Saturday Gardening And Puttering Thread [KT]

Hello, gardeners, putterers, photographers and admirers. Above, some real, outdoor-grown poinsettias, from motionview.

Christmas in rural San Diego county, poinsettias in bloom to the sound of frogs croaking(?!).

Today, our puttering segment is centered on photography.

From By-Tor, a hawk, adapting to civilization.

From a Friend of The Horde, some water droplets:

Plus Mussels and Barnacles:

Seed Catalogs

The rains have started here in California. Time to think about some fall-planted flowers. The kind that need some chill to sprout most successfully. Like larkspur.

The summary above was linked at Johnny's, where this really interesting summer squash was bred. Zephyr. It has some winter squash in its background. Keeps well in the fridge. Firmer than most zucchini. Nice flavor.

Have you picked out any seeds or plants for your garden yet?

Gardens of The Horde

Quercus John has an offer for The Horde:

I was doing some tree trimming a few weeks ago and had to cut quite a few low hanging branches of one of my favorite trees, blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica). It's a straggly tree only fit for firewood, but it does have one endearing feature: the young leaves in the spring are bright red, not green. This flush only lasts a week or so, but is always great to see. Here is a photo I took a few years ago.
Finally, I did collect a lot of acorns, so if anyone is interested in growing their own, please let me know and I'll send you some.

From Admirale's Mate, a reminder that it's not officially winter yet. "Why it's called Fall".

Le Garde Vieux sent in a photo of the last hibiscus of the season. Probably a native one, or a hybrid of a native.

From Wee Kreek Farm Girl, in the desert:

Another weird and wonderful thing happened in the garden last week. I received an African Aloe from a friend about 10 years ago, and it is probably the most expensive plant that I have, it has doubled in height over the years and this year it has decided to bloom. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures but it is about 5 feet tall and the trunk is quite unique. When I got the plant the gentleman said to not plant it next to anything that would receive a lot of water as they are greedy for water and will take all they can and it will rot them. So I am stingy with the water. I didn't know it would bloom, I have other aloes that do but wasn't sure that a tree aloe would bloom as well. I know there are many kinds of African tree aloes and I am not sure which kind I have but I love it. I do protect it from frost by throwing a pillow case over the top when it is going to be below 32 degrees.

We will be waiting to see if those blooms open.

You can see that the aloe has a trunk here:

Here is a Christmas Cactus in an unusual color from Lady Cutekitten

This is our Xmas cactus, Big Yellow, last week. This week it has 2 buds on every branch. In 8 years or so, I've never fertilized it. Our water is very hard, lots of minerals. I think that's why we get such good blooms w/o fertilizer.
My dad made the little wooden box under the branches; he was from Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, and liked the intricate hex signs.
It was a rooted cutting in a small pot. No buds. But I needed a Xmas cactus so I bought it for $1 and it grew up to be yellow! How it ended up at the big-box store I don't know. Big boxes around here normally only carry pink, white, red, and, rarely, orange.

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:59 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at December 14, 2019 01:03 PM (ZCEU2)

2 So the wife asked what I was planning for my little greenhouse. Well as it has held up through the toughest windstorm probably will get it can stay up until early spring and will try to see if it helps plants getting going. If not it can all go to the scrap yard.

Posted by: Skip at December 14, 2019 01:06 PM (ZCEU2)

3 And I read the content.

Posted by: Charles the Simple at December 14, 2019 01:06 PM (w7U7L)

4 Nice shot of the bird.

Probably don't have any rabbit or tree rat problems around there.

Posted by: jsg at December 14, 2019 01:07 PM (d0J2R)

5 Some relatives used to live at San Diego and had Poinsettias growing by a window. Beautiful every Christmas!

Mine is getting redder and redder. I can now see the little flower buds forming.

