Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Other Stuff => Other Topics => Topic started by: sluckey on June 10, 2021, 11:51:01 am
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I thought it would be interesting to see what y'all have growing in your yards this year. I took a walk through my backyard and snapped some pics of my favorites. This stuff is scattered all over my back yard. Hope y'all enjoy. Love to see what y'all have too.
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Three more...
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found this a couple weeks back. Then the deer or rabbit ate it's head off!
I believe it's a new shoot for a walnut or hickory tree
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You guys have quite the touch! I was out in the yard yesterday and realized that I had one blooming rhododendron. Noting else is blooming though the PI (poison ivy . . .) is growing well. Oh, and I have drones now too. :icon_biggrin:
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.....what y'all have growing in your yards this year. ....
You southerners!! We're just-now putting unfrozen dirt in pots.
In the yard we got an infestation of ticks and dandelions. And grubs so bad the birds tore-out the whole corner of the lawn.
But just past the fence into the woods-- the Ladyslippers came out. Cypripedium reginae (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypripedium_reginae). They have been regular in the back. But the front has been MIA for several years. One came back out front this year.
It is vulnerable to microclimate and is going extinct in most of its range; it is also slow to reproduce. Charles Darwin was unsuccessful in cultivating it.
If you know where I live, don't tell anybody. There are poachers. I don't like to have to shoot them.
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Very pretty plant. I've never seen those before.
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Not known south of Tennessee. FWIW: orchid seeds can not absorb nutrients on their own. When they do reproduce from seed a fungus invades the seed and nourishes it.
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Looks like a doll face to me. Blonde hair, pigtails. I've seen that face somewhere, but can't recall where.
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We're so deep in drought most of our perennials are hurting, where 30 blooms might be normal we got 3. The exception is the yucca, it's got 4 stalks ready to bloom where 1 is normal. Grass is August crunchy yellow.
EDIT: auto focused badly!
the swamp Dogwood should be open by Monday.
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1.85" of rain!!!!
Finally got enough to fill the frogpond, set the tadpoles free!!
the Elderberries are starting to show!
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Actually front yard:
"lookit the size of these suckas! and obviously something thinks they are delicious..."
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But just past the fence into the woods-- the Ladyslippers came out. Cypripedium reginae (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypripedium_reginae).
They have been regular in the back. But the front has been MIA for several years. One came back out front this year.
It is vulnerable to microclimate and is going extinct in most of its range; it is also slow to reproduce. Charles Darwin was unsuccessful in cultivating it.
If you know where I live, don't tell anybody. There are poachers. I don't like to have to shoot them.
We have a patch of about 75 to 100 of the pink lady slippers here every spring for the last 5 years or so.
They have come and gone this year
They are all along a path in the woods where I walk the dogs
There are yellow and white ones also out at Dupont State Forest
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(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JxqlmWOkf9w/V3_QIg7F4MI/AAAAAAAANzM/NWIT5sFyNJkZpW9XhPKpvCqRe23co1hJACLcB/s1600/passion-flower.jpg)These grow wild in my backyard ...If I had seen those blonde baby flowers I may have sold my property out of fear...lol
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We have blueberries. The real ones, wild blueberries. (New Jersey blueberries are artificially bred from freaks.) Just from along my driveway:
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At the other place there is an ancient apple tree.
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we're the 3rd owners, the 2nd owners told me the 3 apple trees were there when they showed up in '53
the deer really like the fall treats!
sadly lighting nailed all 3 about 4yrs back. They're still producing, even ate around the worms on one this afternoon.
the "kids" are now 6 strong and just a wormy :laugh:
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Those are cool old trees.
I grew up with some like that. Suburban setting, with no deer; however, the raccoons were fat and very happy.
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We have blueberries. The real ones, wild blueberries. (New Jersey blueberries are artificially bred from freaks.) Just from along my driveway:
I have the wild low bush blue berries on my property
maybe about 12 inches or so high is all they get
They are smaller than store bought blue berries and the flavor is way more intense.
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> 12 inches or so high is all they get
These are head-high. Or chin-high on the bear.
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The jewelweed is wild, and fruiting. The Glads are very cultivated.
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The jewelweed is wild, and fruiting
got some plants around the barn, never knew what it was called, now i do! thx
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Not nearly as cool as some of the stuff you guys have growing, but I dig my Morning Glories. Bought my house around 21 years ago in the late fall and the first spring, these critters popped up all over the front yard. Been playing with them ever since, gathering seeds every year and mixing in new colors now and then.
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I've always liked morning glories.
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cactus n alt-blueberries :laugh:
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Looks like a doll face to me. Blonde hair, pigtails. I've seen that face somewhere, but can't recall where.
Pink Floyd - The Wall? :icon_biggrin:
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Autumn Berry
the 1st 10yrs I trimmed the bush kinda like a red-neck bonzi (sp?)
the next 10yrs it took care of itself, expired last year, with 3 offspring's
berries are at the early eating stage
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Purple Glad.
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Pretty sure this is the last bloom 11/3
we call 'em flocks, not sure what the Botanical name is
the "fungus" looking stuff is ashes. It was dark last night when I emptied the ash bucket
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> we call 'em flocks,
"Phlox" helps Google find it.
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:laugh:
i learn't phonix english
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The word phlox comes from Latin and Greek.
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working for Doc's I got used to Latin, sorta. Most of the time I'd say, "Doc, just point at the problem you're seeing, my Latin is off today" :laugh:
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.....Ladyslippers came out. Cypripedium reginae (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypripedium_reginae). They have been regular in the back. But the front has been MIA for several years. One came back out front this year. ...
Ladyslipper in front, in a different spot, practically under the wheels of the UPS/FedEx trucks.
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Plants and flowers are vital to my demeanor, here’s a quick photo of where l love to just relax and play my acoustic.
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Looks very peaceful.
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My home was built in 1870, country victorian. All my children are gone, 17 rooms for my wife and I, way too much space not to say “upkeep”.
I love this place, been here, almost 40 years.
Nature is second to none, thanks for sharing all God’s beautiful gardens.
Here’s my home.
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all the spring flowers n trees are past, it's edibles season now :icon_biggrin:
(These are all "cultivated" wild - I trim them occasionally:)
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5 years ago this was a vegetable garden!
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Second crop of blackberries (Sweetie Pie) will be ready next week.
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same bushes? We get one shot up here, late June to mid Jul
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The Sweetie Pie only produces one crop per year. But the berries in the earlier pic in the other thread are Prime Ark Freedom and they produce two crops per year. The first crop is gone now but the new canes are just now blooming and setting fruit and will be ripe in early July. So, with two different blackberry varieties I have early May berries, early June berries, and then early July berries.
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Some awesome plants thank you for sharing. Wish I had the rain you do :-)
I will join this posting fun although only one is from the yard
The rest are from beauty captured hiking around SoCal (OC)
First is front yard staghorn fern with schefflera berry's,
Second reminds me of Avatar "tree of souls"
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A few more because of four attachment limit in first post
more here https://stillampd.com/wildflowers-california
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Wish I had the rain you do
it's not as fun as it seems
I prefer high desert dry heat but that kinda lacking here in MI :laugh:
EDIT:
added this week's forecast
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I left Warren MI in 76.
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:laugh:
that's the same year I left Kalamazoo!
in '90 was offered a job and $$'s I couldn't say no to, so been back ever since, farm country though, no more cities!!
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Here are a couple more blooms. The luna hibiscus blooms are about 8" diameter and the pagoda leaves are about 12" diameter. The island is a mix of yellow native azalea, agapanthus, caladiums, gladiola, variegated lace cap hydrangea, polka dot, walking Iris, Texas star (not blooming yet), sparkle berry tree, wandering jew, and red honeysuckle, and more luna hibiscus.
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You guys have amazing green thumbs. Me, not so much.
The one plant that thrived is a rhododendron I planted 21 years ago, and it just grows and blooms every year w/o intervention. Our herd of deer aren't interested . . .
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amazing green thumbs.
ya, me either.
Some of the wild blooms currently.
the Smoke Bush is a planting, was 3ft, now tops 20'
The wild Rose will take over ANYTHING. The image is from a bush ~~ 20' long, 15' deep and 12' tall!
you can mow them off and 2 weeks latter they're a foot tall!
The water plant has been around for ~5yrs, this is the 1st year it's bloomed
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This is all happening in the berry patch today. The birds are overwhelmed! I finally get to eat all I want too. Plums are my favorite. Love the taste of Methley plums and there are no little seeds to get stuck between your teeth. I can almost smell the blueberry pie baking in the oven!
I also have peaches on the other side of the yard.
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I had a plum in IN, was great snack'n
tried 3 times here, nothing took, so it's apples, more apples, and apples! :laugh:
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I want those backyards :-)
so beautiful, green, and delicious.
most impressive.
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I snapped these pics while sitting in my swivel rocker on my deck and slowly rotating clockwise. These five pics cover about 270°. Not too bad for a poor ole country boy.
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Here's the fifth pic...
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:laugh:
we took it to the city, then created home!
I sit on my deck watching the next batch of big dogs running for all their worth and smile knowing it was worth the run
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Nice...
Noticed your hummingbird feeder.
I regularly attract many many birds.
Have 8 feeders 2cups each and they all need to be filled every day or two.
In SoCal they stay year round. Mostly Anna's and Rufous'
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Our ruby-throated hummers are migratory. They show up the second week of March and leave about the end of October. Right now they are nesting and not too interested in the feeders. Plenty of natural food right now, plus they gotta catch a lotta little bugs for the babies. September is when they start gathering in our yard getting ready for the trip to Mexico. They have a nonstop route from Mobile to the Yucatan across the gulf. Gotta put on some weight for that! I'll have 5 feeders posted around the yard at that time. I have to spread them out to minimize the fighting! They are fun to watch.
