Do Flowers Have Personalities?

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I have come to believe that flowers do have personalities.  Some are brash and bold while other are demure.  Some are extroverts and want to be center stage.  Others are introverts.  Shy things that just peek at you.  Here are a couple of examples.

Bold Extrovert

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You can’t ignore this big fellow, who sits just outside my office window.

Compare this to the Shy Introvert.

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These beauties peek at us from behind their large leaves.  Have you ever wondered why they call introverted people wall flowers?  This may explain it a bit.

While we finally got some rain today (only a trace), the future forecast looks promising.  We do water the vegetable garden, but most of our lawn is brown.

Summer heat bakes all
Grass on the lawn is now brown
Praying for some rain

Update from Secondary Rds

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I meant to post pix of the flower garden last week.  I’m late.  But not as in the late . . .  You know what I mean.

The contrast between the peony and the lily caught my eye

The contrast between the peony and the lily caught my eye, salvia completed the scene

Returning to the back door, this beautiful rose caught my eye.

Life overflows from the rose. Once again salvia completes the scene

Life overflows from the rose. Once again salvia completes the scene

A Beautiful Evening

Tuesday the weather was perfect so I opened windows and enjoyed the fresh air.  In the evening, our small group met at our house.  After they left, I took my glass of ice water out on the back deck.  Sylvia soon joined me, bringing some strawberry-rhubarb crisp.

As we sat together, an oriole began to sing from a small maple tree.  We delighted in his song and watching him dance around that tree.  (We think there was a female hiding in the tree and he was trying to win her favor.)  Sorry, no pix.  The light was failing.  Shortly after the oriole left for other parts, we saw the doe crossing the low land.  With her was her tiny fawn.  It was fun watching the wee one jump, run and cavort while mom made her way to the shelter of tall grass.  Soon they disappeared.  Shortly after, we went into the house and got ready for bed.

The next morning, I awoke and was barely able to breathe.  Allergies had me completely plugged.  The sinus headache lasted until 3 PM.  I kept the window closed and set the furnace/AC fan to run full time.  That helped clean the air so I’m okay today.

Would I do it again?  Probably so.

Where did May go?

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Busy schedules and multiple overlapping distractions have colluded to keep me from posting.  I took a walk through the flower gardens on the last day of May.  I meant to share them . . .  Here’s what I saw.

White Rose

White Rose

White Peony

White Peony

Purple Peony

Purple Peony

Iris -- I'm fond of this color combo

Iris — I’m fond of this color combo

Spider Wort

Spider Wort

Rhododendron

Rhododendron

Creation — a haiku

Surrounded by life
Glory found in everything
A beautiful world

Nothing like a walk outside to lift one’s spirit.  Don’t forget the tiny creatures that visit these flowers to the benefit of both.  It’s hard to capture images of all that is at work.

Photo Shoot Intruder

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I was cropping this image when Sylvia walked into the office.  She said that the apple tree looked even better today.

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I picked up my camera and went out to find a better shot.  As I focused on the tree, an intruder walked into the frame.

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You may see her left of center in the bottom part of the image.  I inset a closer view in the lower left.

She appears to be on a mission, but that ended at the neighbor’s fence.  Perhaps she didn’t want to leap the fence.  Perhaps she saw something.

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She perked up those big ears.  She stared intently.  Then, she turned and ran faster than the speedy camera.

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She soon had disappeared into some tall brush.  Moral of the story: Sometimes it’s better when things don’t go according to plan.

Spring Sproings Onward

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I look forward to seeing the tulips in blossoms.  I particularly like the sassy red ones, but the red ones are not all the same.

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Our tulips are not all red.  This yellow one seems to prefer less gaudy company.

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She fits in well with the daffys, don’t you think so?  They are all so nice.  The daffodils also come in different shades and hues.

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This daffy sure looks pale to me.  It is, however, one of my favorites.  Periwinkle blossoms add a nice contrast.

Haven’t had much time to spend here of late.  I did get the garden tilled and have the fence back in place.  Next time (whenever that comes), I may share with you some garden scenes.

More Signs of Spring

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The following pix are a week old.  I meant to post them earlier this week, but life intervened.

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Lots of daffodils and more opening each day.

