Daffodils

See the pretty daffodils,
they grow in gardens;
grow on hills.

Unless the wind blows
they stand still;
like Guardians of the spring.

🌞

Photo by Sarah Ruth Williams - Chapel Hill, NC

"Fall in My Backyard"

Fall in My Backyard

The elephant ears were 7 foot tall;

they stood to defy the arrival of fall.

But now they don’t seem so tall at all

as they await the coming of winter.

The magnolia tree with its blossoms white;

is fading away with summer’s light.

She’ll be back next year; to my delight;

after the cold days of winter.

The little flowers that fill the bed;

the chill in the air is something they dread.

There’ll be something else comes spring in their stead,

after the passing of winter.

We are young, the cycle’s old;

this wandering from heat to cold;

around a sun of shining gold,

into the grips of winter.

What is this loss I seem to feel;

when the sun begins to peel

the veneer of warmth which felt so real,

Laying us bare to winter?

The First Bloom and the First Frog

Spring is a time of renewal, and I love to watch for the “first” each year in several categories. First on my list is watching the first cactus bloom. The cacti that I have are all either gifts from my wife and daughter, or ones that I have bought on my own. Funny thing is, the ones that I buy for myself never make it, while the ones I receive as gifts seem to thrive.

The first one is from Sarah, my daughter. She got it from the sand dunes on the outer banks of NC in a town called Duck. That was 15 years ago and it has been moved 3 times to 3 different houses where it continues to thrive.

The one pictured at the top is the latest addition. Sue picked it up from a woman named Mona, who has sold us some very beautiful plants and even some cacti and palm trees over the past few years. Her prices are outrageously fair. That planter, with the pot, was only $8. And it will give me years of enjoyment. As a matter of fact, Sue and I are planning on stopping by to show Mona how quicly and beautifully this new cactus has bloomed.

The second thing I wait for is the arrival of the first frog. Now, this isn’t the greatest photo, but it does capture the spirit of the frog’s yearly return to our house in Concord. Each year it’s like a pilgrimage. Scores of these little toads descend on my front porch to visit the great Green Shrine of the Frog, which is visible in the background. We like frogs.

Sue swears that she saw the first frog last week, but without the photographic evidence I am a bit skeptical. When I spot the first frog I usually wrap it up in a handkerchief or towel and bring it in to show Sue. At the very least I take a photograph. So, I have to wonder why she didn’t call me out to look. Hogging the frogs!

Actually we have a small group of these frogs which live somewhere on the property, or in the nearby creek, during the winter. I’d swear I recognize this guy from last year, although he has put on some weight. I wonder what they eat all winter, as I haven’t seen a fly since early October!

No matter, the frogs are back, which is reason enough to celebrate. I can never greet the return of the frogs with enough joy. After the frogs and cacti have arrived the turtles come; my favorites. Along with the lizards; who like to hide in the siding during the cold weather; the whole neighborhood seems to come alive again. There’s something very comforting in watching the world come back to life each year. May it ever be thus…

The Turtle

This is the first turtle I have bought home in about 3 years. There was a time when I was able to “rescue” one each year, and the last two years without seeing one crossing the road has made me a bit sad. It means that they are losing more of their habitat to us humans.

I found this plucky little fellow after a big rainstorm which was the back side of Hurricane Andres last week. He was right on the center line of the road near us, frozen there by the vibrations of the passing cars. I had to make a U-turn to go back and get him, but I’m glad I did. He might not have made it across without getting hit.

Several years ago I picked one up that and been hit and flung, cracking his shell. Not much I could do for him except to place him off the road and in the shade. I know he couldn't have lasted too long after that, but I like to think that I made him a bit more comfortable.

Turtles are very special to me. They represent not only the little red eared turtles I had as a child; and one in particular which was given to me by a friend in junior high school; they also remind me of the huge sea turtles which we encountered from time to time when I was in the Navy. These turtles would break surface; reminiscent of some prehistoric creature from the deep; gaze up into the sun, and then use their flippers to “pump” air into their shells before plunging back under the swells. Apart from the snapping turtle, they are generally such docile creatures.

One year I brought home a turtle that was almost ready to lay eggs; which of course Sue and I had no way of knowing. Hell, we didn't even know he was a she. We had been keeping “him” for a pet and were really surprised when “she” laid the eggs right in the garden where Sue had taken her for some exercise.

No sooner had she laid the eggs than she was off and running. That’s what they do. And, it also explains why so few of the hatchlings survive. That so few do, in turn, only serves to make those that do all the more special.

So this fellow; I’m calling him “Gus”, this way if “he” turns out to be a “she” I can just call her “Gussie”; is now living somewhere between my backyard and a nearby creek. I’m hoping the strawberries in the garden will keep him here, but I wouldn't put any money on it. Have you ever put a turtle down on the lawn and looked away for a minute? It’s incredible how quickly they can move when motivated. Kind of makes me think that the story that the story about the tortoise and the hare might actually be true.

Sue's Late Spring Garden

This is where I hang out when it’s not too hot outside. This old bench that we have had for so many years still provides me with a fairly comfortable place to sit and strum the guitar. The trees which Sue planted 4 years ago have really sprung up, providing me with a little “nook” where I can play, or just sit and watch the birds flitting about. A very peaceful spot, I never thought I’d ever have a park bench of my own to sit on, let alone such a beautiful backyard.

