it's not happy with either the humidity or maybe I forgot to de-chlorinate the tap water so there's some leaf burn).</div>
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And... Well, that's actually all. None of my <i>Anthuriums </i>or my <i>Hoya </i> are in blooms right now.<br />
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It's a good thing we got some kittens to liven up the house this winter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCHIiqNg0gYpHCQSeL0SFbpwIEOl46QE9QSBP-Hd2gkLSlAg53sVvOZvPTdGsoRr4ourgBZhwEYP_TdAwXkoNGa-fviYNpWXavA5lq0z8QG9pwYbdc1Oy-q-m8j0aT0f8bYSnG1N_6e0/s1600/Mango.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCHIiqNg0gYpHCQSeL0SFbpwIEOl46QE9QSBP-Hd2gkLSlAg53sVvOZvPTdGsoRr4ourgBZhwEYP_TdAwXkoNGa-fviYNpWXavA5lq0z8QG9pwYbdc1Oy-q-m8j0aT0f8bYSnG1N_6e0/s1600/Mango.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
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Mango has discovered my house socks. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06N-o8QQwMQuJ41zpPG_LdGXgG7jP8lcXNR8q7OYWhjbXIrV35tgOXnVPfuE6spONRHR2Kbb1j4eTYUuaTjkeMCiAvz1Sh1I3f3Ud4N8AKGvRHCavTuS-8lo2yQLhKFZhArRXUbbbOVU/s1600/Wren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06N-o8QQwMQuJ41zpPG_LdGXgG7jP8lcXNR8q7OYWhjbXIrV35tgOXnVPfuE6spONRHR2Kbb1j4eTYUuaTjkeMCiAvz1Sh1I3f3Ud4N8AKGvRHCavTuS-8lo2yQLhKFZhArRXUbbbOVU/s1600/Wren.jpg" height="371" width="400" /></a></div>
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Wren barely holds still long enough to get his picture taken.</div>
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Thanks to Carol at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams</a> for this meme. Hopefully I'll have some time this afternoon to take better pictures for tomorrow's Foliage Follow Up. My houseplants have a lot more Foliage than Blooms.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-69324536177830854312015-01-12T04:44:00.000-08:002015-01-12T04:44:23.911-08:00ReproductionI have a bad history reproducing plants from seed. I can get the seeds started. They do all right at first.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh5WPadqJcqloxNPHFdVi-iZUT1Y0wdWoMd8nDlhP1Am6k5xU57BakJtk2waH7I89_9A4S1ky-fBwC9Q2fILhfwkixtH33SIocxSsdtQLPKug-NgiS5Zu5v9KHEK1OyV1vnfC6lAhdvw/s1600/Anthuriums+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh5WPadqJcqloxNPHFdVi-iZUT1Y0wdWoMd8nDlhP1Am6k5xU57BakJtk2waH7I89_9A4S1ky-fBwC9Q2fILhfwkixtH33SIocxSsdtQLPKug-NgiS5Zu5v9KHEK1OyV1vnfC6lAhdvw/s1600/Anthuriums+2.jpg" height="269" width="320" /></a></div>
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As are these Anthuriums.<br />
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But then I try to transplant them into individual pots and something always seems to go wrong...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kvwwVMQX1QhyphenhyphencsXBhTe0nB7a3pHNBB32Peg60kEVgBLuyTew5Izhi-qrDdsoSoFdFIA7L-nD3FKoX_3gMiRXkGA0A5_i06XEUyhosLK4WWcZ-VUZPMB1PwldYkRGgkA76-_Okm5Oa6U/s1600/Anthuriums+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kvwwVMQX1QhyphenhyphencsXBhTe0nB7a3pHNBB32Peg60kEVgBLuyTew5Izhi-qrDdsoSoFdFIA7L-nD3FKoX_3gMiRXkGA0A5_i06XEUyhosLK4WWcZ-VUZPMB1PwldYkRGgkA76-_Okm5Oa6U/s1600/Anthuriums+1.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></div>
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Do I water too much, too little? Am I cursed?<br />
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But I keep trying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkcjdIikcGBcl0U36QCDOx4M-2RnO3S9j6AwhnzkmKNl0wY8qJt_IfrBNVU6EK6qbSf19-XPexitMC5k1xwLvmzJTvxp__8Infa_JRu10d4vlU29F1N1B6G6w95kfP5zL4JYYCwg7F1M/s1600/eucomis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkcjdIikcGBcl0U36QCDOx4M-2RnO3S9j6AwhnzkmKNl0wY8qJt_IfrBNVU6EK6qbSf19-XPexitMC5k1xwLvmzJTvxp__8Infa_JRu10d4vlU29F1N1B6G6w95kfP5zL4JYYCwg7F1M/s1600/eucomis.jpg" height="197" width="400" /></a></div>
