ABC Wednesday: Utterly Ordinary Plants

This week we have come to the letter U, which is for Ubiquitous . . .

. . . as in the Ubiquitous Stella d'Oro daylily.

Stellas can be seen everywhere these days in commericial plantings, from the curb in front of a business to even the drive-through at the local McDonald's. As a result, many gardeners refuse to plant these lovely lilies. It's too bad, really, because I love these plants! In fact, I even wrote a poem about them in a post last summer. They are easy to grow, bloom all summer, and provide an attractive green foliage when they're not blooming.



The problem with them in commercial landscaping that I can see is that they are often planted by themselves or are not taken care of properly. Sometimes you will see mass plantings of these lilies, but they look best when used as a border in front of other taller plants or interspersed in a variety of plants. It's easy to see why businesses might plant so many of these, because they are so easy to maintain. But they do need to be divided every few years; otherwise they become straggly and less attractive. My Stellas will be dug up next spring and divided, to be shared with the daughters-in-law.

Another plant that is becoming ubiquitous as well is the Knockout Rose. This is also understandable--this rose is so easy to grow! I had no intention of growing roses when I first started gardening several years ago, but my daughters gave me two of these as a birthday gift that year. I was appreciative and found room in the flowerbed for them, but I was very doubtful I could keep them alive. Five years later these beauties are still going strong, surviving sub-zero Illinois winters, drought, yearly attacks by voracious Japanese beetles, and two clumsy transplantings. They don't need special rose food, cones during the winter, or careful pruning. While their flowers are not as spectacular or fragrant as the hybrid tea roses, they're the perfect rose for a non-fussy gardener like me.

And who doesn't recognize the common geranium? Several years ago I was reading an article about container planting in which the writer expressed his disdain for the ubiquitous geraniums and vinca vines stuck in pots. Mea culpa. I've since learned a lot about container planting and experiment each year with new varieties of plants and new combinations. But there will always be room somewhere for these tried-and-true beauties.

There is a reason these plants are seen everywhere. They all provide long-lasting blooms with a minimum of fuss. Another ubiquitous flower I've omitted is the petunia; other than the wave petunias, though, I don't plant these anymore. But the three I've listed here are flowers that will always be seen in my garden, even if they are "ordinary."

The saguaro cactus is a plant not seen outside of the Sonoran Desert area but is certainly ubiquitous in Arizona, which is where I've been for the past week. I've had little time for blogging while here (most of this post was written quickly before I left), but I've taken lots of pictures and will have much to share with you when I return. And I hope to catch up with everyone's posts this weekend.

ABC Wednesdays are brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt's Place and the ABC Anthology.

ABC Wednesday: Tales from Toby

This week we have come to the letter T, which is perfect timing for my guest host today . . .

. . . Toby!

Good morning, everyone. Let me introduce myself; my name is Toby. The woman you know as Prairie Rose has asked me to fill in for her today as she is flying off to Phoenix, Arizona this afternoon to visit her daughter, my former personal assistant. I was more than happy to oblige as it has been some time since I have had access to this blog. Some of you may recall that I wrote a previous post in June when the Woman was feeling rather harried. If you would like to know something of my life history, you may want to peruse that article; otherwise, I will not bore you today with redundant details of my personal background.

The Woman will not return home for a week, and during her absence she has asked me to assume responsibility for running the household here. A wise choice, I believe, as the Man is rather lax about household duties, and the Young Woman who also lives here has no concept of them whatsoever. The Woman has tidied up and assured that all was in proper order before leaving, fortunately, including taking a few photographs of yours truly to illustrate this article.

I must admit this is a rather flattering portrait; however, I have tactfully suggested to the Woman that she enroll in a photography class to understand the concept of reflection through a window.

During the Woman's absence my major duty will be to supervise the Man and instruct him in proper methods as necessary. Laundry is not a cumbersome chore here, but nevertheless I no doubt will have to assist the Man in the proper settings of the laundering appliances.

Usually the Man depends on the Woman for instructions on the rare occasions he uses these appliances. Apparently, the Man was discharged from this duty some time before my arrival at the household. I prefer not to spread unsubstantiated stories, but I did overhear the Woman conversing one day that this dismissal had something to do with "shrinkage" and an occasion when "white underwear turned pink."

While I do not cook, my services may be called upon in the kitchen as well. The Man is capable of opening cans of soup and pushing buttons on the microwave, but I may have to point out to him the storage place for my gourmet dinners. The Man will survive, but I certainly hope I do not have to dine on that rather bland concoction called "Meow Mix" the entire time the woman is gone.

