tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69623292032794539602024-02-08T11:10:37.905-08:00Taming My Spot of GroundJamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-11701430612421405332017-11-16T11:50:00.001-08:002020-11-27T11:08:20.204-08:00Pansies for Papa<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">O<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e year ago today Papa said “Good-bye family and hello Jesus”. It is hard to believe that it has been a year; time is passing too quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was a gorgeous day today; perfect cool temperature and no wind, which is a blessing when you live in West Texas. I decided to spend the morning planting pansies in Papa’s little garden. Me, digging in the dirt, and thinking about Papa. It was a glorious day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year I chose pansies. A flat of Pansy Matrix-Ruby Mix,</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a flat of Pansy Colossus-Rose Medley,</span><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iSVF0ovJlg/Wg84wAsV1XI/AAAAAAAANec/bNw8JFuHPucc6vWQRd60WR9yHx17O9IfQCKgBGAs/s640/A7679D1A-2720-4164-964C-F893341241E5.jpeg" width="480" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a few burgundy violas stuck <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here and there.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also splurged on a flat of orange sor<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">bet </span>and black viola<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> cornuta</span> to plant around my Pistol Pete <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">pendant and flag<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When pansies are first planted<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span>the garden looks a little skimpy until <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">they</span> start to grow and fill in. If all goes well and the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">neighborhood cats don't dig everything up, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">since I spread blood meal all around the plants,</span> the bed should be full and overflowing with blooms</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hope Papa is smiling his approval<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">!</span></span><br />
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Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-85189611967118512302015-06-18T18:02:00.002-07:002020-11-27T11:10:28.264-08:00Beauty in the Midst of all our Rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8q5o6YLu-p4/VX43y66dqLI/AAAAAAAALZE/_LsXcfJluxE/s640/098.JPG" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">We had more rain in North Central Texas during the month of May than we did all last year total. I've been afraid of losing a lot of the plants in the garden but there have been some bright spots to cheer things up. </span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Especially the Calla Lilies. </span></div>
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<span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">They cam back twice as big and multiplied</span><br />
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<span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The Easter Lilies had about 3 new little offshoots come up as well</span><br />
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<span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">So far, the Calla Lilies have been the queen of the garden. They are still blooming and have been going strong for almost two months.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-74553597099618689222015-04-04T19:35:00.002-07:002015-04-04T19:35:53.705-07:00Signs of Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Spring is finally here. The Snowbells are up and blooming</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As is the Forsythia. This is the first year for this new forsythia to bloom. I look forward to watching it grow and become more and more beautiful each year. The yellow flowers didn't last long. They have already been replace by tender green leaves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miniature daffodil "Quail" has always been a favorite of mine.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-18948839507211657512014-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:002015-06-18T18:09:50.133-07:00Butterflies - The Monarch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the pleasantries I have while working in the garden are beautiful visitors like this one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lnjGwJGEvNA/VDHEoR50pMI/AAAAAAAAIKU/Y-uR17ndhj0/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lnjGwJGEvNA/VDHEoR50pMI/AAAAAAAAIKU/Y-uR17ndhj0/s1600/022.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He kept me company all morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love butterflies but the Monarch has always held a special place in my heart. Ever since I was in elementary school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7aBR1Q94Lqw/VDHFZByEYvI/AAAAAAAAIKk/istPJY-5sHE/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7aBR1Q94Lqw/VDHFZByEYvI/AAAAAAAAIKk/istPJY-5sHE/s1600/020.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I was growing up in Tulsa, OK and in the fourth grade I was walking to Paul Revere School on a cool Autumn morning with my sister Melody and her friend (probably Molly). They had recently decided that it was cool to not wear anklets with their shoes and I'm sure became fashion trend setters. I on the other</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hand loved my anklets and was not about to leave them behind. Being the mean big sister that she was at the time, Melody made me walk at least 10 paces behind them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was OK with that; I could entertain myself. We were walking north on Atlanta Place, one street over from ours. Atlanta was lined with huge old trees. Out of nowhere hundreds and hundreds of Monarchs are flying strait toward me. I stopped, put my head back and my arms thrown up as to welcome them and laughed and laughed. It was the most awesome thing I had ever seen and felt. They went all around me and some would land just for a nano second. Then they were gone. It was magical and I've never forgotten it. </span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-14679829694569892562014-09-18T18:31:00.002-07:002014-09-18T18:31:29.857-07:00The Summer Garden is Winding Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The blooms of Summer are beginning to wane and look a little puny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yet more zinnias
are popping up. This pretty thing used to be a seed from a zinnia head I nicked from
Stonewall Jackson's home garden in Lexington, Virginia last Fall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seed nicking from gardens has long been an obsession of mine. Does that make me a bad person?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looks like I will be able to enjoy the zinnias for awhile indoors. Orange bouquets are brought in on Saturdays for my OSU Cowboys football games!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't have too many Fall blooming plants in my garden. But the few I do have I love. This is Sedum "Autumn Joy"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The Liriope start showing off their pale purple flowers about this time of year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The coleus are feeling the cooler weather too and they are going into survival mode by wanting to flower and set seed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They've actually been flowering for awhile now but I've been pinching them off the minute I see the flowers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The flowers </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of the coleus </span>are really pretty but once they start going to seed the plant itself starts to thin out and get really spindly looking; and not attractive at all. I've been pinching the flowers out to stretch out the life of the plants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can feel a full day of Fall garden clean-up coming on. Such is the change of seasons in the garden.</span><br />
