Category: Nature

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Humor, Nature, Traveling

March 18

Oh my I keep getting blessed every time I go outside! Now this is one DETERMINED daffodil. Let no obstacle stand in your way!

So glad the log had holes in it!

And Ta-dah!! The first trout lily on our stone stairs up the hill.

Flower is about the size of a quarter. The leaves resemble trout skin!

When we were thinking about buying this house both my husband and I were each making secret trips here to see if it really was as lovely as we thought. When the trout lilies began to bloom on the hillside, (all wild mind you), I was SOLD! Had never seen them before . Since then each spring we have hosted Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Trillium, Toothwort, May Apples, Spring Beauty, Rue Anemone, Blue Phlox, False Solomon’s Seal and most rare on our lot Dwarf Larkspur. Still am amazed that we live here! -sigh-

Further into the green space we can see Squirrel Corn and Dutchmen’s Britches, Betony Poppies. Sometimes my husband asks why we even go to Smoky Mountains to hunt wild flowers. I stomp my foot (kidding) and remind him we do not have Lady’s Slippers or fields of single wildflowers. And then we pack 🙂

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Memories, Nature

Daffodils #6

We have a joke in our household. I often remember other things I meant to write or say, so many emails and return phone calls and texts begin with “And …”

And … I finally figured out how to capture a single photo out of a video and thereby retrieve one of my best daffodil memories to share with you! (I have not yet paid to upgrade my Word Press account to share videos .)

Once in 2014 I went out in my raincoat to pick daffodils. The sky was leaden and the rain was imminent. While I was on the hillside the heavens opened and the rain poured and poured. It was lovely to be childlike out in a spring rain. At my age, I had started to carry my iPhone in my pocket just in case I fell or found a new photo. You know the old saying, “never go in the woods alone!”

While selecting daffodils I heard flowing water. We do not have a constant stream on our property. Searching for the source of the sound, I looked up and to my surprise the walnut tree had created the steam! Here is a still from that video clip! The streaming water is creating bubbles as it flows. Wish I could send along the sound. Enjoy! Look closely at the top where the trunk appears wet and follow it down.

Living water! Psalm 36:9 (NRSV) For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
“Come on and rain down on us Lord! All my fountains are in You!” Chris Tomlin

Posted on in Marriage and Memories, Nature

Daffodils #5

In 2006 when we moved to Siesta Drive was the beginning of a grand love affair dig! On our slice of pie shaped lot, the wooded back hill was just perfect for daffodils bought in bulk at Sam’s Club. Now we have hundreds of blooms each spring.  Each fall Bob would lay out where he wanted to plant. At first I would help but in later years he has been the stronger of the two of us. The joy and color in the spring is a testament to his love! Such fragrance and such delight to share and share and still have bunches for our house! Hundreds of King Edward daffodils.

If you haven’t experienced the fragrance, most grocery stores sell bunches of daffodils now. I have not tried it, but you might get fragrance from those? Of course, store bought roses do not often have a fragrance, so I may be wrong.

Only part of our hillside garden!

Then in the front garden there are tiny ones, too, “Thumbelina.” A few other sorts. Someone did not want the narcissus that was growing in the garden before they moved in. The narcissus now live in our side yard, though not in a place of honor with the King Edwards.

So playing in Mr. Kuehner’s field was the beginning of a long love story between daffodils and me. Our experiences and memories shape us. Show up for your life today and you never know the wonders that will unfold from it tomorrow!

Posted on in Family, Nature

Daffodils #3

When we bought a 1962 yellow VW van to drive across the country I insisted that we call it “Daffo-down-dilly.”

When I met Linda Werner she had scads of flowers in her yard. She made it a habit to share the first bouquet with someone outside her family. That is a practice that has brought lots of smiles and joy to me, also.

Tom Thumbs or Thumbelinas
Wouldn’t I love these bulbs in Bulk! Then they would just need planting!
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Memories, Nature

Daffodils #2

When my husband and I lived in California I was always amazed at how WRONG it was that the daffodils in the Bay Area bloomed in February! That was not spring and just WRONG to this Ohio girl.

He took me to a place called Daffodil Hill. Just lovely flowing fields of daffodils. They would inspire him later in Ohio.

Posted on in Memories, Nature

Daffodils #1

Mr. Kuehner owned farm land on Woodford Road. I think he lived with his sister. I am uncertain if he was still farming the land in front of his house by the time my parents bought that apartment building at 3804 . I do remember my mother once sending me up his driveway to the house (which my friends were certain was haunted) to buy fresh tomatoes from him. There was a well in front of the house. They were pleasant, but I was frightened.

The best part of his property was the creek that flowed along the bottom. It frequently flooded in spring and emptied into a drainage pipe that went under Woodford Road. This was about 1958 and I was allowed to play in that creek in the spring unsupervised. Putting on Totes clear plastic boots over my shoes, I ventured out for an afternoon or two. The memories from that time have lasted a lifetime.

Totes Clear plastic boots Loveland, Ohio made!

