Sunday, 7 November 2021
I was hungry at the wrong times (according to the clock), and I awakened rather early (according to the clock), and generally discombobulated all day. Even simple things can be complicated. [Like the spelling of ginkgo….]
Saturday, 6 November 2021
Piedmont Park near the BotGarden hosts sometimes unexpected species, like this longleaf pine specimen. The species is typical on the coastal plain, where in pre-modern times, stands were like a plantation mono-culture…as I understand it. I do adore the super-long needles, and never think of them as leaves.
Friday, 5 November 2021
I saw this spiky plant crown and was mystified. Then I saw the adjacent nut, clearly an acorn. A bit of research later, and yes: an oak “hat,” of an Asian species. Cupule is the technical term, I believe.
Tuesday, 2 November 2021
Today’s neighborhood story was that my wander took me along the path of a fire truck that was going from hydrant to hydrant, with a young(ish) fireman hopping out (not in uniform) with a wrench to open one of the breast-ish-ports, then the valve at the top to assure that the hydrant was emptied of sediment, etc. I saw five hydrants tested during my parallel wander. This is not one along their route.
So much for hunkie guys. (Firemen, it seems to me, tend to be in better shape than cops; after all their lives depend on being in great shape.)
My other story is this miniature moss world. I took this snap using my magnifying glass function on my phone. I got it in focus (yay), and immediately realized that the light was not optimal on the uprights, that is, the sporophytes.
At the next moss-patch: much more light on the sporophytes.
Friday, 29 October 2021
The election is Tuesday, and today is the last day, according to the city website, to drop your absentee ballot in the box. Interestingly, the ballot envelope indicated we could do that on election day. We chose to believe today at 7pm was the real deadline, thank you Republicans.
We looked at the list of drop-off locations. For the whole of Atlanta, and this is a sprawly city, there were about eight. The Guru chose the nearest location, up in Buckhead perhaps six miles away. Again, thank you, Republicans.
So we slogged through rain and traffic, past construction areas occupying a lane here and there to further obstruct the flow of vehicles, and avoided the latest out-of-service bridge from a vandal’s fire beneath (as I recall). And now we are once again good citizens.
Thursday, 28 October 2021
I’ve been watching these camellia blooms, thinking I should snap a few pictures, then, today, with the raindrop-gems, I was compelled to.
Wednesday, 27 October 2021
I have been noticing the daylight becoming shorter. Also, I found backlighting beauty.
Monday, 25 October 2021
I’m guessing this is a Stereum species. They prefer deadwood, and this is on a decomposing stump. They prefer oaks, and the stump is oak-wood.
Autocorrect wants it to be sternum. Not the same at all. However, since I’m guessing, can I criticize autocorrect for guessing?
Sunday, 17 October 2021
I did get two “crowns” of rhubarb transplanted. They were so poorly that neither was a crown, truth be told. They REALLY needed to be transplanted. I just hope some of the bits survive.
After reburial, I lightly watered the survivors, then put some dessicating fern fronds on top for winter protection.
Friday, 15 October 2021
Enjoyed a glorious sunny, lovely morning, as if it hasn’t been raining off and on for days.
Even the playhouse looked inviting.
However, overcast had returned by the time I walked in mid-afternoon. I took a detour along the back edge of the pine plantation, and discovered the tree guys have been busy.
Here’s the detail on how the rootballs are wrapped and prepped for shipping. They used to use burlap for the wrapping, and this fabric does look like burlap, but I’m guessing it may have some artificial fiber incorporated (polyester?). Ages ago when I worked in the plant nursery world, trees prepared this way were called B&B, for balled and burlapped. [Nobody even cracked a smile.] I never saw the metal frame way back when; seems like a smart improvement.