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<br />Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-15700797465193489542014-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:002014-09-12T07:34:15.055-07:00The Accidental Pumpkins<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aside from totally disrupting the planting structure of my front flower bed, <a href="http://tamingmyspotofground.blogspot.com/2014/06/our-accidental-pumpkin-patch.html" target="_blank">the accidental pumpkin patch</a> has produced a fine crop. These are the first two; harvested the first week of August.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They're a nice size, around 9 to 10 inches across. I don't know if they are good for cooking but I'll find out. I plan to roast them and make soup</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There have been 10 to 11 pumpkins from this one plant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bees did their job well in pollinating.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQgJ4pi5aG4/U7yhUi3zfiI/AAAAAAAAHOs/ofGzLVSKcpI/s1600/pumpkins%2B%282%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQgJ4pi5aG4/U7yhUi3zfiI/AAAAAAAAHOs/ofGzLVSKcpI/s1600/pumpkins%2B%282%29.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The transition from green to orange has been interesting to watch. I placed folded up newspaper underneath each young fruit to keep them from rotting on the ground (you can learn all sorts of things from YouTube)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am amazed at how beautifully smooth and round these pumpkins have been.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've noticed that the last few pumpkins that developed are getting smaller and smaller.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The plant can produce only so many fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evey visited week before last and we found a female flower that we self pollinated. I'll be keeping track of that pumpkin for her. It will most likely be a very small pumpkin as one of the last that the plant produces.</span><br />
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<br />Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-67054235785185690802014-09-02T07:00:00.000-07:002014-09-02T07:00:02.752-07:00Watermelon Update<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puVL4FrbzHw/U8s-XQislNI/AAAAAAAAHXo/kYvZ7tjPKb8/s1600/Watermelon.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puVL4FrbzHw/U8s-XQislNI/AAAAAAAAHXo/kYvZ7tjPKb8/s1600/Watermelon.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The watermelons have proved to be disappointing. Granted, they were not planted at the right time so they have been trying to produce in this extreme heat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This little guy grew to the size of a ping pong ball and then one night, when I was too lazy to spray the deer/rabbit repellent, it was a snack for a deer. The plants haven't produced a female flower since.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So much for the first try at growing watermelons. Lesson learned....plant in March!</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-14722054577409192412014-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:002015-06-18T18:11:14.295-07:00Butterfly Flutterby<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yD2zJL1lX3o/U8s-F-O0n6I/AAAAAAAAHXA/fap470ek5zU/s1600/020.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yD2zJL1lX3o/U8s-F-O0n6I/AAAAAAAAHXA/fap470ek5zU/s1600/020.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are photos of the 'kids' from this Spring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All in all there were 12 cocoons that produced butterflies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I</span> like to think these are the kids returning home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'd like to think this is one of ours. </span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-70233471513536163362014-07-13T19:18:00.002-07:002014-07-17T12:56:59.466-07:00Swallowtails One and Two<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had the first butterflies push out of their chrysalis</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first one went from this</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to this</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9j-SbYE_U1I/U8M5mK1ixwI/AAAAAAAAHRo/McQxUd4h_cY/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9j-SbYE_U1I/U8M5mK1ixwI/AAAAAAAAHRo/McQxUd4h_cY/s1600/008.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And after several hours of drying its wings he/she looks like this. I haven't really learned to tell the males from the females yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-2QB-o5Uig/U8M5lhVeSbI/AAAAAAAAHRY/whLnjdoxK6Q/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-2QB-o5Uig/U8M5lhVeSbI/AAAAAAAAHRY/whLnjdoxK6Q/s1600/006.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second one was a surprise. I happened to walk past the weed eater and this was sitting on it. Upon closer inspection I found the chrysalis on the garden tool.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3REPRechMHo/U8M5mkoGWTI/AAAAAAAAHRw/2Tr5RaM3bOo/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3REPRechMHo/U8M5mkoGWTI/AAAAAAAAHRw/2Tr5RaM3bOo/s1600/010.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After church I found him at the garage windows trying to find a way out. I got him on my hand and took him outside where he quickly flew away.</span><br />
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<br />Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-66197632417257350222014-07-10T19:55:00.001-07:002014-07-10T19:55:29.640-07:00The Butterfly Ranch<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6lTgkEgMZQc/Ulon31m5v4I/AAAAAAAAGQE/JU_2PAGMzNI/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6lTgkEgMZQc/Ulon31m5v4I/AAAAAAAAGQE/JU_2PAGMzNI/s1600/016.JPG" height="640" width="522" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> These are photos I took last summer of the Giant Swallowtails that frequented the garden</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGncO6UyBdA/UhGJyuvr-DI/AAAAAAAAGLo/O3X1cs1ikNg/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGncO6UyBdA/UhGJyuvr-DI/AAAAAAAAGLo/O3X1cs1ikNg/s1600/016.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Giant Swallowtails are the real reason I planted 3 parsley plants in the garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I knew that, after mating, the Giant Swallowtails lay their eggs on parsley and that was also what the larvae / caterpillars fed on until they were ready to pupate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eCSgxVz4Yyo/U7yhSBhKcNI/AAAAAAAAHNM/Xss12ljwNSs/s1600/caterpillars+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eCSgxVz4Yyo/U7yhSBhKcNI/AAAAAAAAHNM/Xss12ljwNSs/s1600/caterpillars+%25283%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once the eggs hatch they are ugly little blotches that resemble bird poop. I'm sure that is Mother Nature's way of trying to give them some hope of survival.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YY8nsTYSDfc/U7yhR84ZALI/AAAAAAAAHNs/2B6-DzhUZzQ/s1600/caterpillars+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YY8nsTYSDfc/U7yhR84ZALI/AAAAAAAAHNs/2B6-DzhUZzQ/s1600/caterpillars+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And sure enough I found the teensy tiny larvae hatched and feasting on the parsley. The youngest one is barely seen on the parsley leaf in the upper right hand corner. The larvae in the middle is a couple of days older.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first group of larvae I found feeding on the parsley several weeks ago quickly disappeared in a day or two. No doubt they were food for the birds.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fIvjNsGYr-I/U7yhSS3ymDI/AAAAAAAAHNU/F140oocc8T8/s1600/caterpillars+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fIvjNsGYr-I/U7yhSS3ymDI/AAAAAAAAHNU/F140oocc8T8/s1600/caterpillars+%25284%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Consequently, the next time I
noticed more, I removed them from danger of becoming dinner
for the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mockingbirds </span>and moved them to the garage.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0Dz2wDmtUA/U7yhTL3bSZI/AAAAAAAAHNw/-TSvVrxijQE/s1600/caterpillars+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0Dz2wDmtUA/U7yhTL3bSZI/AAAAAAAAHNw/-TSvVrxijQE/s1600/caterpillars+%25286%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I carefully cut off the stem of
parsley that was host to a caterpillar and placed the stems in vases of
water. I added extra parsley so they would have enough food for several
days.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtSgby_5Y54/U7yhS4U2uQI/AAAAAAAAHNg/iwThJH4fI90/s1600/caterpillars+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtSgby_5Y54/U7yhS4U2uQI/AAAAAAAAHNg/iwThJH4fI90/s1600/caterpillars+%25285%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Within days they begin to grow out of their ugly little hairy bird-poop stage and become quite pretty.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGReU26p8e0/U7yhTlNuhGI/AAAAAAAAHN8/sfUG2MJLSPY/s1600/caterpillars+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGReU26p8e0/U7yhTlNuhGI/AAAAAAAAHN8/sfUG2MJLSPY/s1600/caterpillars+%25287%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These creatures eat and poop,