The Young Woman will need to be reminded of folding and storing her clean apparel. She has a rather nasty habit of taking clothes directly from the clothes basket to wear, or on occasion even buying new garments to replace ones she has misplaced. She will prove much more of a challenge than the Man.

Another rather tedious task I may be called upon to perform is entertaining the Young Woman's pet, whom she aptly named Coconut. Although I enjoy my hours of solitude for quiet contemplation, the canine needs frequent human stimulation to avoid lethargy or worse yet, falling into periods of depression. Fortunately, he is easily amused and an occasional mindless game of tag with me will probably suffice. It is unfortunate that he does not have a higher intellectual capacity so that we could engage in something more mentally stimulating. Nonetheless, I have promised to assist in whatever way I can, and I am a man of my word.

Egads, where did this photo come from? Does the Woman have no shame?! You would think a man could perform his toilette in privacy! Let us move on quickly...

The Man may also require some technological assistance in using the computer. Although he is quite adept at playing various games of cards, he is completely illiterate in other software applications. Currently, he spends several hours each day perfecting his strategy at Solitaire, as he has been recuperating for several weeks from a foot injury. The Woman did repeatedly ask him to accompany her on this trip--as did the Young Woman--but I suspect that she is secretly glad to have some time away from him. Likewise, the Man, I believe, is happy to have some respite from the daily chore lists and constant reminders that the Woman gives him.

I doubt that the Man will have any occasion to use the printer/copier, but I am quite adept at using it if the need arises. The Woman was quite surprised when I demonstrated my capabilities for her one day; I think she frequently underestimates my mental capacity.

The extra duties that I must take on during this period should not be too time-consuming and should allow me adequate time for my usual pursuits. I enjoy bird-watching from my favorite easy chair and have spent many a pleasant afternoon engaged in this activity. The large picture window also affords the perfect view of the driveway: if by chance, a motor car with some of the young Humans who often visit here drives up the lane, I have ample time to retreat to one of my secret places of seclusion. The young Humans mean well, I suppose, but they tend to be a rather rambunctious lot that disturb my quiet repose.

Evenings are often spent with the Man. A pre-dinner or post-dinner nap tends to aid in digestion, we have found. Afterwards, a few hours of television viewing often provide an entertaining diversion. I do hope the Man selects The History Channel or Discovery Channel; his predilection towards old Western movies or American football games are not quite my taste. However, either of those is preferable to the usual fare of "Law and Order" re-runs. One would think he would have memorized every episode by now.

Although I did state I would not discuss my background again, I did want to make one correction in my personal history. I erroneously stated in my last post that I was of Siamese heritage. However, a recent trip to the veteraniarian's office revealed that my heritage is actually Himalayan. This was a pleasant surprise. I am a faithful practitioner of the art of Zen, and I like to think that my ancestors may have preceded me in this pursuit, perhaps even studying at the feet of the Dalai Lama himself.

The week will go by quickly, and I am sure that all will go smoothly while the Woman is away. I am very pleased to have made your acquaintance and to have had this opportunity to spend some time with you through this enigma called cyberspace. Before I leave, the Woman has asked me to inform you that she may not be able to visit your journals while she is away, but she will catch up when she returns. I, in turn, will do my utmost to repond to all of your comments and queries if computer access and time allows.

I would also be remiss if I did not remind you that the ABC Wednesday posting is sponsored by a delightful woman named Mrs. Nesbitt and her colleagues at the ABC Wednesday Anthology.

Until we meet again . . .

Respectfully yours,

Toby, Esq.

December Muse Day: The First Snowfall

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village, though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

---Robert Frost

I have loved the poems of Robert Frost since I was first introduced to them in junior high, and this poem is my all-time favorite. The last four lines have always seemed to be the mantra of my life.

I hadn't planned on using this poem today, thinking it would be a good one to save for January or February when we were knee-deep in snow and opportunities for good snow pictures would be plentiful. But I awoke this morning to a surprising scene . . .

The first snow of the year fell during the night, creating a scene that was Christmas card perfect.

Despite the color camera, the landscape was a study of contrasts in black and white.


Just yesterday Husband mowed the lawn, and the helichrysum, left in the container for winter interest, was still alive.

Coneflowers now wear their winter hats.

The autumn pumpkins sport more than just frost.

No drinking from the birdbath for now.

Roco's memorial: A blanket of white keeps my dear

pet warm in his resting place.

