I realize that now that it’s winter not everyone on the blogroll is participating each week. Whether that’s a lack of having some plant, garden or landscape photos stored up for winter GTS posts or due to not thinking about the garden as much during the cool months of winter, I don’t know, but it’s a fact that not everyone makes a GTS post each and every week. . . .
reBlogged
to blogs
on Feb 3, 2008, 2:40AM
Posted by Tricia Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-02-04, 05:33:30
Don't the waiters and waitresses shout, "Ordering!" when they turn in their orders? I guess since many restaurants use computer ordering, this shout-out must be getting obsolete. But I feel like shouting it, cuz I have gone through all the catalogs, and have come up with my modest list of seeds for the upcoming season. Nicotiana--maybe my most favorite annual--alata, the white "Fragrant Cloud"--which smells heavenly, and "Favorite Mix" for color; the real california poppy, along with shirley poppy, and of course, 'Cedric Morris' from T & M; datura 'Belle Blanche,' and a tall white snapdragon, for more white; of course, verbena bonariensis, which I'm gonna plant dozens of; moonflower; browallia, which is impossible for me to find in commerce; and the new one for this year [last year it was Laurentia] is lopezia cordata 'Pretty Rose'...Trying once more with a Patty's Plum poppy, too. I have so little room to start seeds, this will take up every square inch. No veggies--I'd just be feeding my bunnies. If I can get it together to fax these in, I'll really feel accomplished! These are the last days when I'm doing Absolutely No Gardening. I'd best enjoy them!
The High Country experienced a significant 'ice event' yesterday morning. Schools were closed, powers went out and for awhile, nobody did much of anything except hope and pray that big old tree too close to the house would'nt yield to the pressure of the coat of 1/4 quarter inch or more of ice. Around 11:30 a.m. I stepped out on my deck and heard the snap, crackle, pop cacophony of brittle branches as they succombed under the weight of ice.
All the sudden I noticed THE RAINBOW. Holy Moly, I ran down to the car to retrieve my camera. Rainbows are fleeting and I thought I might lose it. Yet the rainbow remained. As I fiddled with the polarizing filter, it tumbled over the deck. Shit. I ran downstairs and outside in my jammies and slippers, knowing full well the rainbow might be gone, again. I tripped up the stairs in my slippers and my jammie bottoms were at my knees. I walked out of my jammies and back into my slippers. I was now a comedy in action. Yet, the rainbow stayed and became even more intense. It spanned over Valle Crucis, from say Daisy Ridge plum over the horse farm, the river and the pot of gold was on Old Hartley Rd. The rainbow visted for more than 10 minutes--a record in my books. I scored lots of shots.
These photos are fairly straight forward though I did have to work with level adjustments in Photoshop in order to get the ice covered trees to show up. I also used a touch of Photomatix in the middle image. The last image is a close up of the rainbow against Matney mountain.
I woke up grumpy this morning. Not sure why but when I stopped at the Mast Store to pick up my mail, I noticed shoes on sale. Retail shoe therapy is oh so much better than a massage.
reBlogged
to weather
on Feb 2, 2008, 8:25PM
Posted by Marie Freeman Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-04, 05:32:11
Me neither. Just thought I would ask. I still have a couple of months to get things in order around here. I thought I would share with you my lofty and goofy-ass goals for the 2008 gardening year. . . .
reBlogged
to gardening
on Feb 2, 2008, 5:03PM
Posted by Mary Ann Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-02-04, 05:29:45
Well I suppose it wouldn't be a true New England winter experience without your basic winter cold. Thank goodness that's out of the way now. But today, as I got outside to walk Skippy for the first time since I posted my smiling face last week, I felt a bit like a groundhog emerging from hibernation. The sun has gotten noticeably brighter and most of our snow has melted with the heavy rain last night.
Its nice to welcome in February. We're that much closer to spring planting. I look forward to watching the pea planting season move from south to north and gradually up closer to me. One of the fun things about reading garden blogs.
We have lots of crotons in our yard. I love them because of the enormous amount of color they add to the yard without flowering. So, I recently propagated some rubber plants via taking cuttings and decided to see what else in my yard can be propagated using the same methods. . . .
reBlogged
to propagation
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to propagation on 2008-02-04, 05:28:44
I planted this patchouli from seed in Nov 2006. After four months, it had 6 leaves (photo here), so I'd consider it a slow grower. It gets 30 minutes of water each morning via my drip irrigation system. It was sown in good soil, and was then transplanted into the vegetable garden aginst the fence. I've never pruned it. It is supposed to reach 18-36 inches in height. This is the first time it's formed buds and bloomed. Buds started forming a month ago and it showed its first few purple blooms last week. . . .
reBlogged
to patchouli
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to patchouli on 2008-02-04, 05:28:21
Poking out through the soil beneath the Viburnum are these red bulbs? I dug one up and washed it to reveal a woody orange rhizome with roots and many growing points where these red leaves grow upwards. Do you know what it is? A garden mystery is best shared and hopefully solved. The leaves were used for technicolour effect to highlight the red stem/s?
reBlogged
to bulbs
Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to bulbs on 2008-02-04, 05:25:54
I woke up early this morning and came downstairs to see the Snow falling. It was freezing, but I love snow. There is a magic in how the white snow flakes once they settle give everything an ethereal glow. It brings into focus Trees and Shrubs which blend into the soil normally. . . .
