Sunday, April 6, 2014

April 6, 2014-Week 16- Winter is done, I think


I was thinking about all the things that would make me think that spring is really here. Here is a short list:
I no longer have to wear the winter garb- the heavy coat, wool hat and gloves.
We can open some windows.
We can put away the flannel sheets.
The baseball season starts.
I no longer track snow and sand into the house.
No county in Iowa has a winter storm advisory.
And there are daffodils and tulips and flowering crabs.
Did I mention bugs? In the spring the ladybugs in the windows start to emerge.

Other than the fact that baseball has started there are not many checks on this list. Actually most of the sand and all of the snow is gone. I saw a ladybug a few days ago in the kitchen. And for a few hours last weekend I opened a window.
—————-
Actually yesterday, Saturday, April 5, was rather gorgeous. The sun came out as did the aconite (little little yellow flowers). They joined the snowdrops and early purple crocuses. There were even a few bright gold crocuses that bloomed for the first time yesterday.



There was also that wonder that comes with finding the starts of everything coming up. There was the first epimedium signs of life. The double bloodroot emerged as did the Korean fairy bells. A few times in the afternoon I just sat on the bench in the back yard and listened to the birds and soaked in all that healing power that is spring.
And I raked and I spread more woods chips. I pulled out some early creeping charlie. I put down some more landscape cloth for more wood chip paths. I have resolved to just get rid of the last of the grass in the backyard.
I then engaged in that ritual of mine. I grabbed my trowel and transplanted a few things. I would pot a few things up but between the wood chip pile and the overflow yard waste pile there is no room.
——————————————————————-
On to the show.
Last week you picked the picture of the hosta Liberty, to advance to the final finals, which will be next week.

The full voting last week was:
Liberty hosta 20
Rip Van Winkle daffodil 14
Waterlily closeup 14
Crocus duo 8
—————————————————
So now let us move on to Week 16.
I have decided that it is unfair to the last entry to have the final vote the very next week. So you will get an interlude this week.

This interlude sponsored by the hanging pumpkins, which took the winter off. That is all the more reasons to allow them to appear and present this special color competition. They normally inhabit some of the trees at the Mears garden in the winter. Someone has to look after the plant hanger ropes. The first hanging pumpkin appeared 5-6 years ago. If the timing is right the pumpkin will freeze and last the winter.


You may remember that a month ago, on March 8, amidst the cold and snow that is now just a fading memory, we had another interlude for a color team competition. Team orange was voted the best color. Team pink was not allowed to compete, since it had its own week for the actual contest. Team Pink took offense at some of the celebration by Team Orange and issued a challenge. So this week-

HERE IS THAT CHALLENGE.



Team Orange now appears with nine pictures, a gesture towards the nine players on a baseball team.


Here is team Pink.




There you have it. Vote this week for your favorite team.
The hanging pumpkins have been proud to bring you this extraordinary team picture week.
———————————————————


That’s it for this week. See you next week for the selection of the picture of the year in the Mears Garden Picture Contest

Philip

1 comment:

Dianne Dillon-Ridgley said...

Back in Iowa City after 2 treks to DC since the formal Cherry Blossom Festival began on the 22nd, but no blooms before I left last Monday. There were delightful blooms all around Vancouver including a petaled archway leading to the subway station on Burrard Street that almost makes up for a morning stroll around the Jefferson Memorial. Hope to have better luck at the end of this week when I return to Washington. If one gets a chance there is a lovely "tulip registry" that has some of every variety that grows in the US not far from the Tidal Basin.
Thanks for the "Orange" show, number 3 is framed/cropped such that it looks like Goergia O painted it herself! Peace, DDR