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 01:12 PM (gP/Z3)

6 Q. John (cute nic, BTW)
The foresters like to say the only thing blackjack oak is good for is making charcoal. Heh.

Posted by: MarkY at December 14, 2019 01:13 PM (i022r)

7 this is the time of year to start "winter sowing" - planting seeds in plastic milk jugs and setting them outside to grow into fantastic plants

there's an old site called wintersown.org about it

Posted by: votermom planning her campaign platform at December 14, 2019 01:13 PM (G546f)

8 Thanks for the most inspirational pictures! A very nice lift from a grey mid-Atlantic day with misting rain for the past two days, and nasty traffic with plenty of orange traffic cones everywhere (our State's symbol).

Posted by: RM at December 14, 2019 01:13 PM (U3LtS)

9 Pretty pictures, but if those are barnacles they're some weird subspecies.

These are barnacles:

http://bit.ly/2YJmAmR

Posted by: Bandersnatch at December 14, 2019 01:14 PM (gd9RK)

10 Last spring we had a bit of a rabbit issue. Some Owls moved in no more rabbit issue.

The owls moved on to feral cats and later to domestic cats who made to much noise while "enjoying their evening".

Made gardening much easier tho did have to explain to the newly cat less families why when you live rural its a really bad idea to leave your pets out at night.

Posted by: Big V at December 14, 2019 01:18 PM (B06Zw)

11 Great photos as always.

Our Christmas cactus continues to develop their deep red blossoms. Just gorgeous.

Posted by: JTB at December 14, 2019 01:19 PM (7EjX1)

12 The photos of the gardens of the Horde are just beautiful.

Posted by: Ladyl at December 14, 2019 01:21 PM (TdMsT)

13 Love the picture of the hawk.

We have one that has used our back yard as a hunting preserve. It's taken more than a few doves the last couple of years.

Wish I had something to contribute, but, things have gone dormant here and other than cutting back crape myrtles and various trees, not much going on.

It's been nice, though, in that we've had enough rain for me to turn off our sprinklers.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing
at December 14, 2019 01:21 PM (WEBkv)

14 Thinking of trying to grow cherry tomatoes under my T8 shop lights this winter but I keep reading about LED grow lights. I wonder if they're really that much better. Plants under the T8s do pretty well already.

Posted by: dartist at December 14, 2019 01:21 PM (K22Va)

15 I am lined up with a tree service guy to get 2 dead trees cut down plus dead limb removal on 3 old elms and a russian olive that was struck by lightning a couple years ago and has 2 large dead main branches as a result. He won't come until after Christmas but it feels so good to have made arrangements to take care of this. On the puttering front I am cleaning the horse pens mostly with the little tractor. If I get this project finished and it is not snowing perhaps I'll put up some outdoor xmas lights. If it is snowing perhaps I'll put up the tree this year, if I skip it too much we'll stop doing it at all but w/o kiddos or grands or even a younger cat that gets intrigued its hard to get myself motivated to do it.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at December 14, 2019 01:22 PM (n4y+3)

16 Bandersnatch at December 14, 2019 01:14 PM

Love your barnacle.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 01:23 PM (BVQ+1)

17 The scene sent in by Admirale's Mate is really beautiful. Hope that the pool didn't get all full of leaves.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 01:26 PM (BVQ+1)

18 Our first seed catalog, from Jung, arrived this week. We may not have much of a garden this year but that doesn't keep me from thinking about the future.

Posted by: JTB at December 14, 2019 01:27 PM (7EjX1)

19 Meteorological winter started on 1 December.

Posted by: Don at December 14, 2019 01:27 PM (CT2ag)

20 One of the best things about Wee Kreek Farm Girl's photos of the aloe is the setting for the plant. So much interesting stuff.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 01:28 PM (BVQ+1)

21 I have a bunch of arugula seed. Think I'm going to cast it about wildly.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 01:29 PM (BVQ+1)

22 7 ... "this is the time of year to start "winter sowing" - planting seeds in plastic milk jugs and setting them outside to grow into fantastic plants

there's an old site called wintersown.org about it."

votermom, Thanks for that reference. I've got it bookmarked for later reading. Even if it's a process we don't pursue, it looks interesting.