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same bushes? We get one shot up here, late June to mid Jul
Remember I mentioned the Prime Ark Freedom blackberries that produce two crops per year? Well the first crop was ready in May. Meanwhile the new canes were shooting out of the ground. Last week I pruned the old canes to the ground after picking the last berry. Now all that's left is the new canes and they are over 6 feet tall and have the second crop of berries. These will be ready about the first week or two of July. When we pick the last berries of this second crop I'll prune the new canes back to 5 feet tall. This will stimulate new lateral branches to grow. These new laterals can produce even more berries ***IF*** it's not too hot. Then all this new growth will over-winter and produce a big spring crop in May. The cycle begins again. This is a pic of the young second crop...
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yes they fight a lot here too. Standing room only for the nectar holes.
Lots of nests right now. Here they seem to nest all the time.
I have one in the tree next to the house that I can look down from 2nd story window to watch two hatchling fun.
On a small branch that really gives them a ride in the breeze.
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Nice, ours will be ready about then - early Jul.
I trim the raspberries; the blackberries get ignored a lot!
your porch sittin, the rain lifted, sun out, so I took my annual Eye Exam
3030 at 40 yards
(The porch is at 65yards, but the French doors are kinda pricey) :icon_biggrin:
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did you hit that with a golf club shot? Pretty good aim.
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Near 3" of rain in 3 days brought out the summer blooms
I hit the golf ball 4 of 10 at 20yrds with the 22L, 4 of 10 within 3 golf balls and 2 manufacturer defects :icon_biggrin:
my final exam was 100yrds with the Winchester 2 within 3" 1 within 5" 1 at 6" and 1 manufacturer defect
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The Hemp's are blooming. we call them Michigan Hemp. the south of MI and North of IN was a large swath of planted hemp
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the summer edibles are here!
the fall edibles are getting a good start
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Wild sunflowers in dry as a bone SoCal
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I planted the bigheads in my garden, like watching them track the sun. I was even thinking of ways to "sensor" one to use as an input for a solar panel tracker :laugh:
It's "brown-grass" season here, weeklong no rain, then a 1/10", then repeat.
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the summer edibles are here!
Yeah. The doe and her fawn ate all the leaves off the baby catalpa tree.
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:laugh:
I cut out a ton of wild grape vines, cut way back my 2 "cultivated" vines. The deer only eat the new shoots from MY vines, the wild ones they leave! :cussing:
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scstill, those wild sunflowers really pop against that brown background. They remind me of the wild daisies that grow along most rural roads down here.
Shooter, I like those black raspberries. Are they wild?
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Wild is a relative term :laugh:
Ya, I mowed around a bunch of "patches" early, then kept the suckers cut back. This is the best year in 30+ and it appears the ones I "tended" are the best producers. The patches also seem to be the best mosquito hives!!! :cussing:
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Prime Ark Freedom second crop is ready. Yum, yum!
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oh my those blackberries are huge. A fav of mine.
I rescued some berry plants from the fern pot for transplanting next year :-)
The wild sunflowers are about the size of a fist. Notice the bee on the large one?
There's a MTB trail that I go out on just to see them. I always feel wild out there, just not as fast as years past.
Sunflowers are mostly dried up now, collected some seeds hoping to plant them on my local slope for next year
BTW - out here just 6weeks ago all that brown was deep green. Now is getting to fire season.
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These are hops I use as a decorative vine now. 30 years ago I was heavily into homebrewing and used them for their intended purpose. these are about 16' tall and hide the neighbors view of our outside deck.
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I had posted this pic in another thread called "Spring" but thought it might be appropriate in this thread too. Pic was taken in early May when the Prime Ark Freedom blackberries had their first crop. The look on that boy's face says it all. This is the reason I have a berry patch...
(https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=28710.0;attach=98590;image)
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Wild California Holly Berry (aka Toyon)
Favorite breakfast for doe and her three fawns.
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Are those berries red today? Our native holly trees can get really big but the berries don't turn red until winter.
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...Our native holly trees...
You probably have holly. (Sharp leaves?)
My winterberry is another holly. Not red today.
Apparently the California Holly Berry or Toyon is not a holly at all. I actually remember it from the 1950s. Native in a very narrow strip all down the coast into Baja. Los Angeles had a poaching problem but also adopted it. May be somewhat toxic, but may help Alzheimer's, maybe the deer are self-medicating.
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You probably have holly. (Sharp leaves?)
Yes! The American Holly has very prickly leaves. They hurt! Impossible to walk barefoot underneath one. They are pretty though...
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Ilex_opaca_lffr_UGA__mMUsS67NHLpg.jpe)
This pic is not from my backyard.
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...Our native holly trees can get really big...
Our last house, we had a big holly. And it was in good shape, not bothering the house too much, BUT the heating oil tank was under it somewhere. And a 1000 gallon underground tank is a problem. Ran out a few times. Was gonna be an issue when we sold. We brought gas in from the street, but then you "have" to have the old tank removed before it leaks oil residue. (We actually got a process which vacuumed the tank clean, sampled soil to show it hadn't leaked, and then filled the empty tank with plastic beads so it didn't settle.)
First pic shows the holly tree higher than the house.
We got online (very early days of public internet) and found a guy would buy large holly logs. Wanted on a skid, ends painted (I had yellow) to dry evenly, and wrapped. I trimmed the limb-stubs to get maximum board-feet on the skid. And what was he doing? Making PENS! Beautiful writing pens in all woods, but he didn't need full logs, and I doubt he ever sold all that he bought from me. But he seemed happy, and apologized for not returning my ratchet-straps (I knew they were never coming off without a knife).
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Yes these Toyon berries are bright red today (July 1, 2022)
This post says "The city of Hollywood was name for this plant."
https://calscape.org/Heteromeles-arbutifolia-(Toyon)
Some posts say edible, some say toxic. Guess I'll just stay with the blackberries :-)
BTW - In addition to the doe and fawns today, there was a Jerusalem Cricket (the "alien") and a Western Diamondback (10 rattle pairs would be 3-5yr old). I walked up on him heard the rattle and then saw him coiled just in time. Whew....
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I spent a few years vacationing in the hi-desert of NM and AZ, you folk got some interesting critters :laugh:
My 1st day I was introduced to the western diamond back and the tarantula!
If version 3 camper passes it's shake-down cruise, I might head there for 'ol time sake, maybe see my 1st scorpion.
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I did not know you can get rattlesnake vaccine for your dog.
(There's no poison snakes for hundreds of miles from here; also Chloe is scared to go in the woods.)
The other wildlife excitement here is Star-Nose Moles. Very strange critters, 90% of their brain wired to nose-feelers, specialized for finding bugs under leaves. Now five of them, all dead next to the driveway, no visible wounds.
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Now five of them, all dead next to the driveway, no visible wounds.
And that's a good thing.
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I take it back the sunflowers are still blooming.
And today's wildlife company is a group of 5 Turkey Vultures
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Turkey Vultures
we call 'em turkey buzzards here. They like summering here. Pam tells 'em "Not yet keep flying"
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There are plenty of rattlesnakes and copperheads here in south central NC
but in almost 25 years now we have never seen one on the farm. See we have
a very large Eastern Black Kingsnake that resides in our pump house. You see,
these kingsnakes look at rattlers and copperheads as food! :think1: :violent1:
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met a few Eastern diamondbacks while rockclimbing, seems they like that warm rock where I want to put my fingers!!
all we have in MI is a Messasagga (SP?) has rattles, is poisonous, but typically not deadly, they are kept in check by folks with guns.
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The hummingbirds are happy
Arbor 25yrs ago and a 1ft vine
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We call that cow itch vine down here. Lots of it everywhere. Very invasive. Loves telephone poles.
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Any hikers out there?
Tues wife and I "bagged" Mt Baldy (10mi, 4000ft) in SoCal, Angeles Forest
Some new flowers were discovered.
https://stillampd.com/wildflowers-california
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A couple more views from the office
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Beautiful scenery.
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Nice, my last effort to bag Mt Baldy maybe 15yrs back, by the time we got near the base, everything went to FOG, thick, heavy, headlights didn't even make dent. We waited about an hour, but our trip was time limited, so we moved on to the big trees!
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"spearweed" is the name we gave it, circa 60's
as the ground thawed, all the kids came out of hibernation, these would be dried, easy to pull up, tweak, then throw at moving targets :laugh:
this one is ~ 8'
never did lookup the proper name
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looks like there would be a lot of mosquitos around.
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:l2:
we donate a pint every walk!
the deerfly are worse, they eat meat and blood!
this area is locally called "the swamps" or "the marshes"
places were the glacier rubble settled, then melted, then eroded into small ponds and intermittent stream-lets.
folk-lore says when the cows were moved to railheads during the wet season they tied up the legs and rolled them through the marshes :laugh:
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when the Buckhorns start turnin red, you know the Sun is moving in the wrong direction
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White Texas Star. 7' tall plant with 8" blooms.
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We have little tiny wild blueberries. (Not the cultivated freaks.)
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The birds are blooming too. All six feeders are this busy.
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The Michigan cactus is doing well, maybe 4 bushes, 6+ ft each, couple 3' rs
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Very Nice Michigan Catcus.
We get a lot of thistle here in SoCal as well
Its considered a nuisance but has really pretty flowers
Plus an actual Prickly Pear Cactus we have a lot of as well which are welcomed except when you ride into one :-(
BTW - I lived in Michigan until I was 21 then moved to SoCal
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I hate thistle but love cactus.
