Shaggy Gets Another Reprive

A flush so lush. Almost so lush as to imagine a steamy tropical breeze conjuring
just around the dark bend in the adjoining room. Not so lucky, more like
dodging some sub tropical dips in last night's low of fifty-six degrees. I know,
brrrr.

Another plus, I rescued a red grapefruit seedling that I found already sprouted
in a sliced red grapefruit that I was enjoying and had planted it in this planter.
Knowing that I would keep an eye on this large potted specimen that has been
catered to for over five years.

A pleasant distraction from this world's woes.

What's one more new beginning.

Spider Rockin A Twenty Plus Suspension

Top tier, this wolf spider's last catch, more about this later. Interstitial tier, we got
ourselves a spinner. Bottom tier, said wolf spider. Perhaps recovering from said
endeavor. Impressive knowing that I had to crane my neck up to see where it was
attached to and we talking a tree limb twenty plus feet above.

The unforunate blurred pictured aboveis the only evidence of it's existance. As I was
heading indoors a big woosh of a sound and catching a glimpse of a Great White Herron
takes a landing by, you guessed it, it must be Christmas.

After realizing I will have to go out and see if I can catch another picture of this haging
smorgesborg. It was too late. Big bird took the opurtuned hanging snack, not knowing
when a double spinner sandwich just hangs from the sky. No visible sign at a quick glance
that anything possibly resembling thus threaded snack, well a snack to some, even exsisted
other than some blurred picture, just one of many thousands of observations from within
this Florida urban landscape.

Three Get Put To Ground

These tree lived communally in a shared pot for? Three years. Starting
with the original owner. A cutting of a cutting and probably another cutting
since we are talking threes. From a plant that lived in my grandma's garden
just up the road.

Say hello to this grand yellow shrimp plant in it's new ground location.

Second, also derived from a cutting and a new candidate for my food forest
that I hope will take hold. Not knowing the variety of fig, but just knowing what it's
not, and what it is not a Turkey fig.

May you grow deep roots and find that cache of lime that would have seeped from
a long time pouring of a concrete slab ninety years ago, only a few feet away.

The grand daddy of the three. Dug this up from a friend's yard last year in hoping
it's a native Paw Paw. There was a Chain fern growing at it's base while pot based.
Something more to look forward to see it they will rear their heads in due time.

Give them a sip of water every day for a week or two and all should be well.

Five, Count Them!

This orchid hasn't bloomed in at least five years. Ha, that makes these
five spikes for every year it hasn't bloomed. The ever encroaching shade
will do that. Such is life in this urban garden the always evolving and
changing.

Was it worth the time and effort? Absolutely! Just ask the orchid.

Found them yet?

Nearly Full Emergence

This cardboard fern took five years of my not cutting out the old in order
to achieve this height. Every year it puts on this new growth and it has to
clear the old growth in relatively small increments.

Some things worth obtaining just takes time and patience.

This Is The Year Of The Iris concluded

At least wo more rounds of grape infusion.

I would like to name this Iris after my immediate and ancestral relatives, who
are named Charlotte and ll derivatives of said name.

Who's Looking At Who?

I'm Seeing Red

more like reddish - brownish - greenish. This shaving brush tree like several
tropicals where their new growth comes in a blaze of red.

They do the Fall color in reverse, besides this specimen's Fall (end) color is an uneventful yellow

Bachelor Cafe Presents

a Florida themed entre...Florida Wetlands Soup

and it's not all about what's up top, as beautiful this watery heaven inspired
concoction may look on the surface, but what's below. Hmmm?!

Yum! What your missing is the smell and taste of cilantro,

curry and lime.

Cat Cabana?

Just chilling? or perhaps just hiding? Looking for new vistas?

I Say Significant Blooms

How many times do see in the description of a How-to grow plants
reference and they use the descriptor when they comes to it's flower
as being insignificant.

Insignificant to the plants ability to reproduce? As appose to whether
the bloom will make for a dazzling spectacle?

Not only did these tiny blooms of coral catch my eye, well for one
I am a constant gardener and always on the look out to spot something
that, all together, catch my eye. The fascinating part comes when you
capture their image and get a real close-up to what is going on. So this
euphorbia did not disappoint.

I know, what planet are they from?

One Seedling Is Late To The Party

The last seeds from my last garden tomato planted about five days ago
and started sprouting about two days ago. Keeping company now with
my third generation Hungarian pepper seedling that got off to a rough
start by not shedding it's seed coat.

Just when I think all the tomato seeds have sprouted. One more
pops up to join this party of life.

This props table is never static. It brings hope and defeat but, mostly new beginnings
to a circle of plant life

Flower In The Hole

This constant gardener always on the hunt for new sights in this
urban garden and is rarely disappointed.

This Crape Myrtle's base some years on it just in case it wasn't obvious at this close scrutiny.

That makes two this season, what are the chances?

An Extraordinary Event - House Gecko

Who's been knocking at my door?

None other than this nocturnal beast.

This noise maker will take some more observations to confirm that
was a single rap of it's tail that made this noise to ruse up it's potential
meal subjects? With no intentions of summoning this human, even though
in this case is exactly what brought me to witness this occurrence.

This Is The Year Of The Iris cont'd

The regulars.

African Iris, blooms several times a year and a welcomed favorite.

Prolific too, no prima donna here.

One of a couple walking Iris that have crossed these garden paths.

Please, make yourselves comfortable. Needless to say that these two regulars
make great moon garden specimens.

This Is The Year Of The Iris cont'd

The other hold out.

These tiny blooms hold a of of detail and are mostly only appreciated
up close in pics by us humans.

Conjoined twin blooms.

This Is The Year Of The Iris cont'd

Not seen this in about three to four years. A bit underwhelmed, although while
developing this pic I immediately craved a grape popsical. Wet from our unofficial
end to our seasonal dry season or just a blip of weather?

Now it's looking at me with eyes as if saying and you are ?

One More Prop Graduates

Having looked back after it's placement, my idea and not this freshman's.
How tiny and vulnerable as if saying, don't forget me.

I did in response with a reassuring  hand watering drench of collected rain
water this afternoon. Besides, this planting sits at the foot of my prized
potted specimen that shall remain nameless and most likely benefit from
the close proximity.

Congratulations, and welcome to this constant gardener's wonder garden
or memory garden.

Trail Blazing Butte Dragon

Behold this mighty hunter and passionate lizard king/queen. Always on
the hunt for it's next meal or quenching thirst, a challenge and some dragon
tango and not necessarily in that order.

This Is The Year Of The Iris

and  not the year of the virus.

New location for more light seems to have brought this beauty forth.

 

Something Out of the Ordinary

Plants rock!

Like A Doe In A Clearing

Unlike a Doe this old stray is seeking refuge from two aggressive Peking ducks
abandoned. Humans can be the worst when it comes to domestic animals.

Safe haven as long as takes in cat nap minutes.

Another Face of An Orchid

This one has a scent to and has been a regular Spring bloomer for nearly five years now.

The Venerable Bachelor Cafe Presents

Gingered fruit(olive) and vegetable(broccoli/corn) chicken noodle(Aldi's) Zupa!

Cafe is open 24/7 and lookin for something new and appealing. Prepared in
grandmas ceramic ironware for good measure.

It could of used a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of Elderflower for next time.

(2) Three Blue Cans and An Ibis