Posted by: JTB at December 14, 2019 01:32 PM (7EjX1)

23 Awesome thread. I don't have a garden right now, but I am always partial to trees and bushes that put out.

Before we moved, I had several prolific producing high bush blueberry bushes, several apple trees, cherry trees, plum trees, raspberries, grapes.

This thread makes me realize I miss that.

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at December 14, 2019 01:33 PM (1CjJc)

24 Well, KT, almost exactly three years ago I posted this excerpt about fantasizing over seed catalogues from Betty MacDonald's The Egg and I -- A delightful book about a woman who's husband decided to give up his insurance career and become a chicken farmer, which he was much better suited for, and she to be a farmwife, a role for which she admits she was completely unsuited.

(Three years passed really fast)

I think seed catalogues are the most exciting things there are. And I think seed companies are the most generous, for they never question your motives when you write for their catalogues. By looking at the return address in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope they could have seen that I lived in the vicinity of the "most westerly tip of the United States," and yet they never hedged about sending me gorgeously illustrated catalogues mostly devoted to tropical plants with thrilling pictures of orange trees in full fruit and bloom, lemon trees, magnolias, avocados, peppers and other brilliantly colored warm-sounding names like Canna, Iberian Fire Lily, Mexican Flame Flower, African Daisy. On gray soggy November days I pored over last year's catalogues and after an hour or two I could look out at the squishy landscape without shivering, for I could almost hear the hum of bees, feel the Summer heat and see the yard wallowing in tropical glory.

When the new catalogues came in the Spring I devoured them and with a pencil and paper made lists, which usually totaled around $279 and had to be slashed and slashed. At last I ordered my seeds and spent days rigid with expectancy. I always bought against my better judgement some of the flame-fire-veldt type of plants from a little known semitriopcal seed company which invariably substituted Nasturtiums for Belgian Congo Moon Glow Blooms ("often attaining a size of two feet in diameter")--California poppies for East Indian Pompoms and never put in more than three seeds to a package. They were not very honest, but I could warm my hands over the pictures in the catalogues.

Bob, who had already ordered and received all of his seeds weeks before from a well-known local firm, listened resignedly to my feverish accounts of the front yard exploding with Flame Flowers, gourds and monstrous Congo Roses, the fences completely hidden by "Unusual Annuals"; then dug a trench the full length of the vegetable garden, filled it with chicken manure, rich brown earth and sweet peas.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:35 PM (1glZx)

25 JTB it can be a lot of fun

Posted by: votermom planning her campaign platform at December 14, 2019 01:37 PM (G546f)

26 Loved the Hawk picture, but as far as adapting to urban life, the "Dutch Harbor Pigeons" in Alaska (i.e. Bald Eagles) can be seen on every lamp post in many coastal towns.

Posted by: DannyG at December 14, 2019 01:37 PM (yuYaD)

27 Why Flounder, I hope that was not a Weinstein joke!

Posted by: Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:38 PM (1glZx)

28

"Mussels & Barnacles " look more like a horrendous STD than any GARDEN denizen..............perhaps excepting the HORNY GARDEN GNOME....touch me if you can....................

Arboretum es manky....

Posted by: saf at December 14, 2019 01:42 PM (5IHGB)

29 Nope, just garden variety moron.

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at December 14, 2019 01:42 PM (1CjJc)

30 another thing you can do this season is get your spring garden soil ready by layering newspapers and such on top of the ground

Posted by: votermom planning her campaign platform at December 14, 2019 01:42 PM (G546f)

31 I'm getting in to bonsai, and specifically yamadori (specimens collected from the field). I'm fortunate to have about 3 acres of deep, mature forest behind my house, some of which is mine, some of which is neighborhood common land. Among the species to be found there are American hornbeam and beech. I've identified a dozen young trees for extraction and trunk chopping, and am preparing the pots into which they'll go. The plan is to put them in the pots in mixed bonsai / native soil, wrap them in a dark plastic bag for a couple of months (in lieu of a greenhouse), and let them acclimate to the shock of being dug up and having their roots severely pruned. After that, the dark bag will be replaced with a light one for another couple of months. Finally, I'll remove the bags, and move them into a shady location in the yard for the summer and fall.