Here is wild blue berry, high bush. The berries are closer to 1/4" than the 1/2" flavorless freaks of tame blue berry.
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Blueberry is a fav.
My friend makes a mean blueberry Bundt cake every few weeks at Sat men's group
Maybe I'll get a piece next week as its my turn to play.
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Some nice wild things growing!
I take photos of the plants year after year, just different lenses, different light and different wind velocity. Don't know why, but I still do. Crocosmia Lucifer (also come in Orange & yellow with less dramatic names).
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Rhododendrons. There is probably something in focus somewhere in there...experiments with 8mm and 16 mm movie camera lenses on a digital mirrorless camera.
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SoCal is rarely green this time of year (favorite color)
From this morning local hike in Whiting Ranch
Taro, Poison Oak and a great green scene
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:laugh: Vines will win the world!
I've spent most of the summer fighting wild grapes and poison ivy
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Kudzu, the vine that ate the South. Extremely invasive. Some typical southern pics here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu
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:laugh: Vines will win the world!
I've spent most of the summer fighting wild grapes and poison ivy
Ugh...American Bittersweet vines have made some pretty aggressive strangulation efforts on some of our trees that died for other reasons & got cut down. The vines looked like twisted branches when they got to 2+ inches thick.
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My hops have really started coning this last week. It's been crazy hot with with no real rain for ages. They don't seem to care.
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not sure on the orange flowering weed, always glad to see 'em, when everything's green, it's a nice contrast.
the hedgerow now averages 6' in height, 50' long, 10' deep
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not sure on the orange flowering weed,....
Jewelweed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impatiens_capensis)?
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Wild figs seen on todays hike to poop out in Glendora Ca
Not native as far as I know. Maybe someone's leftover from a snack 40 years ago
Have to come back when they are ripe
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burning off a battery
the 1st head to bloom, stalks are averaging 9' tall, 2-3" diameter
was watching a bee load up on pollen, stayed so long when he left, he dropped about a foot before stabilizing his flight :laugh:
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Indian Pipes. No chlorophyll. Don't photosynthesize. Distant kin of blueberries.
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I've seen them here, pretty rare sight though.
had to look 'em up, they looked fungal instead of plant
The plant is mycoheterotrophic, meaning it lives in close association with a fungus from which it acquires most of its nutrition
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its fruiting time here in SoCal
Cactus apples
Schefflera berries
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Kudzu, the vine that ate the South. Extremely invasive. Some typical southern pics here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu
Kudzu is all around us but doesn't seem to grow here. North Carolina sandhills near Fort Bragg.
Drive out of "the sand" and it's everywhere!
What grows like mad here is Wisteria! Also very invasive. Seen it kill mature Southern Yellow Pine trees.
And don't step om the sand spurs either!
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I see a lot of Wisteria in Alabama. People have nice looking manicured 'bushes' in their yards. Very colorful in the spring. Many don't know about the massive root system that's just waiting for the day that the grass is no longer cut! Then it takes over. I see it quite often where it has grown under the street and climbing toward the sun.
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Cactus apples
Cactus IS my friend! I was being stupid in NM, I was climbing an easy route up the desert sandstone, standing on a small ledge 80' up, no protection and the "plate" I was standing on started slipping, it was gonna be "all she wrote" so I grabbed at this hug Cactus bush, It held long enough to get off the plate that smashed in a zillion pieces on the ground below!
I finished the climb, then spent weeks digging out needles from my hand! loving every last one!! :laugh:
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Those tiny hair size needles are almost impossible to remove. You pick and scrape. You know it's still there. You can feel it, but you can't see it!
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:laugh:
yep, the long hard one's were easy, even the couple that managed "in one side out the other" of my palm!!
Climbed in AZ, properly, but after 3 days the rope was so needled up I had to junk it!! :cussing:
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about 15 heads 6-10" so far, the largest is about a ft dia.
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when we ride too fast and the cactus gets in the way "cactus butt" often results
and why is it that cactus needles always seem to be designed as a barbed fishing hook
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barbed fishing hook
Porcupine too.
Live ones I can avoid, but there was a long-dead one behind an old car I looked at, and I took a quill in my forefinger. Hey, I'm smarter than the dog who took a mouthful at midnight.
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fall blooms
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Fall blackberries are here. Not many berries but they are huge. Is that crazy? :huh:
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Not my backyard but.
New Jersey backyards make the best tomatoes. (If you want to fight, form a line.) Commercial tomatoes are weird genes, picked green and reddened with gas. A friend came up from Jersey and bought these beauties from her yard. The "stripes" are from flower-stubs and weather and utterly natural for real tomatoes, as opposed to the plastic-wood tomatoes which ship better and look better in the store, but have no flavor.
I really don't need to eat 10 pounds of tomatoes this week but somebody has to do it (and it won't be Porky).
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Make some salsa!
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Ya, gimmie spots on my apples, lab modified food is spooky stuff!
I grew "wrinkle seed" corn this year, heirloom seeds from 1850's lineage, typical ear ~6" long, 1.5" diameter.
the raccoons decimated the crops but managed to salvage 2, tasty, also enough of the ripped open ones the raccoons got to harvest twice the seeds I had this year for next year's planting, which will include a better fence with electricity :laugh:
been rainy so no pic yet, I have an Apple tree that decided since it's 40 degrees now in the AM it produced blossoms!!!
30+ years here, that's a new one on me!
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Not blooms but backyard. 2am, two deer come to munch the pear tree that the f*cking porcupines already ate to a nub. Since we metal-wrapped that tree, they didn't stay more than 2 minutes.
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Well it's the middle of October and the Jalapeños are still going strong. Lots of peppers and new blooms. They will last until first frost which is usually around Thanksgiving Day.
We have been eating pepper poppers since July. These peppers are also tasty grilled on a steak or diced for fresh salsa. Yum, yum!
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i'd call 'em an excuse for eating bacon! :laugh:
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Satsumas are turning orange. Should be ready by Thanksgiving.
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:laugh:
had to look it up
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Poinsettia is turning red (a first for me)
Hopefully will be all red by Christmas :-)
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Poinsettia is a neat plant.
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i'd call 'em an excuse for eating bacon! :laugh:
Who needs an excuse? :icon_biggrin:
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i'd call 'em an excuse for eating bacon! :laugh:
Who needs an excuse? :icon_biggrin:
Certainly not a southern country boy!
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A little rain and a little green in Whiting Wilderness SoCal
Can't remember wild grasses turning green this early (more like Dec/Jan)
Hope it stays
And an Ancient Cal Juniper on top of Bertha Peak above Big Bear Lake Ca
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Up here it's Harvest and herd'n season, plenty of bacon for all :laugh:
20 miles south a new automated hog processing plant is up n runnin, uses water knives. my understanding it's sorta like CNC for pigs :icon_biggrin:
Got about 1/3 - 1/2 next year's wood ready for stacking as this year's wood gets used
You gotta be in the right frame of mind to herd leaves :icon_biggrin:
we 1st got here Pam was raised suburban, so She's all about rakes n tarps and.... I got out the lawn mower, showed her how red-neck engineers do it :laugh:
The burning bush is way past prime, still photo worthy. was a dwarf that after 5 years wasn't havin it, so now it's a proper bush :laugh:
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leftovers
left these for the birds, picked clean last month
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I really like those snow sunflowers!
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This is as close as we get here in SoCal lowlands to snowy plants
Called desert broom. Right off the bike trail
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that looks like a sneeze just waiting to happen. :laugh:
if my camper passes the road test, you have me longing for a desert trip, it's been 6 years!
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Some delicate flowers found on todays Laguna coastal wilderness hike (my backyard).
The blooming season is starting up here in SoCal
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@scstill,
Used to live in Laguna-Newport-Costa Mesa. I know those hills very well. And miss them. You're heading into the 'green hills' season. Ever get out to the wildflowers in spring in Joshua Tree?
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Yes I think we will do some camping in Joshua Tree Jan/Feb
Lots of great rocks to climb.
Shooter would love it
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:laugh:
Shooter just looks now ...with a discerning eye :icon_biggrin:
I did love the desert sandstone crumbling before your eyes, definitely sphincter firming experience
Got to climb an 800ft+ in Yosemite as a youngster, that's when I knew I was addicted!
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I forgot to take another pic of the Satsumas on the tree. But here are two big'uns that I just picked. The angle of the pic makes them look huge! But they are really only the size of a softball. Very tasty!
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Hike to Mt Wilson Yesterday yielded a great Fern forest
Limited view (in clouds) and the large telescope
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really like ferns, we've got a section between the swamp and "high ground" that loads up every year. they grow to near waist-high, most are "cinnamon" ferns
EDIT
wintering over
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That's a great view.
I am from Michigan too many years ago (left to leave snow) but never lived with the ferns
need a cabin in the woods by water
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:l2:
the way the economy is crashing, thinking i'll sell the house for scrap, cut down all the red pine I planted 30 years ago and build a cabin
those ferns grow in a very narrow band, maybe 50' deep and 300' long, they are one of the properties "treasures"
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This week's hike yields some nice Christmastime blooms.
Big rain coming will green even more
Unusual for Prickly to flower this time of year
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@scstill,
Great pictures from your hikes, especially the shot of Santiago Peak. I grew up in the Newport-Costa Mesa area and Saddleback was always just there, dominating the scenery. The plant life pics show off the true desert climate. People in the east don't often get that--how dry Southern California is. But to me it just looks like home. Thanks for sharing.
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winter hope, real nice heavy snow last night
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Kumquats are ready! Size ranges from 1" to 1-3/4".
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Kumquats are ready! Size ranges from 1" to 1-3/4".
I have a tiny Kumquat tree. Will have maybe two dozen fruits in January (I hope)
I love making marmalade.
