New Flowers

Poppy ^


Globe Flower^

Cool, overcast day, the first of a three-day weekend for me, so I went to the garden center and brought home stuff to plant: a globe flower, trollius chinensis "Golden Queen," (which is about four and a half feet tall) and an Icelandic poppy, papaver nudiaule "Champagne Bubbles" are two things I bought which I've never tried to grow. They came home with me because they met the qualifications of being "yellow" and "white" and "something new." Also along for the ride home were the more usual suspects: ageratum, verbena, lobelia, and these little pink-and-green-leaved plants, what are they again? Vinca, I think. Variegated vinca. Whatever it is, I got it and everything else in the ground just before the rain came down and the thunder rolled.

Lemontini

When my sister asks you if you want a drink, just say "yes," because she knows what she's doing. Chilled glasses? Colored sugar? Check, and check. It's not just a drink, it's a cocktail.

The Littlest Predator

At least, it's smaller than the last predator I wrote about. And it has six more legs! I noticed this fierce little guy on the window screen and figured he was so busy with his lunch he wouldn't mind me taking a few pictures. He's a jumping spider. Quite scary-looking now that I get a good squiz. I was letting the lens do all the brave stuff; I was an arm's length away, naturally. A distant appreciation's what I crave here.

Italian Wall Lizards

I have at least three Italian immigrants living in my backyard. At least, that's as many as I've seen at once. They're quick as lightning, so they're hard to count. But as the sun grows stronger, they come out to bask, and although technically they're an invasive species, so far they cause no harm, carry no parasites, and oh, BTW, they eat my aphids so they're ok by me.

As I say, they're quick, and awfully shy, so you'll have to zoom in on these to get a good look.

Cousins

Morning Yoga

Still quite limber for a girl who'll be thirteen this August, Fiona practices her yoga in the garden every fine morning. This particular position is a favorite of hers, one she likes to follow up with a good long stretch and a snack of raw, unprocessed ornamental grasses.

Recipe For Disaster

You can't believe everything you read on the safety seal of your mayonnaise jar. Let me save you all a lot of disappointment by telling you now that a shatterproof jar, while it is indeed convenient, does NOT, in fact, make a great salad.