The City Planted a Tulip Tree
Ten years ago, I lost the giant sycamore in front of my house. It must have been 100 years old. I even called in a tree doctor to see if it could be saved. It was a sad loss when in was cut down. I applied for a new tree through the city,
Last Saturday, volunteers planted a new tree in front- Liriodendron Tulipifera. A tulip tree. A yellow poplar. The leaves are the shapes of tulips. It is a beautiful looking tree and I am so grateful to have it planted. I read it is the state tree of Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee and may grow to 170 feet tall.
Email instructions arrived on how to water it deeply by using a big bucket with holes in the bottom and how to not put mulch touching the bark so fungus doesn’t grow on the bark are a couple of tips.
Does anyone remember the television commercial encouraging the planting of trees? There was a quote – It’s a mature man who plants a tree under whose shade he will never sit. I looked it up and all I could find is a Greek proverb…
“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
How about my crop of dandelions?
What Laura and James Found While Digging in their Garden
It’s gardening season finally. Planting grass seed. Thinking about what vegetables to plant. James and Laura were preparing their garden and found this Old School original Fisher-Price Little People® girl. Wooden head. Wooden body.
I think she got transferred from my son and his wife’s house to my daughter and her husband’s house. Not by a bird but a grandchild. Will have to check and see if the same girl is living in two homes.
Awhile ago I did a post on the various generations of the Little People® I’d come across at the family’s house in Columbus.
No worries about choking hazard when these were manufactured. And here’s the crazy part. I discovered a site that identifies the Little People®.
From what I could determine she’s from late 60s early 70s. On the site she is listed as Occupation: Girl.
I think they are a match!
Here are the three generations from the October 2011 post
Black Pussywillow Branches Cast Wall Shadows
When we lived in Germany, we’d get Pussywillow with fuzzy gray shapes along the branch and hang wooden eggs and rabbit ornaments to make an Easter Tree.
Add MediaI’d never seen Black Pussywillows until Wednesday night at my friend J’s home. I was to take a photograph over to her and the evening turned into an impromptu supper. My crazy part is I went over without the picture I was to take. J followed me back to my house after we ate and got the photograph to take back to her own home but she didn’t seem to mind.
A great blog post about this unusual looking plant is here. The Latin name (Salix gracilistylus ‘Melanostachys’)
I can’t remember the name/type of ceramic vase holding the branches. (Taken with the iPhone)
Maura Clare is 4 on November 17th
Four is a great age to be.
You’ve seen her pop bubble wrap. Eat cake. Pose with Murphy the Airedale. Run with her siblings across the lawn, carrying an Easter basket or a doll, wearing a red hat. Gardening!
It’s been a fast four years!
And the most recent shot below
How I Became a Mother-in-Law! To my DIL
Mark married Erika. What a beautiful bride. But more importantly, a beautiful person. That was ten years ago.
Bill McC gave me lessons on how to to be a mother-in-law, or how to NOT be a bad mother-in-law…
The very words (MIL) can send a shudder through you-there I said it- mother-in-law!
We all know how the older generation (me) can annoy the younger generation.
Even if you try your best to not be annoying or try to not give unwanted advice or commentary. Joanne B suggested Duct Tape.
But this post is really about my daughter-in-law, Erika.
She is a lot of fun and tolerant and loving towards me, teasing and trying to update my wardrobe and style constantly. In a good way! She is one terrific mom, too. An organic gardener whose specialty is Japanese Eggplant, Kale and tomatoes and now has a new found interest in photography.
Today’s her birthday.
I wish I had the photo of her in the hot air balloon last May with my sister. She is brave and adventuresome.
Here’s Erika as an amazing mother to my four grandchildren and a loving wife to my son Mark and a terrific sister to my daughter and son Laura and Matthew and James. She’s really patient and is always thoughtful and kind to me, calling me up and telling me about the family happenings, keeping me up to date.
Love to my DIL Erika from your MIL!
(MIL sounds less awful than Mother-in-Law) and thanks Bill for the handy tips. You’ll have to ask Erika is I learned from you on how to be a good MIL.
Dead End Street Sign in Full Bloom
Aspinwall, PA. The pole is totally covered with colorful flowers and vine.
People at Work- Marie is a Horticulturist
Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild photo class went on a field trip to the Bidwell Training Center greenhouse where there are orchid “crops”. I learned how to use custom white balance in some strange light(thanks Jill) and I asked our guide how she came to be doing the work she is doing. She used to work in hazardous waste. Her undergrad was something to do the with environment (sorry Marie, I didn’t write it down) and she always loved the forest and growing things. She was inspired by a Ziggy comic panel which she still has of Ziggy on his knees in awe of a flower blooming. (didn’t write down the punchline either but Marie, if you read this post Friday please comment and remind me) Getting a Master’s Degree and being a horticulturist became the next step when work in hazardous waste started to disappear. She knows a lot about orchids and was patient as our class tried to get beautiful shots of the elegant flowers in a different full spectrum light. And thank you Marie for the informative tour and consenting to be part of the People at Work series. Marie is an example of finding your passion and doing that work!
Marie told me that photographers place her between the rolling flower holders so I did the same.
How a Green Thumb Starts
Maura put on her mom’s gardening gloves, picked up a trowel, dug in the dirt and transferred a shovelful from one part of the flowerbed to another. I asked her, “What are you doing? and she held up the little spade to show me!
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