Getting It Straight!

   Every now and again, I have to stop and put things back in order of priority.  It is not hard for me to get so hung up on "what has to be done" that I lose sight of what "needs to be done".  Yep, those are two vastly different things.  Everyday chores, work around the place, home repairs, yard cleanup, errand running, food preservation...those HAVE to be done.  Taking time for myself...that NEEDS to be done.  My needs get pushed aside for the "have tos".  It takes a bit of refocusing and a lot of determination to get back to being me.

  Lately, the journey of "me" has taken full swing.  The daily chores are still done but I have put a limit on the other things.  This gives me time in my day to steer into enjoyable endeavors. Crafting, painting, crocheting and sewing are all in the ready stages, the Clue Hunt on the Bayou is taking shape for this October and my hikes have taken on a new interest.  Each bloom, critter or even shadow now commands my full attention.

  

  Today, I made a point on really studying the seed pod of the Hibiscus Mutabilis (better known as Confederate Rose or Cotton Rose).  From the stiff outer shell to the soft hairs to the tiny pellet seeds, I moved with great interest.  It is amazing how intricately created this pod is.  The crispness of the outer shell is a far cry from the fragile, delicate petals of the bloom and the seeds are tiny compared to the size that the shrub can get.  For twenty minutes, I perused the beauty of a single pod.  Each section was examined.  

  Life is getting so much easier and happier with this refocusing.  It is weird how things like an illness can shake all the emotions into a turmoil and cause a person to forego what is best for what the brain sees as urgent.  I have had to let it go and get back to me.  THAT is the best place to be.

Many, Many Names

   Sometimes it amuses me how many names one plant can have.  I understand that a lot are regional names given by the locals but it must be awfully confusing to folks who are dead set that one name is only allowed for any plant and that name is the one they know.  Personally, I am good with whatever you call your plants.  No problems.  Still, it amuses me.  

  For instance, for years now I have been growing a odd little plant that my aunt gave to me.  Parrot Lily is what I had always been told was the name.  Ok, so good!  I knew a name and that was purely satisfactory.  Who needs anything more?  Well, there is more (as always).  It appears that my Parrot Lily is a Peruvian Lily which is also a Princess Lily or to some a Lily of the Incas.  In reality, it is an Alstroemeria.  With that big name it is no wonder folks found easier things to call the plant.

  All of this name finding came about simply because as I was cutting grass this morning, I noticed that the lilies had formed seed pods.  To me, seed pods of a plant can be just as interesting as the blooms.  The pods remind me of a stained glass window (without the multicolors).   As I was cutting, I made a mental note to collect the seed pods for a future planting.  While the lilies grow really well under the shade of the orange trees, it would be fun to have them in other parts of the gardens, as well.  Parrots have to fly, you know!  

Seeds for Thought....

  Part (the best part!) of the thrice daily hikes about the place takes me to the pier.  Here, there never seems to be a lack of things to interest me.  Whether it be a cottonmouth on the marsh mats, an otter pup sliding in the mud or a snapping turtle wallowing a hole to trap minnows, the critters are fascinating.  Equally interesting, however,  is the variety of plants.  Duck potatoes, reeds, fleabane or salt-marsh morning glories can cause my brain to flit into a frenzy of wild thoughts.  Sometimes, a simple bloom can bring back a memories of a faerie tale from long ago (such as Grandmother's tale of Morning Glory that I wrote about years ago) or duck potatoes can make me ponder the edibility of the things.  Son says I am far too easily entertained and amused which I suppose is true.  These things all occupy the mind which..in itself..is not a bad thing.  Keeping the brain active is supposedly healthy.

  This morning's hike to ended at the pier as a thunderstorm threatened to dump a couple of inches of rain on my head.  I did have time to study a few seed pods that dangled precariously on thin whorls of a vine.  The wind whipped the vines causing seeds to fly everywhere!  As I studied the vine and pods, a memory of just what this was struck me. These were the seeds of the Saltmarsh Morning Glory that blooms so beautifully during the summer and fall months.  The rich pinks, blues and purples fill the marsh with an early morning burst of loveliness!  There it stays until the heat of the day causes the blooms to wither.  

  As I pondered the seed pods, I reached out to gather a few of the hard, black seeds. Hopefully, I can get a few to grow up closer to the house!  At this point, a giggle burst forth.  Pop would have shook his head in wonderment at his crazy daughter.  He worked tirelessly to rid the fields of any morning glory vines as they would choke out other plants and here I am trying to transplant a few in the gardens.  Poor Pop.  He is probably looking down at me and wondering where in the world he went wrong!  But they are pretty, Pop!

