Musings

Flower action shot. (Action by insect, including that evidence of absent ones that nibbled petals.)

Just saying: I notice more in the floral world than flowers…. I find the drape of these evergreen…strands…somehow as mellowing(?) as blooms.

I don’t know what the first one is (big tree, though), but I think the second is a chamaesyparis.

Weighed down in a happy, satisfied way by a fine grilled tenderloin and yummy brownie-ice-cream dessert…. Happy belated, JPB.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Bee green green

To dive back into my repeating series, Blooms I Found On My Walk, here’s a giant datura trumpet flower.

I went to sleep pretty darned early for an urban-dweller, and henciquently awakened while it was still pretty dark out. Now, back in the Old World where I was, at that hour it would be pretty light…. Latitude and all that….

Anyway, I took advantage of my awareness to walk early, re-immersing myself in summer humidity—and heat…before the sun-rays kicked up the thermometers.

Posted at 7:39 PM | Comments Off on See the insect?

Possibly the oldest tree in Britain, the Fortingall yew is 2000–3000 years old. It’s behind the wall with the vertical stones on top. The center is gone, and it’s now three remnants of its one-time girth.

Still seeing snow remnants on peaks.

Loch Rannoch. We came here to visit the Black Wood of Rannoch, considered among the oldest forests in Britain. It seemed to me that the section we walked in had a few older trees, all twisted and looking like loggers had left them behind as not long-tall enough, interspersed among newer growth, although the sphagnum and other ground-cover looked less disturbed than I’ve been seeing.

Here’s another of those ancient places that were once centers-of-the-world and now are virtually ignored ruins. This is the recently stabilized ruins of Kindrochit Castle, used annually for many years by King Robert II (1357–1390, coronated in 1371), grandson of Robert the Bruce, and the first Stewart king.

One of the last highland scenes today, before we drove over the last summit (modern cairn there with at least a dozen bunches of soggy, desiccated flowers, left in memory of at least a dozen dearly departeds).

Here’s the view from the cairn, with a few fields of brilliant yellow canola we haven’t seen for a long time, and the canopy of a hang-glider? parasailor? In the way, way distance is the sea, which is a half-mile from us over some dunes, as I wrap this and prepare for bed.

Posted at 5:41 PM | 1 Comment »

We parked near a sand-beach, between black rocks…basalt, we decided.

The surf crashed and boomed on the rocks, and sprawled up the sand. We walked up on the grassy peat-covered…cliffs, I guess you could call them. We stayed away from the edge where we could not tell how supported the green-top was by rocks….

Most of the sheep ignored us, but these were stare-ers. A moment before this, all their attention was on us….

We had set out to walk to the lighthouse (not shown), but bagged our walk after the second rain-storm (one lasting maybe 10 minutes, and one that pushed 20), and returned to the car. Then, we tried to drive to the lighthouse, which we were under the impression could only be accessed on foot…and presto, we could drive right up to it!

The gulls nested on this craggy rock amongst clusters of flowers that may be this kind….

If you look among and around the flowers, you may find an easy-to-spot snail shell, and less easy-to-spot sheep-berries…. No points for gravel-rocks (probably granite).

Posted at 2:05 PM | Comments Off on Beach/cliff-top/old-field walk

Another day, another ferry ride to an island. NOT yawn! Spotted a much smaller craft sharing our waters….

Found a colorful lighthouse…at the end of the road in one direction.

And a sandy beach in a cove at the end of the road in another direction.

What better welcome to our new housing than this colorful presentation from the sky-deities!

This plant is foreign to me. Found in a marshy ditch, maybe a half-dozen others within several hundred meters. Haven’t spotted it elsewhere. Distinctive. Several of the leaves are damaged, perhaps by frost? The brown pineapple-y features are from this year, not carry-overs from last year’s flowering/fruiting….

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »

Looks like the insects have found the green tomatoes…is this worse than the squirrels finding them…and carting them off???

Posted at 4:25 PM | Comments Off on Host (or insectarium?)

I’m unaccustomed to the pointy petals on this dogwood…. I think it’s Cornus kousa. I guess most of the dogwoods I see are Cornus florida.

I told Liz, my hair goddess, to go wild with the scissors—which, as you know is not short for most women. Now, my hair is close to shoulder-length—darned short for me! (Did spring fever overcome me?)

Liz also balayaged my locks…. I’m ready for summer!

Posted at 7:58 PM | Comments Off on Stretching comfort zones

I heard that it was supposed to be in the 80s in the afternoon, so I headed out early, that is, shortly after 9am.

The park was mighty quiet, just a few trucks and people setting up for an event, I assume over the weekend, maybe beginning tomorrow…and a few hardy joggers and walkers. Otherwise: relatively unpeopled.

My “smeller” is functional again, and I was almost overcome by the scent of these honeysuckle* blooms. I think this is Lonicera japonica.

* And this species has both vines and bines. (Quit autocorrecting!) A bine (not bone) is a type of twining climbing vine. The vastness of my ignorance amazes me daily.

Posted at 8:13 PM | Comments Off on In the sunshine

This is a rhododendron, although the individual blooms in the clusters look a lot like azalea blooms. Apparently, the anther count varies.

Posted at 9:50 PM | Comments Off on Bumble rumble

The leaves are mostly out, yet it still feels like spring. I now walk “in the shade,” sometimes crossing the street to stay in it and avoid the heat/rays. So, am I doing summer behavior in a spring context?

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Dodging the sunshine