eat and poop, eat and poop. And the bigger they get the more they
poop. Such it is with Mother Nature.</span>
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ungmkz2fMMs/U7yhRFx_HcI/AAAAAAAAHNA/uady-75NkY0/s1600/caterpillars+%252812%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ungmkz2fMMs/U7yhRFx_HcI/AAAAAAAAHNA/uady-75NkY0/s1600/caterpillars+%252812%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each day I would clean change out their poopy paper towel and refresh their food supply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This little guy looks different from the others; like the black and yellow markings are opposite. I'll be keeping my eye on this one to see if his pupa is different.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKHeG6cXsX0/U7yhULk2q6I/AAAAAAAAHOA/tTN3fuTfvbU/s1600/caterpillars+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKHeG6cXsX0/U7yhULk2q6I/AAAAAAAAHOA/tTN3fuTfvbU/s1600/caterpillars+%25289%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAFTM1OvTe8/U7yhT8eEryI/AAAAAAAAHOU/CwVBAhE9oPA/s1600/caterpillars+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAFTM1OvTe8/U7yhT8eEryI/AAAAAAAAHOU/CwVBAhE9oPA/s1600/caterpillars+%25288%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the caterpillars have eaten until they can eat no more, they start to wander off the parsley in search of a good place to anchor themselves and ready themselves for their final stage before becoming a butterfly.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--oBkq069MAY/U7yhQbBPYMI/AAAAAAAAHMs/CcJaLCHPaL8/s1600/caterpillars+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--oBkq069MAY/U7yhQbBPYMI/AAAAAAAAHMs/CcJaLCHPaL8/s1600/caterpillars+%252811%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found two crawling on the garage floor so I quickly put them on a tree branch that I had for decorative purposes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See those two little yellow antennae-looking things?</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1zjF3e-CvTA/U7yhRjh4T3I/AAAAAAAAHNQ/cTUTYRhRK-U/s1600/caterpillars+%252814%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1zjF3e-CvTA/U7yhRjh4T3I/AAAAAAAAHNQ/cTUTYRhRK-U/s1600/caterpillars+%252814%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I accidentally touched his back and he reared up a little and out popped these two little yellow things. At the same time I noticed that he sprayed a fine odorous substance (another defense mechanism). Does anyone else think he looks like Alf in this pose?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I Google searched to find out what these antennae were and they are called the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">osmeterium and they do in fact put out an odor.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Z9BLPwyRM/U7yhPfM43AI/AAAAAAAAHMc/JNrho6jrgJI/s1600/caterpillars+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Z9BLPwyRM/U7yhPfM43AI/AAAAAAAAHMc/JNrho6jrgJI/s1600/caterpillars+%252810%2529.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This one quickly found a nice place to attach himself. He attaches to the branch with a extremely thin (but obviously very strong) silk thread.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-br94_kqDONw/U79Or1e8yPI/AAAAAAAAHQ4/oX093cxddqY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-br94_kqDONw/U79Or1e8yPI/AAAAAAAAHQ4/oX093cxddqY/s1600/003.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here he is in his pupa stage </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also found one that crawled up on the ceiling of the garage.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Nd0uPvKSw/U732rgmgT4I/AAAAAAAAHQY/GX49lz8QXok/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Nd0uPvKSw/U732rgmgT4I/AAAAAAAAHQY/GX49lz8QXok/s1600/001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's one that stopped on the wall of the garage.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KjbTAlaSRZY/U732rqPBazI/AAAAAAAAHQE/nRVYjnfV6Vk/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KjbTAlaSRZY/U732rqPBazI/AAAAAAAAHQE/nRVYjnfV6Vk/s1600/002.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This one found him a cozy little place behind the door to the back patio but it looks as if a wasp or spider began eating him in the middle of his pupation.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fk0BOt-jtzY/U7yhUP2bEhI/AAAAAAAAHOE/ddBZBY00TEk/s1600/caterpillars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fk0BOt-jtzY/U7yhUP2bEhI/AAAAAAAAHOE/ddBZBY00TEk/s1600/caterpillars.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZHnV5-1KPs/U7yhRdiOB4I/AAAAAAAAHO0/Q3SuaNJgxBI/s1600/caterpillars+%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZHnV5-1KPs/U7yhRdiOB4I/AAAAAAAAHO0/Q3SuaNJgxBI/s1600/caterpillars+%252813%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These two obviously didn't want to leave the feeding trough and attached to a thick sturdy parsley branch. Seems some of the pupa are green, and some have a brown pupa. I don't know what that means, if anything, but I'll be watching to see if a slightly different type of Swallowtail emerges. Perhaps they'll all turn brown at some stage. I'm on a learning curve here.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ungmkz2fMMs/U7yhRFx_HcI/AAAAAAAAHNA/uady-75NkY0/s1600/caterpillars+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ungmkz2fMMs/U7yhRFx_HcI/AAAAAAAAHNA/uady-75NkY0/s1600/caterpillars+%252812%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since the majority of the caterpillars seemed to be at the 'wandering' stage I put the rest of them in the bug cage so they would be safe and I wouldn't have to search for them in the garage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All in all there are about 12 that have pupated and 1 that is getting close to taking his "walk".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RN6IpNx3BBg/UlooEfIi1lI/AAAAAAAAGQM/5xfFMeCG398/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RN6IpNx3BBg/UlooEfIi1lI/AAAAAAAAGQM/5xfFMeCG398/s1600/023.JPG" height="398" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within a couple of weeks I should be setting some of these free to start the cycle all over again.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-69737271681032994502014-07-10T18:00:00.000-07:002014-07-10T18:00:00.099-07:00Summer Blooms<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are a few things that have been blooming in the garden during June and the first part of July.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRhzgzq0gk/U6RLf-t_fgI/AAAAAAAAHEE/0Em1BmCPINA/s1600/Salvia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRhzgzq0gk/U6RLf-t_fgI/AAAAAAAAHEE/0Em1BmCPINA/s1600/Salvia.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">White and blue salvia</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNGzp3zGUCI/U6RLgNFiuiI/AAAAAAAAHDk/TIf-fDHthVI/s1600/Zinias+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNGzp3zGUCI/U6RLgNFiuiI/AAAAAAAAHDk/TIf-fDHthVI/s1600/Zinias+%25281%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tons of zinnias; all volunteers from last year's plants.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2J9aT-dkx4/U6RLWoDINPI/AAAAAAAAHBQ/rkWA0UQ3OHY/s1600/Caladium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2J9aT-dkx4/U6RLWoDINPI/AAAAAAAAHBQ/rkWA0UQ3OHY/s1600/Caladium.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caladiums in a big pot</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3Y7FJgfcNI/U6RLWX6-qPI/AAAAAAAAG_0/LOnxTxTRpAc/s1600/AfricanViolet+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3Y7FJgfcNI/U6RLWX6-qPI/AAAAAAAAG_0/LOnxTxTRpAc/s1600/AfricanViolet+%25281%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">African Violet (technically not in the garden - on the kitchen window sill)</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc5JvWt4CjA/U6RLZ2gl2II/AAAAAAAAHBM/w-NMIlOukbI/s1600/Cannas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc5JvWt4CjA/U6RLZ2gl2II/AAAAAAAAHBM/w-NMIlOukbI/s1600/Cannas.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Cannas</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1_4lZP8vpw/U6RNqiZNnXI/AAAAAAAAHFs/-PECPDoEW8E/s1600/Canna+Thinning+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1_4lZP8vpw/U6RNqiZNnXI/AAAAAAAAHFs/-PECPDoEW8E/s1600/Canna+Thinning+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I thinned them out drastically this year. They were taking over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-od1HZhWBDPM/U6RNqsg40OI/AAAAAAAAHFo/7uof5h2jXds/s1600/Canna+Thinning+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-od1HZhWBDPM/U6RNqsg40OI/AAAAAAAAHFo/7uof5h2jXds/s1600/Canna+Thinning+%25283%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I actually gave away three boxes to a local nursery up the road. I hope they pot them up and make tons of money off of them!