Decorating the Garden

  It is funny how things work in nature.  Most plants flower even if we cannot recognize it due to the fact that we are jaded in our views of what a flower actually is.  The showy blooms that we see in florist's shops or in our gardens are flowers but other plants have tiny, nondescript blooms that look nothing like the aforementioned blooms.  These flowers serve the same purpose as the showy blooms.  They are there to induce pollination and then produce seeds.  We enjoy the beauty of the blooms and a lot of critters benefit from the pollen created by the flower.  Then, there are those plants that, not only create a showy bloom, but also produce an equally showy seed pod. 

  Yesterday as I was hauling firewood, I had to pass by the gardenia bush on the side of the house.  Memories of the gorgeous white blooms and heavenly aroma flitted through my thoughts but as I passed the bush, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bush was almost as ornate now.  Even though the flowers are long gone, the seed pods were brightly shining in the sunshine.  The pods resembled some elaborate ornaments and are just in time for Christmas.  My gardenia bush has been decorated for the holidays!

  In the next few months, these seed pods will turn dark and become dried.  It is then that they should be harvested and planted.  Either the entire pod can be planted as is or they can be broken open to reveal the tiny seeds held therein. If I was in need of more gardenia bushes, I would definitely be anxious to plant these but, since gardenias are so easily rooted by cuttings, these will probably slip my mind and plant themselves under the bush. Soon, there will be a hedgerow of gardenias between the Little Bayou House and my brother's house over the way.  Not that I am complaining.  I love gardenia bushes whether they are blooming or filled with seed pods.  

The Important Job

  As usual, the gardens look most bare during the winter months.  Even though we have had an extremely warm winter so far, the plants had no idea that it was to be like this back in October.  Like plants have a tendency to do, they made seed pods and then set in for the "cold" winter months.  A lot of the less cold hardy plants died back to the ground and will regrow from rootstock or bulbs. The only plants that look to be thriving are the greens planted in the garden boxes.  Collards, cabbages, carrots, broccoli and brussels sprouts do well this time of the year.  Other plants would rather not expend the energy trying to flourish so they bed down for the winter.

  On the hike this morning, an empty seed pod caught my eye.  I admit that the paper-thin pods intrigue me. Inside these seemingly fragile cases, life is held anew for the plants.  The seeds mature and then are released to start the cycle all again.  That thin-walled case is all that holds the future of the plants.  

  The pod, today, was from a downed wild Madonna lily.  I assume that at one point it was hit by my lawn mower and spewed seeds all over the lawn.  Come spring, a bazillion seeds will sprout and, out of those, a few will manage to grow to maturity.  Those lucky few are the ones that landed inside the gardens' edges.  The plants will grow, bulbs mature and flowers bloom.  The lilies that blew into the gardens by pure chance will be allowed to grow and bloom where they may.  Life goes on all because of this amazing pod.  What an important job it has!

Overlooked Beauty

  More oft than not, what is deemed beautiful is something flashy, colorful or adorned with gaudy embellishments.  Something basically gray and nondescript is passed by without a second glance.  Throw in the fact that said thing is literally dead and most folks will think just the opposite of beautiful.  A dead, dried up plant is not considered a thing of loveliness.

  In spring, bright flowers dominate. Summer presents us with the rich green leaves and (usually) bright blue skies.  Fall dominates with vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of harvest.  In winter, however, plants often "sleep" and turn brown or gray.  It is then that we overlook a lot of the most intriguing things that Mother Nature has to offer.  Beauty can be found in the simplicity of a bare twig or deep bronze leaf.  Seed pods are simply divine and when winter bares all, the pods stand out as exquisite ornaments.

  The Confederate Rose provides us with lush greenery and plate sized pink blooms during the spring, summer and on into fall.  It is gorgeous. Wintertime, however, sees the stalk devoid of blooms and leaves. Still...it is a thing of beauty.  Atop each stalk, are seed pods that burst open to reveal feathery like fibers and deep chocolatey brown seeds.  Add a bit of fog to the air and the pods glisten in the filtered sunlight.  

