Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Mosaic Monday #37: Pottering, Patience and Poppies

Poppy that came by way of wildflower seed mixed

in with grass seed

How I adore pottering in my garden. Examining the plants closely - are flowers imminent? Is this sprout a non-desirable or a specimen to be nurtured? How can I improve the look of the landscape?

Since my last garden report, my knowledge about the plants has exploded. I have fought off a few infestations. We've made improvements to the drainage system as a result of rain and hail storms. Perhaps most importantly, I have become adept at reminding myself that we are in this for the long haul, this garden and I. One day's disappointment will not be remembered a few years from now, when the garden has been transformed through patience and perseverance. So, here's the State of the Garden, July 21, 2019.

POPPIES

I must start with the poppies. Last fall, when we scattered the 30 pounds of grass/wildflower seed, I knew not what to expect. Imagine, then, my delight when red poppies began to bloom! I especially felt redeemed because I had painstakingly weeded these areas and ensured that these fragile-looking sprouts were not disturbed. Voila! The poppy.

I always tear up when I think of my husband's

grandfather, and how he always called me "Flower"

It seems that they begin the classic red color and fade as the days pass - hence, the pink poppy above. At the first sight of the red poppy, I immediately thought of my husband's grandfather, who fought valiantly for his country and returned home safe and sound. Many were not so blessed. How fitting, I thought, that we should have red poppies in our prairie garden!

The red poppy is worn in many western nations as a symbol of

remembrance of those people who lost their lives during WWI

and other military conflicts

Well, I am not sure anything can quite follow that act, but we shall Keep Calm and Carry On!

CHIVES

Most of us are familiar with this kitchen staple. What I didn't know is that rabbits also find it tasty! Head Chef has co-opted some chives for his cooking, and I am puff-out-my-chest proud.

"Volunteer" chives are coming up around the main plants

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PENSTEMON
Have you heard of penstemon? I first encountered this western United States native during our first hikes in Glacier National Park 13 years ago. Found in many colors and sizes, all penstemon share tubular flowers on spikes. This prairie plant thrives in hot, sunny conditions, and another common name is beardtongue. As you can see in the collage below, this variety features large purple flowers. Its stalks are thick and strong - maybe that is how it earned its name.

YELLOW PENSTEMON

This penstemon is much more delicate, with abundant stems and smaller flowers. In early June, I discovered black aphids on the burning bushes, which prompted a close inspection of ALL plants. I pulled open some yellow penstemon flower buds due to their gnarled appearance, and found small white caterpillars inside. Another one of these plants had such an intense aphid infestation that I took the radical step to remove all flower heads. Over the next couple of weeks, I fought black and green aphids by removing parts of plants, spraying others with soapy water, and scattering Sevin on others. It only took about three weeks to declare victory. Next year, I will be mindful to start checking for the little devils sooner!

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD FENCE

This is as good a time as any to write about de-fence, and no folks, I am not referring to football. Over the winter, I read somewhere about stringing fishing wire and cans between posts in order to fend off deer. This idea is based on the notion that deer are creatures of habit - they follow the same routes every day to feed. Since the deer can't see the fishing wire, walking into it will knock down the cans and make enough clatter to scare them off. Even one time is probably enough to ensure your garden is not part of the breakfast or dinner buffet!

Wild Alyssum

I am pleased to report that we have not had deer in the garden until very recently, but neither have we had the cans knocked down. Maybe just the sound of the cans clinking in the wind may have been enough to put them off. (I have joked to some guests that these are Hillbilly Wind Chimes!) Recently, we've had some deer activity on the southeast slope, which did have a gap in the defense to allow access to the firepit. I have since reinforced this area and we have not had any recurrence. Stay tuned for further reports.

PEARLY EVERLASTING

Isn't this just a delightful name for a plant? I surmise that the color of the flower, plus the fact that the flowers last for weeks, inspired the name. I should have three of these in my garden but only one has come back with vigor. The other two have only one small sprout of the blue-green leaves. In mid-June, I fertilized them without much effect. Maybe they will get a sudden spurt on with the warmer weather we are having.

NORTHERN BEDSTRAW

The bedstraw shot up quickly, and showed growth away from the base. Unfortunately, two of the plants fell victim to either nibbling or aphids, which has affected the blooms. My consolation here is that we have many native bedstraw plants around the property that I can draw on if need be.