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-up8NB157nl0/U6RLYsRm_tI/AAAAAAAAHAs/5TO0TS6WRbM/s1600/CallaLily+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-up8NB157nl0/U6RLYsRm_tI/AAAAAAAAHAs/5TO0TS6WRbM/s1600/CallaLily+%25287%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Calla Lilies. These have been my favorite new resident in the garden this year.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TqzG-h-wRrY/U6RLZhRISnI/AAAAAAAAHBA/o-X-TbjyfNo/s1600/CallaLily+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TqzG-h-wRrY/U6RLZhRISnI/AAAAAAAAHBA/o-X-TbjyfNo/s1600/CallaLily+%25289%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I planted them this Spring.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtTd1Alj1Dk/U6RLYNiqCJI/AAAAAAAAHAU/tdOvITCNNGI/s1600/CallaLily+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtTd1Alj1Dk/U6RLYNiqCJI/AAAAAAAAHAU/tdOvITCNNGI/s1600/CallaLily+%25285%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are called Firedancer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also love their foliage. The white specks look as if they are actual holes that the light shines through.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBddMtENhEA/U6RLe92eX0I/AAAAAAAAHD8/-MK5WmpS6OY/s1600/Red+Knockouts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBddMtENhEA/U6RLe92eX0I/AAAAAAAAHD8/-MK5WmpS6OY/s1600/Red+Knockouts.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Red Knockouts blooming after I cut them W-A-Y back this year. They really needed it; they had grown to almost 5 feet high.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9U2mKXWWd0/U6RLbvwbbII/AAAAAAAAHBw/rZvhbgtgy9A/s1600/Lantana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9U2mKXWWd0/U6RLbvwbbII/AAAAAAAAHBw/rZvhbgtgy9A/s1600/Lantana.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lantana</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tc5HrKDO-I0/U6RLcCT60sI/AAAAAAAAHCA/590GGynCEV4/s1600/Moss+rose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tc5HrKDO-I0/U6RLcCT60sI/AAAAAAAAHCA/590GGynCEV4/s1600/Moss+rose.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The moss rose comes up everywhere, all over the garden, every year. I transplanted a bunch of seedlings to one big patch and planted some in a big pot and gave some away. I love to pass plants on to others. And I like receiving them too!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smfEcGD2K40/U6RLasPVq0I/AAAAAAAAHBY/_aHl3622RmU/s1600/Geraniums.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smfEcGD2K40/U6RLasPVq0I/AAAAAAAAHBY/_aHl3622RmU/s1600/Geraniums.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lovey brought these geraniums home one day. This is the first time I have planted geraniums in the ground. I've always planted them in pots. These are a bright electric orange and they are so visible from the road. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEbzvjiblPk/U6RLczkhxMI/AAAAAAAAHDU/moIcgIhkN1o/s1600/Potager.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEbzvjiblPk/U6RLczkhxMI/AAAAAAAAHDU/moIcgIhkN1o/s1600/Potager.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Planted a little potager in front of the knockouts this year. This space has proved to be way too small for everything I planted. I have parsley, basil, a Roma tomato, tarragon (from my sister's garden), oregano, jalapeno, and lemon verbena. And...</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmbSs938jZ8/U6RLcn2GOiI/AAAAAAAAHCM/r_rBgySIexY/s1600/Petunia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmbSs938jZ8/U6RLcn2GOiI/AAAAAAAAHCM/r_rBgySIexY/s1600/Petunia.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">these tiny little yellow and white striped petunias. They are so petite. The blooms are smaller that a quarter.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcaGzuMhZ1U/U7yhM7VMpsI/AAAAAAAAHMA/wj7cAwT5c6w/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcaGzuMhZ1U/U7yhM7VMpsI/AAAAAAAAHMA/wj7cAwT5c6w/s1600/028.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year Lovey brought home a sickly little coleus and it grew to be so big and beautiful so he wanted a lot of them this year.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpOKtxbPyWk/U7yhOReYqhI/AAAAAAAAHMQ/074NEvx4l84/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpOKtxbPyWk/U7yhOReYqhI/AAAAAAAAHMQ/074NEvx4l84/s1600/030.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So we bought several types of sun loving Coleus. We decided this was not one of our favorites and probably won't plant this next year.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QS-ANN4-siI/U7yhOKZbP0I/AAAAAAAAHME/2z8mKlTPnY8/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QS-ANN4-siI/U7yhOKZbP0I/AAAAAAAAHME/2z8mKlTPnY8/s1600/029.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The little yellow ones are pretty but I don't think they are going to get as big as the burgundy and green variety.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yNjpaobgjrU/U7yhLFMgtDI/AAAAAAAAHPQ/Snn5Z6PnNiE/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yNjpaobgjrU/U7yhLFMgtDI/AAAAAAAAHPQ/Snn5Z6PnNiE/s1600/024.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The gladiolas came back nicely this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like last year the grasshoppers are beginning to destroy the foliage. Looks as if I've put the leaves through a shredder. They are trying my patience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love this bright orange.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And this orange</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is it obvious I am partial to orange?</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-74867889597422570022014-07-09T19:23:00.001-07:002014-07-09T19:23:20.928-07:00Pumpkin Update<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQgJ4pi5aG4/U7yhUi3zfiI/AAAAAAAAHOs/ofGzLVSKcpI/s1600/pumpkins+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQgJ4pi5aG4/U7yhUi3zfiI/AAAAAAAAHOs/ofGzLVSKcpI/s1600/pumpkins+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Starting to turn orange. So far the newspaper placed under the fruit has kept it from getting ground rot.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3Mv0BLwPBY/U7yhU5qXDzI/AAAAAAAAHOk/a2ilry60NmY/s1600/pumpkins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3Mv0BLwPBY/U7yhU5qXDzI/AAAAAAAAHOk/a2ilry60NmY/s1600/pumpkins.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Three new ones!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />I can tell that the first two pumpkins (and most likely these new ones) are going to be ripe and ready w-a-y before their season comes around. But this has been so fun to watch that I've decided to plant a pumpkin patch in the front yard. Books and seed packages say that the best time to plant pumpkins in North Central Texas is in July; so I now know what I'll be doing this weekend.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-57513969400009084712014-06-30T18:42:00.001-07:002014-06-30T18:42:34.041-07:00Watermelons<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was Lovey's idea. That's not saying I didn't like it. And honestly, anytime Lovey shows any interest in growing things it pleases me. I really want him to like gardening; especially on the fruit and vegetable end of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rKabW2qsJ50/U6X_B_kN0NI/AAAAAAAAHKQ/iCvwBR-XszM/s1600/Watermelon+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rKabW2qsJ50/U6X_B_kN0NI/AAAAAAAAHKQ/iCvwBR-XszM/s1600/Watermelon+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lovey brought this sachet of watermelon seeds home one day. So, it became my mission to learn how to plant a watermelon patch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v5qa8uXUBSI/U6X_DxrsqwI/AAAAAAAAHKo/-hkVd_IEhDk/s1600/Watermelon+%25285%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v5qa8uXUBSI/U6X_DxrsqwI/AAAAAAAAHKo/-hkVd_IEhDk/s1600/Watermelon+%25285%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I selected a space for the hill that you are supposed to build for the vines. The hills should be two feet wide and one foot deep, or high. With some good landscape soil and mushroom compost I made a hill that was five feet long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I agree; it looks like I have buried the family pet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HR50UB_mcs/U6X_CSsN3RI/AAAAAAAAHKY/zxCa6G_ref8/s1600/Watermelon+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HR50UB_mcs/U6X_CSsN3RI/AAAAAAAAHKY/zxCa6G_ref8/s1600/Watermelon+%25283%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the watermelons are going to be fairly small because the seeds are quite tiny. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--LNQSoxn75s/U6X_DPh_w0I/AAAAAAAAHKg/CHAxQf8lnpU/s1600/Watermelon+%25284%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--LNQSoxn75s/U6X_DPh_w0I/AAAAAAAAHKg/CHAxQf8lnpU/s1600/Watermelon+%25284%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I pushed the seeds in about 1/2 inch deep into the soil.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8DMU-qvsRLA/U6X_EQTwYGI/AAAAAAAAHKw/xana9HEnwU4/s1600/Watermelon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8DMU-qvsRLA/U6X_EQTwYGI/AAAAAAAAHKw/xana9HEnwU4/s1600/Watermelon.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I covered the hill with a little mulch and watered it in good. I'll add more mulch once the seeds germinate and I thin them out. Nature was good to us and we had a wonderful six hour rain the day after I planted the seeds. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I planted around 25 seeds in the hill. Once the seedlings reach a height of about 6 inches I'll thin them out to about 6 plants for this size of hill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be back when we have seedlings!</span><br />
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<br />Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-45129835372852664122014-06-22T19:36:00.001-07:002014-09-16T08:33:07.182-07:00Our Accidental Pumpkin Patch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OB-0mOy5bYk/U6X-xPWinfI/AAAAAAAAHIA/Z9DEXeb0quY/s1600/Pumpkin+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OB-0mOy5bYk/U6X-xPWinfI/AAAAAAAAHIA/Z9DEXeb0quY/s1600/Pumpkin+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was lucky that I only lost 2 plants in my front bed from the really low temperatures we had this past winter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4zu1KGijaU/U6RLde5Vi9I/AAAAAAAAHCg/8JgyCtvjKbw/s1600/Pumpkin+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4zu1KGijaU/U6RLde5Vi9I/AAAAAAAAHCg/8JgyCtvjKbw/s1600/Pumpkin+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>One of them, a butterfly bush, was cut back and I watched with the hope I would see new little leaves emerge. Well, I saw some little leaves but they were coming from underneath the skeleton of the butterfly bush. I let them grow just to see what it might be. It looked like some sort of a vine and I figured it was some sort of squash.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xYuXdNaAqWw/U6RLdDB6zmI/AAAAAAAAHCU/kcMHVI3ilqo/s1600/Pumpkin+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xYuXdNaAqWw/U6RLdDB6zmI/AAAAAAAAHCU/kcMHVI3ilqo/s1600/Pumpkin+%25281%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Here is it. Isn't it a pretty little plant? It even has a beautiful yellow flower amongst the leaves. Can you see it?</span><br />
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<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tHiYEWabPY/U6RLd-yVgcI/AAAAAAAAHCk/pkzH01vLf6g/s1600/Pumpkin+%25284%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a better look.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrCnTp6HWXw/U6RLe2AXBqI/AAAAAAAAHDE/dBFr976Jqc8/s1600/Pumpkin+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrCnTp6HWXw/U6RLe2AXBqI/AAAAAAAAHDE/dBFr976Jqc8/s1600/Pumpkin+%25287%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This thing began to grow</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PM-ORHFVcRQ/U6X-9fS4r7I/AAAAAAAAHJo/PTbdTQAgYmA/s1600/Pumpkin+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PM-ORHFVcRQ/U6X-9fS4r7I/AAAAAAAAHJo/PTbdTQAgYmA/s1600/Pumpkin+%252815%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and soon began to take over my garden.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hv_ZhB7RZPo/U6X-22FAcDI/AAAAAAAAHJE/J2euSID222o/s1600/Pumpkin+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hv_ZhB7RZPo/U6X-22FAcDI/AAAAAAAAHJE/J2euSID222o/s1600/Pumpkin+%25288%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then one day I found what I thought was a round zucchini that I had allowed to get way too big. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was the size of a tether ball. </span>I quickly cut it off the vine knowing it was going to be the toughest zucchini ever; but I'd cook it up anyway. I took it in the kitchen to show Lovey, who responded that he was pretty sure it was a pumpkin. The more I thought about it I realized Lovey was right. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I cut it open and sure enough....it was definitely a pumpkin.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">W</span>e had a ginormous pumpkin vine taking over the front garden.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've always loved pumpkins and was excited about actually having one.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p9Zt5RZzK4c/U6X_BALYGMI/AAAAAAAAHKM/Ez-zX9nWW9Q/s1600/Pumpkin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p9Zt5RZzK4c/U6X_BALYGMI/AAAAAAAAHKM/Ez-zX9nWW9Q/s1600/Pumpkin.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years ago Lovey designed a huge mirror, about 6' high and 4' across. He called it the pumpkin vine mirror because the frame was pumpkin leaves. He had it hand carved out of a mahogany native to the Philippines and it was gorgeous. It had the beautiful huge leaves around all four sides of the frame.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFqpvzPMJhs/U6X-0enDkhI/AAAAAAAAHIc/YUCS6MphRLc/s1600/Pumpkin+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFqpvzPMJhs/U6X-0enDkhI/AAAAAAAAHIc/YUCS6MphRLc/s1600/Pumpkin+%25285%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He also made sure there were lots of the little tendrils and blossoms tucked in here and there.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kklACf-8KEw/U6X-_8FH3uI/AAAAAAAAHKA/LO-hd9OoI8Q/s1600/Pumpkin+%252818%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kklACf-8KEw/U6X-_8FH3uI/AAAAAAAAHKA/LO-hd9OoI8Q/s1600/Pumpkin+%252818%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw; and I wish I had let him know how much I would have loved to have one for ourselves.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-763LpLoHoVI/U6X-8Nx_QBI/AAAAAAAAHJY/U0Qepd-u3dY/s1600/Pumpkin+%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-763LpLoHoVI/U6X-8Nx_QBI/AAAAAAAAHJY/U0Qepd-u3dY/s1600/Pumpkin+%252813%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, no worries. Now I had a real pumpkin vine to think about. I decided I was not going to let it choke out certain things in the garden; like my calla lilies on the right. And I needed to find a new location to plant the Fire Bush that I bought to replace the butterfly bush. So I set out to learn what I needed to know and I learned some very interesting things.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkF-ehfH5kE/U6X-3hKBVGI/AAAAAAAAHI4/xiB7fI15Fe0/s1600/Pumpkin+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkF-ehfH5kE/U6X-3hKBVGI/AAAAAAAAHI4/xiB7fI15Fe0/s1600/Pumpkin+%25289%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pumpkin vines are </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">monoecious; meaning the male and female parts are in different flowers. This is the inside of the male flower. It has a single stamen that is covered with pollen.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZaK3uFWU-o/U6X-4bkAfhI/AAAAAAAAHI8/eb9YDwuSzEw/s1600/Pumpkin+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZaK3uFWU-o/U6X-4bkAfhI/AAAAAAAAHI8/eb9YDwuSzEw/s1600/Pumpkin+%252810%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the inside of the female flower. It's like a little nest of eggs just waiting to get pollinated.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUuyocu_5hE/U6X-5AoZUFI/AAAAAAAAHJI/DGFn-vfev2E/s1600/Pumpkin+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUuyocu_5hE/U6X-5AoZUFI/AAAAAAAAHJI/DGFn-vfev2E/s1600/Pumpkin+%252811%2529.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another way to tell the difference between the male and female flowers is at the base of the flower. The female flower has this bulbous base. If the female flower is pollinated this bulb becomes the fruit, or the pumpkin. If it's not, the flower shrivels up the the bulb rots off.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmEljytNEnc/U6X-6dcp73I/AAAAAAAAHJQ/nZ9UQKsE804/s1600/Pumpkin+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmEljytNEnc/U6X-6dcp73I/AAAAAAAAHJQ/nZ9UQKsE804/s1600/Pumpkin+%252812%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The male flower does not have the bulb at the base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also learned how to self pollinate the flowers and if I get the opportunity to try it I'll document it here.