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These are Eucomis seedlings. I bought a plant last in the summer for $5 and decided, what the heck. I'll try the seeds. <br />
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But hope spring eternal in the heart of the not-so-young gardener and I also gathered seeds from an unidentified annual (possibly an Amaranthus of some kind. I just haven't found a picture that quite matches -and the closest one I found was just labeled Amaranth).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV_RxWlxcc3AuSLwhGOYCx1DV1p6lYtGMbkA7SLj6hl31pFj9q6l_p1rpW_2bMKoOFgX7fD17eXXz4NWcrkQRYpBXZSTIwRJdsxDFs03i9LOtbBdYGvcEvhi14M2OCtLy8yPcxTH0Tk4/s1600/Seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV_RxWlxcc3AuSLwhGOYCx1DV1p6lYtGMbkA7SLj6hl31pFj9q6l_p1rpW_2bMKoOFgX7fD17eXXz4NWcrkQRYpBXZSTIwRJdsxDFs03i9LOtbBdYGvcEvhi14M2OCtLy8yPcxTH0Tk4/s1600/Seeds.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
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I guess I'll keep trying but I'm much better at reproducing plants from cuttings!<br />
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Here is my annual winter propagation of Cuban Oregano. This is a plant I've had for years but it gets very leggy so I take cuttings during the winter every year to restart the plant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pgdx6L87N5KeCT-75XwxA3sMRxCVrU1t45ueagt-7K6hH8RZ1W92vhyphenhyphengr-OK1R5YJed_Ruq56w4NzrGQGNU_6CaLAe05RRCCk_h_66YmcLXr6ssZTCfgdF_uTwLlRDuQsiHOHHjvBY0/s1600/Cuban+oregano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pgdx6L87N5KeCT-75XwxA3sMRxCVrU1t45ueagt-7K6hH8RZ1W92vhyphenhyphengr-OK1R5YJed_Ruq56w4NzrGQGNU_6CaLAe05RRCCk_h_66YmcLXr6ssZTCfgdF_uTwLlRDuQsiHOHHjvBY0/s1600/Cuban+oregano.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I have a few other plants that I have re-started when they get too leggy or too big.<br />
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And then, HERE is my pride and joy (as far as plants I have reproduced). I started this plant after I noticed a leaf in the hallway of my apartment building when I was in grad school. I walked past the leaf a couple of times before I picked it up and put it in soil - it was on the ground at least 24 hours before I "rescued" it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA1GzaYhwcOYfBY6-DVStmzEYcBe3Ul5rHwbYHXDvOZVUjHu7pygx8uVziwWhwXya5K1YjfhW0REOsZcfCgnvzJNjbKaHpsnHMUF6jg-gZTj49Ty0frzxOyj8zFoDtbyYrSMYR4ysPhU/s1600/African+Violet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA1GzaYhwcOYfBY6-DVStmzEYcBe3Ul5rHwbYHXDvOZVUjHu7pygx8uVziwWhwXya5K1YjfhW0REOsZcfCgnvzJNjbKaHpsnHMUF6jg-gZTj49Ty0frzxOyj8zFoDtbyYrSMYR4ysPhU/s1600/African+Violet.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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I just don't understand how I am so good at reproducing plants from cuttings but so bad at starting seeds.<br />
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At least I can order already started plants of most things I want. Except for <i>Tithonia</i>. I have a hard time finding that as a plant....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-14125368126629236672015-01-05T08:10:00.002-08:002015-01-05T08:10:43.001-08:00Visitor to The EdgeOn the last day of last year we had a visitor to The Edge. I came up from the basement to find The Husband surreptitiously photographing this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jz1aKgO3kNhkmH9OcpTcc1MJt9csH-qxSwEcLePtuTl9RqvEFaTZ_ytyblr8GIheRmZ5G885H4LgUZQ25It8vYBVGbW16KqRneVaTpf9UkOQ23BdEaquggHKIiXA_Xq3TrTZfwQsZ-U/s1600/Cooper's%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jz1aKgO3kNhkmH9OcpTcc1MJt9csH-qxSwEcLePtuTl9RqvEFaTZ_ytyblr8GIheRmZ5G885H4LgUZQ25It8vYBVGbW16KqRneVaTpf9UkOQ23BdEaquggHKIiXA_Xq3TrTZfwQsZ-U/s1600/Cooper's%2B2.jpg" height="400" width="252" /></a></div>