The expectation is that they'll have a huge burst of new leaves and branches this summer. After a year or two, this will be trimmed, and the styling of the trees can begin. I anticipate at least three trunk chops to attain good root taper. Alas, I doubt I'll live long enough to get a truly good tree out of them, but who knows? Regardless, my kids could inherit them, and they've already shown the inclination.

Posted by: pep at December 14, 2019 01:45 PM (T6t7i)

32 I think it is too late to do a winter till and plant oats for my cover crop. I might still if the ground is dry enough tomorrow.

Otherwise I have to get by with the weeds that are already on it. Again.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:46 PM (1glZx)

33 this winter, I also have promised to help a friend with grafting Asian pear onto a tree he has in his yard. He has the golden type that is a good storer but not sweet and juicy.

I grafted my GF's Asian pear last winter, it was the same golden type that she doesn't like much, but it turns out I grafted off an identical tree from someone else's yard. I was fortunate, though, the damned doe that was eating my tomatoes ate the grafts too, so I get to do it all over.

Hopefully with the right scion source this time.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:52 PM (1glZx)

34 Last fall, I planted some very large containers with various bulbs, covered them with chickenwire to keep squirrels out and enjoyed the blooms this spring.

The tulips were especially pretty-- purples and white-- but, alas, I didn't take pictures.

I let the foliage die back, left the wire in place and have not transplanted any of them. Hope they're pretty again next spring when I'll have the time to enjoy *and* take pictures for the Garden Thread!

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 01:52 PM (gP/Z3)

35 People must have lives or something... Christmas shopping, decorating, baking...

On topic:

I've never been successful with Christmas Cactus. This house probably doesn't get enough light, so not trying. They sure are attractive, though!

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 02:02 PM (gP/Z3)

36 A gardening thread for most in Winter is like Caribbean catalogs ...almost beats PORN.

Close it up till May.................and use the space for Democrat Ads (BIG BUCKS ACE!!!)

Posted by: saf at December 14, 2019 02:05 PM (5IHGB)

37 Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:52 PM

Not everyone thinks they're lucky when a doe eats their grafts.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 02:11 PM (BVQ+1)

38 Kindltot at December 14, 2019 01:35 PM

That's some great prose. And there ARE some catalogs like that. Heh.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 02:15 PM (BVQ+1)

39 My Broad Wing Hawks are to camera shy, But next spring will keep trying

Posted by: Skip at December 14, 2019 02:16 PM (ZCEU2)

40 pep at December 14, 2019 01:45 PM

What an interesting project! I have never considered starting bonsai except from a seedling or from a nursery plant.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 02:17 PM (BVQ+1)

41 Coming into the thread a bit late, thanks for the picture posting and kind comments on the poinsettias. We're just back from Wreaths Across America, where kids (mine is in American Heritage Girls) lay live wreaths on the grave markers of veterans. A great way to remember our honored fallen and to teach a younger generation of the sacrifices other have made for them.

Posted by: motionview at December 14, 2019 02:20 PM (pYQR/)

42 40
pep at December 14, 2019 01:45 PM

What an interesting project! I have never considered starting bonsai except from a seedling or from a nursery plant.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor

Yeah, the big advantage, of course, is that your plants have had a long time in the ground to grow. Since two of the goals are a thick trunk and nice surface roots (nebari), this is a good way to do it if you don't plan to live to 200 years.

Posted by: pep at December 14, 2019 02:21 PM (T6t7i)

43 If you want to see bald eagles around here, all you have to do is go to the dump.

I took a couple of love seats to the top of the landfill and there were 3 of them just hanging out on posts looking for rodents, I suppose.