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hv_ZhB7RZPo/U6X-22FAcDI/AAAAAAAAHJE/J2euSID222o/s1600/Pumpkin+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hv_ZhB7RZPo/U6X-22FAcDI/AAAAAAAAHJE/J2euSID222o/s1600/Pumpkin+%25288%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the moment I'm satisfied with the bees doing the pollinating and creating the two fruits that are growing and hope they make it to maturity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-81375001818729581072014-03-20T19:14:00.001-07:002014-07-17T12:56:41.465-07:00Spring Cleaning 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YjNyYW1j4E/UyubrcZTSeI/AAAAAAAAGu8/Dxn3q1qKDpA/s1600/Snowbell+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YjNyYW1j4E/UyubrcZTSeI/AAAAAAAAGu8/Dxn3q1qKDpA/s1600/Snowbell+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The house is not the only thing that gets a thorough cleaning each Spring. The garden is much more labor intensive when it comes to Spring cleaning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It can be pretty nasty work but it's worth it when you also have these coming up. These little snowbells are one of my favorite bulbs.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eoLZeS8atIw/UyubsJx85LI/AAAAAAAAGu8/XQ1a3WIIwcI/s1600/Tete+a+Tete.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eoLZeS8atIw/UyubsJx85LI/AAAAAAAAGu8/XQ1a3WIIwcI/s1600/Tete+a+Tete.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These little Tete a Tete miniature daffodils are only about 1-1/2" across.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgNxNDjHI2o/UyubqG-50KI/AAAAAAAAGu8/su9oxzJDWFg/s1600/LambsEar-SpringCleaning+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgNxNDjHI2o/UyubqG-50KI/AAAAAAAAGu8/su9oxzJDWFg/s1600/LambsEar-SpringCleaning+%25282%2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the ugly in the garden right now. This huge Lambs Ear really took a hit with the frigid winter we had but it's greening up. It's in desperate need of cleaning out.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k7Fa3icbtZI/UyubqFpz_5I/AAAAAAAAGu8/6Y2mGLROpw4/s1600/LambsEar-SpringCleaning.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k7Fa3icbtZI/UyubqFpz_5I/AAAAAAAAGu8/6Y2mGLROpw4/s1600/LambsEar-SpringCleaning.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After pulling out alot of the brownish grey dead leaves you can see the pale yellow of the new growth. It will get nice and green now that the sunlight can get to it.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VpANx5Rx9uI/UyubsLa3HUI/AAAAAAAAGu8/VI02rSW_FEA/s1600/Sedum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VpANx5Rx9uI/UyubsLa3HUI/AAAAAAAAGu8/VI02rSW_FEA/s1600/Sedum.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pink sedum is coming back nicely. The only cleaning up required here was snipping off the lead stalks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">With the extra daylight I have now I can do a little each evening when I get home from work.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-14256009463840455702013-10-13T14:30:00.000-07:002013-10-13T14:30:02.832-07:00Butterflies - Giant Swallowtail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6lTgkEgMZQc/Ulon31m5v4I/AAAAAAAAGQE/JU_2PAGMzNI/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6lTgkEgMZQc/Ulon31m5v4I/AAAAAAAAGQE/JU_2PAGMzNI/s640/016.JPG" width="522" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Black Swallowtail showed up once this summer. I didn't get many photos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's very big.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And very beautiful.</span></div>
Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-91062471828640783202013-10-12T21:33:00.002-07:002013-10-12T22:25:48.234-07:00Butterflies - The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPJnzDW4GYY/UhGG1nwv4rI/AAAAAAAAGIg/2a9aD2W3lLU/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPJnzDW4GYY/UhGG1nwv4rI/AAAAAAAAGIg/2a9aD2W3lLU/s640/034.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This beautiful butterfly graced my garden from July through August.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He didn't seem to mind my following him from flower to flower.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nor did he mind me leaning in for real close shots of him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nIIxMxQbJJw/UhGIG3evkmI/AAAAAAAAGLI/y7vNM_iK-Fk/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nIIxMxQbJJw/UhGIG3evkmI/AAAAAAAAGLI/y7vNM_iK-Fk/s640/034.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">At times he acted like a model; knowing just how to pose for the camera.</span><br />
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It's scientific name is <em>Papilio glaucus</em> Linnaeus 1758</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--mPIziPd-Qg/UhGID0dH59I/AAAAAAAAGK0/2X0hBzdmIkw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--mPIziPd-Qg/UhGID0dH59I/AAAAAAAAGK0/2X0hBzdmIkw/s640/032.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">gorgeous</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OZfAkHlPVI/UhGID8OGXTI/AAAAAAAAGKw/DPwEZJuFh14/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OZfAkHlPVI/UhGID8OGXTI/AAAAAAAAGKw/DPwEZJuFh14/s640/029.JPG" width="640" /></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look at the beautiful markings; the blue, the yellow crescents at the edge of the blue;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the little touches of orange</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this one. He is so busy at work getting that little proboscis into the tiny pollen filled clusters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only thing left to say is "Simply beautiful" and I hope I see them next year.</span><br />
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Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-55384820063339514472013-08-19T06:00:00.000-07:002013-08-19T06:00:02.762-07:00What's Blooming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riP-2vICvPk/UZ-grdGPSXI/AAAAAAAAFo8/iqU8Bx2WXb8/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riP-2vICvPk/UZ-grdGPSXI/AAAAAAAAFo8/iqU8Bx2WXb8/s640/017.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firecracker plant</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gladiolas - since this photo was take the grasshoppers have really wreaked havoc on the greenery of these. I took care of them though. It was brutal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day lilies - These were given to me by my sister a couple of years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Texas Sage. The honey bees are loving it in the morning!</span><br />
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Not out in the garden but just as important as it holds a special place in front of the kitchen sink. <br />
varia.ated African VioletJamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-36395993634571707432013-08-18T21:24:00.001-07:002013-09-11T17:08:12.841-07:00Zinnia's From Seed<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gain a tremendous satisfaction from growing flowers and plants from seed. My repertoire is not large but I have, over the years, chosen several that do very well with me. One of those plants are Zinnias.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are bright, you can select a rainbow of colors and sizes. And they are easy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gather all of my seed starting paraphernalia which includes plant markers. I made these from an old plastic milk carton that was going to the dump. Sharpie permanent markers work great to list the seedlings you are planting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGH4IfGsNa8/UYgREoVArkI/AAAAAAAAFeM/gW0t8NxDpeo/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img bba="true" border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGH4IfGsNa8/UYgREoVArkI/AAAAAAAAFeM/gW0t8NxDpeo/s640/021.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past Spring I collected all sorts of aluminum pans and trays that were left over from a big bake sale at work.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With an ice pick I poked holes all over the bottom of the pan for drainage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Start with a good Seed Starting potting mix that is light and soiless. Those delicate roots need room to move easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fill the container with the s</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eedling mixture and dampen thoroughly but not muddy wet</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Work the water and seed planting mixture until everything is damp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once planting medium is ready, separate your seeds out onto a dark piece paper.