Tales from the Microbial Laboratory

~a few hours spent with camellias~

2013-03-02T20:22:55-05:00

~~~~~

I spent a few hours this afternoon with Skip, my 90-something year old obsessed camellia-growing friend. It was cold this afternoon - and the sun was shining as I started out to his place, but by the time I got there clouds had rolled in and it was windy and quite a bit colder. We first wandered an area he calls 'the hideaway' where he has camellias in pots that he uses for propagation - there's always a mix of new and old in there, and always something in bloom that I've never seen. Camellia japonica 'General Coletti' and 'Powderpuff' were two new ones from today. I hope to get back to his place in two weeks, during my spring break from teaching my undergraduate course.

~~~~~

~a sweet azalea flower~

2013-03-02T09:22:21-05:00

I've got the name of this azalea somewhere - it's a sweet one, with flowers that are smaller than formosas, but not as small as the older varieties (which I love). Each year, when it first starts to bloom (and unfortunately it's a bit hidden) - I'm reminded of how beautiful it is, and that I should propagate it so that I can plant a few more in the garden. Last year I missed it (while living in northern Virginia) - so it has been extra special to see it this year.

Star Magnolia, Unfurling.

2013-03-01T23:10:56-05:00

This year things have been a bit strange in the garden - early, yes - but also a bit unpredictable. My spring-flowering magnolia 'Jane' always blooms after my star magnolia - which is often the first to brave the still-chilly weather (often when there is still a risk of freezing temperatures). But this year 'Jane' popped out first, followed by my star magnolia. To add to the strangeness: a few hydrangeas never lost their leaves, and my fall-blooming salvia, Salvia puberula "Hidalgo" is still blooming away, a bit crazily.

I missed spring in my garden last year - I was here for about six days in March but that was all. It is so nice being here again, and watching it wake up.

~playing with chard~

2013-02-28T22:46:35-05:00

Pam

~swiss chard, Out-of-Focus~

2013-02-26T22:17:47-05:00

~swiss chard~

~~~~~

My daily 'camera time' is often early evening, before sunset, when I let the dogs outside for a good run. They're busy - chasing each other, chasing anything, chasing everything - while I usually find something random that I chase with my camera - the edge of a leaf, a color, tiny hairs on the tip of a Salvia hidalgo. Last year while living in the DC area I purchased a new Nikon - and more recently purchased a new macro lens that has been hard for me to get used to, much less master. But I'm letting go of the desire to have a perfect image in perfect focus, and instead I'm enjoying the chase, like my dogs always do.

My current chase? To see how many ways I can photograph swiss chard. Soon it will be gone (gone = sauteed) and I'll move on to something else.

~~~~~

The Three Chards

2013-02-24T22:53:37-05:00

Pam

Life with Chard

2013-02-23T09:33:17-05:00

Pam

Annabelle Lee and Blue (aka Dog-with-the-Unruly-Ears)

2013-02-20T23:35:41-05:00

~a rare pause in the life of a Pointer and her Coonhound Admirer~

~~~~~

Many of you who have followed this blog for any length of time are familiar with Annabelle Lee, one of the infamous members of the The Pointer Sisters duo. Annabelle Lee was a "birthday gift" from a good friend - an 8 or 9 or 10 year old English pointer who had most likely (due to her injuries) been a hunt club dog, used for breeding since she was scared of loud noises. She is now at least 12, maybe 13 (God-forbid 14) - and in amazing running shape (and curled up beside me as I type this).

Annabelle Lee has a new admirer, the long-bodied, long-earred mostly blue tick coonhound, Blue.... aka Puppy. Blue was my 'test' dog for whether I was capable of 'fostering' a dog. I failed the test, needless to say (and to no surprise for those who know me). Puppy is no longer very puppy-like: he can outrun the Pointer Sisters and well, he adores them. Unabashedly.

I've always loved hounds - and while Blue is a lover of pointers, he is quite different from them, starting with...

...his unruly ears.

They're always in the way, almost always flipped over, and, well, goofy-looking. His right ear is particularly goofy, and often seems to be a bit... off.

When they are not flipped over, however, Blue is quite the handsome, Pointer-Sister-admiring, three-legged-cat-pestering, ball-fetching, mostly-coonhound failed foster puppy - meaning, he fits in just fine.

~~~~~

~Annabelle Lee and THE DAN, with their hound~

~~~~~

My Mother's Birthday

2013-02-17T16:20:12-05:00

~my Parents wedding~

My parents were the first couple to get married in this church, the Evergreen Church of the Brethren in Greene County, Virginia. My Mother is now buried there, in a double gravestone with my Father's name also engraved, with only the day of his death missing. Both of their parents are buried in this cemetery as well as several grandparents, siblings and other extended family. My Father, for many years after her passing, took flowers from her garden and placed on her grave, on his future grave. For awhile now he hasn't remembered birthdays or special days, and that is fine - and I'm grateful that such days no longer bring him sadness. I suppose that is the upside of dementia (perhaps the only one).

Today is my Mother's birthday, a day that has become a bit sad since her passing almost five years ago. She would have turned 79 today - a feisty 79 I'm guessing. I never quite know what to do with myself on this day - so I did what I know how to do best, and what my Mom knew how to do best - I planted daffodil bulbs. Yes, it's late - but they'll be fine.

A few of the views of my Mother's daffodils and her garden:

Gardens are sure wonderful things - they provide joy, comfort and more.

~View from the cemetery at the Evergreen Church of the Brethren~

Camellia X 'Egao Corkscrew'

2013-01-27T23:13:13-05:00

~Camellia X 'Egao Corkscrew'~

~~~~~

My friend Skip has given me a number of camellia's over the years, gifts as I'm leaving his place after several hours of roaming around his hundreds of camellias (I arrive bringing something sweet, and preferably chocolate - and leave taking away something camellia). He is always propagating camellias - and has them at almost every stage of rooting.

During my visit last summer, he gave me the camellia cross that has the distinct 'corkscrew' branching pattern - along with double, pink flowers. Mine is still small, not quite a foot tall yet - but it's doing well and I can't wait to get it in the ground and watch it grow. Skip told me to keep it in the pot for awhile longer, and so I will.

Another camellia that he showed me during my last visit was Camellia X 'Cinnamon Scentsation'. I'm not sure that Skip is propagating this one yet, so I might have to get it the old-fashioned way (by purchasing it). His had such a wonderful fragrance - and I tend to like the single flowers the best.