Yard Piddling » 2006» August

Archive for August, 2006

Lunch is on me

Tuesday, August 29th, 2006

Come alone or bring the whole family.

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I don’t think I am all that competitive, but …

Tuesday, August 29th, 2006

I WIN! Now how to bring this to the attention of my neighbor?*

This Hibiscus bloom is 5 inches across and it is somewhat cupped. If it flattens out more it will be 6 or maybe 7 inches. This is one of the special plants I bought at the Mobile Flea Market last month. I have tried it in a couple of places in the yard and I think I have found its home.
	Here is another Hibiscus, a few feet away in my flower box. The blooms are lovely but apparently too heavy for the stem. The plant can’t seem to hold them up. I’m afraid that if I give it something for follage I will interrupt its blooming. Oh, what to do? * Remember when I announced my neighbor’s rose a winner, here?

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Cicadas’ 17 year resurrection
Friday

Friday, August 25th, 2006

They entered my yard from an unexpected direction. They then left their underground persona behind and gathered for a reunion. My first clue was the noise from the party in the foliage. I suspected an orgy. I guess if I had been celibate for 17 years I would party too.

Want to see a Cicada coming out of its shell, or just read more about them, take a look at Cicada Mania and Bug Beat

	me:	I’m just a fat old man.
	Jeanne:	No, you’re not, you’re bald too!

Posted in Just Livng | 2 Comments »

Remember this snake
Sunday

Sunday, August 20th, 2006

Remember this snake from Tuesday’s post. I asked about its identity on the e-Naturalist site and this is the reply from Solon.

“This is a juvenile Black Racer. Young racers are distinctly patterned — saddles on top alternating with spots on the sides, with large eyes. After several years, by about twenty inches in length, the pattern fades and they become entirely black or dark gray on top. Young Eastern Coachwhips (a related species also found in Alabama) look similar, but with a more obscure banding pattern rather than distinct saddles on top and spots on the side.

Racers are harmless snakes — they eat rodents, birds, eggs, and other reptiles and amphibians. They are not constrictors — they will hold their prey with a body loop, but do not suffocate it before swallowing.

An adult may grow to be five feet long. They are surprisingly alert and “jumpy”, and quite fast as well. Although the bite is superficial, racers will usually strike if cornered and bite if handled. They are active during the day, and (unlike many other snakes) rely primarily on vision in finding prey. I’ve seen them chase down and eat recently fledged birds that could fly perhaps 10 feet at a time — the snake follows along underneath until the bird becomes too tired to fly any more. It is an amazing feat for a snake!

Hope this helps.”
Solon

It does, and thanks a lot.
Gary

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Do you believe ?
Saturday

Saturday, August 19th, 2006

It’s the same bug, I combined two photos. This idea is from a cartoon Jeanne did a long time ago and now tells me it was 1974 not 1964, after I did the graphic. I should’a asked. The original was a hand drawing by her for me on a textbook cover turned inside out. I was in school at the time. I was actually in school in ‘64 and ‘74, so an easy mistake on my part. And, yes, I am that old.

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Gimme a kiss
Wednesday

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006

” … and a really big hug. Some people may think I
resemble a snap dragon but I think I am much prettier, don’t you? Actually I am a Torenia and I am very much at home in partial shade. I am sometimes called the Bluewings or Wishbone Flower. Deadheading is not necessary (Ouch, don’t even think about it) and if happy I may self-seed. Hee-hee.”

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Look at the head on these
Wednesday

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006

I always pinch the coleus flowers off, i.e. deadhead, but here is someone with a different approach. Interesting. So, I got to thinking how else you could treat them and found this “creating a coleus standard” article at “Garden Gate Magazine“. And if you want to do a little more reading here is some coleus history.

My Kong Coleus from Wal-Mart

Look at the size of these leaves.

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Intelligent design or happenstance?
Wednesday

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006


	Remember this little fellow. I thought he had a sad clown face, Jeanne thinks it looks like a mouse. Surprise! There are 4 of him. Surprise again! They are so regularly placed that it makes happenstance hard to believe. And, these are the only ones I could find in the entire 50 foot long planter. Intelligent design or happenstance? I didn’t plant them. Did you?

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Fire in the sky
Snake in the grass
Tuesday

Tuesday, August 15th, 2006

Last evening the sky was almost a solid orange, and really bright. However by the time I took this photo the effect was just near the horizon but looked like a fire consuming the earth.

Last Saturday-a-week-ago I disturbed this young snake by Mom’s back patio. Mom said "Kill it, kill it", but I saw no need. I am currently trying to identify it, maybe a brown water snake.

