Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Playing Catch Up: The "other" Iris; Other Flowers; Stuff and Junk

IRIS


This is the other Bearded Iris I mentioned in my last post.  A pretty thing, isn't it? I'm glad I got the photo when I did; Sunday's 5.5" downpour, which fell in about 45 minutes, beat the remaining bloom to pieces. 

OTHER FLOWERS

Other flowers in my yard are starting to bloom.   Yay, Spring!    The hybrid day lilies are in full bud; the first one, shown above, opened this morning. I no longer remember its name; it's one of three varieties that my Virginia sister sent me several years ago.
"H-14," the otherwise unnamed day lily that I mentioned last week and in June, 2009, is full of buds and about ready to pop. I expect to see multiple blooms any day now. 

Last year, Gardening Daughter and I created a window box that I can easily see from my kitchen, and it's generally the first thing I look at each morning.  I planted in it two pots of multi-colored Calabrachoa (Million Bells) and four small pots of Sweet Alyssum.  I had no idea at the time how much pleasure it would bring me.

WINDOW BOX ON EAST WALL OF DEN

The spent flowers do not have to be picked off for it to continue to bloom, and it has made a lovely cascade. All in all, a most satisfactory plant. It receives the morning sun, but is shaded from the strongest heat of the day.

STUFF AND JUNK

I've been under the weather for the past week, having developed a particularly nasty sore throat on Tuesday last, which turned itself into general upper respiratory symptoms with lots of coughing; I seem to be prone to this sort of illness.  It's going around town, and must be transmittable by telephone, as my Nebraska daughter reported yesterday that she had almost exactly the same symptoms. No fever, just extreme discomfort.  Biological warfare, that's what it is!

Next door neighbor, about whom you will hear a bit more on Thursday, has been keeping me supplied with edibles. Earlier last week, she delivered meatballs and spaghetti sauce, collard and turnip greens cooked with ham, cooked pinto beans, pot roast with rice and sides of green beans and toasted garlic bread. I asked her if she had "taken me to raise," but she assured me that these were leftovers from her cooking for her two adult sons.  All were gratefully received; I didn't have a lot of energy to devote to preparing meals.

This afternoon, she called to ask me if I felt up to "messing with" some collard and turnip greens. Her nephew, who lives in a neighboring town, has a large garden and keeps her supplied with all sorts of fresh veggies.  I accepted from her a large bag of collard greens, a large bag of turnip greens, a bag of beautiful leaf lettuce, and four lovely spring onions. It took me a while (ah... several hours, between sit-downs) to get them all picked over, thoroughly washed and bagged for the refrigerator.  There are some good eats coming.  The lettuce is already earmarked for Wilted Lettuce, like my mama used to make.  If you've not ever had that particular Spring delicacy, you've been missing something tasty!!

After picking and washing and bagging, I know why these particular veggies are known as a "mess" of greens!  I surely did make a mess!

I promised I would post about Hay Bale Gardening, but enough is enough, and that post is already written and scheduled for Thursday.

More, later.

10 comments:

bittenbyknittin said...

Does it always rain so much where you live? Your daylilies are ahead of mine. Hope you are feeling better. And yes, I've had wilted lettuce, but not for quite a while. Must have it again soon.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Abby: We seem to either have too much or too little rain. We've had an unusually high amount of rain since last October, when our area received 16" in about a week. Christmas Eve brought another 7-8" of rain (no snow, thank goodness), and we've had a rainy spring. Even with all that, our water table is still relatively low due to several years during which we received not enough rain.

I'm feeling somewhat better, thank you, although the sore throat seems to be lingering. This, too, shall pass.

Hilary said...

Sorry you've not been feeling well, Pat. I sure hope you're on the mend now. Your neighbour sounds wonderful.. how kind of her. And those flowers.. sigh! Your are always just so beautiful.

Carolina said...

Oh that window box is just a sight of pure joy! And the Iris is gorgeous. Oh I wish I had enough sunny spots in the garden to plant them myself.
And what a sweet neighbour you have.

Hope you feel better soon. I hope it isn't transmittable by internet....

rhymeswithplague said...

I am in love with the flowers in your window box. I can't tell and impatiens from a periwinkle from a morning glory, but I know what I like. And I like color!

Glad you are back in blogging harness again....

Today is our 47th wedding anniversary (nor yours and mine, but Mrs. RWP's and mine)...check out my blogpost!

Arkansas Patti said...

Dang, I am so sorry you have been puny.Transmitted by phone???Yikes. Seriously I am so glad you have such a delightful neighbor to keep you fed.
Wilted lettuce is a huge favorite.
Be totally well soon lady.

Snap said...

Pat,

I would like to clone your neighbor! How wonderful that she loves to cook! I've harvested two *messes* of beans. Wonder if that is where *mess* comes from 'cause I sure do make one! Lovely day lilies and LOVE the flower box. Hope you are much much better.

Hugs--

Anna said...

So many things to comment on in that post!

First, feel better. If you have any ginger, cinnamon stick, and scallions or onions in the house, I can tell you how to make a very effective hot brew that helps a cough tremendously!

Million Bells: Gangbusters, aren't they? And I have a few of the daylily you picture, I really like the lighter color. Such a pretty shade.

Jinksy said...

The very words 'collard greens' whisk me away to another world. Goodness knows when or where I first read about them - might it have been Anne of Green Gables?- but they have always held a touch of mysterious magic for me. Do hope your cough is on the mend.
The white Iris was lovely, though short lived! :)

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that you are not feeling well!! I do so hope you get better soon!! That first photo is breathtaking! Simply gorgeous...I could sit an gaze at it for an hour! And that window box...something to long for! You must have an extraordinary, green thumb. Love, Janine XO