MOCK ORANGE

This shrub is so named in reference to its flowers, which look similar to those of oranges at first glance, and are purported to have a perfume akin to orange flowers and jasmine. This spring, I was pleasantly surprised by the vitality of the leaves, since last summer this was the shrub that browned up quickly in the face of no rain. The flowers are reminiscent of oranges, but I am not catching the scent. And now that the plant is blooming, the leaves are browning. Perhaps this is the normal cycle. But the butterflies do not seem to mind!

SALVIA MAY NIGHT
I was skeptical about this plant at first - the basal leaves over-winter well, and therefore it's hard to determine if any growth is taking place in the spring. But by June 2, it had new leaves and had already started to form flower heads. A week later, it had fully bloomed, and I am sold on it. It has a rounded, symmetrical look, and tall purple flower spikes - a striking plant!

NODDING ONION
Initially, only my landscaping design with the names of the plants helped me to distinguish the Nodding Onion from the Chives. However, as both plants start to develop flower heads, you can tell the difference at a glance - the buds on the chives stand straight, whereas those on the Nodding Onion droop. A member of the genus Allium, the Nodding Onion is also known as the Lady's Leek - I love that name!!!

Near Many Glacier, July 2018

BLANKET FLOWER
This plant is the opposite of the Salvia - sprawling and disorderly. But I can embrace disorderly in exchange for the prolific and stunning blooms! (Fertilizer on the two scrawnier plants did not seem to have much impact - maybe they are meant to be skinny!) The plant gets its name in areas where fields are filled with them … they "blanket" the field in blooms.

You can imagine my dismay the morning I saw a small bunny hop over to it and start to nibble away. While the deer defence system is pretty effective, warding off rabbits and Columbian ground squirrels is almost impossible unless you take the impractical step of installing chicken wire around every plant. In the future, I am confident I will have a garden with more than enough for everyone to have a nibble, but for now we have had to take some dramatic steps with these nibblers (and no, I won't go into details here).

WALKER'S LOW CAT MINT
I was unfamiliar with this plant, but it has earned a place of honor in my garden - the foliage has a unique color and texture, and when blooming, it has an understated elegance that befits Montana. It was one of the first plants to bloom, and it has lasting power that impresses even work-aholic me!

LEAFY ASTER AND ASPEN FLEABANE
As I journaled about these 2 plants, it took 4 weeks for me to realize I was mixing them up. Clearly, my hand-drawn landscaping "map" was not very clear! The leafy aster has some basal leaves and quickly devotes it energy to producing tall stalks that will eventually bear flowers. This was another set of plants beset by green aphids; soapy water was quite effective to eliminate them.

The aspen fleabane is a shorter, bushier plant that produces abundant blooms. I am fascinated by the narrow, plentiful petals that radiate out from the head of the flower. I must admit (but don't tell the rest of the plants) that this is now one of my favorite plants in the garden - it is fast-growing, has required no protection from critters or other special treatment, and has stunning flowers.

Yes, the rewards of patience and pottering (verb particle: to move around without hurrying, and in a relaxed and pleasant way).

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Mosaic Monday #36: Spokane City Parks

Wisteria along the river

Do you remember my admiration for Spokane's river walkways in my June 16 post? My love affair with its city parks deepened on the fourth day of our May visit. We began with another walk along the river; marmots and Canada geese shared the morning sunshine free of the rain from previous days. After a leisurely stroll, we hopped into the truck. The Crown Jewel of Spokane City Parks - Manito Park - awaited us across town.

In 1904, ninety-five acres of land was donated to the City of Spokane. Montrose Park was re-named, "Manito", a Native American word meaning "a supernatural force that pervades nature." After reveling in the glory of its gardens, I can tell you that the name choice is ideal!

Mirror Pond: I was struck by the appearance of a park nestled in a

residential area; I assume the homes were built AFTER the park.

Wouldn't you love to have this park across the street from your house?

For many years, Manito's main attractions were its exhibition gardens and small zoo. In 1912, a conservatory was added, followed by a three-acre sunken garden in 1913. Given that we were visiting Spokane in part for the Lilac Festival, it was fitting that the Lilac Garden at Manito was in top form. The variety and the aroma was almost too much for the senses to take in! Trust me that I took many more pictures than this, but you get only the best!

In 1912, John Duncan obtained 128 named lilac cultivars from Rochester, NY.

This marked the beginning of the Lilac Garden. Today, this garden contains well

over 100 named cultivars from 23 distinct species, making it one of the most

important lilac gardens in the west.