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A young Cooper's Hawk, sitting right next to the bird feeder.</div>
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Cooper's Hawks are predators of birds, they are very fast and agile in flight and can catch songbirds on the wing. This one was watching the <i>Pieris </i>bush near the feeder very closely. We could see movement in the evergreen bush. I guess she was hoping to spook up some breakfast.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjABjflFaHT4gdKMT7Td8ZOn7v8q3r81xi1nVH5uHvh0u5lDPxAJBTXliGTNTd6CL_ofXvpSrw8GZF42RtjSLJA81PJehkZpWiS7sjFSB5sesM9BsMP4sB-mChZV8hgD4qYl4wp8jCU0/s1600/Cooper's%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjABjflFaHT4gdKMT7Td8ZOn7v8q3r81xi1nVH5uHvh0u5lDPxAJBTXliGTNTd6CL_ofXvpSrw8GZF42RtjSLJA81PJehkZpWiS7sjFSB5sesM9BsMP4sB-mChZV8hgD4qYl4wp8jCU0/s1600/Cooper's%2B1.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
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She did go down on the ground to see if she could scare the songbirds out. It didn't work. Here she is vocalizing her frustration (and hunger). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtgLhyphenhyphenxARLFLWdOwoSJ2zOhK-pj65BbkoxgSy_AW7SiFdNQrEUanbjcPLABAFV29qxd9CFSggL-pPyLs9vmkSoLt9Sr_BSlG6OsJ8MMXrARdfUF2W7w2WB8rd4cI74KTeWQmU722rVL0/s1600/Cooper's%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtgLhyphenhyphenxARLFLWdOwoSJ2zOhK-pj65BbkoxgSy_AW7SiFdNQrEUanbjcPLABAFV29qxd9CFSggL-pPyLs9vmkSoLt9Sr_BSlG6OsJ8MMXrARdfUF2W7w2WB8rd4cI74KTeWQmU722rVL0/s1600/Cooper's%2B3.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></a></div>
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This is a young bird who is probably out on her own for the first time. Her hunting technique clearly left something to be desired. The Husband and I debated setting out a Cornish Game Hen for her.</div>
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Oh, and I keep using her. The primary visual difference between male and female Cooper's Hawks is size. This one is on the large end of the size range so I'm pretty comfortable with the gender. Smaller ones are males. It's the middle sized ones that you really can't tell. I'm only comfortable guessing the extremes because I have seen (and handled) soooo many of these birds. Man, are they neurotic in the hand! </div>
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Yes, that's right, the females are larger.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288588983402040402.post-41116606418567636212014-12-27T05:42:00.001-08:002014-12-27T05:42:43.904-08:00New Houseplants!<div style="text-align: justify;">
I just got back from a trip to one-of-the-states-in-the-middle to visit The Husband's family for Christmas. I don't fit in with his family very well and the bed they put me in is a twin bed with a mattress that hasn't been replaced since sometime in the early 80s so I don't sleep well, either.</div>
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My mother in law has ONE houseplant. ONE.</div>
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BUT. About half an hour from my in-laws lies the land of <a href="http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com/">PATSP</a>, Kingdom of Mr. Subjunctive himself. He and I have been Internet Friends for years and on this trip I finally got to meet him for the first time IRL.</div>
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Fortunately he didn't turn out to be a very patient serial killer who lures unsuspecting plant aficionados to their dooms with offers of houseplants. [And neither did I]</div>
