Monthly Archives: June 2010

X is for Xerophytes

Posted by Lesley on June 30, 2010 4 comments

I’ve written about my epiphytes in past posts, and thanks to ABC Wednesday and the 1997 edition of The Merriam-Webster Dictionary that sits on my nightstand, I’m ready to write about my Xerophytes.  Epiphytes, such as the ball moss in the grapefruit tree, are plants that survive with no soil.  Xerophytes, most commonly cacti and succulents, are plants that survive with hardly any water.  Bromeliads are another example, except I don’t have any of those.  Here’s a Xerophyte I do have:

It’s the tall spiky succulent in the back.  It’s commonly known as Milk barrel and formally known as Euphorbia horrida.  Every rose has its thorn, but in this case, the two are one in the same.  The spikes are left behind when the flower finishes blooming.  I’m looking forward to seeing it bloom; the spikes are pink.        

Tomatoes Need Their Space

Posted by Lesley on June 28, 2010 None comments

Here’s this morning’s yield of Grape tomatoes:

Pretty paltry!  But it’s okay because there are more to come.  The other bite-sized varieties we’ve grown have all started annoyingly slow – a tomato here, two tomatoes there – and then they all come in at once.

These were once the tiny tomato seedlings I bought at the Phillippi Farmhouse Market – three for a dollar.  I expect to get my money’s worth!  Two plants ended up in the ground, and one ended up in a pot.  I planned on putting the potted plant into the ground but never got around to it.  I assumed those tomatoes would be smaller, just not teeny.  They’re closer in size to raisins over grapes!

Hands Across the Sand ~ Siesta Key

Posted by Lesley on June 27, 2010 None comments

We had already planned a sunny Saturday at the beach when we heard about Hands Across the Sand on the news. 

For fifteen minutes, between 12 and 12:15, people joined hands to protest offshore drilling.  It would have been neat to see an arial view of Florida at about 12:10.  Check out this map to see how many beaches statewide participated.

We’re among the lucky residents; the Gulf of Mexico we know is still pristine and oil-free…for how long?  We don’t know.  My mother didn’t think my last BP post was completely appropriate, but I’m angry and a little FU here and there isn’t the worst thing in the world.  I’m expressing myself, mom!  At least it was a well-deserved FU.  BP took chances they didn’t have to take.  They risked wildlife, livlihoods and lifestyles.  I am angry, and I am heartbroken over this oil spill.  I’ve lived 10 minutes away from Siesta Key Beach for over 15 years.  The sand wins awards regularly for being the whitest sand in the world.  It’s 99% quartz and blindingly white.  I took my sunglasses off yesterday to take a swim.  I felt like a bear fresh from hibernation seeing the sun for the first time; my left eye would not fully open!  For all of you land lovers living away from the shores, where this oil spill will inevidibly become yesterday’s news, this is what’s at risk – the whitest sand in the world turning black.

W is for Wine Bottles, Wire Hangers and Waiting

Posted by Lesley on June 25, 2010 6 comments

Sorry to make you Wait.  Let’s just pretend it’s Wednesday since my Wednesday felt more like a Monday and my Week felt more like a month, Which in my Weird World makes this post right on time.  I’ve finally figured out the Wine Bottle Waterer.  It can be made from 100% recycled materials – Wine bottles (or vodka bottles as recommended by vodkaandgroundbeef) and Wire hangers.  

First, unscrew the top of the hanger.

Just hold the base of the hanger and pull the hook around.  It unwraps in seconds.  The hook, with a slight modification, will hold the neck of the bottle in place.  Either squeeze with your hands or use plyers to tighten the hook around the neck of the bottle.

Then you need to wrap the body of the bottle.  Follow the curve of the hanger.  One corner of the hanger will meet up with the bottom of the bottle.

From here, you’ll wrap the wire back up to the top of the bottle and thread the wire underneath where the original hook is around the neck.

Again, follow the curve of the hanger.  The opposite corner, pressed together, will form the stake.  And after the stake forms, the two squiggly pieces of wire will meet up again.  The wires will catch on each other at the squiggly parts; use the pliers to twist the end and secure in place.    

That’s it, but here are a couple tips I learned along the way: Save your cork.  It’s much easier to control the water flow by poking holes in the cork than by measuring out marbles.  Although the marbles make a clear bottle look much prettier.  The second tip is to buy Lucky Duck chardonnay.  It only costs about $4 at Walmart, and when you flip the bottle upside down, the lucky duck turns right side up!

Lazy Summer

Posted by Lesley on June 22, 2010 None comments

Mowing your lawn is completely overrated this time of year.

 

Why would you want to miss out on the Zephyranthes?  A.K.A. Rain lilies, some bulbs produce seed pods instead of flowers.  As the pod opens, the paper-thin seeds fly everywhere from the garden beds to the grass.   

I’ve spent hours digging and corralling them to certain areas - what a waste of time!  You’ll never get them to stay put, and I don’t know why I ever bothered.  Now instead of grabbing the shovel, I grab my camera and enjoy the surprise.   

Baby Boom

Posted by Lesley on June 20, 2010 None comments

Babes abound in the garden lately.  I started noticing after finding this egg shell under the grapefruit tree:

To give you an idea of the egg’s truly tiny size, here it is next to an Eggland’s Best large egg.

Although the egg doesn’t seem tiny enough to be a lizard egg, in the few days since finding it, I’ve been spotting itty-bitty lizards everywhere.  They’re surprisingly cute with their bright eyes and stumpy little bodies.  This one is only about two inches from head to tail.

Check out those toes!  She reminds me of my black lab when he was a puppy.  Everyone used to say, “Oh boy, look at those paws!”  Bobo grew to be a hundred pounds.  Going off those two snaggle-toes in the hind, Little Liz’ should grow to be ten grams at least!

V is for Vines

Posted by Lesley on June 16, 2010 4 comments

I didn’t think I’d ever find a V in the garden.  I was working on something more abstract for this week’s ABC Wednesday post when I passed the sweet potato Vine, then the bleeding heart Vine…

…then my favorite Vine, Confederate Jasmine.

When blooming in Spring, the jasmine is covered in tiny white flowers, but the smell is by far its best feature.  It’s a neighborhood favorite, Valued for its hardiness and drought-resistance.  The only other scent that can possibly compare wafts from a giant orchid tree on the corner.   

My sentiments exactly…FU BP

Posted by Lesley on June 14, 2010 3 comments

A friend of mine just returned from Louisiana; need I say more?

A Succulent Sunrise

Posted by Lesley on June 13, 2010 None comments

My sunrise plant is in bloom. 

Also known as Anacampseros telephiastrum variegata, the common name must be derrived from its hot pink hues because it doesn’t start blooming until the afternoon.   

I’m partial to the plant’s hot pink colored rosettes; I once had an apartment that color. 

Update

Posted by Lesley on June 10, 2010 2 comments

The wine bottle waterer from a wire hanger is still a work in progress…

I didn’t photograph the broken glass on the back patio – oops!  But it’s soooooo close; a final prototype should be posted soon.  First I need to pick up my dry cleaning.