Sick Tricyrtis

Say "Ah!"
Patient: Tricyrtis 'Matzukaze'
Yep, your throat is coated...

This is a closer view of the same ill fellow.

Below is his brother.
This is the plant that had suffered due to drought.
At least, that's what I blamed the struggling foliage on.
And this is his flower...

I'm headed outdoors to yank these plants out of the gardens and place them directly into the garbage. However, you might like to read this article by Chris Wilson of Hallson Gardens.

My next step is to contact the company from which I received these plants.

We Just Returned Home...

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late...
sounds like the White Rabbit.
In this case, I have no time to
post. I have no time to mae
banana bread, I have no time
to show photos of what we did
this weekend...

I must finish a quilt this
morning. All I have to do is to
handstitch the border around
the edge. Then I'll take a photo
and add it to the bottom of this
post! (She turns 3 on Thursday.
Today is Tuesday. I Must get
this in the mail today!!!)
:-) :-} :-> This is the look of a
determined "Grandma!"

I've finished! Now all I have
to do is wrap and mail it.

I thought you might like to
see some of the details, however.

The binding (around the edges)
was created by sewing a variety
of 2 1/2" by 6 1/2" rectangles together by mitering the corners. After making a long-enough binding strip, I folded it in half, laid the "raw edges" on top of the raw edges of the quilt and machine stitched them together. Then, folding the binding over to the back side, I proceeded to hand-stitch the folded edge of the binding to the back side of the quilt. Voila!! :-)

Thanks for your confidence, and your encouraging remarks!

What's Happening with the Toad Lilies these days?

This little sketch shows the locations of my
Tricyrtis Hirta plants (little green dots).

This really is Tricyrtis hirta, "Blue Wonder" in the front yard bed.
There are two plants here.

(An earlier photo showed more red... must have been the light.)

This is Tricyrtis hirta, "Matzukaze"
Three poor plants that got very dry during those first
2 1/2 weeks of August while I was gone.
I see some new growth, though.
Hopefully they pull through.
(There are flower buds, too. We'll see.)

This is Tricyrtis, "Lightening Strikes."
It really is much brighter than this photo shows...
Again, it's all about the light and the time of day.

This is Tricyrtis hirta, "Gilt Edge"
This Tricyrtis hirta is "Shining Light."
(two plants)

This Tricyrtis hirta is called "Seiryu."
It's in a pretty shady area, the north edge of the
under-the-trees, shady east side of the house.
(close-up)
There are three plants, here .
This is the shady back of the house (faces east, under the trees).
These, too, are Tricyrtis hirta, "Matsukaze"
Tricyrtis hirta, "Variegata" has been here 4 years.
Doesn't seem to get any larger, but it is
propagating!

I had purchased two Tricyrtis three or four years ago. Those were the "Variegata" and "Lightening Strikes" varieties. I was very tempted by all the new varieties this past Winter... hence, the new plantings. Aren't they great, though?

Just thought you'd like a peek at where the shade is around here. :-_)

September? September? September? Really?

We're entering September, and can anticipate the beginning

of one of the loveliest, showiest seasons!

Photos taken August 31, 2007
(American Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana)

This is something I found to Muse upon.
Hence, a Muse Day post.

"Simplicity in all things is the
secret of the
wilderness and one of its most
valuable lessons. It is
what we leave behind that is
important. I think the
matter of simplicity goes further
than just food,
equipment, and unnecessary
gadgets; it goes into
the matter of thoughts and
objectives as well.
When in the wilds, we must not
carry our problems
with us or the joy is lost."
---Sigurd Olson

Mark Twain was once asked if he wouldn't like to go off on holiday. He replied, "I'd be glad to, if only I didn't have to take that fella, Mark Twain, with me." Like Mark Twain, we often take "that fella" along with us when we go outdoors for recreation. our problems, worries, and other mental baggage usually tag along with us. Being so preoccupied with our internal world keeps us from feeling our unity with the natural world.

When you go out into nature, leave your everyday plans and concerns behind. Freeing yourself in this way will allow you to experience nature's cleansing and rejuvenating power.

the above was taken from Listening to Nature by Joseph Cornell

(Canada Thistle)

We are looking forward to a day with friends (tomorrow - Labor Day). I plan to take the above advice and not look ahead at the calendar until we return home. :-) For other Muse Day posts, visit Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home Chicago.

Have a fun day. Best regards. Shady G.

A little of this; A little of that!

I'll be gone, again, for a few days.

I'm leaving to visit my parents in north central Iowa (Clear Lake) from Monday through Thursday.
I won't begin tutoring again until September 2, so this is a good time to leave!

Hate to leave my garden, but I've been working pretty hard lately.

Here's "what's happening" around here, right now.

On Tuesday morning, a couple of my neighbor friends came over to make birdbaths... yes, I'm at it again! :-) Anyway, a total of five birdbaths and six stepping stones were created. This morning (Friday) was the unveiling!