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I thought I was houseplant obsessed but I've got nothin' on Mr. S. Wow. I could tell we had the right house when I drove up and couldn't see inside for the wall of green. Very cool.</div>
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Mr. Subjunctive lives in a cute little house with his significant other and Sheba, a sweet dog who decided The Husband and I were great because whenever I feel fur under my hand I automatically start petting. </div>
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He has has plants everywhere. Where there isn't enough natural light there are artificial lights to support the plants. I wonder about his power bill.</div>
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Best of all I have some new ideas for my place. I don't think I'll ever get as many plants as he has but I could use some more space for a few more plants [and so it begins...].</div>
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AND he very kindly sent me home with a few, small, plants. Meet the newest additions to my jungle [sorry for the poor quality of the images, the plants are all in my shower after getting a post-flight watering and the lighting isn't great]:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNULptl1quCpWbjktxFuF12atT_yCdJ81MuhyV2_6ER_oxLnVAnskL6c_mpO1lTzgOIwh1kBhKVT1MBC47V96RtH6YuQhzRaWUpKXTTWK6IwODS_j5fMgmeD6Qco0LHTIk_W3hLb97v4/s1600/Aeschaynanthus+longicaulis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNULptl1quCpWbjktxFuF12atT_yCdJ81MuhyV2_6ER_oxLnVAnskL6c_mpO1lTzgOIwh1kBhKVT1MBC47V96RtH6YuQhzRaWUpKXTTWK6IwODS_j5fMgmeD6Qco0LHTIk_W3hLb97v4/s1600/Aeschaynanthus+longicaulis.jpg" height="314" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Aeschaynanthus longicolis</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsE93qKHW9aSAz3azmRqOW5xtTmrmn8UzgbClig6UjP8EAfqo4isYn3R1y44C3z1Zx3XPBbCaIOuQYIgmL1VfQ9TEpEozJctgTM7EIcItjBscFLqoHDIaOnxZlPDjS5aZlEFxTWxTAnE/s1600/Bilbergia+borracho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsE93qKHW9aSAz3azmRqOW5xtTmrmn8UzgbClig6UjP8EAfqo4isYn3R1y44C3z1Zx3XPBbCaIOuQYIgmL1VfQ9TEpEozJctgTM7EIcItjBscFLqoHDIaOnxZlPDjS5aZlEFxTWxTAnE/s1600/Bilbergia+borracho.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<i>Bilbergia borracho</i> [the only one with any noticeable damage from going through TSA screening and then being stuffed under an airline seat - two badly bent leaves. It should recover]</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOK_RZrPRanCilhTiIo9r8cS_k-YsDrLIXBsZCuq1CROYqKINShRH4LiF9gnessElPlQRkXI5nnfcnv1SC3FzvsnBI-vgMj8nxrGHx4x-1pf5YwznfYAPB2MvwzPZJ0tERitOYkMdscU/s1600/Bilbergia+nutans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOK_RZrPRanCilhTiIo9r8cS_k-YsDrLIXBsZCuq1CROYqKINShRH4LiF9gnessElPlQRkXI5nnfcnv1SC3FzvsnBI-vgMj8nxrGHx4x-1pf5YwznfYAPB2MvwzPZJ0tERitOYkMdscU/s1600/Bilbergia+nutans.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Bilbergia nutans</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu-mdWrvy6YLwb-sFOdzDfIBbcJTxf7oEI6IGIvhy-XpuvtsIqZhUtdvdu5LZ7u8KLAyRqcTMKowtOEA7ad5uQPzGBOm943Fb_D6jS1te0djfGObG0yoxezx75T4ZAs2PuU0pBOfwCbQ/s1600/Columnia+orientandena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu-mdWrvy6YLwb-sFOdzDfIBbcJTxf7oEI6IGIvhy-XpuvtsIqZhUtdvdu5LZ7u8KLAyRqcTMKowtOEA7ad5uQPzGBOm943Fb_D6jS1te0djfGObG0yoxezx75T4ZAs2PuU0pBOfwCbQ/s1600/Columnia+orientandena.jpg" height="260" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Columnia orientsomethinga </i>[I con't really translate my handwriting and couldn't find this one on the interweb with a quick, pre-coffee search this morning. I'm sure I'll get a comment with the correct spelling soon, right, Mr. Subjunctive?]