While the living find the first snow the perfect playground.

The pine branches bow with the extra weight . . .

. . .covered with the perfect Christmas decoration.

The flowering crab is tinted pink today.

A dollop of whipped frosting on the berries for the birds.

A leaf frozen in time.

No need to worry about getting out of the lane, but on this day the house is a cozy retreat; the world can wait until another day.

Unlike the howling blizzards of January, this November snow fell silently and gently through the night, gilding the trees and the garden in shades of white on white.

No photo, no poem can re-create the magical beauty of this morning.

Garden Muse Day is brought to you the first of every month by Carolyn Gail; visit her for more poetry and thoughts on December.

Nancy Bond has sponsored the First Snowfall Project; to see more posts about the first snows across the world, visit here. (Wasn't I fortunate to combine both in one post:)? )

ABC Wednesday and Thanksgiving Eve

This week we have come to the letter S, which stands for . . .

The Saguaro Cactus

The Saguaro (pronounced sah-wah-roh) is the familiar symbol of the Southwest. A native of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, its blossom is the state flower of Arizona. The Saguaro is an impressive specimen, growing as tall as 45 feet, but it takes a long time to reach that height. The cactus may live for more than 150 years. Because of its slow growth, it is protected by the state of Arizona: it is illegal to cut one down, and developers must transplant any that have to be moved during building projects.


The saguaro also has natural pests--rabbits like to chew holes near the bottom of the cactus, sometimes causing irreparable damage to the plant. In the photo you'll also notice holes near the top of the cactus, which are quite common. The Gila Woodpecker, the Gilded Flicker, and other birds dig these holes for their nests and then abandon them each year, leaving the holes for other occupants, such as owls and snakes.


I took this photo last January at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, while visiting my daughter. Next Wednesday I am leaving for another visit with her in Phoenix, and I'm planning to take an afternoon to visit these gardens again. For a country girl used to tall oaks, green grass, and cornfields, the plant life and landscape of Arizona is a fascinating departure.


I do plan to post next Wednesday, however; I have a special guest who will provide his unique perspective on the letter T, so I hope you'll drop by then. To see other ABC posts please visit Mrs. Nesbitt or the ABC Anthology.


****************
Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, another great S word would be Stuffing or even Sweet Potato Casserole. But of course I don't have pictures of either of them because they won't be made until tomorrow morning. Today is the day for advance prep--salads, desserts, and anything else that can be made ahead. But tomorrow morning the cooking begins in earnest, including the centerpiece of our meal, the turkey. While I do almost all the cooking and baking myself, Husband is in charge of the turkey. Yes, Mr. I-Don't-Cook likes to make his one specialty--deep-fried turkey! For anyone who thinks this sounds strange, trust me, it produces a very moist, delicious meat, especially after soaking overnight in a citrus brine ala Martha Stewart.







Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's the perfect day to spend precious time with family. There's no stress involved with buying presents or decorating the whole house. It's a day to relax and give thanks for all the blessings you have been given.

Whether you are spending the holiday with family or friends or with one special person, I wish you all a very . . .

Happy Thanksgiving!

Food for Thought...and the Winter

The gardening season is officially over for me this year, aside from some leaf-raking IF I have time and if I can find a few hours of sunshine and warmth to finish it. This week, however, is going to be busy with preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. The house, neglected for far too long, definitely needs a good cleaning, more groceries need to be purchased, and baking must begin on Wednesday if I'm going to have everything ready by Thursday noon. This weekend, though, I took some time for another chore that couldn't be put off. A friend of my husband's brought over two sacks of pears from his trees, and they were ripening so fast I knew we would never be able to eat them all fresh.

I've really never preserved pears before, so I didn't know what to do with them other than to can them. I canned eight pints and put a few more pints in the freezer as an experiment. I still have about half the pears left to put up, but I ran out of canning jars, and I'm not sure if pears freeze well, so I'm going to check out one container before I decide how to put up the rest.