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to weather
Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-04, 05:25:43
With so many different things growing in the gardens here at Our Little Acre, there are always fun surprises now and then. Peonies reappearing after an absence of ten years. English Daisies blooming in the middle of winter. Sometimes it happens in the house, too.
Remember the yellow kalanchoe that I've been waiting for its buds to open? It happened earlier this week, and imagine my surprise when it wasn't yellow, but white!. . .
reBlogged
to orchids
Posted by Kylee Reblogged by Old Roses to orchids on 2008-02-04, 05:25:05
Well, the groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter. However, my daffodils underneath the holly bush are already popping up. In the backyard gardens, the ground is thawed. And completely soaked. Cold water, at that. Yesterday's deluge certainly brought plenty of water.
How do I know how cold the water in the ground is? I had to push back a few pansies and the new day lily that had been heaved up out of of the ground. Brrr. At least there were a few roots holding them into the ground.
The weather's been somewhat changeable today. When we got up this morning, there was a light cover of snow, but it was quite sunny. When I was feeding Smokey, the snow came on HEAVY; it was really overcast and I...
reBlogged
to weather
on Feb 2, 2008, 11:01AM
Posted by Rosemary Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-04, 05:23:01
Since my first round of winter sowing, we've gather about a gazillion more containers and I'm all set for round 2. If you ask Mr. W, he'd have told you I was ready a long time ago. "ARE YOU GOING TO USE THESE THINGS OR WHAT? THEY ARE TAKING OVER THE KITCHEN!" My plan was to wash, vent, and cut the containers as we emptied them and then take them down to the basement for storage. But as you can see they just keep multiplying and I just keep working around them being annoyed and thinking I'll get to it eventually. Maybe I'll get to it this weekend. . . .
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to wintersowing
Posted by Gina Reblogged by Old Roses to wintersowing on 2008-02-04, 05:21:12
Before we got the game camera, we had to rely on our own skills to determine what animals passed through our property. We bought a couple of tracking books, but found that animals rarely leave crisp, pristine tracks that resemble the drawings. (Unless it snows, which apparently is never, ever going happen here again.). . .
reBlogged
to wildlife
Posted by Rurality Reblogged by Old Roses to wildlife on 2008-02-04, 05:20:42
"Flatbush Fluffy", the resident mammoth marmot, shown above, did not see his shadow this morning. We had torrential rains all day yesterday and into the night. The sun has only just broken out this morning. So I guess we're having a short winter. My...
When the kids are in the garden, safety is of the utmost priority. While gardening isn't like extreme sports, there can be dangers in the kid's garden as with many things. One concern many parents and teachers may face is gardening with harsh chemicals, fertilizers and other such hazards. Solve this problem by using organic gardening. . ..
In recent science news, it has been announced by Arizona State U entomologist Dr. Quentin Wheeler that his team has identified a brand new “whirligig beetle” that has been named “Orectochilus orbisonarum” after the late legendary musician Roy Orbison. . .
reBlogged
to pests
on Feb 2, 2008, 9:52AM
Posted by Doug Reblogged by Old Roses to pests on 2008-02-04, 05:18:43
What books do you have on your gardening bookshelves? What book have you taken off the shelf to read right now?
I've got quite a collection of gardening and nature books ... some received as gifts, some bought just because I wanted them, some were Freecycle gifts, and some are from second hand book stores. . . .
reBlogged
to books
Posted by Crafty Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2008-02-04, 05:18:15
It's week three in Elizabeth Joy's Wildflowers In Winter series. This week's theme is "Literary Wildflowers." When wildflowers are presented in fictional stories, many times it is in a romantic vein. Picture the lover's bouquet gathered during a walk through the woods. Or a child clutching a bunch of dandelions and presenting them to Mommy. I've had my heart-melting share of both. . . .
reBlogged
to books
Posted by Kylee Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2008-02-04, 05:16:31
I, like most gardeners I know, love a bargain. A desired plant is oft kept from being bought because of its price tag or the condition its in. Yet, when you stumble across that plant and its being offered for far less than you anticipated you're quick to part with the cash hoping the vendor doesn't realise their mistake. . . .
I'm Back!! My New years resolution is to keep up with the blog posts this year!
I hinted that last year was very busy through one thing and another, so I shall be posting whats currently going on throughout the year, and filling you in on last years developments too. . . .
Punxsutawney Phil somehow saw his shadow, despite the clouds, so well have to be patient and wait another 6 weeks for spring. Gardeners know groundhogs cant be trusted, so...
reBlogged
to spring
on Feb 1, 2008, 8:01PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to spring on 2008-02-04, 05:14:36
This time it's another Camillia brightening up the winter table, a pink one blooming on a north east aspect. The Lonicera, below right, doesn't show as well with its leaves splayed back and flowers held forward. But its sweet fragrance gives it the common name Wintersweet. . ..
reBlogged
to flowers
Posted by John Curtin Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-02-04, 05:14:23
via danielle's garden blog on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
