Have You Ever Seen Such a Thing? (the sequel)

. . . Gladys deftly guided us all outdoors.

Some of us walked gingerly around the north side of the house, not at all knowing what to expect. That would include yours truly.
However, meeting us as we rounded the corner was our friend Rosalie. She is rarely coaxed indoors; flower-lover that she is!

(Enter Rosalie)

"Hi, everyone!" she called. "What's going on? I was just about to send out a search party for you!"

To be quite honest, I'd completely forgotten that Rosalie had been waiting for us to meet outdoors. It was refreshing to see her smile, and I asked, "Rosalie. Have you seen anything unusual in my flower gardens? Anything that might make you pause for a second look?"
She'd been smiling so sweetly. I was surprised at her sudden change of countenance.

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked.

Uh, oh, I thought. We really must get to the bottom of this!

It was then that I looked down. Right in front of me was something I had never seen before. A crazily twisted object. This then, was the culprit . . . the object of all the discussion. It had to be! I looked at Rosalie.

"What in the world is that?" I asked.


(enter Hazel)

"I'm sure Shady means, ' What an interesting phenomena. Can you tell us about it, Rosalie?"

(Of course that's what I meant. Thank you, Hazel.)

(enter Harry)

"Now Rosalie, while you're at it, would you mind describing it carefully? And in detail? You know Hazel's the gardener in our family . . . not me."

(Harry. Another one of those tactful types.)


Rosalie brightened immediately!

"Shady, I have the most interesting thing to tell you! I learned this at the arboretum the other day. I was walking along and saw those things, just like these, all over the gardens. I stopped to take a closer look when one of the docents approached me. She asked if I knew what these were. Of course, I said, 'No'."

"Then she explained. And now I can tell each of you!"
Rosalie was positively beaming as she knelt down in front of her creation.

"These are daffodil leaves, she said. Surely you've noticed how floppy they get after the blossoms fade? And how they fall all over the surrounding flowers? And how often those surrounding flowers don't thrive? Well, the leaves are braided! she announced gleefully.

"The leaves still receive all the sunshine they need to create food and energy for the bulb before they die."


"Your surrounding plants are no longer crowded and stunted . . . at least they won't be!" she crowed.

"And YOU have delightful little garden sculptures in all your flower beds!"

"But you no longer have a good supply of rubber bands," she laughed.

"Rosalie, you're a genius!" I said. Rosalie blushed.


And Gladys? Gladys Gardener?


Gladys is off the hook and back on the bench! The garden bench that is! :-)

All's well that ends well. Especially in this shady spot!
Have a great weekend!

Have You Ever Seen Such a Thing?

Frankly, some of us are having "words."

It all began when I caught a couple of our (yours and mine) garden friends in the corner talking earnestly, but quietly. They thought I hadn't seen them, but they were wrong.

I edged a bit closer, but then I noticed . . .

. . . that Hazel and Harry were in the room.

They are so easy-going. It couldn't be too bad, could it??

"Shady, be a dear," said Gladys - bosom buddy of mine that she is. "Please tell those two that it's not polite to whisper."

(My friend Gladys Gardener)

"Gladys," I said. "Are you talking about your friends Bertha Penelope and Agnes?"

"Yes, I am," Gladys replied. "I cannot believe they'd think I had anything to do with that . . . those . . . Things out there."

Oh, my. I was quite at a loss of words. "Dear friend, Gladys, you might say I'm in the dark, but I have No Idea what's happening."

(Enter Bertha)

"Shady, let me explain. We were walking through your yard this morning when we noticed something quite unusual. In fact, neither Agnes nor I had ever seen such a thing before."

(Enter Agnes)

"Yes, Shady. And we thought . . . well, we imagined . . . I mean, we would Never Hurt Gladys' feelings, but she is Quite The Gardener. After all, she's been gardening a LOT longer than we have . . . and we just thought she'd done it. That's all."

Done what??? I thought

(Enter Francine Weidermore)

"And Shady. We know you and Gladys have been friends for a long time. Couldn't you just talk to her? After all, we just want to know what has happened in your flower beds. They're the craziest things . . . and we just want to know what they are."

(Enter Matilda Marie)

"My sweet girlfriends, can you tell us what you've seen? I don't believe Shady has any idea there's something happening in her flower beds . . . and for that matter, neither does it seem that Gladys knows what you're discussing. I think we should take a look. After all, we are ALL good gardening friends, are we not?"

I thought perhaps I should give Matilda a hug. What a sweetheart.

(Enter Myrtle Underkirker)

"Who in the world DOES know what's going on around here? What in the world HAS happened in Shady's gardens? Can we just stop beating around the bush and talk about this? Or do we need to go outdoors? Oh, for heaven's sakes. You might think we're a bunch of earthworms!"


You can't beat around the bush while Myrtle is here! Earthworms?? ;-)

It was decided. We all stood up to go outdoors.

. . . to be continued

(slightly "Shady") ha.

Stop! Is There a Fire?

So, here we are on letter S. Head over the Mrs. Nesbitt's site to see what she's posted and click on that same logo (the ABC Wednesday, Round 6) to see who else is posting.

"Where you see smoke, there's fire."

Haven't you heard that before?

It's not always true.

In the case of Geum triflorum Prairie Smoke,
we find an exception.

S? Absolutely! Sensational! Fond Sentiments to my Aunt MEA who gave me a piece of this native wildflower. Someone gave her a piece years and years ago, from the prairie!