  Sometimes, I am more attracted to the bits of loveliness that can be found during the bleak wintertime than all the showy gaudiness of spring and summer.  It takes a keen eye to spot the seed pods, a fog-laden spiderweb or spirals of lacewing eggs but if one takes the time to really search, beauty abounds during the winter.  Our problem could be that we look but never see.  We overlook what is all around us.  Things of beauty are there waiting for our discovery.  

Flying Seeds

  After last night's near freeze, I had to uncover all of my little baby plants in the garden.  The raised beds had all been blanketed to prevent the tiny plants from being frost-bitten.  This morning, the bright sunshine filled the garden and warmed things nicely.  As I was pulling the burlap from the tiny broccoli plants, I noticed that the Asclepias (Milkweed) looked amazingly beautiful!  No frost dared to burn that plant!  But Milkweed blooms are red, orange and yellow not white!  This would have been a fun time for some little kids to be visiting the Bayou.  The Milkweed seed pods were bursting open and the seeds were taking flight!

  For any who are not familiar with the Milkweed plant, it is one of those unforgettable plants simply because it is almost like a magnet for butterflies.  As matter of fact, the type that grows in the gardens here is called "Butterfly Milkweed" for that very reason.  Monarch and Painted Lady butterflies seem to flock to the blossoms each fall.  But back to those seeds.  The seeds, themselves are quite the sight to behold.  The actual seed part is nondescript, brown and hard but attached to it is a fluffy, white plume.  When the large seed pod that houses dozens of seeds bursts open, the plume allows the seed to fly.  Today's north wind caught the seed plumes and let them float upon the air.  The seeds were landing far from the parent plant where they will twist and turn until they are buried beneath the soil.  Next spring when the soil warms, the seeds will sprout and my garden will be filled with baby Asclepias plants.  The cycle will start all over again.

  As I watched the seeds take flight, I could only imagine the awe in a child's eyes if they saw the seeds flying.  How fun it would be to explain how this is nature's way of planting a garden.  Seeing things through a child's eyes often opens our eyes to what is around us.  A flying seed is only one of many miracles in the garden....if we would only open our eyes.

The Long Wait

  The arbor in the back of the house was in need of some major repairs or perhaps complete demolition.  It is a "walk-through" type arbor that is maybe covers ten feet or so of the pathway.  Three of the posts on the north side had met their demise due to termites that just happen to love "treated" lumber.  In fact, the only thing holding the whole shebang together was the huge Wisteria vine.  I would cringe with trepidation each time I wandered under it.  Was it going to come crashing down on my head?  So I got busy and replaced two of the rotted posts.  The third (middle) one was completely covered with the massive vine so I left it be for the moment.   While I was digging the post holes, I noticed a ton of seed pods dangling from the vines!  Bright idea!  I need to harvest the seeds to plant! I really need another Wisteria vine!  Who am I kidding with that one?  I definitely do NOT need another vine.  They are everywhere! Seriously, I plan to grow these in pots.  I can give them to folks who would like a Wisteria vine of their very own!

  Since the arbor is tall (and I am not so tall), I would need the stepladder to pick the pods.  That ended that idea as Michael is still building on my greenhouse and uses the stepladder constantly.  If I want a completed greenhouse, I have to forego the use of the ladder in any way, shape or form.  Hmmm...what to do? What to do?  Then, out of the clear blue, the answer came to me!  Plop!  A seed smacked me in the head!  One of the pods burst open and spewed a couple of seeds at me. This got me to thinking.  No need for that ladder!  I would just "harvest" my seeds from the ground! Every day now, I pick up another dozen or so seeds.  No, I do not need nor want that many Wisteria vines but that, in itself, is another reason to pick up the seeds.  When cleaning the area, vines were everywhere!  Those seeds tend to sprout right where they drop.  I had just pulled out probably two hundred small vines.  (Yep, now I want to grow some more.)  

  There is one sad thing about growing Wisteria from seeds versus digging up an already well established vine. Growing from seed is a very long, drawn-out ordeal.  The seeds do best when their surface is scratched a bit before planting.  Presoaking is also helpful.  Even after doing this, the seeds take several weeks to sprout. Then the saplings are slow to grow for the first season.  Afterwards, the vine may seem to be growing by leaps and bounds but still will not bloom.  It can sometimes take up to fifteen years for a vine to get to a point where it will bloom profusely but to some folks, the beauty is well worth the wait.  My Wisteria vine is probably nigh on twenty-five years old.  It does bloom gorgeously each spring filling the arbor with the sweetest-smelling, lavender clusters of flowers!  My point in sprouting and growing a few vines in pots is to maybe make that wait a bit shorter for the recipients of my gifted vines.  Perhaps their wait will not be so miserably long!  Besides, the more seeds I gather, the less vines will be entwining my Nandina bushes!  The pictures below are of the arbor when it was in full bloom this past year.  The view is from my upstairs window!