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-McCYr2zWwEY/UYgRD8BpKvI/AAAAAAAAFeM/SEkP1aHp750/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bba="true" border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-McCYr2zWwEY/UYgRD8BpKvI/AAAAAAAAFeM/SEkP1aHp750/s640/016.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twist the toilet/paper towel rolls (cut to about an inch and a half) down into the planting medium. These will be your little pots that will hold the seeds.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnD8qsgOHWo/UYgRDW4yc6I/AAAAAAAAFeM/kjvbGQHJmr0/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" bba="true" border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnD8qsgOHWo/UYgRDW4yc6I/AAAAAAAAFeM/kjvbGQHJmr0/s640/015.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using a pair of tweezers, place about 3 seeds in each container. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Using a spray bottle, spritz thoroughly. over the top of the pan with Saran Wrap to create a small green house effect. Once you have sprouts, remove the plastic wrap and start maintaining your seedlings.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-etCVIa73rfs/UaUr5yxcRhI/AAAAAAAAFv4/-3rOPv--5g0/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bba="true" border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-etCVIa73rfs/UaUr5yxcRhI/AAAAAAAAFv4/-3rOPv--5g0/s640/004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you have two sets of leaves, very carefully tear off one set of leaves. This will help the plant grow bushier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once they have several leaves, plant them in a sunny location in your garden</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTXfuBU0inU/UhGEpa44wbI/AAAAAAAAGH0/BmOWAj-9Yh4/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTXfuBU0inU/UhGEpa44wbI/AAAAAAAAGH0/BmOWAj-9Yh4/s640/007.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've to see the geometrics of the buds as they open</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to watch the formation of a bloom</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once they start blooming they keep going and going. Deadheading is a good idea; you'll get so many more blooms by doing so</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PkUElc_Cb0Y/Ugk7lf2JPmI/AAAAAAAAGGA/_aZzpCLWK2o/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PkUElc_Cb0Y/Ugk7lf2JPmI/AAAAAAAAGGA/_aZzpCLWK2o/s640/002.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Zinnias make me smile</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Water them regularly while they establish and then they can be quite drought tolerant.. You'll be able to tell when they need water because their leaves begin to curl in. They love the sun and the heat. Perfect for our Texas summers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One more treat they provide is that they bring in an abundance of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds to the garden.</span></div>
Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-35941293046870193032013-07-26T18:30:00.000-07:002013-07-26T18:30:01.215-07:00Esperanza<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XMfgrjDQoTU/UD0lsOrrO5I/AAAAAAAADlQ/tHMGa79Wq5U/s1600/Esperanza+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XMfgrjDQoTU/UD0lsOrrO5I/AAAAAAAADlQ/tHMGa79Wq5U/s640/Esperanza+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tecoma stans. Also known as Esperanza, Yellow Bells, Yellow Elder & Hardy Yellow Trumpet. It dons large yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. And how it blooms! I got to enjoy three seasons of blooming this past year; spring, summer and autumn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QGT51zNFCO0/T8kJ0TmEv3I/AAAAAAAADEE/cD54hlBhorY/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QGT51zNFCO0/T8kJ0TmEv3I/AAAAAAAADEE/cD54hlBhorY/s640/014.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This shrub was a delight in the garden. It thrived through the heat and drought and tripled in size from the time I planted it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers have a pleasing fragrance although a little different. The Indians made bows from its wood, and in Mexico a beer was prepared from its roots; it has also been used for a variety of medicines. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15omeXx0C-g/UD0lstjoy2I/AAAAAAAADlM/xS0_4IyFXMA/s1600/Esperanza+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15omeXx0C-g/UD0lstjoy2I/AAAAAAAADlM/xS0_4IyFXMA/s640/Esperanza+%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers </span>also provide nectar for bees.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1EnjsOT2qOE/UD0lsOMFruI/AAAAAAAADlE/nd4PMy8DOa4/s1600/Esperanza+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1EnjsOT2qOE/UD0lsOMFruI/AAAAAAAADlE/nd4PMy8DOa4/s640/Esperanza+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are several bumble bees who have claimed this as their eating establishment. I think this is his happy hour.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o2uzNKpU7HU/UD0lsPOowjI/AAAAAAAADlA/gCv3I0RdlQI/s1600/Esperanza+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o2uzNKpU7HU/UD0lsPOowjI/AAAAAAAADlA/gCv3I0RdlQI/s640/Esperanza+%25283%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was supposed to have been winter hardy here in Fort Worth but, alas, it never came back this past Spring. I have truly missed it in the garden this summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Surprisingly Lovey didn't care for it. I don't understand why but I'm going to plant another one next year anyway; perhaps in a different spot where he won't have to look at it.</span><br />
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<br />Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-86515671889019037402013-05-28T15:20:00.000-07:002013-05-28T15:20:00.137-07:00Weekly Stroll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The garden is beginning to come alive with some color. Here's what was going on in the garden this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firecracker Plant - this will have red bell-shaped flowers that the hummingbirds love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Silver Leaf Dwarf elephant ear is peeking through; I see that it is spreading this year, which is what I want it to do</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As is Black Magic</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the gladiolas came back this year</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A canna getting ready to pop open</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lantana</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red Yucca - the hummers love these too</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salvia came back. I have a white one as well that I transplanted to a different spot</span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Amaryllis was especially beautiful this year - a friend at work gave this to me for Christmas 3 years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yarrow</span></div>
Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-46670915513148011052013-05-06T19:42:00.001-07:002014-07-17T12:55:43.905-07:00They've Flown the Coop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday morning I was standing in the kitchen watching the finches outside the window when it dawned on me that one of them was actually one of the babies. She was coaching him/her to fly (for convenience I'll call baby Uno). They both left the roof edge and flew across the street to the neighbor's yard and back with that fast dipping motion they perform when they fly fast. They turned right around without stopping and lighted on the roof again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then Uno decided to take a leap off the roof but couldn't quite get the air needed and fluttered down and sat on one of my lilies. I ran for my camera but it's not a really good photo. Mama was right beside her on the grass for support and safety. Uno is really hidden by the leaves, but she's there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The rest of the clutch patiently waiting their turn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Throughout the day I checked the nest and each time there was one less baby in the nest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is another one that likes to flit down onto the lily leaves. I wish I had had more time to follow all of the goings on with the birds but I had tons of gardening chores to get done.