There were some stones in the creek bed that could be moved around to change the course of the flow. The stones also had fossils embedded in them. (I never understood that this was a big deal geologically until I was much older.)

There were also and occasional empty land snail shell embedded in the creek bank. I was enchanted. Grandma Rush used to bring me seashells from her bus trips to Florida. Here I found my own! At the opposite end of the creek there was a huge weeping willow tree where I could get under the golden spring tendrils and hide. Or at least I thought I was hidden! As an adult those willows are majestic, but not really good “cover!”

The rushing water would flatten the grass along the edge of the creek. But the very best part was when the daffodils would bloom. Such lovely golden flowers I had never experienced! And fragrant too! The single large flower of the King Edward was my favorite. Double blooms seemed showy and confused the petals, losing the trumpet.

Photo by Robert M Dutina
Doubles seem showy and confuse the petals!

More daffodils memories to come! They are starting to bloom here ;-D

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature

A Giant Has Fallen!

We have an area in the yard we call “Fern Valley.” Ever since we moved in about 17 years ago we have had a huge dead tree in the green space. This tree has been featured in many photos and we have come to love it. Often have wondered how long it would stay standing.

Well, we are having a wind storm. While we were out shopping today the giant must have fallen! The first clue was broken branches with orange wood showing in the woods. Then yikes! There is something missing from our skyline!

The giant is always to the left in the photos. Now no longer in plain sight ;-(

Good bye dear friend! Many squirrels and countless birds have enjoyed your shelter. Who knows how many when you were alive? Wonder how old you were?

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature, Traveling

Ireland Birthday

One of my best gifts EVER was when my husband took me to Ireland to celebrate my 60th birthday. We visited Connemara and learned “Connemara is bounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean and encompasses a wide variety of natural and semi-natural habitats. It also has diverse economic resources. Among the more unusual are extensive deposits of soapstone and veins of green marble and vivid white quartz.The marble is a serpentine-rich rock, popular since ancient times as a decorative facing stone. With its ‘forty shades of green’ and its wild patterns, it represents perfectly the landscapes of the Emerald Isle.”

This morning as I looked at one polished piece of marble from there I was struck by a similar sight off my deck!

Same polished piece, turned over.

Lovely marble indeed. Just one of the many, many shades we saw in the showroom. And then outside my window …

Lichen? on standing tree and
on fallen trees.

Camera did not quite catch it, but the shades are so alike in my eyes that I was startled. Fond, fond memories from May, 2011!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature

Another Plant I Admire

Did you have a story in elementary school about the pussy willow shrub? I think I must have because it brings a smile to my face each time I see it.

In our old neighborhood I let a friend cut some branches to take home. She told her girls about the bush. Trying to say back the name her youngest exclaimed. “Oh look! Squishy Pillows!”

These shrubs are fun because they shout a promise of spring and they are easy to cultivate. Cut a few branches. Let them root in water. Transplant to a moist place in the yard and let them go! Each spring after the leaves emerge from the buds, my husband cuts them back so that new branches will form for the next spring.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/pussy-willow/growing-pussy-willows.htm/?print=1&loc=bot

The above website says: “The technique of coppice, severe renewal pruning, is often successfully used as part of pussy willow care too. Branches of the pussy willow are somewhat weak, so yearly pruning when flowers are spent encourages new growth for the next year.

“Cutting branches for indoor display is an excellent use of catkins and flowers when growing a pussy willow tree. Cut branches with buds and place them in a tall vase in bright sunlight. You’ll be rewarded with indoor blooms before the outdoor tree breaks bud, in many cases.”

When the daffodils are in full bloom I love to cut these for a nice spring arrangement!

Ha! I found two older ladies singing the song from elementary school! Guess it was not a story, but a song. Think pussy cat. (Sadly, the word has become vulgar in today’s political society. ) I was impressed that these ladies could do the movement at the end! I found a video of children singing it with movements, but their voices were very faint. Enjoy!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature

Moss, Beautiful Moss

Quoting from http://www.akron.com/pages.asp?aID=15774

“Moss is an equal opportunity plant that readily grows anywhere it finds favorable conditions. It has a shallow root system and thousands of tiny spores that can be quickly dispersed far and wide by wind and rain. This allows moss to gain a fast foothold and spread easily.

“Moss loves shady conditions with dappled sunlight, moist acidic soil of low fertility and poor drainage and little or no air circulation. Its favorite side of anything is the north side. Heavy clay soil and overgrown shrubs and trees all help to contribute to conditions that are favorable to moss growth. Although the moss may be unsightly, plants and grass are not harmed or killed by moss.”

Moss promises me that even in ugly areas (like clay on parts of our hillside) beauty can be found and spring will return! When we photograph flowers in the Smoky Mountains I love to try to capture close-ups of moss. I can imagine an entire village of tiny creatures and people populating it. Look closely next time you see moss! I once brought in a clump to grow on our window sill. It was very difficult to keep the light and moisture to it’s liking.

Love the yellow green amidst the browns and gray of winter!