I also have a issue with ring worms and citrus leaf curl. Any suggestions? I have sprayed with diluted dish soap.
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I have some leaf curl on my satsumas (larger leaves than kumquat). I've read a lot of stuff about it but the advice I decided to follow was don't worry about it. Sure enough, most of the curly leaves eventually straighten out and look like other healthy leaves. I'm not familiar with ring worms.
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The plant life pics show off the true desert climate. People in the east don't often get that--how dry Southern California is. But to me it just looks like home.
Here is my Green Hike yesterday in Whiting.
More rain today means more green tomorrow.
Maybe less drought in '23
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nice,
I start counting the days to green once the Sun stops running away and starts moving back north :icon_biggrin:
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.... issue with ring worms...
I thought Ringworm was a skin condition, related to jock-itch and athlete's foot. That pets may have to be put-down for ringworm. It turns out it can also hide in soil as spores. And I doubt dish-soap does anything at all for virus spores.
IMHO : you got ringworm on your people or critters, consult the appropriate doctor and do ALL the prescribed treatment. And you also want to treat the soil, but this field is ripe for useless "cures". Usually state agencies have the most un-biased information. Also your agriculture extension office will know the local conditions: season, time and dosage, banned chemicals...
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whoops, I mis-spoke, it is leafminers, sorry.
"Citrus leafminer larvae feed by creating shallow tunnels, or mines, in young leaves of citrus trees. The pest is most commonly found on citrus."
There is lots of info on control so I will get a true insecticide for that purpose
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I grew up in the Newport-Costa Mesa area and Saddleback was always just there, dominating the scenery. The plant life pics show off the true desert climate. People in the east don't often get that--how dry Southern California is. But to me it just looks like home.
Hey Lectroid
The rain came and covered Saddleback. Thought you would like this pic.
Saddleback is only about 5500' so it's rare to get snow.
Should stick for a few days. Hopefully I can get up there.
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> leafminers
Ah. Those don't infest people/pets, do they?
My mom's poor little 'orange' tree has had some kinda leaf tunnelers for 30 years, no problem. (The "poor" is that it is over 60 years old, hardly 2 foot high, and hasn't had fruits in decades.) But they don't look like the pics of Citrus leafminer that I see; there may be various bugs that mine leaves.
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Hey Lectroid
The rain came and covered Saddleback. Thought you would like this pic.
Saddleback is only about 5500' so it's rare to get snow.
Very nice, thanks for posting that. Over my lifetime I can only remember seeing that twice before. Maybe you'll finally get a good rainy winter this year.
Should stick for a few days. Hopefully I can get up there.
Definitely do that. I drove up to the top of Santiago one dark bitterly cold clear Christmas morning to watch the sun come up. Nearly froze, but what a view! And in the other direction, OC spread out to the ocean, out to Catalina and beyond. It's worth it. But dress warm. :icon_biggrin:
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since the weather is, um, bizarre, thought I'd look for errant blooms, nope, BUT
had to kill a skeeter that wanted a drink, probably a 1st in my lifetime in MI, Dec 30, 22; Mosquito died suddenly.
the 2nd bizarreness, shortly after the skeeter, a yearling frog jumped into the inlet creek! another 1st, a fully functioning frog on Dec 30, farm country MI
I apologized to the frog for killing its supper
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Got out to California over the holidays. Up in Ventura, we went to a viewpoint where I found a couple of hibiscus looking real happy at three days before Christmas.
Also at the viewpoint was a stairway flanked with two massive stone constructions. They'd sent to Japan for a team of dry-stone masons who built it. They were from an 800 year old guild of dry-stone masters who used to build medieval Japanese castles back in the day and are still active today. They demanded the site be cleared of all outsiders while they worked. No mention of whether they used modern equipment or just the ancient Japanese levitation jewels.
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lots of overlooks along the Appalachians are built similar. makes for great bouldering 'til the tourist crowds thin out
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Green trail hike (1/2mile from home) and Cal poppy blooms
With all the rain it could be super bloom this spring.
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scstill, what is the name of those trees? We have lot's of very similar trees around Mobile. We call them Spanish Oaks. I have six big ones in my yard that measure 3 to 4 feet diameter. Many more that average about 12" to 24" diameter.
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They are coastal live oaks or just "live oaks"
https://calscape.org/loc-California/Coastal%20Live%20Oak%20(Quercus%20agrifolia%20var.%20oxyadenia)?newsearch=1
Some are very board with branch ends that nearly touch the ground
When you go under you feel like you are in this special enclosed space (great get away for picnics)
Years ago my boys called one of the bigger ones the house tree.
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...what is the name of those trees?..
https://rethinkrural.raydientplaces.com/blog/apps-for-tree-identification-and-theyre-all-free
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First peach blossom for 2023. Probably gonna get surprised tonight. Brrr!!!
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no blooms today, cheeks blooming
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Wow, now that is a winter wonderland
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You guys sure do take some beautiful pictures. I especially like the landscape orientation pics. I use most of them for backgrounds on my 'puter. Keep it up and thanks.
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I do the same, MS just has cheesy stuff :laugh:
I tried the pond image, but MS blew it up to useless in order to "fit".
when I painted, i liked 1X2 format canvas the best, the problem, NOBODY put those canvas' on sale!
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I do the same, MS just has cheesy stuff :laugh:
I tried the pond image, but MS blew it up to useless in order to "fit".
I use screen resolution of 1920x1080. I got a perfect fit with a little PSP manipulation. That way MS doesn't have to blow it up.
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Here is a great Coastal Live Oak in Whiting Ranch Wilderness (mile or so from home)
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Oh, yeah, that one's going up on the Mac! Thanks again for the shots of home.
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:)
I'll see your live Oak and Raise you a Silver Maple
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Here are a few of the early backyard blooms from todays SoCal hike in Whiting Wilderness
Spectrum of color. Thing about these blooms is they are small
If riding MTB they get missed
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Here a few vista views from todays MTB ride at Top of the World Laguna Beach
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A few more
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Very nice shots! I think I can almost see the Casino on Catalina. Also the snow-covered San Gabriel mountains. Beautiful day on the coast. And only two hours or so from playing in the snow.
For those of you non-SoCal types, these are rare photos. This is the only time of the year you'll see green hills out there. A month from now, most likely those hills will all be the their normal year-round golden color. No wonder the Spaniards loved it.
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I lived in Vallejo(sp?) north side of Frisco Bay, our apartment was on a hill, overlooked the rolling hills on the way to Pt Rayes
got to see golden, green, and snow dust. while beautiful, the commute to Mare Island sucked the joy outta the view.
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Some early SoCal Blooms from yesterday Hike in Whiting wilderness, about 1 mile form home.
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Japanese Magnolia is awake!
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Some nice color textures from today's hike in Bell View Canyon.
More rain coming so it will help the super bloom
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You sure have a lotta pretty things to look at.
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reminds me of the high-desert blooms in NM, AZ, although diamond backs are easier to find than a gopher snakes
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Plenty of rattlesnakes here as well, always better to be surprised by a gopher snake.
I walked over this one sunning in the side grasses, then my wife behind me saw it.
I remember a recent surprise when I heard the rattling before I saw the snake. He wanted me to cross on the the other side, which was no problem :-) Better then to surprise the snake I suppose.
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Snow in SoCal and creeks with lots of green
and some look only plants
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Saddleback Snow
Saddleback Maine is at 105 inches snow for the season, 2" fresh snow now.
https://twitter.com/SaddlebackMaine?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
I'm watching 6" accumulate on my dooryard.
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Great shot of Saddleback snow. You've had snow up there, what?, three times this year? Unheard of! Also good pic of Trabuco Creek. Probably running strong now, with all the rain you've had. From northern Virginia, in the grip of the Winter That Never Arrived...
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couldn't get my black squirrel to cooperate so just the Iris that popped sometime in the last 24hrs
the algae is in bloom also, looks like it's out-gassing well!
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good pic of Trabuco Creek. Probably running strong now, with all the rain you've had.
Its 8ft wide in that pic. 2weeks ago it was 20ft wide. Before this last rain could step over it.
I think when the snow melts it will grow to 20ft again.
Storm tonight brings more snow to 2500' quite unusual for SoCal.
BTW - here is a Yellow Wood Sorrel. I hear it is medicinal. Flower is closed cause its cloudy and cold for us SoCal types at 50F
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I read that Donner Pass is impassable?? I last crossed it one July and even then, the scent of snow was in the air.
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good pic of Trabuco Creek.
Its 8ft wide in that pic. 2weeks ago it was 20ft wide. Before this last rain could step over it.
I think when the snow melts it will grow to 20ft again.
Last time I lived out there with rain like that was winter of 2007-2008. If you know the Brookhurst overpass over the Santa Ana River, I saw the water just 3 ft or so below the roadway. At least 100 yards across at that point and probably 15 ft. deep, and flowing fast.
How have the desert areas been blooming? We used to try to get out to Joshua Tree in the spring for the good blooms.
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It's Azalea time in Mobile. The whole county looks like my backyard!
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more...
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one more...
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We had color (see #198) :laugh:
back to black n white for a couple days
the 2nd pic is where the flower in #198 is/was, might still be :help:
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Overnight nor'easter. Foot+ on the ground. Only microscopic melting expected this week.
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yep that's what hit us, 6+ inches, but the ambient air was warm and the next 3 days are 40-50 so by this evening it's like walking through a fresh cement pour
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Brrr... You guys ever hear of Sarasota? :l2:
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:laugh:
I spent 5yrs avoiding snow for the sunshine, the problem is there's 777 million other folks doing the same, fooled them, I stayed home the last 2 years :icon_biggrin:
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A few beauties from yesterdays hike in Whiting Wilderness
BTW - great looking azaleas
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Overnight nor'easter. Foot+ on the ground. Only microscopic melting expected this week.