*Word of warning to those who wish to grow a Wisteria vine in their yard.  The seeds are not to be eaten!  The seeds of the Wisteria are toxic and it has been said that as little as two seeds can kill a child.  Please be careful!  Keep the seeds out of the reach of children and pets!*

Interesting Things!

Someone once asked me how I found so many interesting things on my hikes around the Bayou.  It is not that the Bayou is that different than any other place, it is just that I find most things in nature fascinating!  I can wander around the hillside and always manage to see something that sparks an idea or at least wobbles the imagination a bit!  When I was just a youngster, my grandpa used to take me for hikes on this very same hillside.  It was then that this interest in nature was instilled in me.  He used to show me so many things that most folks would walk over without ever seeing.  He made sure that I was aware of even the tiniest of creatures or plants.  I remember one particular time how he and I found a pretty pink pebble in the sandy lane.  I thought it was beautiful just as it was but he showed me how brilliant the color would be if the stone was wet!  From that day on, his birdbath in the front yard was always filled with pink pebbles!  I wanted them all to stay wet and brilliant!  But it was his patient guidance that instilled this interest.  Even today, I will pick up every pink pebble I find and toss it in the birdbath!

Today, however, I did not find pink pebbles.  I found interesting dead things!  Michael and I trimmed and sprayed all of the citrus trees and then headed to the peach orchard to do a bit of maintenance there.  A lot of the trees had dead limbs that needed trimming.  He would cut the dead wood and I would haul it to the burn pile.  On one such trip, I noticed the empty seed pods of a Madonna Lily.  Aha!  I was mesmerized!  The texture of the pod was amazing!  That did it!  The wheels of the brain started whirring and I forgot all about hauling limbs to the trash pile!  I was on an expedition to find dead seed pods!  Or at least the remaining few seed fronds from other plants.  In the back of the orchard, I found Goldenrod!  The seeds were star-like in shape and would waft on the breeze if I shook the plume!  Around the corner, I found tall grasses that were skeletonized!  The seeds had already floated away to find a new bit of earth to call home!  Those were interesting..sure..but then came another beauty!  The Japanese Lanterns pods were a thing to behold!  Again, I was spellbound!  Their graceful curves and paper-like texture made them seem like pieces of art rather than castoffs of nature.  I photographed all I could find as soon they would be gone!  Spring would replace all of these with the coming of new plants.

As I was on my hands and knees photographing the seed pods, I heard a step behind me.  Looking up, I saw Michael with the most confused look on his face.  "Find something interesting?"  Haha!  He knows me all too well!  Yep!   I did!

Sweet Gum Balls!

Ok, so this sounds like the name of some really "bad-for-you" candy recipe! But it is not.. Sweet Gum Balls are the common name for the seed pods of the Sweet Gum Tree. This tree does have another name..one of those humongous, unpronouncible names that are given to things just so scientists can sound intelligent. These names don't amount to a hill of beans to most of us. Liquidambar Styraciflua..the name just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? It would take the better part of a day to get the correct pronunciation and if we all went around calling a tree by that name, we might as well give up on doing anything else. Sweet Gum sounds a lot better and is a lot quicker to say. That settled, I trekked to the mailbox this afternoon and on the way home, I found quite a number of the seed pods from the Sweet Gum Tree on the ground. Sweet Gum Balls! These are about one inch in diameter and covered with prickly points. The seed pods can hurt like crazy if you are unfortunate enough to step on one while barefooted! I can remember as a kid, I was always ecstatic when I would find a treasure trove of these happy, little pods! My Aunt Marie had shown me how to glue toothpicks in the holes and paint or sprinkle with glitter to create some really neat Christmas ornaments! Well, it is a bit late for Christmas ornaments this year, but I picked up a handful just for old time's sake. They will sit in the basket with the other dried pods until I,on a whim, start poking toothpicks in them!