I've never had the time to can much before, but my mother has always canned and frozen every kind of fruit and vegetable imaginable. When I was younger, the fruits and vegetables we ate during the winter came from the cellar or the freezer in the garage, not the grocery store. Preserving any kind of food is a lot of work, but looking at the sealed jars I felt a certain sense of satisfaction. I realized that despite my disappointing vegetable garden I have managed to put up quite a bit of produce. On the shelves or in the freezer I have:

• sliced strawberries (picked at a truck farm just up the road)
• strawberry jam
• green beans (from my garden--not many)
• cherries (picked from the neighbor's)
• apple slices (from my trees)
• applesauce
• unsweetened applesauce (for baking)
• tomato juice (not as much as I would like, but at least there's some)
• apple butter
• pears

I certainly don't have enough to keep from making frequent trips to the grocery store, but it will help a little in cutting down my grocery bills. And these home-grown products are certainly the perfect example of "slow food," the movement to help our environment by eating more local produce. While my mother--and my grandmother before her--preserved food out of economic necessity, today preserving food is more of a way to avoid so much waste, to eat healthier, and to be more eco-conscious. This is a tradition that is worth preserving!

Veggie Garden Update: A Lament

Ever since August when Tina at In the Garden suggested that others might like to join her on the 20th of each month in posting an update on our vegetable gardens, I've wanted to join in. No, I don't have any vegetables growing in the garden right now; the last of the green tomatoes froze a few weeks ago. But I did have a post halfway completed before the September Veggie Day, and then my computer crashed with my photos and narrative (saved in my documents, not on Blogger). Finally, many weeks and $$$ later, I have my computer back--well, sort of, but that's another story. So I hope you don't mind a post that's not just a few hours late, but actually two months late.

I mentioned the dismal state of my vegetable garden several times this summer. I confess that I let the weeds get away from me, but the biggest disappointments in that garden were the tomatoes, which fell victim to mildew or blight. Perhaps I could have halted that with a fungicide, but I didn't, and though they did produce quite a few tomatoes for awhile, I didn't get the bounty I expected, as one by one the plants wilted and turned brown. I think I've learned some lessons this year, and next year I plan to take action as soon as I notice something amiss.


The above picture of tomatoes lined up on my front porch to finish ripening was taken on August 30, the last good harvest I had. Please indulge me in a silly little review of this past year, my one and only Veggie post for 2008; I plan to do much better in 2009.

Elegy for a Vegetable Garden

"When in April the sweet showers fall
That pierce March’s drought to the root and all"

Then Chaucer’s pilgrims on pilgrimages long to go,
But I think of gardening and vegetables to grow.

Visions of ripe, red tomatoes and firm zucchinis
Spinach, lettuce, squash and lots of green beanies.

Seeds were purchased, and a new tiller, too
Just waiting for warm days and skies of blue.

At last Spring arrived, and with tiller at the ready,
We turned up the black earth with strides slow and steady.

Two rows of green beans, seeds neatly placed east-west,
Kohlrabis planted at Husband's request.

Spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes--quite a slew
Planted along with squash and a pepper plant, too.

Only one pepper plant? Now that’s a good question—
But eating too many can cause me indigestion.
......

Then came the rains; the weeds grew out of sight.
The damp may have led to the tomato blight.

The hot summer sun added to the decline,
Towards weeding and hoeing I wasn't inclined.

The spinach and lettuce grew more than we need
After a few pickings I let them go to seed.

The squash blossomed and produced quite a bunch,
That is, till the beetles made them their lunch.

The pepper plant never really grew
Perhaps it was lonely--I should have planted two.

To be truthful, the green beans were quite a success;
Most eaten fresh; some frozen--a few pints, more or less.

But the rest of the garden was another story;
It didn't fulfill my dreams of veggie glory.

Tomato leaves began curling and slowly turned brown,
Eventually I had to cut them all down.

No sauce or juice in the freezer for winter,
It’ll be cans from the store in the chili for dinner.

I've learned from all this and will start over next year.
I must be more diligent; that's very clear.

I’ll mulch and I’ll weed and I’ll stake those tomatoes!
Who knows, I might even plant some potatoes!

I regret all my neglect, dear garden, really I do.
Next year I promise to take much better care of you.


(My apologies to Chaucer who must be turning over in his grave right now.)

This is for the Birds!

Have you ever wondered how this expression came about? I know I have used this comment frequently to express frustration and disgust, particularly in my teaching days. "This is for the birds!" was usually in reference to some state mandate or a project by an inept administrator requiring a mound of useless paperwork that somehow was supposed to improve student learning. But why would we compare something distasteful to birds? What have our feathered friends ever done to deserve such derogatory comments?

