Ionopsis utricularioides - Early Birthday Gift

Early bird gets the orchid. Our city garden sponsored another orchid
sale. This is the second one of two and it's my first time.

I found one that appealed to my senses. Didn't know until I did some
online research that it's a Florida native, whose listed as a threatened
species, short lived and is from south Florida. Nothing like some
challenges for motivation to succeed with this variety of orchid.
It's already set to bloom, so for me to succeed will be to get it
to bloom again next season and hopefully divide it into two. This
would be success in my book.

This specimen already has at least three spikes that will bloom in a
matter of weeks. Two stalks were obvious and it wasn't until I
photographed it was when the third stalk was spotted.

I've had a mini Vanda
orchid driving in this
tree going on three
years now. I figure
that this addition will
do just as well. Will
have to keep an eye
on it insure it's
success.

Pink's A Peekin

A single hue in a sea of another makes for a an interesting scene.

Need No Words

Cacao Tree Update

Never looked better.

I was hoping to see some blooms this year. I have the two main trunks and
plenty of lateral growth to encourage it to start blooming. Producing pods is
a whole other process. Time will tell.

It will be another month or two before I have to bring this equatorial specimen
indoors. Indoors, that is as dry as the desert. Last year it spent time in my music
room and bedroom. At sixty degree temperatures, it slows it growth down to
nothing. This is not normal for an equatorial plant. So I try to maintain it's
growing season by bringing it indoors and spritzing it with rainwater, if I
have any to spare, and when I think about it. Along with a trim to help make
it manageable.As much as I enjoyed looking at this tree while I playing my piano.
The misting of water on the tree was great for this tree but not for my piano.
I have a new piano tuner and he says moisture is a piano's enemy. So this
is the first year I made a point not open my windows at all. He was right.
my piano's tuning as held surprisingly well this season.

I think I will still keep it my music room this year, knowing that I kept all
that moisture at bay all those months.

Music for the ears and green beauty for the eyes. Now that's hard to match. 

Signs Of First Day Of Fall

To be honest, here in central Florida, it's the calendar.

The shorter days have been noticed for at least three weeks now, so
that doesn't count. Maybe, just maybe the angle of the sun is changing,
but that's a stretch. I can contribute that knowledge to my junior high
school science teacher, Mr. Horn.

The air is a tad bit less humid along with the sounds of the incessant
sounds of the local high school marching band practicing with the
unrelenting band director's voice blaring over what ever means of
broadcasting. At least so far the songs aren't the same as years past
or maybe they are just using a new warmup song.

To me, what screams fall is the when our rainy season comes to a halt.
No predictions here, knowing that that time is different every year.
Some years are more noticeable than others.

Today's Parade Of Flashing Beauty - Mid-Summer Blooms Who Shall Remain Nameless cont'd

Today's Parade Of Flashing Beauty - Mid-Summer Blooms Who Shall Remain Nameless

Like those nameless runway models that parade for all those
to see. Most if they are lucky will be noticed and others
will, well they're only get a moment to flash their beauty
and wait for that next fleeting moment.

These summer blooms may not get a glimpse but from
only the creatures and insects that reside in this small urban
garden.

Last Tadpole Last Seen Yesterday

It hasn't eaten in the past two days and in this picture
shows it in it's streamlined transformation before
making it's way to dry land, out yonder.

There goes my liquid fertilizer machine.

I have a feeling this won't be the last batch of tadpoles
for this season.

Wild Keto Salmon

Smells great on the skillet outdoors, looks tasty above resting on a bed of
plums, blue berries and spinach. Unfortunately until I learn how to cook this
variety of salmon that doesn't have the same fat content as Sockeye salmon.
The taste won't match it's deliciousness shown above.

Practice, practice, practice.

Formerly known as Chum salmon, still from the Pacific, but due to marketing
the name as changed to entice those daring enough to test their cooking skills.

Transplanted Turkish Tomato Changing Color

Don't know what was more a surprise, this ripening tomato
or the discovery of an orchid's first bloom. This has been a
bonanza this week for garden firsts.

Monk Orchid's First Bloom

 Tiny and still a grand beauty of it's own. Not showing it's showy leaves, as to
distract from it's flowering stage.























If you zoom into the bottom picture at the throat of the flower, you can see the
monk bowing and ready to take his turn at the ski slopes or bobsled.

Patches Of Sunshine

It's taken me many years to get this shade. There's no reason to get blasted
by the hot Florida sun when I can dodge it while  doing my yard work.

I do have however a couple of plants that are suffering the effects
of not having enough sun. I think I can remedy that with some
transplanting to a new location. It has to be better from where
they are at now. Will have to wait till winter to do that task when
it is the optimum time.

How Do You Spell Luffa

This Loofa gourd is almost ripe enough to peel down to
it's skeleton of prized innards.

This gourd came from my yoga teacher's garden this year.
She's a budding gardener trying new varieties and gifting
her students with her bounty.

I thought I would let it dry out a bit more, till it gets
to a lighter tan and weight. It's still heavy with moisture.

I do remember trying to grow these during my college
days, up in the panhandle of Florida but they need a long
growing season so by the time they set fruit the days were
getting shorter and freezing temperatures were just around
the corner. However, my bird house gourds did well at that
time.