Musings

This is the flower head (panicle) of a Hydrangea quercifolia, common name oakleaf hydrangea. I didn’t know it was native to Southeastern North America. Live and learn.

Posted at 8:57 PM | Comments Off on Wild, unwilded

I’m not referring to the “Get Smart” agent, but to today’s high. And it may have been higher locally.

Not wanting to tackle an outdoor exercise experience in that situation, I tried this season’s “Feet and Calves” session on “Classic Stretch” with Miranda something-hyphenated on PBS. It turned out to be a 21-minute workout, and I repeated it twice later in the day. Now I can feel it in my glutes (and neighboring muscles), not in my feet and calves. My feet and ankles in particular need strengthening, I can tell.

Pretty sure that a walk, even in humid 70s early this morning, would have been less strenuous.

Posted at 6:49 PM | Comments Off on Ninety-nine

Nice raindrop collection helping the eye to parse the green.

This, on the other hand, is about parsing the blooms and buds. A berry hedge.

Posted at 8:47 PM | Comments Off on Floral abundance

So many lovely patterns in fern-world. Even the spines of the fronds have complexities.

I focused on the insect, and the whole photo looks mis-composed. My ID app says it’s a carpet beetle, Anthrenus species. On what I would call a potentilla, but apparently it’s not classified as a potentilla anymore, and is now a Dasiphora species and commonly called cinquefoil, a term previously used when it was a Potentilla species.

I know that taxonomists are turning to genetics for classification information, and finding groupings not recognized based on morphology and geography. Plus the Linnaean taxonomic system doesn’t have room for the hybrids and variations, etc., they can now distinguish. As I understand it.

For now, I’ll stick to looking for visual interest, as in the fern-patterns above, and avoid taxonomic mysteries.

Posted at 6:54 PM | Comments Off on Self-defense

Sometimes, IMHO, plant sequences like opening buds aren’t predictable.

This doesn’t seem unexpected.

However, the open blooms are far more complex than the buds suggest. And the color shifts a bit. These are all from the same bush.

Posted at 10:32 PM | Comments Off on Communing with MaNachur

This planting was alive with bees. Bzzzzz bzzzz.

Posted at 8:55 PM | Comments Off on Listen to flowers

Darned close to true color.

Ditto.

Posted at 7:36 PM | Comments Off on Believe it or not

Not for me, mind you, but for the younger nephew.

I’m going with the best part of the institutional event was the band, other than the awarding of diplomas. And, of course, the principal’s hat (not shown; use your imagination), a new one for each class…this one with a bonsai on top…a symbol of the resilience and adaptability and long life predominating in the energy of the Class of 2022, she said.

Here’s a pink palate cleanser: a peony processed with Waterlogue. Enjoy, as the servers say.

Posted at 10:13 PM | Comments Off on THE day

Yeah, it was a bit rainy (not just misty), yet I went out, motivated by the many and various blooms in neighboring yards (and here, but increased diversity across a larger geographic area duh).

Just darned strange to see stem-flower collar, stem-flower collar, repeat growth patterns on a single bloom stalk.

Posted at 10:25 PM | Comments Off on Seeing yellow

We changed three time zones, and traveled via train, plane, bus, and rental car. And I’m taaaahrd.

Posted at 10:42 PM | Comments Off on Sunset behind the Olympics