WOW!!!  Talk about pollen!!!

 

This Hickory tree is at the entrance to the park.  Look at the size of those catkins, and all that pollen!!!!  I bet they are 8 inches long.  And there are hundreds of them.  Interesting looking, though.  Don't you think?

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look at this beautiful tree.  Its name is Chionanthus virginicus, and is commonly known as Fringe-Tree.  This one lives in the parking lot of the Methodist Church in Blairsville.  

 

We saw a wild one blooming when we were walking in the park, so we doubled back to the church parking lot.  I knew there was one there, planted near the visitor entrance.  I wanted to get close enough to smell it:  it is lovely!!  I also wanted to take its picture for you to see.

 

I've seen them planted in shopping center parking lots, and even utilized in roadside plantings.  So, they must be available in garden centers.  

 

There are a bunch on Ft Eustis Blvd in Yorktown, VA.  Those are probably blooming now too.  I wish I could go see them.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look what Jon found on the side of the road yesterday.  Chicken of the Woods!!!

 

We cut off some, brought it home, and spent a lot of time cleaning it.

 

It is edible when cooked, so I cooked it thoroughly until the juices reabsorbed.  I was inspired to make Chicken pot pie, so Jon made me a crust and I got started about 2:30:  chopping, cooking, assembling.  So exciting!!

 

We had our Chicken pot pie last night for supper, and we are both still alive and feeling fine today.  I really like this mushroom.  Glad the season has started.

 

ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT!!!

 

Have you seen the Mountain Laurels blooming?  WOW!!!  

 

Kalmia latifolia, another name I remember from Horticulture School.  We all know what they look like at 45 mph, but have you ever looked at them up close?  The buds are little pillows of air, waiting to pop open.  And each little open flower has spurs on the back, little pointy bumps, making them quite textural.  Is that even a word?  Anyway, get up close, and look at them;  they are quite unique.

 

There are lots down on the Creekside Trail, within reach for photos, or close examination.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

It's time to start looking for Korean Dogwoods, Cornus kousa.  

 

They are just starting to bloom.  The flowers sit right on top of the leaves, making them so easy to recognize, even at 25 mph.  There are a couple on Five Forks Drive just past the first big curve.  Look on the left, and you can see them.

 

I'm so glad our neighbors planted them years ago;  because now we ALL get to enjoy them.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Have you seen all the Rhodies in bloom?  The colors are so pretty!!  And I love seeing these huge bushes loaded with flowers.

 

I sent this picture to Tere;  I knew she needed to see her Rhodoodendrons in bloom.  She planted them over ten years ago, and they are gorgeous!!!

 

There are lots of pretty big Rhododendrons blooming all around town;  keep looking.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

HEHEHEE!!!  I've been thinking about this since Valentine's Day.  Finally got to do it.

 

Patty and I had fun on Thursday.  We repainted the haybale.  Had to fight off a few hornets who were thinking about setting up a nest in it.  But we won that battle.  

 

We started by painting white over the daisy, then put in the light pink heart shape.  Then I got to paint this adorable flamingo.  That was really fun!!!  I painted a small jar lid black for the eyeball and screwed it into the hay.  

 

Jon noticed that there was a bit of grass growing on top of the haybale, and thought about putting two of the little flamingos up there like they are eating the grass.  

 

We tickle ourselves.  We hope you get a tickle out of it too.  

 

HAPPY DAYS AHEAD!!!

 

I had three visitors to the garden yesterday.  I got to show off the blooming kale, leeks, mustard, and this gorgeous bed of arugula.  I love arugula.  

 

You can see the flowers, and why they are in the Crucifer family, each flower has four petals in the shape of a cross.  The leaves and flowers and baby seed pods are all edible, so we use them raw in salads, and cook them into lasagna and quiche, just like spinach.

 

This bed is under the deck and gets morning sun.  Perfect!!!  We get three crops a year, and the last one we let go to seed to save for next year.  Meanwhile, we eat LOTS of arugula.  Every day!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

OK.  This is how I celebrate Mother's Day:  by showing you all my fruits and vegetables.  These are MY babies.

 

Look how many blueberries we are going to have.  There are eight bushes, some ten feet tall, and all loaded with tiny berries.  I'll let you know when it's time to come pick them.  Last year we picked 30 gallons of blueberries.  We are still eating last year's berries.  Jon makes blueberry muffins, and blueberry pies, and we have blueberries on our salad every day.  

 

PLEASE come help us pick them this year!!!  It is so fun, and we love to share.

 

HAPPY  GARDENING!!!  

 

Look at our baby apples.  There are about seven trees in the orchard, and three of them have baby apples on them.

 

I think that last frost came at the time that they would have set fruit, so not all of them did.  But I think we still have enough to make apple pie, apple cake, and applesauce.  That's all I want anyway, enough for us, and a little more to share.  

 

Just a reminder, the apple cake recipe is in the recipe section of the website.  It's my favorite.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!