Nice scene. Reminds of my time in Connecticut.
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Overnight nor'easter. Foot+ on the ground. Only microscopic melting expected this week.
I'd love to have that pic in a 1920x1080 (or larger) size.
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Katrina Rose about to pop. Google it. There's a neat little side story...
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we have wild roses here, 4 petal. a mature bush will grow about as much as your wall hanger, in a year :cussing:
as perimeter fencing, nothing better, throw brush over, let grow, throw brush....
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That wall hanger was two 10" high plants last April! Actually, that rose belongs to my daughter. Mine has not been nearly as vigorous.
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yay! finally!
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took a beating, still hanging in
the violets and moss are popping, always a good sign warm is coming
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My dogwood is blooming. The cherry tree bloomed earlier but now covered with leaves. All 4 of my Japanese maples have the leaves turned burgandy.
I've got Azaleas that are pink, white, chinese red and deep red all starting to bloom.
Honeysuckle blossoms are starting to show up. And the hostess lining the edge of the woods are up and starting to really leaf out. Late Feb when we had warm weather, I have a large forsynthia bush totally bloomed out in yellow.
It's a fun time of year!
With respect, Jeff
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A few beauties from today's hike. Super Bloom SoCal.
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Spring in Virginia, including my overgrown lawn. Getting up to 70 today, so no more excuses...
Tulips, jonquils, and a tiny grape hyacinth, one of the prettiest little weeds anywhere.
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we're finally waking up in the north country!
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I like quiet little trickle pools. If that pool was down here in Bama, there would probably be some big fat leopard frog tadpoles, a crawdad or two, and possibly a few dragonfly nymphs. All fun stuff for a country boy kid.
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Shooter, those are beautiful shots.
Here in MD, the trees will be fully out in a week, and the poison ivy in my yard is telling me that it wants its place along with the damn deer and the perky foxes.
Spring is sprung, and it is lovely.
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yep, plenty of leopard frogs, the big ones usually don't survive the barn cats, spent an hour in the lawn chair last night plinking my 22 at paper plates, listening to the frogs singing for sex:) We've had crayfish here a few times but my pond is "intermittent" so they don't fair well during the dry season. Hoping to rent a mini-excavator this year and dig a fish pond downstream. If I can get to 10' then i'll try and drive a shallow point down from there so I have year-round water.
Our poplars and red maples are just starting to pop, the sneezing knows!! Got the early taters out sprouting, tilled a 2nd pass so I put in a row of giant sunflowers from last years harvest. should have the fence electrified within the week, 9KV - take that raccoon!
shot this pic of the water plants and got the diving Beatle by chance (top of frame)
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Shooter, what are those little blue flowers called?
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:l2:
'lil blue flowers
i used to know in the way back days.
my yard was the repository for all the stuff parents didn't want in their yard. so the 90's kids would bury their pets here, plant the flowers they started from seed in class, store the POS cars and assorted junk... I didn't have many rules, the one I did have "NO dead or alive humans buried here:)"
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I didn't have many rules, the one I did have "NO dead or alive humans buried here:)"
Yeah...sounds reasonable to me. :icon_biggrin:
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Shooter, what are those little blue flowers called?
Just use Google Lens (https://lens.google.com/search?p=ARADZa5Xqsl8mJDaOQyqU749kjrCQZ59292BIBCiZnel3mR1Mw2_QZghPk-t51FfZKcsKVQuNOUZftcalyUuHz20EPul2fXiks9FbpM39V_DGPYUQVl0qGKaUTXQqKhvUknopfmvGfIIaoyuF4xtieNkiaWzrDQ1Z64fac5t-7ucy5wnLsss3Zc0YYREY5YQjXytcwkki7GqNt2q3phiV0ipTzSuGE9KTLZXmqqVPqtlcqbcgPwaurWOqRpNRT0yPqzdGQCwQe72vroI3DGxSsLDRJVwD9Pqb6AMcqtBJVw%3D&ep=gsbubb&hl=en&re=df#lns=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsIkVrY0tKR1ptTUdFM1l6azJMVFEwWWpNdE5HTXpOQzA1TURBeUxUUm1OMlkwWmpWak4yTmlNaElmTkRCdk5YQTRYMGM0Wm1kbWMwRmhRM1F0VldoaFp6UmxMVTVLY21SNFp3PT0iXQ==).
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Of COURSE Google has a thing for that! Why didn't I just assume that? :laugh:
I have a phone app called iSeek that does the same thing.
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Actually front-yard blooms.
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nice colors, we have a bunch in the purple only
got the mower deck fixed n installed late yesterday, test driving was fun trying to avoid all the 2" flowers
not gonna upgrade from my flipphone so they'll stay 'lil blue flowers :icon_biggrin:
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Since we are on the subject...
Here are a few SoCal purple and blue flowers from Tuesdays hike
with Google Lens provided names :-)
These delicate flowers are just a sample of the covered hills, they call it super-bloom
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I've seen the blue-eyed flower in NM wandering dry creeks n such.
The snow left yesterday, made in to 40 with a stiff wind today
the "Michigan cedar" is a juniper type bush, was well shaped til the last ice storm, split the main trunk in 4, pealed down about 3 foot. The new look's growin on me :laugh:
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Cedar looks odd, for a cedar. Otherwise, not too bad. I could get used to it. What's the yellow bush in the other pic?
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What's the yellow bush in the other pic?
A 4sithea. (Read it like a kindergartener.)
AKA 'forsythia'.
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:l2:
I had to spend to much time with "S.T.E.M." English class is where I caught up on my sleep, I'd wake up an She'd be talking about party-sipples, then i'd wonder what I missed at the party
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the "Michigan cedar" is a juniper type bush, was well shaped til the last ice storm, split the main trunk in 4, pealed down about 3 foot. The new look's growin on me :laugh:
:l2:
So my story... Thirty years ago, when we had just bought our current house, I come home from work to find my Wife and her Mother had planted a blue spruce five feet from the house. I told them: "Ladies, a blue spruce needs *a lot* more room to grow. Let's find another another spot for it. It's a baby sapling, it will be no problem to move it." Of course two against one, they were right and I was wrong. I'm someone who prioritizes my battles, so without a fight I let this one go. I figured the sapling is not a problem right now, I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Ten years go by, and yes it started becoming an issue. I took my pruning saw, got as close to the trunk as possible, raised my arm as high as possible, and that's how high this tree is going to be. Yep, it looked like a hamburger. Short and flattened wide. Successfully stunted its growth height wise, but it still grew outwards. We really liked the awkward artistic shape, so for the next few years, I regularly trimmed it to a smaller diameter. But finally got rid of it all together. So took 15 years to have my "I told you so" moment, but still enjoyed it :icon_biggrin:
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...about that same time... :occasion14:
we moved here 33 years back, the tree pictured was a "bush" tight to the house, 3 foot from main entrance. couple years go by, I asked the 'ol guy next door about transplanting; "long as you mark North, don't do it on Sunday, it'll grow just fine"
wrapped a strap around base, other end to Jeep, couple good yanks and she's out, drug it around the drive to the current location about 100' away
Norwegian Spruce, ~~ 60 foot tall, n 40+ foot wing span.
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> spruce needs *a lot* more room to grow.
We figure this land was logged-off about 1948. But the clear-cut is infested with spruce seeds. Seedlings 3 foot high and 3 feet apart. Decades later some have died and we have 70 foot spruce 6 feet apart. The dirt is less than 3 feet, the root-"ball" is a pancake. If one blows over it lodges in the next. Or the other way, across the driveway. Or on the power line.
I did a lot of spruce-weed cutting 5 years back. This year though we have to attend to a ginormous (for its site) overgrown apple tree. I just got a pole-saw and a one-hand saw, both electric chain.
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Apples good burn'n but no fun cutting.
Feb/Mar had a nasty Ice storm, lost a 62' limb from my 100 yr old Silver maple, 28" at the shoulder, about 1.5 cord!
These showed up a few days back, we call 'em Buttercups, swampy marsh environment
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I guess this is a bloom of sorts? Sorry no pics ans I had to act fast!
I was at the computer in the house yesterday afternoon finishing the last of the court papers (father's estate) and all of a sudden it starts to get dark in the room. Look out the window at the desk and the sun is shining. Turn to my right to the big window and it's completely blacked put with honey bees. ON THE INSIDE! Call the neighbor (bee keeper) and he's here in seconds! found the hole where they got in, plugged that and started to vacuum the little buggers up. Took over an hour to get them little buggers out the house! Jon said it's most likely a wild hive splitting and that's why they swarmed. he was able to get the bees out of the vacs and in a mesh bag. In one of the bags there was a queen. She was set in a trap and the swarm went to her and was also trapped. He said he'll set up a colony with her and they should be good. Luckily, they don't sting when they swarm. He said that there's a lot of drones so they could split again soon. Freeky shit! :help:
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took this pic shortly after my wild hive split
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Wild Sugar Bush on Morgan Trail in SoCal
Also known as Sugar Sumac.
Supposedly the Indians used it for sweetener.
I'm thinking the top picture might be the flower buds
The middle picture is for sure the flower
The lowest pic is a google photo of the berry
Guess I'll need to return for a tasting
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Very pretty. Is that flowers, berries, or ???
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And since we were on the subject of bees
Here is a little guy photo bombing my pic of Scorpion Weed
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your images jarred a memory from youth; "berries white, poisonous sight, berries red, makes you dead"
double-check with locals, i wouldn't trust google for wild edible advice :icon_biggrin:
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Yeah for sure
Especially with sumac as part of the name.