I know that you, my fellow bloggers, are all bird lovers, some to the point that you can identify the long-tailed whippersnapper or the orange-breasted grosamacallit, and some of you are photographers extraordinaire, posting amazing close-ups of a variety of birds in your posts. I am neither--I can't identify anything other than the most common species, and my camera doesn't have much zoom capability to capture them at close range--but I do enjoy watching the birds that flock to my yard and garden. And so, I ask you, in the true spirit of political correctness, to join with me in abolishing all negative epithets regarding birds, including "for the birds" or "birdbrain." I plan to eliminate all such expressions from my vocabulary, and I hope you will urge others to do the same. It's time we accord our avian friends the same respect and basic rights that we give to all other species, regardless of race, color, creed, or sexual preference.


In all seriousness, now that my garden is no longer blooming, the birds are providing me with much enjoyment. I wish I could identify the different species that have been visiting lately, but I do recognize the robins, sparrows, finches, cardinals, crows, starlings, and bluejays. There won't be any wonderful photos of them here, because of the aforementioned camera inadequacies, so unfortunately I can't ask for your help in identifying them either. And without photos you'll just have to trust me when I say I also saw a red-headed woodpecker the other day. (No, his name wasn't Woody, for those of you old enough to recognize that reference.)


The goldfinches have been residents here all summer long, and recently returned after what must have been a short vacation. They entertained me the other morning as they jockeyed for position on the finch feeder. Two of them even engaged in feather to feather combat in midair--I would have given anything to have my camera with me then! I'm not sure what they were fighting over, but I suspect it had something to do with territorial rights.

Besides the thistle seed in the feeder itself, the finches also enjoy the seedheads of the coneflower. This year I have decided to leave the dried flowers as they are. I'm not going to worry what passersby think of my roadside garden; the birds are enjoying it, and that's all that matters.

The cardinals have also kept me entertained, which gives me an excuse to show off my burning bushes again. They reached their peak of color in late September and kept this blazing red color for a month.

In the spring and early summer I am pretty sure a pair of cardinals had a nest here, because every time I worked in this flowerbed, a male would fly about, constantly scolding me. I tried to reassure him that I would work quietly and not disturb his family, but he kept a wary eye on me the whole time I was there.

Now the young ones have grown and moved away. The bushes, no longer needed to hide a nest of fledglings, have shed their leaves, creating a gorgeous red carpet on the ground.

But they will continue their usefulness to the birds by providing hundreds of berries for the winter.

By far the favorite attraction for the birds this fall, though, has been this flowering crabapple tree. Now completely denuded of its leaves, you can see the wealth of berries it holds.

This tree is situated directly in front of the porch swing, so that I have the perfect vantage point for bird-watching. In the time it takes me to drink my morning coffee, I can see 30 or more birds of different species settle in for a quick early-morning treat.

Yesterday morning I spied a pair of these little birds in the tree. I have no idea what type of bird they are . . . let's try to move in a little closer to see if we can get a better view.

Sorry, this is as close as I could get. When I first saw the flash of orange at their throat, I thought they were robins, but a closer inspection reveals they're not. Can anyone identify these little birds for me?

Here are two I can identify, though. If you click to enlarge this and look very closely, you will see a robin on the right and a cardinal to the left. I took several shots of the cardinal, but this was the best I could get--he just blended into the red berries in all the other photos. I really wish I could take good close-ups of the birds, but that would involve buying a new camera, and I'm not ready to spend money on a new one when mine is less than a year old. I do try to get as close as I can to the birds, but no matter how stealthily I approach them, they seem to notice the woman in the bright red jacket, camera in hand. And it doesn't help that my constant canine companion, Coconut, likes to run ahead of me to get in on the action.

And so I settle for these far-away photos and try not to disturb the birds too much. By the way, I am not doing an ABC Wednesday post tomorrow. The letter this week is R, so perhaps I could have included this fat Robin enjoying the view.

In September and early October I spent a great deal of time picking apples and preserving them for the winter. Climbing up and down a ladder causes very painful knees, so I decided just to pick the apples from the lowest branches and wait for the others to fall to the ground. Each day I collected the fallen apples before they could spoil, but time and the weather kept me from finishing the job. I noticed the other day that someone appreciated my neglect.

I guess I've unknowingly provided another treat for the birds this fall. Now I don't feel so guilty about not using up all those apples.

I'm going to continue to look out for my feathered friends this winter. I've asked for a new bird feeder for Christmas, but I may not wait to see if Santa brings me one. The long winter seems like the perfect time to check out some birding books to begin to learn the names of some of my visitors. And there's even a website I found with bird calls to help in identifying them. From now on, when you hear me say, "This is for the birds," I will be referring to apples or sunflower seeds or other treats. After all, birds have rights, too.