This little fellow's "companion" was given away before a photo was taken. He's pretty cute... a nice smaller size.

This is a little "before" and "after."

Two of my neighbor friends created their first birdbaths.
The one on the left is "traditional," while the second one had no plastic wrap between the leaf and the sand, so the concrete that went outside the leaf had sand stuck to it. Actually, it really turned out neat! ;-)

I know IVG has found something he likes a lot better than impatiens, but how can you beat the colorful display out front??? I planted a few impatien plants, but most of these came up from seed (they reseeded, I didn't plant them!). They're getting a lot more sunlight, now that we're missing the front tree, but they're still doing well. There's Sweet Flag variegated iris to the extreme left, a sedum that I don't know, Corydalis flexuosa "Blackberry Wine" that is a new planting this year, and Stonecrop Sedum "Diamond Edge."

"Diamond Edge"

This is Tricyrtis, Toad Lily, "Blue Wonder."
Again, one of the new plantings that is blooming before the established plants.
But that's A-OK in my book! ;-)

Again, we have Monarch caterpillars taking over the Ascelpias tuberosa, "Butterfly Milkweed."
Those little orange fellows on the stems are aphids. Click to see what happened last year. (See if this link takes you to both posts.)

This is the smallest of the three. This makes me smile!

You might remember Stonecrop Sedum "Purple Emperor" from an earlier post as well. He made quite an impression on several people... here's the post where you'll catch a couple of glimpses of him. He's in full bloom right now. He makes quite the commanding statement. :-)

This is the crowned prince of the stonecrop sedum collection, I think. He's called "Pink Chablis," with variegated foliage... some even begins growing pure white. Anyway, these two flowerheads are from the same plant. Scroll down to photo three.




















Of course, I really, really like Stonecrop Sedum "Matrona," also. She's the matriarch in this bed. She gets pretty tall with an strong presence. She doesn't show off quite as much as Purple Emperor (you can see him back there), but I have a feeling she runs the show! ;-)












Stonecrop Sedum "Autumn Joy" is also back there... right next to "Purple Emperor." She's not blooming quite yet. She takes her time...

These are non-hardy tuberoses that my mom gave me last Fall. They're in a good-sized pot. They are multiplying, so I hope to share a few next Spring. They're also very fragrant. :-)













Here's my platycondon "Balloon Flower" (double white) in its new home. She now resides in a raised bed. I know she'll be much happier here. :-) She still lists to the left (hopefully this will be remedied next year). You might remember when she used to call to me... check this post, about halfway down.

My new hosta, "Alligator Shoes" has taken the balloon flower's place next to the compost pile.

Last, but not least, Check It Out!! I believe we'll have our first ripe tomato tomorrow!
(We haven't had produce since we moved here!!! Except for wimpy rhubarb, parsley and chives.) I picked (probably our only) a green pepper yesterday! Fresh Salsa!!! :-)

This is definitely not shady,
but I am! ;-)

Just a Moment...

A Right Moment in Time


Susan spied him the moment he entered

he stood at the far eastern end.

She shyly cast glances upon him

wondering what was he was there to attend.

His expression was woefully sullen

as though he had come to ‘the end…’

She wondered and wondered about him.

Might he she entreat as a friend?

He was pitifully dressed and downtrodden;

his clothes sorely needed a mend.

She’d never used thread or a needle,

Inept, she could clearly not mend.

It was then that she fondly remembered

attire that perhaps she might wend

from a closet way down in the basement.

Would he his pride or his honor defend?

Oh, whether or not she could find them,

Oh, whether or not she might lend,

Oh, whether or not they would fit him,

On which matter would this finally depend?

She found them, she tried them, they fit.

He accepted them, they’re on the right track!

Susan’s generosity has given new meaning

to “giving the shirt off one’s back!”

Slightly silly, perhaps slightly "Shady," and we're still in the garden! ;-)
Have a nice evening!

Yes, this was written by "Yours truly." Just enjoy it. You really shouldn't copy it.

Susan Scare-the-Birds

You may remember meeting my little friend,
Susan Scare-the-birds, earlier.

She's been wanting to be outdoors all summer, and it's my fault that she's been held hostage indoors. However, she's finally happily standing guard in the raised beds. It's so dry out there, however, that I had to dig a hole to sink her post. Consequently, I will have to water the ground to settle it so she doesn't fall over in the event that we should receive rain before long. ;-)

Doesn't she look happy? My most serious threat is whatever has attacked my Kopper King hibiscus. Click on the photo. If you look very closely, KK is at Susan's right... just past one tall, sad-looking (wanting for rain) purple phlox. Ooooooh, isn't that a painful sight? I hope Susan's middle name includes "Scare-the-pests!" :-)


P.S. My neighbor has trimmed bushes and cut a couple of trees, so the raised beds are getting just a bit more sunlight! Yea!!

Still Shady, but enjoying the sunlight, too.

8/21/08 - we are receiving rain today! Yea!!