Category Gardening

Book swaps, Puzzle swaps… A PLANT swap?

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I saw this Plant Swap. While the idea was nice, the plants available were interesting. All in water?

It reminded me of book and puzzle swaps. You go with ideas of grandeur and then you see what some people have brought and your heart sinks. Is this the best they can do?

Now, before you say, “I’ve been to GREAT book/puzzle swaps, etc.”. We know it’s hit or miss. You go and take your chances on what people bring.

So, with these plants it’s the same thing. Someone who really loves plants will want to bring the two on the left back to life. They would enjoy the challenge. The one on the right looks hearty.

Happy Gardening!

Creative Gardening!

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Some people are so creative. I love this type writer placed in the garden.

When I took the picture, I was hoping a bird might fly by, sit on type writer and I could get an even better photo. However, I didn’t get so lucky.

Have fun walking, there is always something new to discover.

Enjoy the weekend!

Amazing bees… Have you seen them up close?

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I’m always thrilled when out walking with some amazing nature finds. I was looking at these beautiful flowers when a bee came buzzing by. Time to eat!

As I looked at this one, I was able to get a close up picture. A beautiful creature.

Walking further, I found a few other bees. So, honored them with a photo of themselves too.

When we slow down, it’s fun to observe nature.

Here’s to enjoying summer!!

Rough Horsetail – A plant that is like a puzzle!

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Growing up by Lake Michigan, we always had fun playing with Rough Horsetail. Of course, back then I didn’t know what it was called. I just had fun taking it apart and putting it back together in different ways.

I completely forgot about it until this weekend when friends pointed it out. LOOK, they said, “This plant comes apart and you can put it back together again!”

We all laughed, I told them of my childhood and we had fun playing with them.

This YouTube video gives information on horsetail.

If you are at a beach and you, your friends and/or kids are bored. Find some rough horsetail and have some fun! So many different combinations you can build.

Time for the beach. 🏖️

Dandelions – Make a Wish… or… Eat them!

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I was out walking and saw so many dandelions. They are in season. A few years ago, I learned that the dandelion starts out as a yellow flower and then turns into the puff ball that we blow to make a wish.

When we blow on the buff ball, we are blowing the dandelion seeds into the wind…

Seems like we should hurry and make multiple wishes while ALL the seeds are flying off, right. Increase our chances of at least ONE wish coming true.

You can also eat them. My Italian relatives would go in the garden pulling the leaves and using them in salads and cooking them too. They taste like arugula.

So, here’s to DANDELIONS! Make a Wish!

Flower first, THEN a fruit!

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Nature is amazing. While I eat fruit, I’ve never thought about “how” it is grown, start to finish.

My friend was excited to show me that her fruit trees are budding. A few years ago, she planted a cherry tree. The tree became huge, but no cherries. After investigation, they found that they needed a “second” cherry tree for pollination.

Here you see the Black Tartarian Cherry:

Next, the Santa Rosa Plum:

Here you have Nectarines:

I’ve always preferred nectarines over peaches. Although, sometimes peaches seem juicier.

Have you planted any fruit trees?

Italy – Beauty in the garden!

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While in Florence, I walked through the Sister’s garden after breakfast every day. While it wasn’t a huge garden, it was a nice size. I was amazed at all the fruits / vegetables / flowers they had.

I loved the shape of this olive tree. Turning the corner, I saw this huge tree with pomegranates. I eat them, but I’ve never seen how they grow.

I had no idea what this was… ANYONE? The Canadians I met didn’t know either.

They had an over abundance of red peppers. They start out green, then turn red.

Their roses had the most fragrant smell.

A shamrock…

Rosemary, time to cook!

Finally, a pigeon. My grandmother used to feed the pigeons that came to her window every morning. So, I smiled when I saw this one, all alone

I enjoyed the peaceful garden walks every morning with a quick stop in the Chapel. The Nuns were putting fresh roses from the garden in the vase for the alter. It was nice to see them.

Chicago – Tulips are everywhere…

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This year there are so many tulips around Chicago.

Here are two photos of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile (North Michigan Ave). On one side of the street, there were red/yellow colored tulips. When I walked to the other side, they favored multiple colored tulips.

I didn’t realize that tulips are perennials, so they come back again and again. Of course, this depends on the soil, how much water they’ve had during the year, etc. So, sometimes all of the tulips might not come back. For example, you might just see a lone tulip in someone’s yard, like this yellow one. Although, there seem to be some other sprouts that are coming to the surface.

Here are beautiful pink tulips. Such a fabulous color. This was in the evening. Were they going to sleep?

Tulips will only be in bloom until mid-May, so enjoy them while you can.

Happy Spring!

Walking: Gardening – Observations

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Do you have funny thoughts when you are walking? I went to visit a friend. We were walking the neighborhood. As we were talking, I stopped, giggled and had to take this picture.

I’ve always enjoyed gardening. Trimming the hedges, raking leaves, etc. I saw this bush, and immediately wished I had my gardening sheers with me. All those funny shoots sticking out, needed trimming.

Further on our walk, we came across this gigantic sunflower. Isn’t it amazing?

All alone, it grew so tall in such glory. There is a daintiness in this sunflower’s stance too.

There is beauty all around us. We just have to slow down to see it.

Have a great weekend!