Monday, September 25, 2017

Monday, September 25, 2017

This morning Lake Huron was exceptionally quiet with almost a mirror smooth surface.


Summer sunrises are so far north of me and behind my north forest that I miss them even though I'm up. The sun is now rising further south so I can appreciate their beauty.





I've never had success with Nasturtiums before. This summer they's taken over a corner of my garden and I love them, they are amazing and tropical looking - but they are quite invasive so maybe not again? Clicking on photos enlarges them.

You know that I love Colchicums and have several varieties. They are easy and make a spectacular autumn statement when their flowers come up from the ground almost like amaryllis - without the leaves. The leaves are produced in the spring and early summer and make the food that nourishes the flowers that make a last show before winter. There are several species and varieties that start the show mid-September and last through November.









One of my species Hosta

Bluebirds have started their fall migration.


Usually I cannot take good photos of Eupatorium coelestinum but this one turned out rather nice. Often the blue ends up looking almost white. Common name - perennial ageratum - to which it is not related. 




This was the first year my Michigan Hollies produced red berries. Although they are true hollies, they are deciduous and lose their leaves in the fall leaving the red berries showing on their stems. These are still very small plants. Sexes are separate so it's necessary to plant male and female plants if you want berries which the females produce. I have two male plants and maybe five females.

Autumn Orange Daylily

Autumn View of the House


I went to Port Huron this past weekend and while there stopped in to get my flu shot. Waiting I noticed this sign which made me feel very old. Speaking of which, my much older brother is arriving today from Rhode Island; I'll be leaving in a few minutes to pick him up at Detroit's Metro Airport. Carolyn and David visited two years ago and, although we talk several times a week, it 's not the same as being together. I'm very sorry Carolyn is unable to come this time.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Kathy's Visit - Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Foggy start to the day this early Wednesday morning. A very much appreciated visit from Kathy yesterday on the anniversary of David's death. After a delicious dinner which Kathy brought and cooked, we took a stroll on the beach looking for treasures to use for art.

Her bag contains some great pieces of flotsam, from the French "floter" to float and refers to stuff that is result of an accident or a shipwreck, and jetsam, from the French word "jeter" word to toss or throw as in our word jettison and refers to stuff deliberately tossed overboard to lighten to load to reduce the likelihood of a boat sinking.

We found several pieces of beach glass wave and sand-scarred-smoothly and lovely. Unfortunately Kathy and I have many four footed furry friends so our visits are way too short. We speak the same language, we're on the same page, so we don't need to discuss politics, religion, philosophy, etc. We just relax and enjoy our times together. Of course we do talk about dogs and dog people. Clicking on photos enlarges them.



Beach Wave Patterns

Beach Wave Patterns

Monarch unable to get to Mexico

the Rare Beach Lark

Perennial Sunflower

Perennial Sunflower

Mushroom Fairy Ring

Fungi appeared in abundance 
perhaps because of the misty morning?


For my friend Christine who loves Goldenrods


Monday, September 18, 2017

Monday, September 18, 2017

Speaking of wild life, this woodchuck moved into a culvert under my road into the property. I realize they are vegetarians but Woody ate two rows of green beans, one row of yellow beans, all my winter squash, and all my Swiss chard. Cute maybe but not loved. My neighbor kills them which is probably why he lives here instead of there. Clicking on photos enlarges them.


The goldfinch young have found the juicy young seeds of my Cupplant and Rudbeckia. They eat most but also scatter a few seeds; several new plants have appeared in my un-mowed meadow.



I noticed some "dirt" on Hosta leaves, looked up and found carpenter ants had made a home in the trunk of this poplar (big toothed aspen). I had noticed earlier that some wounds on that tree had appeared and the tree was showing signs of decay. It is rather close to the house; I lose several trees every year in my north forest from Lake Huron winds, so when Detroit Edison was trimming nearby trees in power lines I asked the men if they could take the tree partly down - which they did. I like to leave about thirty feet of trunk standing for woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, brown creepers, flickers, etc. so they could feed on insects and construct nests as the trees weather.  I think I dodged a bullet on this one. If you look closely at the second photo below you might be able to see the ant nest entrances.



I love this rare fall blooming species Hosta from Japan. The flower scapes are so elegant when budding and the flowers are great later. Last winter I started a new plant from seeds I gathered in late January. Viability was poor because I waited too long to harvest the small seeds which have very little endosperm. So this year I'll start some seeds earlier while they are more viable.


Concord Grapes

Concord Grapes

Favorite Sculpture

Viburnum

Viburnum

Sweet Autumn Clematis with Volunteer Cosmos

The House from Nordmark

I rescued a wild sunflower from a field nearby three years ago. It actually does better out in my field where the soil is not as "good". Here near my house it grows too tall and flops. There it is a better height and remains upright.

Woodland Sunflower
Helianthus strumosus

Woodland Sunflower
Helianthus strumosus

Woodland Sunflower
Helianthus strumosus

Sunday, September 17, 2017

I'm not un-fond of deer and the food here (my plants) must be very nutritious because this doe had triplets this spring. My wild-life here is rather tame. (My own wild life is virtually non-existent and that's probably an acceptable trade off.)



Volunteer Sunflower
Helianthemum annus

Queen Anne's Lace

Sedum

Sedum

Sedum

Helenium

Silphium

Dahlia

Dahlia

Dahlia - Hummingbird Favorite

Hibiscus

Grandpa Ott - the throat vibrates luring in insects

Naturtiums

Nasturtium

Daylily