greenhouse #4

Leaping Lizards! Steel yourselves, these aren't the real things but some pretty amazing metalwork. Maybe I will plant a whole garden of them, the deer would let these beauties be.

greenhouse #3

Coming soon: ivy geranium, asparagus fern and companions. 

Hanging planters are already potted up and filling out their mossy baskets.

greenhouse #2

Emerging...

 

 

Arrived !

midwinter at the greenhouse, the Series

Jolly Lane Greenhouse prepares for spring

Waiting to go to work

Becka and Beth, these "postcards" are for you.

what is going on up There?

On the heels of a snow squall exiting the stage, came lines and swoops and fluffy bits. What the heck was going on up there in the atmosphere. Were human pilots doing "loop the loops", or was Ma Nature being a little giddy? 

She has been throwing snow showers at us about every 15 minutes for the last 2 days. They never amount to much but for a few minutes it looks like the blizzard of the century has finally arrived, and then out comes the sun again.

flotilla on the Creek

Late afternoon, Rapid Creek, February 24, flotilla of American wigeons and mallard friend riding the current downstream. Wigeons are one of my favorite waterfowl, they are handsome creatures and have the oddest "quack". They don't sound like ducks, they sound like some dog's squeaky toy. You know the one that your dog loves to just squeak incessantly till you are ready to go bonkers?

omelette, Anyone?

Plain, with cheese or mushrooms?

sometimes you get get yourself hung Up

after a windy day

Still life with skunkbush sumac and ponderosa pine cone

celebrate Mardi Gras!

Carnevale!

the Twins

August

February

I think that the one on the left is the buck fawn and the smaller, daintier one on the right is the doe. There is definitely a size differential between them now, and their faces have taken on what look like more masculine and feminine characteristics to me.

xqqqqz me, Deer

I am trying to participate in the GBBC (Great Backyard Bird Count) this weekend, however there is no place on the checklist for you. He has changed his "plumage" since you were introduced to him back this August. (yes, I know, the correct term is pelage, not plumage).

just the shadow of a Bluebird

It is my longtime habit to clean out my birdhouses and ready them for the spring nesting season during  the week of my birthday in mid-February.

Our Mountain and Eastern bluebirds usually show up on or about my daughter and son-in-law's birthdays on March 8, which is not so far down the road. 
All is in order to welcome them back North, the bluebirds, that is. The kids are already north, being Minnesotans.
:o)

neighborFish

My neighbors are flying this fish kite/wind sock right in their front yard. I know about flying the fish kites to celebrate Children's Day in Japan, but I didn't know when it happens during the year.

 So, I went looking on Google, just to satisfy my curiosity. Then I found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apFsC4yxgNk. I had never heard of kite fishing, which popped up when I searched for fish kites. I thought it was fascinating, who knew?.

You learn something everyday, and this is a good thing!

a birthday Cake

It's my birthday, I came home to homemade cake! 

Thanks, Sweet Youngest Daughter for the yummy surprise.
Thanks, Sweet Oldest Daughter for your beautiful words.
Thanks Sweet Daughter in the Middle for the birthday song from a small boy.
Who could ask for a better gift than that of gifted daughters and a Kindle?

happy heart Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

a piece of Paper

Betula papyrifera (paper-bearing)

Because of its resistance to water and decomposition, birchbark  has been used as a medium to write on as far back as ancient India where bhurja, the Sanskrit word for birch,  was deemed suitable to contain the text of sacred poems. Several of the oldest existing manuscripts are written on birchbark.

not from Denver

bronco

1850, Amer.Eng., "untamed or half-tamed horse," from Sp. bronco "rough, rude," originally a noun meaning "a knot in wood," perhaps from V.L. *bruncus "a knot, projection," apparently from a cross of L. broccus "projecting" + truncus "trunk of a tree."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper 

 

This critter is from the "rough stock" herd, her job is to send a bareback cowboy sailing. She really looks quite friendly-like waiting for the rodeo to begin.

savannah's Song

Art Class, Friday

a frontside and a Backside

One of my overwintering geraniums decided to throw out a random blossom. I gave it a little fresh air and sunshine the other day when it was in the 60s. Now it is in the 20s, so it is back in its sunny spot in the foyer. It was an end of school gift from a student 3 years ago, so it is a favorite of mine. 

is this her Gander?

Old Mother Goose,

When she wanted to wander,

Would ride through the air

On a very fine gander.

a signature Piece

curlicue (noun): an ornamental, fancy curl or twist as in a signature. Word origin: English,1843. 
curly + cue ( a braid of hair)

This is the signature of woodbine in the winter.

the moth and the Turkey

Phalaenopsis or Moth orchid

As I was rearranging photos in my Photoshop files, the computer serendipitously put these two side by side.

If there ever was a random Beauty and the Beast kind of deal, this might just be it.

pussycat, pussycat, what do you See?

what would it Take

To get you to climb on the back of one of these beasts, come out of the chute and hang on for a mere 7 second ride? Not enough money in any bank that I know of to convince me to accept their invitation for a dance in the arena!

Groundhog Day!

Johnny Chuck, illustration by Harrison Cady, circa 1914

Happy Groundhog Day to my siblings, and my daughters who know just who Johnny Chuck is!

some Folks

are just a little more serious about barn chores than others.