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Late afternoon I no longer saw little heads bobbing up and down and wings flapping in the nest. One by one Mama had helped each of here little fledglings to fly the coop. Oh to be inside the mind of those little birds flying for the first time. I imagine it's exhilarating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the first sign that all 5 eggs had hatched. One out of the nest and four still crammed in there equal 5. I was anxious to see if there was an egg left unhatched in the nest. That would confirm once and for all just how many babies had hatched. I had trouble telling if there were 3, 4, or 5 nestlings in the nest. They were so on top of each other in that little nest. I read that the Mama usually removed the pieces of shell from hatched eggs. I would think it really hard for her to remove a whole egg that turned out to be a dud; other than maybe pushing it out of the nest. I never saw anything on the ground so I assumed there were 4 hatched birdies and one egg left. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today would be my day to tell. I figured with all the birdies fledged there would be a whole egg still sitting in the nest....or not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I secretly hoped that fifth egg would be sitting in the nest, left for me to claim. How cool it would be to have such a beautiful egg. I'd carefully blow it out and find some sort of craft to incorporate it into. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">However, when I took the fern down and got a good
look into the nest there was no extra egg. I therefore have to assume
that there were five healthy nestlings and today they found their
freedom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I also hoped I would be able to keep the nest. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have read that you could put a nest in a baggie and
toss it in the freezer for several days; guaranteed to kill mites, etc.
the nest might harbor</span> and you'd be left with a cute little nest to keep as a memory; to use in arrangements in the house and so on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Take a good look at this nest. Would you want to clean this up? I think not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's been fun to watch this process of God' s handy work in nature, right down to the night we went below freezing. Would they be able to keep themselves warm? Would Mama come over and sleep on top of them to keep them warm? I didn't know but could only pray for their safety. That was Thursday night and Friday it was such a relief to see those little bobble heads in the nest!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now, can I put a new fern on the front porch please????? (They don't have more than one brood a year do they?!?!?!?!!??!!??) Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-70819952918074623502013-05-03T18:00:00.000-07:002013-05-03T18:00:01.194-07:00Nestling Update<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I don't know the exact date each egg hatched, they are probably about two weeks old now. They are growing and they are very loud, in a cute sort of way, whenever Mama or Papa comes bearing a meal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's still hard to tell just how many nestlings there are because I try not to linger over the nest for very long. They have an awfully poopy nest don't they? Whenever they have to do their business they stick their little hineys up over the edge of the nest and poop. This is their way of keeping their living quarters clean.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mama takes good care of her babies.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4pmbF0YOEE/UYP5pPeiNdI/AAAAAAAAFX4/oP_425eykjA/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" lua="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4pmbF0YOEE/UYP5pPeiNdI/AAAAAAAAFX4/oP_425eykjA/s640/028.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I think I see four hungry mouths here but still not sure. The one on the left is going to leap right out of the nest if he / she isn't careful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is Papa. He is a good help mate. He will land on the chain or the basket and peruse the area before he hops down for the feeding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't the fern lovely? Looks really nice hanging next to the other two that are, well.....alive. </span><br />
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Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-23095943266443118122013-04-25T19:30:00.001-07:002013-04-25T19:30:45.928-07:00The Clutch is Hatching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been difficult for me to snap a good photo of the eggs that have hatched. We ended up with 5 eggs in the nest. I believe all 5 have hatched, but they are so crowded in the nest it's hard to determine whether or not they are all hatched. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I try to stay at the next as little as I can because both Momma and Papa are diligent in feeding their little clutch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sitting in my chair and depending on which direction the fern is slowly turning I can see the chicks eager little beaks wide open waiting for their meal.</span>Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6962329203279453960.post-1849616243217586372013-04-13T06:12:00.001-07:002014-07-17T12:56:17.511-07:00Spring Cleaning 2013<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DtUI_ri-rn0/UVQ1jmptvYI/AAAAAAAAE_w/QHWDJRmr2mk/s1600/083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DtUI_ri-rn0/UVQ1jmptvYI/AAAAAAAAE_w/QHWDJRmr2mk/s640/083.JPG" height="480" mta="true" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a busy March and April for me and I haven't spent the time I need to in the yard. I have been( able to get out and do some cleaning, trimming and planting in the front bed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lamb's Ear </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Stachys byzantine) </i>is not a baaaaad plant to have in the garden. OK, that's pretty corny, sorry. I love the thick, velvety leaves. During a trip to Virginia one year Lovey and I toured the homestead of James Monroe, <a href="http://www.ashlawnhighland.org/" target="_blank">Ash Lawn-Highland</a>. It's not far from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and is a much, much more modest farm. The most interesting thing I recall from that visit was their colonial herb garden. They grew a large variety of herbs that had medicinal purposes. They used the leaves of Lamb's Ear as a band aid, to stop the flow of blood on cuts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I cut back the purple fountain grasses <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum').</i></span> There is debate whether or not this will come back. Most of what I read is that it is an annual but in warmer climates it comes back like a perennial. If I don't see new growth by the time the weather decides to stay in the 80's I'll have to buy more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The zebra grass <i>(Miscanthus sinensis)</i> is coming back after its little trim.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Behind these whispy volunteers of Mexican Feather grass </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Nassella tenuissima)</i> are the plants from whence they came. I cut the older ones back then dug these two up and planted them at the back of the driveway. There are actually tons of these new plants throughout the garden and I'll transplant those as well when they grow to a certain size.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The muhly grass </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Muhlenbergia capillaris)</i> received a trim as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Threadleaf Japanese Maple <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Acer palmatum var. dissectum</i></span><span class="common-name"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> )</i></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span>is returning to its pretty little self.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My two Red Yuccas <i>(Hesperaloe parviflora)</i> are donning their flower spikes for the first time. I bought these as very young plants at a plant sale so it has taken them a couple of years to flower.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Finally, an update on the Finch family. 5 eggs seems to be the final number in the clutch. Momma is sitting on the nest. I checked the nest yesterday evening and none have hatched yet.</span></div>
Jamie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455977369173869053noreply@blogger.com0