Japanese Garden

By its Centennial Celebration in 2004, numerous additions and improvements had been made. Additional signage was introduced throughout the park; pergolas in the Rose Garden, changes in the Japanese Garden and the gazebo in Duncan Gardens all enhance the setting.

The simplicity and serenity of a Japanese garden is soothing and always appeals to me on many levels - the colors, water features, bridges, stone work. It was only later, upon reading the garden brochure thoroughly, that I learned photography is not permitted in the Japanese garden. Oops.

After 12 years of planning, the Japanese garden became a reality in the spring of 1974.

Duncan Garden was originally called the Sunken Garden. The garden was designed in a formal European style

with bilateral symmetry, a central water feature and geometrical planting beds. I am sure later in the year it

would be stunning with the annuals in full bloom.

Today the park is one of the few in the nation with such a diverse horticultural display. Manito Park has a reputation as the primary garden showplace in Spokane and is toured by over 150,000 visitors every year. It's easy to see why, right?

Perennial Garden

By now we had worked up an appetite. As faithful readers know, we tend to seek out unique restaurants. And if it's been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives", all the better. And if it serves all-day breakfast, it's a lock. The Satellite Diner and Lounge fit the profile, and we were not disappointed. Strong coffee, efficient staff, and a light sheen of grease in the air soon gave us to know we had chosen wisely. Even now my taste buds can recall this eminently satisfying dish!

I had "Hen Fruit on the Red River" - an egg on chili!!!

The rest of our day was spent attending the Spokane Lilac Festival Parade - but you'll have to wait for a future post to see glittering floats, pretty princesses and booming marching bands. Until then ...

Panorama of rock garden

Horse Chestnut Tree

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Mosaic Monday #35: Montana Freedom

By the time this post is published, another Fourth of July will be history. The pop-up fireworks stalls will be shuttered. The left-over hot dogs will be cut up for lunch-time mac and cheese. The strains of America the Beautiful, performed by a myriad of orchestras to outdoor audiences, will have drifted away into the starry night.

But the pride we feel remains. The heart-swelling, tear-inducing, got-you-in-the-gut emotion lives on. I reside in a place that offers freedom on many levels: to recreate on public lands, to practice my religion without fear, to leave my house at any time and be surrounded by the splendor of God's bounty. I am so grateful, and what better way to say thanks than to show you what this has meant for me during the month of June?

MUSHROOM HUNTING

Montana folks are neighborly to start with, but when a man shares his prime mushroom gathering site, it means something. I was working my normal volunteer shift at the museum, and helping a gentleman with his historical queries. Out of the blue, he says "Do you like mushrooms?" "Why, yes," I said, wondering what this had to do with the history of the Stillwater Valley. "Morel mushrooms?" he asked. "The best," I said. And then he proceeded to give me the directions to a spot that had already yielded pounds of this pricy fungus. "Don't worry," he said. "There will still be some for you."

And boy, was he on the money. Morel mushrooms grow best after a forest fire (a silver lining if there ever was one), and I must admit a bit of skepticism when we pulled up to this view.

But within a few hours, Spousal Unit and I had gathered six pounds between the two of us, a market value of $120. Well worth the gas it cost to get there! Spousal Unit has become quite the expert on preserving this valuable commodity, from drying them on strands of embroidery thread to coating large morels in flour and freezing them (the flour prevents them from sticking together). And, by the way, he returned a week later and collected another 6 pounds by himself in less time, which is NOT a comment on my ability!

By the way, just across the road from the fire site is a meadow packed with alpine flowers. What a difference a few feet and courageous firefighters can make!

FINE DINING

Well, you have to do something with all those 'shrooms. Top a steak. Put 'em in an omelet (which is already a glorious dish seeing as it's made with farm-fresh eggs courtesy of our neighbors over the road). Make a risotto.

And if your Spousal Unit happens to go to Missoula to pick up his early birthday present and passes the Windmill Bakery on the way, he just has to snag a donut or two. What does this have to do with mushrooms? Nothing. But it sure is fine dining!

~~WORKING~~ PLAYING IT OFF

So you may be wondering how I maintain my svelte figure with all these gourmet meals. Faithful readers could answer this one: running, gardening, hiking, kayaking, and walking. It gives me great joy and peace to stroll our back 40. Joining my dear neighbor friend for a walk in the woods or a paddle around her lake burns some calories, and her delightful company is a bonus. Nature presents an ever-changing palette of plants, animals and skies. Here's a selection from the month.