</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghieOSFkaXzVrpUA-Ayn2fAEXlj8h5yEQx-rHFD7Ae_tEsKy9XqbsFVK4IJRnRRqYRCt4VSJzNEcbeioHn4Qda1H99co4EZr-IpbuUOsSe-RAraTxwDnj5EZe-6X3X9WCvOPWQqQx9ano/s1600/Euphorbia+leuconeura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghieOSFkaXzVrpUA-Ayn2fAEXlj8h5yEQx-rHFD7Ae_tEsKy9XqbsFVK4IJRnRRqYRCt4VSJzNEcbeioHn4Qda1H99co4EZr-IpbuUOsSe-RAraTxwDnj5EZe-6X3X9WCvOPWQqQx9ano/s1600/Euphorbia+leuconeura.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Euphorbia leuconeura</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPJd2uELF1sUubrn1Aqp8PTcPyR0SAPpKFZt9B41epLdB7pzU61_A6zGg9P7OE72Ip3MfxdycbQkCn5A-elbEHl46l1yf8M3OOH5am2MNEFsWtzUei7Xr9F4Y2lIYauzse2bpvEijcPw/s1600/Euphorbia+leuconeura+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPJd2uELF1sUubrn1Aqp8PTcPyR0SAPpKFZt9B41epLdB7pzU61_A6zGg9P7OE72Ip3MfxdycbQkCn5A-elbEHl46l1yf8M3OOH5am2MNEFsWtzUei7Xr9F4Y2lIYauzse2bpvEijcPw/s1600/Euphorbia+leuconeura+2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also known as the Madagascar jewel</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm8briPCtaKEgpbQKYxxwgYG35gyuIVrVsrKqXxQb-5bh7Wmz61ikYBziiE1jbckTt5UDIAMuZ4_O9TW6EGA8Iz4IHvn1mGoFhbBbJ4GpZ317iBljSXNSAlXbaQptA_uT_hY9ElZ1mXY/s1600/Leuchtenbergia+principis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm8briPCtaKEgpbQKYxxwgYG35gyuIVrVsrKqXxQb-5bh7Wmz61ikYBziiE1jbckTt5UDIAMuZ4_O9TW6EGA8Iz4IHvn1mGoFhbBbJ4GpZ317iBljSXNSAlXbaQptA_uT_hY9ElZ1mXY/s1600/Leuchtenbergia+principis.jpg" height="261" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Leuchtenbergia principis</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2mLmqapNHZtI1ovDBAMW9gfHystJxL1SA8F7jUsStDdbqSLdHhyuMzRibd2t63aKsWrGqgaD1B8ymhwUZBxZHrY16t1P512Si9cNJfF22WspuNVPZGCtHSUgl2rg84QBjSZMO_LtrPE/s1600/Syngonium+wendlandii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2mLmqapNHZtI1ovDBAMW9gfHystJxL1SA8F7jUsStDdbqSLdHhyuMzRibd2t63aKsWrGqgaD1B8ymhwUZBxZHrY16t1P512Si9cNJfF22WspuNVPZGCtHSUgl2rg84QBjSZMO_LtrPE/s1600/Syngonium+wendlandii.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Syngonium wendlandii</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzoXQ3WuB_hoZbApvYuPbsBNASwzKkdcU4PpyRKYOZIHou9_DyOYmSlcMb7-QGI2lieStuj7zVboAmcymgF1a9h8SAUdEBxRHkBdDthmYQn1xWMMD_3VuQ3sZiO1joplhcoT7mF9i_FA/s1600/Hoya+variegated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzoXQ3WuB_hoZbApvYuPbsBNASwzKkdcU4PpyRKYOZIHou9_DyOYmSlcMb7-QGI2lieStuj7zVboAmcymgF1a9h8SAUdEBxRHkBdDthmYQn1xWMMD_3VuQ3sZiO1joplhcoT7mF9i_FA/s1600/Hoya+variegated.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, not from Mr. Subjunctive but found in a hardware store in The Husband's hometown, a nice variegated <i>Hoya</i>. They also had a variegated Peace Lily [<i>Spathophyllum</i>] that was just too big to try and carry on a plane. I'm not a big fan of most <i>Spathophyllum</i> but this would have been nice for the leaves. I do like the jumbo sized <i>Spathophyllum</i> but I just don't have room for one.</div>
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It was nice to meet an Internet Friend in person. Mr. Subjunctive is a genuinely nice guy with a nice dog, good taste in plants, movies, and music. As I was leaving I commented on how nice it was to meet someone like me, most people aren't like me and sometime that makes me feel like an outsider. He suggested it was in part because I am intelligent. I think that's part of it but it's also that I am willing to be myself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Thanks, Mr. Subjunctive, for the hospitality, for the plants, and for just being a nice guy.</div>
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Now to send The Husband to the hardware store to pick up some supplies...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1