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I know this thread is about plants but here is a cool story from a few days ago
Riding MTB in Whiting Wilderness Park when I came across these two guys
Right in the middle of a fast trail.
Decided to put some branches to protect them from becoming a speed bump.
But then thought they should be moved off the trail.
Grabbed the snake by the tail to drag them to the bushes
The snake let the lizard go and the lizard turned on me ready for a fight
a stick helped me move him off the trail as well
Stupid lizard.
As an added bonus couple of teenage girls witnessed the fun,
but didn't want to help with relocation.
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the snakes head has a nasty habit of creating a circle about it's tail, with your flesh as bulls-eye, always use a stick.
after a climb i walked back to retrieve packs and I find a Diamondback with a mouse butt sticking out it's mouth, and a hole in the back of the snakes neck, with a mouse head sticking out, both deceased.
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Pretty Linanthus from the other day.
So delicate, covers the ground.
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Very pretty! Wish that pic had been landscape orientation. If you get another chance...
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That pic rotated and another natural landscape.
This is the first time I noticed this flower, so its kinda special
BTW - the green leaves in the pics that look like rosemary is sagebrush also know as "cowboy cologne"
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Duh! Rotate the pic. I'm stupid today. :BangHead:
Added to my scstill background collection. Thanks.
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Believe it or not, this is a rock. Its at least 8ft tall and only visible from this direction on the Lizards trail in the wilds above Laguna Beach. Typically, we are riding the opposite direction and hence never see it. But on this occasion we were hiking upstream. Trails are so different when you go the opposite direction.
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It's a little spooky!
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The hooded orioles are back.
Rainy day sorry for the poor quality pic thru the window
Cool to catch one in flight though
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Believe it or not, this is a rock.
lots of stuff like that in E Kty, I call 'em boulder'n rocks, a place to just chill, find a line, top out, which i've already found on your rock :laugh:
Pam gets a little grumpy when I found a line that kicked my butt, "Honey, just one more try and we can finish the hike, I know I can do this!"
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Bird flowers. Guess who?
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hasn't snowed in near 2 weeks, nighttime temps ABOVE freezing going on 4 nights now!!!
couple dogwoods in 2 posts,
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2nd
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Dogwoods are a sure sign of springtime. Down here they usually bloom about the last week of March. And Easter Sunday is soon to follow. And that means barefootin' after church to an Alabama country boy. :happy1:
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Is this the longest thread ever?
Just curious.
The pictures are fabulous.
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:laugh:
i believe i've seem some over 10 pages
Not sure if ferns have flowers, I liked Botany but the words were all Greek so I didn't fare well :icon_biggrin:
looks like the photo-bombed ant has a companion in the stem :dontknow:
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I didn't know either
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/what.shtml#:~:text=Similar%20to%20flowering%20plants%2C%20ferns,exemplified%20by%20the%20walking%20fern.
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Is this the longest thread ever?
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This one caught my eye today in Whiting Wilderness, SoCal.
Can't remember seeing it before. Not many around
Blood red bloom with a silvery white bulb and stalk. Not fully bloomed yet.
Very striking. At least 6ft tall. Known as cobweb or western thistle.
View shot has the thistle in the center. Both landscape and a nice one in portrait.
Thistles are invasive here.
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Bird flowers have bloomed. I think they may be blue berries! :icon_biggrin:
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This one caught my eye today in Whiting Wilderness, SoCal.
You sure do have some beautiful plants out there. Glad you have the opportunity to get out in the wilds to enjoy all that scenery. Keep'em coming. I'm saving all of them.
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Bird flowers have bloomed. I think they may be blue berries! :icon_biggrin:
Robbin flowers
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Thistles are invasive here.
Thistles are invasive EVERYwhere. Why Scotland features the thistle on the flag.
"...the Norsemen tried to surprise the sleeping Scottish Clansmen. ...the Norsemen removed their footwear. But as they crept barefoot they came across .. thistles and one of Haakon’s men unfortunately stood on one and shrieked..."
I like to have A thistle on my land. (Beats porcupines.) But when it dries and goes to seed I burn the stalk and salt the land so it won't spread.
There is an unreasonable number of varieties (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium).
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Bird flowers have bloomed. I think they may be blue berries! :icon_biggrin:
Robbin flowers
Try again.
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Bird flowers have bloomed. I think they may be blue berries! :icon_biggrin:
Robbin flowers
Try again.
Need another pic in two days if they don’t fly the coup
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you're on the gulf? pelicans? :icon_biggrin:
these showed up today, you'll have to ask AI for the name, I just tell the Mrs., "the whitebells are bloom'n"
the
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the habitat;
the broad-leaf plant Middle-ground is the buttercups posted previously. Next up will be the Flags, Iris, the plants are the right size.
sadly had I asked permission, (a must here when working in "wetland") this would still be 20' high, 30' deep brush, thorns, scab-trees, ...an eye sore
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Happy Mother's Day requested hike on tough Los Pinos trail,
So many flowers, everywhere, better than any bouquet.
Love the tree poppy, was everywhere
Hummingbirds love the penstemon
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An extra late spring here in northern VT, even for us. Expecting 20s overnight later this week.
So, not much blooming beyond daffodils & random tulips.
In spite of having a hoop house, temps inside are still dipping below freezing occasionally, so all our tender starts are still in the house-house.
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Big pic files it seems
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yep us up Norther's are getting some crazy stuff. I restarted burning wood for the 3rd time!! I'm using wood ear-marker for this OCTOBER!!!
we're finally above freezing, but 40 degree nites are still cold!
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Here in coastal Maine we plan on frost through today. But this year no frost since mid-April, and then only mild. I have runaway grass already, and only mid-May. (Yeah, I know, the southern boys have been mowing since March.)
Driveway blooms. Patches among the weedy grass. Seem to be 'bluets', but I know we get bluer ones later in the season by the barn and out by the church.
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yep us up Norther's are getting some crazy stuff. I restarted burning wood for the 3rd time!! I'm using wood ear-marker for this OCTOBER!!!
we're finally above freezing, but 40 degree nites are still cold!
Ouch!
We also heat primarily with wood, but are still on this years allotment. Cheating with propane this time of year, but I wouldn't rule out a fire or two before real summer.
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Ouch!
yep, that's what my body says :laugh:
I typically burn 6 full cord a year to help cheat the propane. If the 2 Ninos' keep messing around the propane might win this year :icon_biggrin:
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This juvenile is guarding the Bommer Canyon trail that I was riding on.
Coiled up after I woke him. Decided to slither off. Good choice.
And some Leymus (wild rye) on the vista
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Luckily poisonous snakes never seem to appear at our place. We have plenty here in NC but
our place seems to be a perfect habitat for a few large Eastern Black Kingsnakes! To them rattlesnakes
are merely food! Been here almost 30 years and have only seen 1 coral snake. No Eastern diamondbacks
Lots of timbers, pigmy, copperheads and cottonmouths.
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...Decided to slither off. And some Leymus (wild rye) on the vista
We get garter snakes. They like to slither under the lawnmower.
I dunno how "wild" but Rye is one of the few grasses that don't die here.
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:laugh:
yep, the garter snakes don't seem to bright, the Blue-racers however are quite skilled at chasing humans.
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Front door shoots:
This asparagus is at least 5 years old. We hardly nibble it any more, it just keeps coming up each spring. We even put down black plastic one year, and it grew through it.
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Cheating with propane this time of year, but I wouldn't rule out a fire or two before real summer.
I hate to quote myself but... lit a fire this afternoon. Looking at lower 20s tonight.
Been watching snow flurries on & off all day.
The better half went & cut as most of her blooming tulips before the cold got them tonight.
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Tic Tac Toe Rock and Sticky Monkey bloom
from today's hike in Laguna Coast Wilderness
The monkeys are everywhere, and its advanced TTT
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Keep 'em coming. I feel like I'm getting to know a bit about CA one hike at a time.
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looks like the sticky monkeys, petrified themselves a millennia ago.
I'd have a handful of teens at the top of Seneca, 300' rock, 900' above the river. one of the observant one's would ask, is that a shell? that looks like a plant?, dave.... my canned answer for 10 years "So you were sleeping or skipped out on the Sunday School lesson about Noah???" :icon_biggrin:
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the sticky part of your flower reminded me of a sticky weed we have, IN BLOOM!!! It's nasty plant, will latch on, has very small barbs, that will cause many lacerations on bare legs, the "hairs are similar to the "sting" you get from cactus. zoom in and you can see the hairs.
cut my 30 year old 3" dia. concord vine to the dirt, trained up a new shoot last year, it's 3/4" at the base, spans ~ 15'
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Keep 'em coming. I feel like I'm getting to know a bit about CA one hike at a time.
You're getting to know a bit about what the Spanish called the chaparral--the biome of Southern California's foothills. The rest of the state is much more varied. Wish we had a member hiking through the Humboldt redwoods...
@scstill, yes please keep 'em coming. I've got your stuff on a rotating screen saver. Plus, a few more good ones and I can publish my calendar on Etsy. :l2:
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Mockingbirds in the Muscadines...
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"Spooky Blooms" from recent hike near Whiting Wilderness in an Edison area
Alien Hatching with a fabulous name (Dude Layla) a succulent getting ready to flower
Witches Hair (Dodder) is a parasite, unfortunately its everywhere
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Some delicate wild sage blooms on a misty hike in Whiting.
Not sure why but first observed for me.
Maybe because wild stuff is small and requires you to seek it.
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Front yard blooms. "Lady slipper", a wild orchid; possibly Pink Lady's Slipper Cypripedium acaule. There is another but the camera was not cooperating.
