Didn't need SEEK to identify this guy.  This is the groundhog that lives at Meeks Park.  We've seen him lots of times, always in the same area.  Usually, though he scoots back into his den.  I guess he was sunning himself, or trying to catch a breeze, because he sat right there while we took 6 pictures, and didn't try to hide.  I don't know scientific names for mammals;  I guess I could look it up, if I needed to know.  OK, here we go...

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. It was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
 

The groundhog is also referred to as a chuck, wood-shock, groundpig, whistlepig, whistler, thickwood badger, Canada marmot, monax, moonack, weenusk, red monk and, among French Canadians in eastern Canada, siffleux.

 

Groundhogs are true hibernators, spending 4-6 months sleeping in their dens.  They spend the fall fattening up, storing energy to maintain their bodies through the winter.  They can slow their respiration to 1 breath per minute, and lower their heart rate from 110 to 4-5 beats per minute.  They also lower their body temperature from 96 degrees to 40 degrees, just above freezing.  Then, sleep and sleep and sleep.  
 

I love seeing groundhogs in the park, and now I have new respect for their resilient nature.  I'm glad I looked them up.  I learned something new.  I still don't want to see them in my garden or tunneling under my deck.  
 

Maybe you'll get to see him next time you're in the park.  
 

 

HAPPY CRITTER SIGHTING!!!

 

We have been noticing this ground cover for years, but didn't know what to call it.  
 

Now we know what to call it:  fan clubmoss, groundcedar, or crowsfoot.  You could call it by its scientific name:  Diphasiastrum digitatum, but I wouldn't know where to start to pronounce that, so I'm running with fan clubmoss.  
 

I have this cool app on my phone that identifies plants, fungi, fish, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, birds, mollusks, mammals, and insects with common and scientific names.  I take it with me on our walks in case we see something new or unfamiliar.  Today I found out that this app doesn't JUST identify species, it also gives some interesting information about them.  And it was FREE!!!

 

So, about this plant:  fan clubmoss is native to eastern North America, and grows in mostly shaded areas.  It is a moss, so it reproduces by spores, rather than seeds.  The fruiting bodies should be visible soon, July through December.  I'll get back to you on this.  I'm excited to learn more about it.  
 

Be on the lookout, it's in our neighborhood too.  
 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is garlic growing in the garden.  They look a lot like spring onions, but this is just the above ground part.  In July we'll harvest the underground part, the garlic bulbs.  I'll show them to you then.

 

Garlic is in the Liliaceae family.  Yep, along with onions, daffodils, and those beautiful oriental lilies.  We plant garlic in the fall, at least by Thanksgiving.   We bury the individual cloves about 6 inches deep, then pile on leaves and straw to protect them through the winter.  This year I planted 40 cloves from last year's harvest.  That will give us garlic for the year, plus enough to plant this November. 
 

I cut the scapes (flower heads) a few days ago.  Then I saw a farmer pull the scapes from the center of the plant;  she got a little more of the delicious stem.  I'll do that next year.  Last year I learned that by removing the flowering part, more energy goes to the bulb, making it grow bigger.  I also learned that garlic scapes are very tasty.  Unfortunately, you only get one harvest of scapes per year.

 

This picture also shows some gorgeous red and green lettuce.  We grew those from seeds too!  Seeds that I collected from last year's lettuce.  I love the process!!!
 

This fall, try planting a few garlic cloves in your garden, and see for yourself how easy it is to grow good garlic.  Best to buy organically grown bulbs, that haven't been treated to not sprout.  I've seen it in Ingles and sometimes at the Union Co farmers market.  
 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I took a walk in the garden this morning and it looks SO good!!!  Check out the Swiss chard.  
 

I planted the seeds in March, and this is what they're doing now.  The variety I planted is Bright Lights.  It is a rainbow blend of Swiss chards.  As each seedling gets big enough to handle, I transplant them individually into plastic six packs.  Then when they fill up that root cup, I transplant them into 4 inch pots.  After that they go into the garden.  Pots are much easier to keep watered.  Once they're in the garden, they're pretty much on their own for water.  
 

Swiss chard is related to beets and spinach.  If you look at the seeds you can see the family resemblance.  You can also see the similarity in their deep roots.  I've not really noticed a difference in taste in the different color stems, I just love the way they glow in the garden.   
 

