January 7, 2024- The New Year begins- Week #7

It is a new year. The garden season has begun. The first seeds have sprouted. I have ordered my poppy seeds along with a bunch of caladium.

I was panicked a little by the first notice of a "sold out"item when looking for seeds on the computer. It was there for the gray Shirley Poppies. I had to go to a different company to get the gray seeds. That same notice was there for some of the fancier caladium. The note to myself says do not delay, particularly in ordering jumbo caladium. 

I planted the first seeds on New Year's Day, just to officially start the season. Not very many seeds. Just a little 6 pack each of some lettuce and some lupine.

But look

The buttercrunch lettuce  appeared after 3-4 days. The first little lupine showed up yesterday. That was 5 days from planting.

Outside it has been the same old gray days, with temperatures a little above nurmal. 

However...the term polar vortex has appeared in the weather narrative. The really cold air we expect this time of year is coming. It should get here by next weekend, Those pesky negatice numbers do appear in the ten day forecast.

In the meantime enjoy this little snowdrop which I noticed yesterday. (To notice things you often have to look for them.) The solitary snowdrop seems to dare the winter weather to interfere with its display. 

 I do really enjoy the background in these wintry pictures. It is almost like it is a black and white picture except for the little bulb.

January 5, 2024

Last week in the contest

the winner was the Frosty Kale. While the vote was closer after the first day (9-5), the final vote was no contest. It was the first time any picture got past 50% this year.

The full vote

This Week- Week #7

There will be a short post this week, as both Julia and I are home with the virus. We went through this the first time a year ago, in mid January. We are now medicated and I  just devoured a Michael Connerly book. 

#1 Chionodoxa 

April 7, 2023

What an absolutely cheerful little spring bulb.  I  think a really blue flower is almost as popular as a really purple flower.

Many murder mysteries now feature DNA technology.

DNA has been at work with plants as well.

DNA apparently is responsible for recently placing chionodox in genus scilla.

That is the same genus as the other little blue flower in the spring, the squill.

If you look closely at this picture you can see an emerging virginia bluebell to the left of the blue clump.

Chionodoxa come in other colors- pink and white. 

They bloom after the early bulbs, (snowdrops, aconite and crocuses) and indeed a little bit after the regular scilla.

#2 Daffodil with Orange cup 

April 19, 2023

I asked last week what you all thought about closeups. This closeup of the daffodil allows you to see the cup, in detail that is missed unless you get down close.

Daffodils could be the most popular spring bulb. Facts to know about daffodils

Deer do not like them. (Deer do like tulips.)

The botanical name is narcissus. Deer don't like narcissus.

They originally came from north Africa and western southern Europe.

The bulbs last for years, again in contrast with Tulips. That might just be because tulips are so hybridized that the hybrid breaks down in a year or so. Speices tulips last longer.

If you pick daffodils and tulips to take inside, you are not to put them right away in the same vase. I am not sure what would happen but it is not good.

#3 Pastel Siberian Iris 

May 27, 2023

It is not purple or white or yellow. This pale Siberian Iris does a good job of detailing the intricate lines in the petals.

#4 White Shirley Poppy 

June 17, 2023

My goodness. The variety might be Bridal Silk. Certainly it ought to have a magestic name. 

One suggestion is that these flowers be planted sequentially. That would allow them to last the summer. I find that the hot days of late July usually will burn out the plants.

1 package of seed costs $3.49. For that you get 3500 seeds. 

#4 Colorful blackberry lily

 July 29, 2023

There are certain color combinations that are rare in the garden. Purple and yellow are one such combination. 

Bonus pictures

I put these pictures next to each other so you can see the contrast between the regular scilla and the blue chionodixa. The chionodoxa have white centers.

More chionodoxa

We have the regular scilla or squill everywhere. We have the chionodoxa only in parts of the yard. 

The background foliage in this picture is the aconite, after blooming.

Daffodils

I had to laugh at this picture. It was not the daffodil I was thinking about but the really tiny species tulips at their feet.

More daffodils

In the ongoing discussion about pictures and closeups here is another eample.

Whichever picture, it is a remarkable yellow.

What ever happened to his next flower?

Right Now

The kale persist. They will get their biggest test in a week, as temperatures get below zero.

January 5, 2024

January 5, 2024

Julia's recipe

Julia has the week off.  We had several picture worthy dishes this week. But there just was not the energy this weekend for the post.

All of Julia's recipes can be found at

https://mearskitchen.wordpress.com/

Odds and Ends

My sister sent me this wonderful little video. It can bring a smile on dreary days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2BWrmNhyXU&t=3s

I do not really understand what this map means. But I do not think it is good.

There are 74 days until Spring (if it starts March 21.)

There are now 9 hours and 17 minutes of sun, if it were to come out from behind the cloud cover. The low point was 16 days ago. At that point there was 9 hours and 9 minutes. Progress can be slow.

There was a school shooting in Iowa this week. I suspect that nothing will be done. I really dislike (I try to avoid the word "hate")  the fact that we have these problems, with such real costs, and we cannot or will not  do anything about them.

But we cannot or must not give up trying. 

Pray for peace. 

Find something positive that you can do.

Be kind.

Philip