Posted by: jsg at December 14, 2019 02:22 PM (d0J2R)

44 I loved the red tailed hawk. My grandson and I had the opportunity to see one swoop down and grab a squirrel. I thought he was going to cry, but he said "Just like wild kratts" and was fine with it. The hawk flew off with his prey.

Posted by: CN at December 14, 2019 02:27 PM (U7k5w)

45 KT - do we have info on what type of device was used to capture each image? i.e. smartphone or actual camera? All the pictures are impressive.

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 02:27 PM (QHIPb)

46 kallisto - poinsettias with a Pixel 3.

Posted by: motionview at December 14, 2019 02:33 PM (pYQR/)

47 kallisto at December 14, 2019 02:27 PM

I think the hawk, water droplets and sea critters were taken with cameras. Might be able to get the model of the camera for the hawk.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 02:47 PM (BVQ+1)

48 Squash blossoms dipped in egg batter and fried. Yum! Anyone? Bueller?

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at December 14, 2019 02:49 PM (VqhL9)

49 My garden is all dry black sticks right now. Birds are in the back eating honeysuckle berries. My parents have some bold chipmunks right now, and a 12-point whitetail buck cruisin' through with his wimmens.

Posted by: exdem13 at December 14, 2019 02:49 PM (W+kMI)

50 The first wish book to arrive here was from Pinetree. I ordered some indoor mushroom kits for gifts.

Posted by: OldDominionMom at December 14, 2019 02:50 PM (dH/BH)

51 Heidi has a Harris Hawk. Hanging out where she works. Theres construction in the lot next door so small animals are being displaced. She has found bunny legs on her walks at lunch.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at December 14, 2019 02:52 PM (VqhL9)

52 OT: Christopher R. Taylor made Instapundit (Ed Driscoll post)

https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/351431/#respond

Posted by: Darrell Harris at December 14, 2019 02:53 PM (m2EfB)

53 Had a hawk pop into the backyard at the cardboard box this week. He was chowing down on a pigeon.

Hoping he hangs around the neighborhood.

Posted by: Blanco Basura -It's OK, I'm with the banned at December 14, 2019 02:54 PM (ttGCl)

54 36 - saf - you do know there are parts of the country where morons can garden year round?

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 02:59 PM (QHIPb)

55 48 - first and only time I had that was at my aunt's in Italy.

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 03:01 PM (QHIPb)

56 46. the image quality on smartphone pics is amazing.

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 03:03 PM (QHIPb)

57 Cannibal Bob at December 14, 2019 02:49 PM

Fried squash blossom are a good way to use extra male blossoms. Or you can fry the female blossoms with the tiny fruits attached.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 03:05 PM (BVQ+1)

58 motionview at December 14, 2019 02:20 PM

Wow. The wreath idea sounds wonderful.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at December 14, 2019 03:07 PM (BVQ+1)

59 47. KT - the detail and depth of field on the water drop and sea critter pics are camera worthy.

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 03:08 PM (QHIPb)

60 My missed photo op was a big fat old cardinal feasting on the firethorn berries. I noticed motion around him and saw two purple finches also chowing down. They were outside my bedroom window, and when I moved toward them they flew away. It was nice to see the bright splash of color on a grey December day.

Posted by: kallisto at December 14, 2019 03:14 PM (QHIPb)

61 Those are great shots, By-Tor.

Posted by: 40 miles north at December 14, 2019 03:22 PM (o2vOl)

62 I have a bird feeding station in my front yard. It includes a flat screen feeder for white millet and black oil sunflower seeds. There's a haven suet feeder plus another flat feeder for whole peanuts for the blue jays plus whatever else we might be tossing that one bird or another might eat. And, finally, there is a haven shelled peanut feeder. (And doesn't that tick off the squirrels!) Unfortunately, my little feeder station has become a hawk buffet. There's a chain link fence around the yard and the hawks perch on either that or on the big mailbox. The hawks are welcome to any sparrows they can grab, but I will really be torqued if they had one of my cardinals or woodpeckers.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- current occupation: cat furniture at December 14, 2019 03:23 PM (TwmFV)