We use Swiss chard like spinach or beet greens:  we eat the young leaves raw, and bigger leaves get cooked just like spinach.  I cut the stems into 1 inch pieces and sauté them along with onion and celery, then add the chopped leaves and steam for about 5 minutes.  Yummy AND beautiful!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is a quilt kit I bought about three or four years ago.  I love the colors, and the size was just right for Momma's bed.  I knew she would love it too, so cheerful!  I started putting together the turquoise strips, then bogged down with the appliqué daisies.  Well, I got up the courage to tackle them a year ago.  Got going, and finished piecing the whole thing.  
 

I took it to Rhonda Adams in Murphy last February to be quilted.  She has one of those magic, computerized machines that does the quilting.  See the beautiful designs that make the fabric pouff?  That's what she added to my piecework.  Momma would have loved this.  I know:  I do.  Now, all I need to do is bind it all the way around, and it will no longer be a UFO (unfinished object.)

 

Rhonda gave me permission to give you her phone number, for your next quilting project.  Backporch quilters. (828) 557-8059.  She's amazing, very reasonably priced, and a gifted artist to complete your project.  
 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

 

This is Asclepias tuberosa in my wild garden.  We planted it about 5 years ago.  That was before we extended the deer fence.  They ate it all, I thought.  But it has come back.  And it's spreading!  Yay!!!!

 

Also called butterfly weed, it attracts Monarch butterflies.  They lay their eggs on the undersides of the leaves, and the caterpillars eat the leaves until they're ready to cocoon.  Then we get a whole new generation of Monarchs.  You can see butterfly weed down in the meadow too, orange flowers this time of year.  Look for patches of orange in your travels.  It might just be butterfly weed, waiting for Monarchs.
 

Glad to support all the butterfly populations.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is bronze fennel in the flower bed.  There, because nobody (the other plants) in the garden likes fennel.  Not sure why, but everything I've read says that.  I'll tell you who does like fennel:  black swallowtail butterflies.  That's why we grow it.

 

The butterflies use the fennel as a host plant for their caterpillars.  Sometimes we collect the caterpillars when they are big, and put them in an aquarium to cocoon and emerge as adult butterflies.  Then we release them into our flower garden to feed on nectar plants.  It's very exciting.  My preschoolers loved watching the whole process.  We love watching it still.  
 

This fennel isn't the kind that grows nice bulbs for salads, but the fronds are quite tasty, and the seeds are great in lots of dishes.  
 

So much fun in the garden this time of year.  Talk soon.  
 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Well, here it is June, and I still haven't planted some stuff.  Tomatoes and tomatillos still need a home.  My garden is full, maybe you can use a plant or two.  Let me know.  They are great, healthy plants, and I'm happy to share;  but do it soon, cause they are going on the compost heap eventually.  

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

This is Elderflower in bloom.  Sambucus canadensis.  This one is on Stonebriar across from the Nickleys' house.  
 

Elder is a native shrub with representatives throughout the United States. It is very common here in western NC and northeast GA.  As you're driving, you can see them with their large, white, flat-topped flower clusters.  Notice them now in bloom, then in August and September when they have set dark purple berries, you'll know what they are.  
 

Elderberries are edible, and medicinal.  An extract that helps prevent flu is often made from the berries.  Commercially, it is sold as sambucus, or elderberry syrup.  Some people make wine from the flowers;  never had that, but we do add the berries to our morning tea.  
 

I wouldn't suggest trying to harvest the berries from this tree though.  It's way down in the gully, looks snakey to me.  It's also important to consider WHERE a plant is growing when thinking about foraging.  Plants that grow near heavily travelled areas may be polluted by car exhaust, and plants growing on private property are not ours to forage.  So think about these things before collecting wild edibles.  Best to just look and admire in the wild, and appreciate them for their contribution to humanity.  And order your berries from Vitacost  https://www.vitacost.com// or Amazon.

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

You know that for a plant to make fruit, it must first bloom.  That applies to trees too.  
 

As we started down our road for a walk today, I noticed the Persimmon tree is blooming.  Not big, showy blooms like some trees, but blooming.  We stopped for a photo op, and I'll update you as they progress toward fruit.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!