Woodpeckers and Wildflowers

Among the most interesting stories of the week for me are the sightings of thought-to-be-extinct birds and wildflowers.

Lord God
Mount Diablo Buckwheat

Then there’s all the chatter about the Amorphophallus titanium. It’s called the “corpse” flower because it smells horrible when it blooms.

Um, do you mean the chatter from 2003 or 2001?

No, the chatter around my dinner table this weekend when my mother-in-law tells me that my sister-in-law spotted, or well actually smelled is more accurate, it's cousin in her backyard (in California) and the local news covered the story!

Take a look. You’d swear that these kinds of plants were science fiction. But in reality these plants are used for decoration and medicinal purposes among the Sumatrans.

Almost makes you miss science class, doesn’t it? What a wonderful variety of life we have on planet earth!

Our Steinway

Mike’s father gave us his grandfather’s 1927 Steinway piano. It’s in beautiful shape and has replaced the “ball room” in our house. Our ballroom wasn’t for dancing but for playing ball—big pink, basket, soft---all varieties really. For about a year it was a room to play ball but also unofficially our formal living room. We just didn’t have anything fancy to put in it. Although I have wanted my own piano for a long time, nevertheless, when the piano was delivered last Sunday, I thought I would miss the ball room. Our children are three and one…ball room or don’t touch room? Well, I have played the piano every day since it arrived last Sunday and the girls and I have had the best time. I’m getting that music itch again.

My Green Thumb

Plants, under my care, grew this month.

I planted a tomato in our forsaken “back forty” so dubbed because the rear most 25 feet of our property was never sodded and has been allowed to grow wild with all of Florida’s favorite sand plants. The tomato plant I chose is a hearty variety too, and is doing so well in the mixture of manure and topsoil my oldest daughter and I made for it. We’ve had lots of good rain and sunshine lately, too. And, I used some Miracle Grow plant food, too; I’m sure that helped .

My friend gave me a Chia Herb Garden for Christmas and I recently planted Basil, Parsley, Chives, and Cilantro. They are sprouting. I know Chia is the “pottery that grows” but I feel very proud of myself, nevertheless.

Why?

I’ve been known to kill a cactus.

So all of this is very exciting for me….We can agree that there’s nothing like fresh vegetables from the garden and recently I’ve been lucky enough to have friends who have fruit trees in their yards; fresh fruit is wonderful. But, other than helping my Dad in the vegetable garden as a kid and watching my mom’s tulips spring forth year after year, I have been more of a black thumb when it comes to gardening. Yet, I decided that this is something that I really want to do even if I’m not that great at it. I want the challenge.

Like Will Rogers once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Friday the 13th

My daughter is 15 months old today...yes, she was born on Friday the 13th, too. Say what you want about superstition and bad luck--- it was a great day for me.

Space Pictures

I just finished a post about astronomy...then I found this on msn.