Have a wonderful day.
It's mostly shady over here, but the front yard receives enough sunlight to grow this!! :-)

R is for The Road

This is Mr. Shady's favorite poem, I think. R also stands for Robert. Robert Frost happens to be the author of this poem.

The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ---
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

This is last year's foray into the woods for Morel Mushrooms.
Is this the picture that comes to YOUR mind when you think of this poem?


Probably not! ha.
Have a great day!
:-)

Visit Mrs. Nesbitt's site (click on the logo below) to see what's posted for the ABC Wednesday Meme. THEN, click on the same logo at her site to see who else is participating.

Nothing shady but the woods...

Three Years! Three?

Photo taken April 17, 2010.

"No way!" I said. "I cannot have been blogging here for three years already!" (Don't I sound argumentative?)

"Yes way," she replied. "It's been three years. I know because you wrote about Susy and me in your seventh post - and That was dated May 29, 2007. I also checked the computer this afternoon, and your very first post was dated May 21, 2007."

Oh for heaven's sakes. She was right, you know. She is Nearly Always right, that Gladys. Actually, she and I have been friends for some time. If you'd like to see that post, click on these words.

But, I digress. I want to share with you the exciting episode (my opinion) of The Fox written May 28, 2007. You will soon note that my posts began as long-winded diary entries. While I enjoyed writing them, perhaps no one would want to read them these days?!

The fox again surfaced briefly in this post, written March 27, 2009.

The Fox? Photo? Oh, yes! Here are a couple more photos of (is it the same one?) The Fox taken out the family room window, this past March 17, 2010. I was talking on my cell phone when I glanced out the window and spotted her. These are the results of my one-handed, zoom/zoom power photography endeavors. :-)

This is a 10x zoom through the window.

These are as close as I could zoom!

The fantastic fox photos below were taken April 19 by my across-the-street neighbor who had just discovered the Fox and her kits under the shed in his backyard!

Talk about fantastic photos!

Aren't they just So Cute??

I wonder if we won't be hearing a lot of Spring Noise next year? In the meantime, you must know that people aren't the only ones appreciative of a little shade. :-)

Your shadiness... SG

Floriferous Friday

Few Words - it's getting late!
(I'll add their proper names tomorrow)

Dwarf Polemonium
'White Pearl'
(the first I've ever had return - and now it's blooming!)

Pasque flower 'Anemone pulsatilla'
-seed heads

Meadow Rue

Coral Bells

lupine

thrift

iris

allium

coral bells

iris in front of nepata

coreopsis

siberian iris (planted last year - blooming already this year!)

We enjoyed a day of sunshine today - with temps that reached the high 60's (F)!!
All this after nearly two weeks of (very) cold temps and overcast/rainy weather.

Have a Great Weekend!!

Q is for Questions

If you visit Mrs. Nesbitt (click on the ABC Logo above), you'll see what is posted for Q.
If you see this same logo on her site, click to see who else is participating this month!

(At the risk of being a nuisance, this is all I could think of tonight!)

What is your favorite season?

What is your favorite flower?

What is your favorite scent?

What is your favorite hour?



What is your favorite pastime?

What is your favorite tool?

What is your favorite garden?

What is your favorite gruel?



What will you do for a neighbor?

What will you do for a friend?

What will you do for your parent?

And the amount of time you would spend?



Where would you go for some quiet?

Where would you go for some noise?

Where would you sit for your reading?

For traveling, what is your choice?



Q most definitely brings questions,

Q, my friend, is the quest,

Q, their answers, solicit.

And YOU must supply all the rest!

The last Q of the day? Quit!
I quit - but only this post. I'm in this meme until I finish Z! :-)

Gabby Garden Gals - Gardeners Extraordinaire!

I know you've been on the edge of your seats to know about the May First Friday Art Walk, held last Friday, May 7!

Click on the photo to be transported to 'Odds and Ends' to read all about it! :-)

Seed Grow Project - 'Spitfire' Nasturtiums!

Welcome!

My last post related to this project was dated April 14. This update will show you the progress of the two batches of seedlings I began indoors.

This was batch number one (photo dated April 21, 2010). The little pot in the upper left actually did bear a seedling after a few days. He was planted with his siblings in the following two locations on May 6th.

May 6, 2010

(Those tiny fellows, above, were started in newspaper pots a couple of weeks ago. The weather has been quite cool ever since, so they're not germinating as quickly.)

May 7, 2010

That evening we had a nice rain (1 1/2") - see the gauge?

Don't they look happy?

I'll take photos of both sites again next month. Hopefully we'll have a happy result!

Keep watch. If I don't create a quick "May update" post before the month is over, my June post will include the planting of the last few seeds directly into the ground (somewhere special)!

Until then, would you like to see who else is posting? Click on the word "Grow" below. Would you like to visit Renee's Garden? Click on her name below. She's sponsoring this project. So far, every one of her seeds has germinated. They're very sturdy plants.

"I'm growing Nasturtium "Spitfire" for the GROW project. Thanks, to Renee's Garden for the seeds."

POSTSCRIPT: Given the maturity level of the plants this season, it's hard to believe it's just the first part of May instead of mid-June! However, this is what my front gardens look like as of 3 minutes ago.
Believe it or not, our overnight forecast LOW temp is to be 35 degrees F. In that vein, I have to show you two more photos of what those "Spitfire" Nasturtiums are "up to!" ;-)


Word has it that north of Interstate 80, the temps are supposed to be at a hard freeze. Guess it pays to live "down south!" ha. I'm going to assume that all is well.

Have a good night!