All of the above pictures are from the trail camera

Upper left: Prickly rose; Upper right: Willow - not sure what type Bottom: the turquoise of Ashley Lake

This sandhill crane is "owning" my neighbor's driveway as its own personal runway

Top: Yours truly kayaking with my dear neighbor friend

Middle: Twinflower

Bottom: Bunchberry

ONE BEAR, TWO BEAR (all pictures are from trail cameras)

Top pictures appear to be a skinny yearling black bear

Bottom pictures are a LARGE black bear

Upper left: Willow now in catkin stage Upper right: dusk reflected in the lake at the bottom of our property

Bottom left: young pike was flipping about in shallow water on the WRONG side of the dam until I threw him back

Bottom right: a gift from neighbors - perfect for me!

Upper left: fawns are never far from Mom - she is just out of the frame

Upper right: Buck seeking shelter from the hail Bottom: a fine young bull elk

All above pictures from trail cameras

Some of the pictures above would not be possible without a drone (which I don't have) or a pair of rubber boots (which I now have, a marvelous gift from my dear neighbor friend). After tromping around in the woods together, she just decided it's what I needed. Isn't that what true friends are all about?

As we know, all play and no work makes Jill a dull girl. Yes, the month brought its share of garden projects. Major weeding - always! But there was more.

In a previous post, I shared the construction of our jackleg fence. In June, we added flower baskets to several sections of the fence. Chicken wire, coconut fiber, potting soil and plants. Voila!

Boy yellow marigold; Antigua mix marigold; New Look Dusty Miller;

transplants of coreopsis

Digging drainage ditches that conform to Mother Nature, as she tends to show us during major rain storms.

We completed this on June 23, 4 days before the almighty hail storm. It was not up to the task, sadly

Self-seeding can be wonderful, as in the case of this coreopsis. But it can also benefit from shaping.

Left: mid-June - a riot of growth Right: a little separation creates a sense of order

PAYING IT FORWARD

Of course, with freedom comes responsibility. At the beginning of June, I organized the clean-up of the six miles of Highway 2 closest to our neighborhood. Of course, this translates to 12 miles since BOTH SIDES of the roadway need attention. Over the course of two Saturdays, and some additional time on the part of Dear Neighbor Friend and yours truly, we collected over 110 bags of trash. My heartfelt thanks to all those who participated.

Not pictured: Dear Neighbor Friend and Yours Truly!

AND YOU?

Regardless of where you live, how have you enjoyed your freedom lately?

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Mosaic Monday #34 - Hail!

Thursday began as many another day - a glorious sunrise tinting the sky all manner of pink and blue. Spousal Unit woke me to ensure I had the opportunity to absorb the majesty. And then we dozed.

A scant hour later, something else, a little less gentle and little less majestic, interrupted our sleep. Hail.

It was brief, but it was prolific and loud. We gave up any attempt to get back to sleep a second time and got on with our day. With questionable weather, this meant overdue house cleaning (yay!). On one of my trips to the garage, I noticed that the hail lingered well into the afternoon (see it in the valley of the roof?). I set off for my afternoon run with a few puffy clouds for company. Precisely 56 minutes later, I returned to the house accompanied by ominous clouds and thunder punctuated by lightning. And then the heavens opened.

In less than 20 minutes, an inch of liquid precipitation fell, and that does not count the hail. We watched the spectacle in disbelief, awe and little bit of despair. Check out this video of the hail accumulating below a valley in the roof.

Toward the end of Nature's tirade, it looked like this.

Would you like a close-up?

And why the "despair", you might ask? Our landscaping, built with "drought-tolerant plants", was not designed for torrential downpours, so this is what happens.

Gravity puts a stream wherever it makes sense

Dark material - "mill mud" - was carried onto gravel paths,

marring the clean look. And it's hard to get out of the gravel!

Some plants lost leaves and flowers

And can I tell you how different this is from last June? This time last year we were watering every three days because we'd had no rain since the beginning of the month.

Of course, this is nothing in comparison to what people have had to deal with in terms of real flooding. As I scooped up the mill mud and dumped it back in the rightful spot, I imagined homeowners scraping mountains of mud out of their homes, all the while piling useless furniture and soiled belongings on the curb to be taken away.

Yes, my moment of "despair" shall pass. The next morning, I went kayaking with my dear neighbor friend. The calm of the lake stood in sharp relief against the clattering and banging of the mighty storm just 14 hours earlier. A veritable balm for my soul.

Happy Canada Day to my friends north of the border, and Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans!

Mosaic Monday