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My favorite dish for lunch, and a steak too
Monday

Monday, August 14th, 2006


Jeanne and I had Longhorn’s ribeye steak for lunch. Delicious! We saved half our steaks and ordered an extra potato to take home to Kurt. We were going to get him a sub but decided to share the steak. We are a sharing couple and will see a movie a second time just to experience it with the other, for instance: after one of us visits an eating-out, theater-going, crazed sister at the Villages in Florida. Hint: not me.
	Last Week: Could not keep my eyes and hands off this. This is the steak I had last Friday. Jeanne and Kurt went to the Chinese buffet but I missed the connection. Instead, I had a late lunch at our relatively new Longhorn restaurant. I liked it so much that I invited Jeanne there for lunch today.
	Today: Could not keep my eyes off this, especially the blouse. Since her cataract surgery Jeanne often does not wear glasses. Her distance vision is greatly improved, however she is still going to need glasses for the computer.
	Soon: Couldn’t hardly believe my eyes. What is this across the parking lot from Longhorn? It’s our new Olive Garden and look how far along it has come . Hard to believe they just started construction. Well, you can’t dally when there is money to be made. Looks like they are going to get some of mine (I mean Jeanne’s).
We can hardly wait for some good Americanized Italian food. I’m sure even you anxiously await pictures of us and the great meals we’ll enjoy. I’ll try not to disappoint you.

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Doesn’t want to be homeless trash
Monday

Monday, August 14th, 2006

It is so obvious that this little weed wants to be respectable. I noticed it this morning as I was pulling other weeds and grass from my flower bed. I think I will let it be and see what becomes of it. The blooms seem to have two yellow eyes over a sad mouth with really big ears.

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Early morning vigil
Monday

Monday, August 14th, 2006


Took the garbage out this morning and took a look around with camera in hand, well, on tripod. The morning is my favorite time to take pictures because of the light and the plants’ low stress levels. The evening would be second, because of the light. The “wondering jew” and its blooms are very loyal to each other. The blooms come out in the morning and then withdraw into the cupped, protective leaves. Not at all like the purple glory tree (below) which drops its flowers on a regular basis for the next young blossom. The tramp. Don’t you like those yellow flowers on the … What is the name of that plant? Anyway, I got it at the Mobile flee market a week ago, or there abouts. Now what is the name of that plant. I wrote it down, duh. Now where is that piece of paper.

I worked on my new gerber- daisy bed last week, the one around the lamp post. I am digging up the grass in squares for transplanting because it is really thick and healthy here. I am about 1/4 the way around the circle but am now thinking about stopping half way around, or a little more. I would put something taller in the back half for a tiered look from the road.
	Maybe something like these coleuses I bought in Mobile Saturday-a-week-ago. They are the sun-tolerant type. I also bought several other plants and took numerous pictures but somehow never posted. I need to do a catch-up post.
		The purple glory tree I planted in July is doing great. It really likes its new home and has bloomed every day.
		I noticed this rose in my north-neighbor’s yard, right on the property line, right in my face. Of course I like it, but “trumpted again”.

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Old and wrinkled but still hot
Monday

Monday, August 14th, 2006

Yes old and wrinkled but still hot, like the red pepper in this photo. I put 4 of these ornamental peppers in my flower box, not because they contribute to the overall theme but just because I like them. Reminds me a lot of me, even the ornamental part.

I was in the yard a lot last week. School’s out and each day was hot, between 92 and 98. As old and wrinkled as I am (maybe not so wrinkled, my skin is tight) I should not have worked that much in the hot sun although I do try to take frequent breaks and often wear a hat. One more week off and guess what? Each day is supposed to be in the 90’s, the whole week, again! Global warming is gonna hurt, regardless of what causes it [I’m avoiding an argument with my son Kevin. Every time I say “global warming” he says “cyclic, not polution”. Well, one on top of the other is going to be even worst!]

For our Canadian friends: If you end up with a longer season and a milder planting-zone, OK, but I don’t want to hear any cheering.

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Campus stroll
Thursday

Thursday, August 3rd, 2006


A beautiful day, so I walked to lunch, i.e. to Subway, and then leisurely strolled back to my office. It was really a good-feeling-time. The USM campus atmosphere is wonderful, peaceful, and serene. I have been on campus 21 years and have never witnessed a fight or even an argument (although I am sure there have been some, had to have been, don’t you think).

I see a lot of one-armed people on campus these days, as in the left photo. Seems to be a trend related to the slow-acceleration trend at traffic lights. During class change I often see 50% of the students on cell phones. More and more they are using the hands-free, in-the-ear phones. Looks really strange with so many people walking around apparently talking to themselves. It is getting hard to spot the professors.