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launched the camera, wild roses along the intermittent stream, from130ft, they span about 100' in length, reaching 20' up and growing
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Colorado is getting all our rain so we're in sad drought shape here, garden and daisies in my neighbors fallow field
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A few local SoCal blooms from this weeks hikin' and bikin'
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a few more SoCal beauties...
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Jalapenos are in bloom! Had to make a trip to Walmart for some fat boy bacon. :l2:
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Texas Stars are shining over Alabama!
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Luna Hibiscus...
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> Texas Stars are shining over Alabama!
Pretty!
I give you Porcupine butt over Maine:
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Real nice thread! Some beautiful pics. We are living at 7400ft in Tahoe. Snow up high is finally disappearing. Ill keep an eye out for some wild flowers. The trees are real happy right now though. Technically this is my backyard right now.
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mighty fine backyard you have!
i'm at 800', had to drive 5-8 hours to get to the eastern/southern mountains, worth EVERY mile!
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mighty fine backyard you have!
i'm at 800', had to drive 5-8 hours to get to the eastern/southern mountains, worth EVERY mile!
I feel ya! Sometimes ya just gotta get lost in them form time to time. Here is out house at peak snowfall this winter. It was some real work keeping up with the snow but what a year!
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Some SoCal beauties on the way up to the flag on Bell View trail
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few more plus a vista
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Last of them :-)
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haven't seen that much snow since '66/67 when we tunneled out of the house, you win, keep it :laugh:
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coupe from the park/yard/woods/swamp
the stick-tights photo-bombed my black raspberries!
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Prickly pears are almost in full bloom in SoCal
So cool how the buds are deep pink and the blooms go from orange to yellow
All on the same plant.
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And another beauty from Whiting Wilderness SoCal
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knowing "edibles" in the wild can save your butt when things go sideways, you need to be real hungry to peel n eat prickly pears, food that fights back :icon_biggrin:
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A field of California Tree Poppies from todays adventure in O'Neill Wilderness in South Orange County
These beauties are 6-8ft tall and the size of a big fist.
Also witnessed a doe and new fawn jumping an old horse fence.
Not fast enough to get pic.
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Some Wavyleaf Mullein from SoCal Wilderness.
First time I have noticed it.
Seems that it does everything....
The health benefits of mullein essential oil can be attributed to its properties as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, disinfectant, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, relaxant, and tranquilizing substance.
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domestic eatables
purple taters n Cayenne twins
black raspberries (no-pic) are smallish since we're in a bad drought, still tasty
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Tomato blooms.
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California Brittlebush flower that I snagged on a paved path close to home.
Last year I posted some fields of them from the trail (see #64 and 83)
Also known as Cali coast sunflower.
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Of COURSE Google has a thing for that!
We found a tiny frog on a fence. What do I know, frogs is frogs.
My new phone has a Lens button and it suggested Chorus Frogs Genus Pseudacris, possibly spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer), but hard to say because "hybridization between species". (BTW, for the yellow flowers above (https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=27616.msg336003#msg336003) it suggested Tomato.)
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wildflowers from a few days ago.
Summer blooms are here...
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suggested Tomato.)
:laugh:
i'll stick with my field guides
Marshmallow bush? what we've been calling it. grows in the same swamp area as most of my other swamp pics. was hoping to make inroads in that are this year, but.....
Steve mentioned listening to pine beetles, they killed this one about 4 years back, last nights storm finally out matched the Ivy that's been holding it up
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Look at all the woodpecker holes in that tree! Now they know how to find those larvae without a screwdriver! :icon_biggrin:
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they do love a dead tree. the beetles must be into mathematics, their larvae holes are symmetrically spaced, circling the tree at the same height.
1st time I saw the new holes, i peered into the hole and a grub started twerking me. considered tweezing them out n selling them at the the beer bait n gas, decided it wasn't worth the $ getting skeetered n fly bit diggin 'em out.
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Couple of wild flowers from SoCal summertime
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the 1st sunflower to bloom, it's a mutant plant though, has 7 heads, hasn't tracked the sun since the bloom opened, all the other plants are tracking even without any flowers. Guess with 7 inputs it's cpu is overloaded; "No, turn, no, the other way"
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Guess with 7 inputs it's cpu is overloaded; "No, turn, no, the other way"
Should have evolved a FIFO stack model.
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A few from Colorado visit
photo bombers too
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Some more from Durango area
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All you hot-heads plucking tomatoes in April--- I finally got mine.
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Those look very tasty!
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I grabbed some pieces for lunch, pick'n beans when the dew burns off, then it's Lunch-time.
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Tomato blooms. (June 27, 2023)
Annnd..... tonight is cold enough that we pulled the tomato off the deck to ripen the last few fruits in the kitchen. The lawn grass is loving this mild/cool weather, the chives thrive, but the tomatoes will turn sour and fall off.
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A few weeks ago we had some light rain, very odd this time of year for SoCal
Seems that the grasses and some flowers think it is spring
Hope it doesn't upset the ecosystem.
Some flowers from todays hike.
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Hope it doesn't upset the ecosystem.
i've noticed more "double nesting" with the birds, re-flowering of plants. The crows are standing out this year, they seem to be ~25% bigger than "typical" and numbers like they were back in the 60's/70's.
pretty sure "the eco-system" isn't clocking at the same rate as humans.
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Speaking of birds I am going through about 24cups of nectar a day!
They say that each hummingbird consumes 0.25oz a day
So that means that 768 birds visit my yard each day.
Its a full time job to keep them filled. :-)
Looking forward to migration and return of field flowers to catch a break
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only seen one nesting pair this year, we don't feed, they really love the sunflowers I planted though, there'd be 20 honey bees and a hummingbird sucking down on the flowers
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Its apple season in SoCal
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Don't need a ladder to pick those! :laugh:
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> Don't need a ladder to pick those! :laugh:
We put a notch in the top of a plastic cider jug taped to a 10 foot pole, and pull apples off the tree.
However prickly-pear is a different animal altogether. More in the porcupine family. Tongs help. I've had prickly-pear candy on Olvera Street....(gah, that place changed since 1959). I don't know how they do that.
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I'd learn't the basic edibles of nature, tried using the prickly pear for hydration n food, preferred to just die after picking the spines outta my hands
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they are delicious but tough to enjoy
even when I'm extremely careful it seems some pricklys get to my fingers or lips :-(
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haven't tried but someone said to burn off the spines 1st, i typically never carried a torch in the back woods, deserts, now camping....
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Christmastime in SoCal...
Snowy Plants
Holly
Mistletoe
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> Snowy Plants
Can't fool me. We got 2.7 inches wet snow in the last 30 hours and are expecting another inch tonight.
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:laugh:
we got a batch of it coming, it's being created over Lake Michigan now, radar says 6am. had 3" last week, then the rain washed it all down the drain, so it's all wet slop, soon to be covered with 1-3" of lake snow. good day to cut wood.
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:laugh: . . . good day to cut wood.
From a former Michigander: It's a good day to BURN wood. :icon_biggrin:
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yep, started the season OCT 10, got a big 'ol window to look out at the beauty of winter with south Florida temps inside :icon_biggrin:
although it's a mud-fest currently :cussing:
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Backyard, not a plant bloom. Fuzzy snow. It's been damp, then very cold, with some sun. Ice crystals grow from the snow.
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back when, winter put a real crimp on rockclimbing, so I figured I'd study up on Ice climbing, was amazed at the detail, variations, (science) behind ice and the weather that creates n alters it....then it was spring :icon_biggrin:
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winter blooms
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> winter blooms
Hey! That's my toilet water!!
Big storm this week, power out. Can't run the well pump. By the 2nd day, "HAD" to flush the toilets. Went down to a puddle/pond a lot like yours to fetch pails of water (is that a song?).
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to fetch pails of water (is that a song?)
Yeah, but they went up the hill. :l2:
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That's my toilet water
yep, same here
put a new motor on the 'ol lawn tractor, chains, 12" skinny front tires, she does well in most snow for water n wood fetching.
2 years, still haven't got a water circulator to keep the rain-tank from freezing so I spud out some ice in the pond n bail water.
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Actually a kitchen table grow, but it's winter here and nothing grows. Hope to try more in the garden next summer.
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we've reached the apex, the Sun will finally start heading back from Florida!! 29 seconds of new sunshine , above a big, thick, gray blanket! It's always a surprise when you get to see it here,; "WoW, I forgot what the Sun was like...." :icon_biggrin:
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The backyard cricks and dry ponds are blooming between storms here in SoCal
Deeper and faster than they look.
Tried to set a log bridge but the current took it 8ft maybe 80lbs
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ya, you don't wanna play in rain-washes. was in NM dry panin n metal detecting the dry beds, local told me; you feel 1 raindrop, move 10' higher in <5 minutes, 2nd raindrop 10' higher and 100 yards away from creek bottom
i've found fenders, huge road-signs and an infinite amount of spent ammo n beer cans. :icon_biggrin:
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we had such nice green shoots popping up everywhere, the winter shows back up n spoils it
so;
this cherry got a direct hit about 3 years back, had hopes, by fall all the trunk bark started peeling, so I got out the sled dawg
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SoCal style snow is Blooming
Mt Baldy and Big Bear
Pics from yesterday MTB ride.
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Chaparral Current Blooms from yesterday MTB ride to Old Camp on Modjeska Grade in SoCal
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New season for these tender plants along SoCal trails.
Will grow +6ft by end of summer.
Please don't mistake it for Italian parsley :-)
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springs been here a few weeks on n off, just to many other things to get done, finally brought the camera out to prove spring is/was/maybe here.
