Thursday, 16 January 2020
I’m skipping mention of the Big Doin’s going on in WashDC, and instead focusing on…small. And local.
These two blooms are from intertwined bushes. Do you see the different shades of pink? I wondered if the camera/iPhone would capture them. Conclusion: pink subtleties—capturable.
For thoughts on the Big Doin’s, visit The Guru’s comments in his resuscitated blog here.
Tuesday, 14 January 2020
I saw the green coming on the weather map, but I believed the meteorologist who said the rain would arrive around 11am (or maybe that’s not what he said). So, I scooted out around 10am thinking I could get a good stretch of hoofing before turning around and getting back under the roof before….
I noticed within the space of about forty paces that the sky ahead of me turned dark. Noticeably, not just kinda darkened. Oops. I didn’t get pelted, but I got wet by the time I returned. (I survived; I didn’t melt.)
The bees were smarter than I; they abandoned the rosemary and sought cover elsewhere (where?). The other day in the sunshine the bush buzzed there were so many bees busy there….
Saturday, 11 January 2020
The first outing doesn’t count, blogwise. Errands.
The second outing: a walk. I dodged raindrops for most of it (truncated), but the precip caught me about 10 min before I got to the front door. A bit damp…
…but nothing like the rain that accompanied the front that came through just as we were leaving for our dinner reservation, moving at 60mph. Whew. So, we got seated, ordered a bottle of prosecco, and immersed ourselves in chatting and laughing. Great fun.
* Credit to JPB for the riff on Dry January.
Friday, 10 January 2020
Friday snuck up on me this week. Or, I was too distracted to grasp it had arrived. Along with our flowering quince, honoring my parents and a gift from D&F. This plant is in the Rosaceae family, so the thorns are appropriate.
I took this photo when I was leaving to begin my walk. The sun was tepid. I could see a broad greyness to the NNW. Over time, the grey seeped east, and about 10 minutes before I got home I felt a few drops. But, no follow-through/still dry. Expecting a serious storm tomorrow, early evening, however.
Thursday, 9 January 2020
I have tried to embrace the wide-angle mode…mostly I don’t really like the results. This one I do like, however.
And the other side of the same building, albeit from farther away. And not ultra-wide; see, less distortion.
Oh, and a daisy. An overwintering daisy. Sooo weather-tolerant, this kind. Also, not ultra.
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
New-to-me denizen of the neighborhood.
Last-month’s denizens still hanging around.
Flower time. Ornamental red quince?
Monday, 6 January 2020
Not the industrial kind—the botanic kind.
Tree-shape reflects the species and the individual’s growing conditions. This specimen, here in a park without neighbors, is broad and symmetrical…and bigger and more expansive than such oaks typically are, especially in a forest setting.
This one was almost that immense, but no more. Calling all breakdown organisms!
Without a doubt, the light was terrific today, and the sun toasty.
Even these (foliose? squamulose?) lichens were soaking it in.
Saturday, 4 January 2020
What qualifies as weird weather? I’d say today did/does. There was not-rain, rain, then mostly not-rain. And wind developed. Some sunshine—this overplays it. Note the mistletoe infestation in that oak to the right. Wind continues…maybe snow-bits in the mountains overnight. Brrr.
I don’t remember looking this plant up before, probably because I thought I knew the name. But, nooooo. It’s not forsythia (which I knew it wasn’t); it’s not scotch broom (why did I think it was? ignorance!). It is winter jasmine.
Pretty sure.
Wee cow sculptures…a front-yard’s worth.
Friday, 3 January 2020
An almost bud, as in: almost open.
Honeysuckle: wide open. And smelling fine.
All oh-vah.
Thursday, 2 January 2020
Big Bud to Little Bud: “How you?”
Little Bud to Big Bud: “K. How you?”
🤣
Went for my walk earlier than usual, had a hunch the weather would get worse…so I ventured into sprinkles and Seattle-type mist…and accomplished my HR* goals. Can’t say I got my Vitamin D for the day, however.
🤣
* Heart rate.