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I love the friendly blossoms on the ground cover.  We call it myrtle, but you may know it as vinca or periwinkle.

Meanwhile out in the garden . . .

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Rhubarb is greeting the spring.  These leaves have been touched with frost.  (Remember this is from last week.)

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What a happy sight to see the first shoot of giant garlic breaking through.  It is a promise of another good year.

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Then we come to the end of another beautiful day.  Time for a good night’s sleep.

Looks Like Spring Has Sprung

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Saturday, I went on an inspection tour.  This is the first thing I saw.

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We used to have several crocuses, or are they croci?  The beautiful colors makes this one my favorite.  It is also the last one that remains.

Snowdrops are still in blossom, but will very soon be gone.

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Our snowdrops appeared as if by magic a few years ago.  The good news is that they continue to thrive and multiply.

Very near the crocus and the snowdrops, I saw these beauties in the yard.  I really enjoy their happy appearance.

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My guess is that you are also enjoying spring at your house.  I certainly hope so.

Two Windows on the Storm

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Just when it seemed that winter had ended, wintry weather returned over the weekend.  Saturday, inspection revealed a low oil level in our generator.  I made it to the auto parts store with eight minutes to spare before their closing time, returned home and filled the engine to the proper level.  That felt good to be ready . . . just in case.

Heavy winds had been blowing for some time when the rain began.  All night Saturday, I could hear the howling wind and the rain beating on the house.

Sunday, I rose to look out upon the world.  This scene greeted me.

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That view is through a north-facing window, not a shower door.  Church meetings had been cancelled.  It was a great day to sit inside and read.

A bit later I looked out again.  This time through a west-facing window.  This poor fellow did not appear to be enjoying the weather.

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Overnight temps held about freezing.  Monday saw them rise slightly.  The trees are slowly dropping their loads of ice.

Despite all that harsh weather, I can see Sylvia’s miniature daffodils in bloom.  I’ll try to get pix later, but other duties beckon to me.

A week from today, the forecast is for a sunny day with a high of 62 F.  Now that’s more like it!

Winter Went Out Like This

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While the last day of winter ended like this yesterday, it seems that spring has been with us for a few weeks.  I zoomed out and captured a second image.

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The two contrails in the sky illustrate that while life is laid back in our neighborhood, overhead there are people rushing around on their self-appointed rounds.

Personal Note

The podiatrist removed the pins (Kirschner wires) from my toe.  The examples below are used for wrist repair.

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The wires in my toe were three-inches long and had yellow tips on the bent, blunt ends.  A couple of twists and a firm pull and they came out without any pain.

This week I’m able to wear regular shoes again.  After seven weeks in the walking boot, the first step in a regular shoe was very difficult.  Fortunately it didn’t take long to readjust to the thinner shoe.  It also feels good to have both feet on the same level (the boot is an inch thicker than my shoes).

Sylvia

This is Sylvia’s second week of spring cleaning.  Today she started with her craft supplies.  Looks like it will take a while to get through them.  I notice that the trash can is filling up with lots of dried out markers and pens plus other no longer useful items.

Signs of Spring

Our snow drops bloomed early this year, but I’m waiting for signs of life from the daffodils.

Spring birds are showing up in the neighborhood.  I’ve seen robins, sand hill cranes, Canada geese, turkey vultures, red tail hawk, and others.

In well shaded spots, patches of snow still remain.  I expect more before warm weather rule prevails.

This Is Almost Unheard Of . . .

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About this time of year, I watch closely the blog of my friend Lin.  I know she will post a photo of her snowdrops in bloom.  That’s my cue to start watching for mine to blossom.  Most years, I have to wait a couple of weeks for my snowdrops to open.

When Lin posted a pic on FB with a shout out to me, I told Sylvia that I ought to go check ours.  She asked, “Are you going to take your camera?”  I replied, “I doubt I’ll need it.”

A few minutes later having donned my coat and hat, I did pick up the camera.  I decided I might see something worth capturing in an image.

At the barn, I looked . . . and . . .

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There they were.  Not yet open, but still in bloom.  What a happy surprise.  Had to take a closer look.

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I see mole sign in that area.  I’m hoping these beauties and the day lilies survive these intruders.