63 Used to get fat from the butcher as suet for the birds. Hawks loved it cause it still had meat on it. Had a mockingbird who took big pieces and stuffed them into my neighbors gutter. We lol'd because he was an asshole.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob 'it's an eating disorder!' at December 14, 2019 03:33 PM (VqhL9)

64 A boring week in the Treasure Valley of Idaho:
We threw more sycamore leaves in the trash.
We shredded sweet gum leaves for future compost (those 4 trees are done).
It rained twice.
We shredded and pressed apples for cider, and froze it (it will eventually become hard cider).
Our 2nd batch (5 gallons) of hard cider this fall is still bubbling away, so hasn't been bottled yet.
The mower repair guy finally got far enough down on his "end of season" list to get around to picking up ours and hauling it off the be serviced.
No new catalogs yet - I've taken to poring over 2019 Territorial Seed Co. catalogs...
I'm still feeding the birds - a quail block out in the paddock, a "four-seat" seed feeder outside the front window.

Who was mentioning starting seeds indoors?? Here, we won't be doing that until at least mid-February, and that's just for the poblano peppers, because they take a while to germinate.

Posted by: Pat* at December 14, 2019 03:39 PM (2pX/F)

65 Friend told me that this morning a hawk chasing a bird nearly crashed into his chest. Guy went outside for a smoke and almost got taloned, beaked or knocked on his ass. Those cigarettes will kill you.

Posted by: Hudson Hawk ( RIP Danny) at December 14, 2019 03:40 PM (msPO3)

66 Gardening and Puttering Thread!!

Not at El Farmo this weekend, Just came back from lunch with some of my old trail crew pals. You want gardening? Agree to maintain a mile of Appalachian Trail!

Posted by: Weasel at December 14, 2019 03:47 PM (MVjcR)

67 6 Gardening and Puttering Thread!!

Not at El Farmo this weekend, Just came back from lunch with some of my old trail crew pals. You want gardening? Agree to maintain a mile of Appalachian Trail!
Posted by: Weasel at December 14, 2019 03:47 PM (MVjcR)

My late husband and I used to maintain sections of the Kokosing Gap Trail in Knox County, Ohio.

It was very rewarding work.

Posted by: Ladyl at December 14, 2019 03:54 PM (TdMsT)

68 Darrell Harris at December 14, 2019 02:53 PM
Congrats to Christopher R. Taylor!

Posted by: KT at December 14, 2019 04:00 PM (BVQ+1)

69 Lots of hawks in these parts. I see them a lot around the interstates and other major thoroughfares--I think it's because they create thermal updrafts that increase their hunting range, which is probably a godsend for a bird of prey. Funny to think of highways for cars acting as highways for birds, but there it is...

Posted by: Brother Cavil at December 14, 2019 04:01 PM (D5yyd)

70 Regarding blooming aloes: My grandfather had a century plant in his backyard in Oakland. He planted it in the 60s, and in the 90s, it finally bloomed. The bloom was well over 14 feet high, and easily cleared the roof. We were all very impressed.

Posted by: Rusty Nail at December 14, 2019 04:03 PM (I99aF)

71
My late husband and I used to maintain sections of the Kokosing Gap Trail in Knox County, Ohio.

It was very rewarding work.
Posted by: Ladyl at December 14, 2019 03:54 PM (TdMsT)
-----
I knew that I liked you! My AT section was in Shenandoah NP and the crew worked on projects all over the park, and eventually elsewhere. We became good enough working with stone that we began teaching the techniques using rigging equipment to others. Yep, very rewarding!

Posted by: Weasel at December 14, 2019 04:05 PM (MVjcR)

72 Wow, 14ft bloom!

When that flower is spent, do you call a tree service to dead-head it, or what?