These are some of the plants which line the patio area on three sides. Behind the banana tree is the landscaped hummingbird island. The plants which Sue has planted there all draw the amazing little birds, and we both enjoy watching them, wondering how they ever stay up, and also whether they ever really get enough to eat. It seems as if they are burning more calories than they can possibly consume, making them almost like objects of pity, rather than the amazing marvels of nature which they are.

This is the summer “office.” I’m not a sun worshiper, but I do manage to get in about 30 minutes in the sun each morning. I listen to the birds, watch the trees and bushes sway with the light breezes, and think of things to post on this blog. It’s not a bad job. However, it doesn't pay well.

And finally, regardless of the miracle of the fig tree; which is back again this year, larger than ever, and already budding; the sheer rapidity with which this cactus comes back each year never ceases to give me so much pleasure. The bright yellow blossoms will continue throughout the summer months. Last year it bloomed about 6 times, and I proudly posted a photo of each occasion. You can expect the same this year.

There’s plenty more in our garden. We have a magnolia, some oaks, maples, lilacs, lilies, herbs and spices, along with a bunch of stuff that only Sue could tell you what they are. She has planted 17 trees since we moved in here 4 years ago, along with countless bushes and flowering plants. It’s a good deal for me. She plants ‘em, and I enjoy ‘em. 

Early Spring Garden - 2013

This is our patio/garden area 2 days ago. With a bit of hard work by Sue, the place has already begun to show signs of life after the mild, but long, winter. The fig tree to the left is doing nicely, and we expect to enjoy more of its fruit this year, just as we did last year.

The banana tree is still too young to bear fruit, but with some tender loving care, mostly from Sue; I just look at it in awe and admiration; it will thrive and bear with time. I wish I could say the same for this year’s cotton crop, which is mine. The seeds have broken ground, and hopefully, since I planted early this year, they will yield some tangible results beyond the pretty pink flowers which they produce. We will just have to wait and see. The spice plants are all doing nicely and promise to bring some fresh flavor to our cooking once again.

Meantime, I’ll be monitoring the progress from my lounge chair; writing, playing guitar and reading. The winter is really over now, and a whole world of birds and lizards and little furry creatures are beginning to make them-selves known once again. The whole cycle is renewed, and we move on.  Though spring is a time of renewal, it can also be a time of reflection, as we look back upon springs past, remembering Aesop’s fable about the ant and the grasshopper. And this is the time of year we all make that choice.

Colocasia Esculenta - Elephant Ears

It's no secret that Sue is the gardener at our house. I am the beneficiary of all her efforts to make our yard look so beautiful. These elephant ears are a perfect example. They have grown about 2 feet in just a few short months. Of course the hot weather, with temperatures over 100 degrees for weeks, along with high humidity and daily thunderstorms have helped. They are now as tall as I am.

I have always loved these exotic looking plants, as they remind me of the jungle, both the ones I saw in the Tarzan movies as a kid, and the ones I trekked through as a young adult. They are beautiful in my yard, something to be appreciated from an aesthetic point of view. But out in the real world this is a very useful plant.

Aside from the obvious food source it offers some animals, it is also home to insects as they flit around, doing what comes naturally. But there are other uses as well, some of which apply to humans.

For instance, I once used an elephant ear leaf as a rainhat, slanting it upon my head so the rain would flow from front to back, both shading my eyes and keeping me semi-dry all at once. Natures poncho. And although I have never had to - they can be used to gather water during a rainfall. Such a beautiful and useful plant.

Growing up in Brooklyn we had window boxes on our window ledges. Our preferred plant was the geranium, usually in bright red. To this day I cannot look at a geranium without thinking of 1310 Avenue R in Brooklyn. We had the only window boxes in our 70 family apartment building. That was one of my father's hobbies. He also cultivated Bonsai trees, which fascinated me no end.

But the elephant ear, Colocasia Esculenta, is a plant with takes over 2,000 forms. In some countries they are considered part of the Taro family, with the roots being a prized source of food. In my yard however, I don't need them for food, or even a rainhat. I just like looking at them and letting my mind wander.

The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf

I originally meant to alert a friend about this book and ended up being completely surprised by the scope of the book and it's rapt attention to history, which is my first love.

Prior to the dawn of the 18th Century and into the early 1700's scientists were of the notion that plants did not reproduce sexually. They held forth a myriad of scenarios by which plants were replicated.

Thomas Fairchild, a nurseryman in England, could not have disagreed more. Fairchild took it upon himself to cross pollenate a Carnation with a Sweet William and a new species was born.

By 1733 an enterprising cloth merchant in London received 2 cases of plants from the Colonies
and became the first real merchant of garden plants as we know them today. But this was just the beginning.

Ms Wulf traces the the English love of gardening through history- including the Voyages of Discovery by Sir Lord Banks and his journey around the world- only the 2nd Western vessel to round the Horn of Africa and on into the Indian Ocean, all the while gathering more plants and specimens.

Captain Cooks voyages are chronicled, as well as the acquisition by Lord Banks of the famed Linnaeuss collection from Sweden, all in a most readable style and engaging format.

The book is illustrated throughout and contains a superbly cross referenced Glossary for the uninitiated gardener. With an extensive Bibliography this is a book, that while about garening- is about so much more.

I highly reccommend this book for the Amatuer Gardener as well as the Armchair Historian.