Mystery solved: the something growing is round summer squash, and we picked our first one today. There’s still one more to follow from that plant and several more to follow from surrounding plants, albeit different variations. Zucchini looks to be up next to ripen with some plain yellow squash right behind. Well, I think it’s plain squash; we ate the spaghetti version not too long ago, so only time will tell.
It seemed my amaryllis bulbs bloomed early this year. When searching for the reason and normal bloom months, I came across something more interesting; apples sterilize amaryllis bulbs. I knew not to store onions with potatoes because the potatoes would sprout and spoil early, but bulbs were a staple in our mini-fridge for a couple years without a thought as to what should or should not be stored next to them.
An absolutely ridiculous effort because my garden is in South Florida, there are no more bulbs in the mini-fridge to worry about. I’ve happily accepted amaryllis and rain lilies as the two sole bulbs that can survive the heat. Rain lilies are summer bulbs; the amaryllis are turning into true spring bulbs.
Both bulbs came with the house. They didn’t bloom the first year, a combination of John-gone-wild with weed-killer and my transplanting everything in site to my liking. I read after yanking them up that amaryllis don’t transplant well. Luckily, mine did just fine. The first wave bloomed in time for Mother’s Day and the next year for Easter.
Even though they fill the aisles at Christmas, those two years had me believing they were Spring-holiday bulbs blooming in either April or May. Now looking back at pictures, they bloomed in March last year too. My research found that the flowering season is a long window; they could pop up anytime from late December through June. I’m attributing the March blooms to warmer winters over the past two years.
The apple-effect has to be attributed to ethylene. Ethylene is a gas produced by plants that can affect other plants. Like a plant super-power, it can signal germination, kill petals, change the color of leaves, and so I have to assume, sterilize amaryllis bulbs too. A gas leak in 1901 led to the discovery that ethylene affected plant growth, but it took three more decades for scientists to realize that plants actually produced ethylene.
I don’t know what, but something’s growing. It came from our compost, so there are several possibilities. My first impression was zucchini, but it’s looking a bit bulbous for that now. My hope is acorn squash, although it doesn’t have the signature ridges of an acorn squash…yet? Maybe it’s summer squash…enormous zucchini? Whatever it is, the guessing is more fun than the waiting.
My family in New York will be feasting on over 12 dozen wings tonight in celebration of my grandmother’s 90th birthday and my uncle’s 61st birthday. Of course, a much grander celebration is to follow this summer. Ninety years is quite an achievement, and her guest list keeps ticking up. There may actually be two parties at this point to accommodate everyone.
But if Queen Elizabeth can celebrate her birthday twice, why can’t my grandmother? She may not have millions of loyal subjects, but she does have five children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren with a sixth on the way. She’s raised a strong brood of men and women, and we’ll all be thanking her throughout the year.
To kick off the celebration, the family is headed to a pub in Danbury, Connecticut that offers one free wing for every year you’ve been alive. That’s 151 wings between my grandmother and uncle to get them started! Wish I could be there, but sadly I can only send virtual hugs and kisses and use my imagination…
I borrowed these photos from chicken wing eating contests. The total birthday wings brings them almost half way to the world record…although my grandmother alone would have to slide them down in under 15 minutes. The winner of the Wing Bowl XX, Takeru Kobayasi, ate 337 wings in a half-hour! Get out your headbands, it’s going to be hot tonight. Happy birthday!
Because today is the 21st day of the 3rd month, it is World Down Syndrome Day. Some clever person came up with this idea and day to represent the 3 copies of chromosome 21; also known as trisomy 21, it is the chromosomal condition that causes Down syndrome.
Lucky for our family, we have reason to celebrate today. You know her from this blog; she is the current Bashaw Elementary Student-of-the-Month; and she’s never forgiven Luke for chewing off Woody’s hand. She’s Ella!
We spent the evening on Lido Beach eating cupcakes, drinking sangria, chasing birds, learning to skim board, looking for the green flash in the sunset, and celebrating Ella. She’s well worth it. And instead of pointing out something that makes her different because she has Down syndrome, I’d rather point out something that makes her just like every other kid – partly to emphasize that she is no different and shouldn’t be treated as such but also because I’m her aunt and it was just plain cute. My brother Bobby did the same thing at her age. In fact, I can’t remember one picture of him not hovering the classic bunny ears over someone’s head. Little brothers are always good targets, so Doodlebop Dylan was the bunny tonight.
And here we are trying to light the candles…
LOL for trying so hard. The candles lit, but the wind kept beating Dylan to his repeated plea of, “Mommy, can I blow out the candles?” Not tonight, Doodlebop, not tonight.
Happy World Down Syndrome Day! If you’d like to get involved or donate, visit www.manasotabuds.org.
Our necks are green from the combination of cheap beads and sweat, but I haven’t had so much fun at a parade since probably age eight. We spent the day on Anna Maria Island and were lucky enough to happen upon their St. Patrick’s Day parade on our way home. The onlookers were as fun to watch as the floats.
My feet were tapping to the bagpipes and marching bands as John was lifting his shirt up to get more beads. A la Mardi Gras, his method worked. It was raining beads to the point that the old lady next to us got clocked in the face with a strand.
Both an elephant and Saint Patrick himself marched, and when St. Patrick passed, the group next to us started shouting, “Pray for us, Saint Patrick!”
Although the traditional parade fare of bands and floats were well represented, there was some uniquely Floridian flair mixed throughout. This alligator was tied to the top of a golf cart…there were lots of golf carts.
This last float had me curious. Turns out the jail was built in 1927 to hold rowdy bar patrons over night until they had time to sober up and settle down. The walls are still standing in the backyard of the Anna Maria Historical Society. But the more interesting fact my curiosity led to is that Anna Maria Island was basically built from the Fig Newton. Although Charles Emerson Bean was the first person to build a home and settle on the island, it wasn’t developed until almost 20 years later when his son partnered with Charles Roser in 1911. Roser invented the Fig Newton and sold his business to the company now known as Nabisco. He then started the Anna Maria Beach Company with George Wilhelm Bean and this quaint beach community was born.
And one more bonus for the day, we saw dolphins from the pier. Life was good today.
I see the woodpeckers, and I definitely hear the woodpeckers, but it’s rare I capture a picture. They’re like shy children that hide behind their mothers’ legs. Every time I get the camera in place, the woodpecker scoots behind whatever tree or telephone pole it’s pecking. But today a Downey woodpecker let me snap away, and since I’m not a big birder, it was a new spotting to me.
Initially I thought it was a baby Red-bellied woodpecker. They visit the garden fairly regularly and have similarly patterned wings, but something about its head wasn’t right. There was no red patch on its crown, and there were dominant black and white stripes on its face and head. Turns out the bird was a female Downey woodpecker. Downeys are much smaller than the average woodpecker and also one of the most common, which is probably why she was so tolerant of my interest.
Don Juan Rose
Tis the season for roses. Mine are blooming and so are Mable’s. My sister stopped by the Ringling Museum last week and said the rose garden is in full bloom. We live in South Florida, so roses bloom year-round, but Spring brings them all at once. If you’re in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, take a stroll through. With 1,200 rose bushes planted in a circular maze, Mable’s garden is something to see and smell. Plus the museum offers free admission on Mondays. 
Blue Moon Rose