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 04:05 PM (gP/Z3)

73 When that flower is spent, do you call a tree service to dead-head it, or what?

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 04:05 PM

As it turns out, the house was expanded to where the century plant was less than a year after the bloom, so it was torn out. I wonder if it knew it was scheduled for removal and thought, "Hey, now or never."

Posted by: Rusty Nail at December 14, 2019 04:08 PM (I99aF)

74 Haha, Rusty Nail. Or-- Plant begging for its life:

"Please don't kill me! See how pretty I can be?"

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 04:10 PM (gP/Z3)

75 Once camping for the week in Shenandoah NP the morning we were to leave took my sister on a last hike. I was maybe 14 at most sister a few yeasrs younger. Got lost kinda, but easiest way out was the trail which was long way.

Posted by: Skip at December 14, 2019 04:11 PM (ZCEU2)

76 That aloe tree is spectacular!

Posted by: Jewells45 at December 14, 2019 04:12 PM (dUJdY)

77 75 Once camping for the week in Shenandoah NP the morning we were to leave took my sister on a last hike. I was maybe 14 at most sister a few yeasrs younger. Got lost kinda, but easiest way out was the trail which was long way.
Posted by: Skip at December 14, 2019 04:11 PM (ZCEU2)
-------
Glad you made it out!

Posted by: Weasel at December 14, 2019 04:13 PM (MVjcR)

78 Hello all, the tree aloe still hasn't "bloomed" yet. The yellow buds have gotten quit puffy and fat and look like they are about to burst but haven't opened yet. We have had 3 and a half inched of rain over the last month so I am sure my greedy little tree aloe is soaking up all it can before it blooms. I will take pictures when it does, I promise. Did get a fully ripe Kiwano melon today. I would say it tasted like lime jello is lime jello was really, really weak and watered down without any sugar. I put it in my smoothie, because most everything can taste good in a smoothie if you make it right. KTbarthedoor, thanks for seeing all our little garden quirks. We do enjoy a bit of whimsy thrown about the garden.

Posted by: WeeKreek Farm Girl at December 14, 2019 04:25 PM (sCp90)

79 I was sitting on my patio enjoying the day when a hawk swooped down right beside me and picked a green anole (lizard) off the brick wall of the house. We've seen him sitting on the fence and in the trees looking for food. We thought he had a nice squirrel or bird dinner in mind, not our green anoles. They seem to be disappearing around here, taken over by an invasive brown anole imported from somewhere. Here is Rockport, Texas.

Posted by: Ruth H at December 14, 2019 05:48 PM (plsxW)

80 The hawk was taken with a Canon 50D and a Sigma 37-70 ex lens ISO 400

Posted by: ByTor at December 14, 2019 08:04 PM (JZ0Xu)

81 Good on Quercus John for appreciating the beauty of the new growth in his scraggly oak tree. I've noticed that deep red color too on some oak trees and it really is beautiful

Posted by: Cumberland Astro at December 14, 2019 08:09 PM (d9Cw3)

82 Finally! I finally got the outdoor Christmas lights up!

Yay, me!

It was only mid-40s out, but not windy or raining or snowing, so actually not too uncomfortable.

Supposed to get flurries tonight.

Posted by: JQ at December 14, 2019 09:07 PM (gP/Z3)

83 It's interesting that the chat has moved on to trail work. Husband and I were members of The Trail Center of Palo Alto, CA for a number of years. We helped to *build* trails between San Francisco and Santa Cruz - we helped *maintain* trails - we taught others how to do these things - we led crews doing them - and we helped with the group project of writing a manual on how to build and maintain trails. We've been in Idaho most of 6 years now, but I still keep in touch with a few friends I met there.

Posted by: Pat* at December 14, 2019 09:31 PM (2pX/F)

84 Dose anyone remember Pale Male the Red Tailed Hawk he became quite famous when him and his mate took a nest next to this apartment complex

Posted by: Tamaa the Drongo Bird at December 14, 2019 10:31 PM (FLiOE)

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