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So purdy! :smiley:
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Who likes bananas ?
Those pics are from few years ago, but I have some going now too, ill take some pics soon.
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Takes over a year to grow.
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I few SoCal wildflower blooms from yesterdays MTB ride
third pic has a photo bomber
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the dogwood "appeared" last spring, was well hidden behind a 20' blighted pine that had a mutant rose completely covering it. before winter ended, me and the 14" went to war, ya I bled :icon_biggrin:
there's a 50 X 50 patch of wild strawberries, been cutting n chopping all the invasive out, hope to have a small harvest this year. Potted up a single plant for a future trellis berry "bush"
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Peggy Martin Katrina Rose (https://www.southernliving.com/garden/flowers/peggy-martin-rose)
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now that's a proper rose bush. the mutant thing we have here has 1" razor-sharp SPIKES, the petals are only about 2". It will "grow" a 2' "vine" in a month, will get 6' in a year, will send underground "vines" out 10' in a year. :cussing:
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My Katrina is two years old. Started as two potted plants, each was about a foot long.
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this stuff, I call "evil kudzu of the north".
i've had my flying camera since '19, when I flew the watershed behind my property in spring of 20, this didn't exist. this pic was from last summer, I dropped down to 30' n was at "eye level" with the top vines. left un-checked they will do what kudzu does, blanket the lower foliage and destroy it.
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Some SoCal Salt Cedar beauties from todays MTB ride
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Very nice!
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It's tree shaking time! We've already picked all the Methley plums we could reach. I just got through shaking out another 38 pounds. Gonna be eating a lot of jelly biscuits this winter.
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Got me garlic baby's on the way :icon_biggrin:
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Several years ago I had an asparagus patch. I planted garlic with it. It was supposed to ward of bugs, critters, zombies, or something like that. Then I found out that garlic actually stunts the growth of asparagus! :l2:
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:laugh:
Asparagus goes in the same "No way I'm eating that" pile, as collar-greens, chick peas, all you Southern boy green food
I like bacon fried garlic n taters, It might be a south dish, but it ain't green!
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Some wild Evening Primrose off the road bike trail in SoCal
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Look at all that jelly! 15 pints, 14 half pints, 3 partials, and she's already given away 3 pints. This is our first plum jelly. I've eaten a lot of homemade jelly in my life and I gotta say... THIS IS THE BEST EVER!
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I use Jelly to attract orioles and house finches
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That's an interesting idea. The birds love plums and blackberries. Stands to reason they would also like jelly. I'm gonna give it a try.
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My pepper garden as viewed from the pool. If you like jalapeños, just do it. It's easy.
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I am, I am!
I have 4 plants, half that size, one Habanero, and about 30 Cyanine's(sp?) about 2" tall.
Helped out the neighbor, he paid me in processed frozen yard chickens, I just need to add the peppers, garlic, tators n it's MI redneck stew time!
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That's an interesting idea. The birds love plums and blackberries. Stands to reason they would also like jelly. I'm gonna give it a try.
I feed the Baltimore Orioles (yes, their a real bird) grape jelly. Their crazy about it. Come back every year and the babies come back, so more every year.
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Baltimore Orioles (yes, their a real bird)
mine are free-range, I don't feed any birds, but the property has been "groomed" to provide. I've had a nesting pair for the better part of 30 years here, same tree! That tree however is becoming a hazard in waiting for our house
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My pepper garden as viewed from the pool.
Nothing so far along as that up here in Zone 4B. Things are really just getting going. But we DO have green.
Peppers in our hoop around only about 12" at this point.
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Wow! That's quite a view. What is the direction?
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Wow! That's quite a view. What is the direction?
We are looking South/Southeast. We have beautiful light at this latitude.
Every day I am grateful to live here. (except when it is -20F, but sometimes even then..;)
Edit: Our pepper crop is primarily for making hot pepper jelly, a taste acquired after many years in SC. Fully ripe red peppers with habaneros for heat.
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A couple of skyward "blooms" from my backyard.
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg last night
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Gotta keep this sluckey thread going...
Couple of colorful tree blooms from the "backyard" at Saddleback Church
yellow Cassia Leptophylla
purple Jacaranda Mimosifolia
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I used to save Morning Glory seeds to share.
I still had some left, and read they had LSM (cousin of LSD). I put some by a bird feeder the squirrels constantly raided, but they apparently knew better & didn't eat them.
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My Neighbor Planted Morning Glory a few years back
Now we can't get rid of it. Very invasive.
I do need a squirrel deterrent.
Been using a spray with onion, garlic, Cayenne.
Keeps them away for week or so.
Also good for bugs
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:laugh:
i'm encouraging squirrel growth here, pretty tasty with onion, garlic n cayenne
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Morning dew on fall flowers, or weeds, depending on your perspective.
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Not always dry desert here in SoCal
Some giant Taro on todays hike on Borrego Trail in Whiting
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Some giant pampas grass growing wild in the "dry creek" from todays spin in SoCal.
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you know it's autumn in SoCal when these blooms are out
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you know it's fall in MI cuz it's leaf herding time!
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Looking out my back door at 200'. I find the colors of fall as wonderful as the blooms of spring
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This time of year they dress up the Orange Balloon (largest helium in the US)
Its 118 feet tall with a volume of 210,000 cubic feet, tethered to about 400' flight limit
The gondola holds about 16 people
https://www.cityofirvine.org/great-park/great-park-balloon-carousel
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Hey shooter, how about some more of those nice snow scenes?
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:laugh:
It's our 1st real snow day, I haven't ate my hot meal yet so here's a close approximation from the archives
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I was 18 then.
(https://www.providencejournal.com/gcdn/presto/2022/01/05/NPRJ/a7c71702-2267-4f87-b01b-2ff964af6b51-lb0125_mark3.JPG?width=454&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
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up hill both ways to school, IN THE SNOW!
the '67 snow buried our house to the roofline, Dad took the door off the hinge, then He dug snow, I carried it to the bathtub for dumping. Got air into the house, we lived to tell the story!
Because you asked;
Hot meal check
cold walk check
Nap Check!
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out for my morning track;
4-6 deer, 2 rabbits, 2 mice, 1 bird, 1 squirrel
1-3 new inches today erasing the tracks so I don't get confused :icon_biggrin:
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evening track
1 Red tail hawk, look'n for dinner, flying low.
6 mouse snow tunnels
3 new ground squirrel burrows
2 barn cats
1 squirrel
after nautical twilight, 7 deer came moseying up to the apple trees and shrubbery
our 4 acres is their "hide out" from the men in orange :icon_biggrin:
(Last years pic)
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Lake effect snow, like real snow only deferent :icon_biggrin:
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Some Christmas-like blooms from SoCal
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FINALLY, real snow, not lake effect, not Alberta clipping, just plain MI snow
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Beauty out of Ashes
After a few months and one good rain
There is new growth from the burned hills
This fire was in Orange County Saddleback Mountain (not the LA Palisades Fire)
On the panoramic pic you can see distinct lines away in the hills where the fire was stopped thanks to air retardant drops
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one more
all growth from the core of the burned bushes
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FINALLY
1 frog crocking, 3 flowers blooming, and garlic a growing......Til midnight when it hits 37F!!!
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I live on a groomed hillside without water and ever since the rain I've had croaking.
last year too without rain
No idea were they are or live there's no water.
Maybe toads.
How to get rid of the croaking, very loud with windows open maybe 50' away
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:laugh:
before I moved here I lived about 2 blocks from a large Hospital, on the edge of "sketchy neighborhood" after a month, we'd sleep right through sirens, gun-shots.
here we couldn't sleep for the 1st month from all the frogs, owls, night bugs, winds. After a month, I'd wake up from a dead sleep because the night bugs went silent!!
we have "woodland frogs" that are born near wet areas, but spend most of their life in the shades n foliage that stays damp under the ground cover. Also tree-frogs that get their moisture from dews on leaves.
the only "pond frogs" are the Leopard frogs
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You don't get spring peepers?
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:laugh:
ya, those are the loudest, they sing the chorus while the bullfrogs hit the bass notes and if the crickets are frisky, they'll join in, but they're kinda Leary since they're always on the menu at the frog-pond.
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Couple of SoCal pics from the ride up today
Snow caps are Mt Baldy area
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California Poppies are starting to pop (late this year)
Will be bigger next week.
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Here is a scaley bloom that did not want me to pass.
We had quite an encounter
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I always let the snakes have right-of way!
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some SoCal blooms from todays hike to Bell View flag
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and these
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A study in yellow...
from todays MTB ride
This plant is actually a blight in SoCal
called "black" mustard as it squeezes out native plants
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last spring, dug up 3 wild strawberry plants, gave 'em good dirt, a box, and this spring they are paying me back!! looks to be 80-100 blooms!!
If you've never ate wild strawberries, they look n taste NOTHING like the mutant GMO'd store stuff!!!
what they lack in moo-E-Grande size they make up for in Natures good flavor!!!
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first time for my blackberries to bloom
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bout 20 years ago I put in 5 blackberry plants, year 1 n 2 great berries, work took all my gardener time, they now cover about an acre forming one of the densest thorn-patches i've ever seen, fortunately they populated my "never building anything on this property" neighbors swamp/field, making a great small critter hedge!!
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blackberries just like mint they take over.
These are in pots, just gotta watch the runners
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Dogwood in full bloom n frog pond. missed getting a pic of the snapper out sun'n the other day, he's a young'n, maybe 6" shell diameter but it's a small pond so he feels big!
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fried egg flowers in bloom in SoCal
MTB ride to Old Camp is like riding through a florist shop with all the smells and colors...
This was all burned up Oct '24. Great comeback.