The Sweet Gum Tree is a big, ole tree..growing up to a hundred feet in height! The trunks can get to about three feet in diameter so this is not a tree that you really want in a flower garden! They mainly grow near creek beds but can take over a pasture in just a few years. The leaves are almost star-like with five pointy lobes. They are bright green in Spring and Summer, but come Fall, the leaves turn brilliant red. A nice thing about the leaves though, is the fact that they are aromatic..if you crush a few in your hand, they release a very pleasant aroma! The flowers of the tree are nondescript but the Gum Balls are so interesting in shape that they make up for the no-show blossoms. Squirrels, flying squirrels and birds all eat the tiny seeds that pop out of the holes in the ball. (You know..I might just head down the lane to pick up some more Sweet Gum Balls..I think I might make some ornaments!)

myPods!

Ever wonder just how words change over the years? I keep hearing pod this and pod that.. iPods.. podcast.. etc. I ponder over these things and then realize that well..without admitting that I am old..all of these are products of the younger generation. They are definitely not something that I would understand in the least. If you walk into my yard and ask me something about a pod..that is exactly what I will show you..a pod. A seed pod! And that is what today's post is about..seed pods..wisteria seed pods to be more precise. Early in Spring, the wisteria on my back arbor blooms. It covers the arbor in the most sweet-smelling profusion of lavender flowers that ever graced this yard. It is one of my favorite vines on the hill. The purple flowers hang on for days bringing in the honeybees and bumblebees. There is a constant buzzing around the arbor so beware! The bees in turn pollinate the flowers and life goes on from there. This Spring was no different. The arbor was covered with flowers, the blooms were covered with bees and now there are pods. Seed pods are dangling like ornaments on the bare vines. The pods themselves hold three to five beautiful, flat, black seeds. From everything that I have ever been told, wisteria seeds are highly poisonous to every living thing except giraffes and monkeys. I have not tested this since number one..I do not want to take the chance and munch down on one just to see if it really is poisonous and number two..I do not keep giraffes and monkeys handy as test subjects. I do know that not many things around here eat them as they will hang on the vine without being bothered when all else is being devoured by the hungry animals. At first, these pods are a sort of grayish green and are covered in a velvety coating. When they dry, they turn brown and split open. They have the ability to fling the seeds a good distance from the parent plant. If you are in the general area at seed-flinging time, you might just get smacked in the head with a seed! Another weird thing about wisteria seeds is that when the seeds are planted, it will take up to fifteen years for the new vine to bloom. Wow! Life will continue for the wisteria vine but it sure takes its sweet time to be showy! So don't ask about my pod..you will be shown some seed or another! Most likely the wisteria seed pods.

What do you do with...catnip???

That is right! Just what do you do with catnip? I mean bunches of catnip? This is another of the plants that I am babysitting for my son and daughter-in-law while they are in Arizona. I had no idea that this plant would grow so much! It is huge now! I have never grown catnip before and the only use that I have ever known was to drive your cat bananas. Sorry..my cat, Ms Put is already crazy besides she doesn't even look at this stuff. Consequently, the catnip is about to outgrow its pot. They had planted it in the same pot as a basil plant and both are several feet tall and as many wide. Now granted, I do keep the basil in check by using quite a bit of it in cooking and I dry a lot of it for later use but what about this other stuff?? Should I make little cat toys and stuff them with the leaves? Hehe..I could covertly give them to all my cat-lover friends and let their cats all become as wacko as Ms Put! Now there is an idea! My son was determined to let me know that I should use this herb as much as the basil. When he unloaded the huge flowerpot containing the basil and catnip, he promptly picked off a leaf and ate it. "See, Mom..it is edible!" Well, I knew that..but so are magnolia leaves and I have no desire to munch down on those either. I thought, "Just how big can one catnip plant get anyway?" and told him that I would take good care of it. Oh! Was I wrong??!! The plant is gargantuan! Not being one to waste anything, I did a bit of research on catnip and discovered that I have been missing out on what appears to be one fantastic herb! There are so many things to love about this plant (other than driving "other" people's cats insane!) that I will try to root more. I would love to overwinter this plant in a greenhouse if I ever a bigger one built! This plant is so useful in herbal remedies that I can only imagine how much I will use! It contains a chemical called nepetalactone (the stuff that affects cats) that can be used as a sedative, antispasmodic and antibacterial. It can also be used as a pain killer and used to reduce fever. A tea made with the leaves can also be helpful as a decongestant! Woohoo! A new herb to be added to my vastly growing collection. I will be drying catnip as well as the basil. Thanks, Kids for introducing me to another great herb!

Today in the garden, I noticed that the Red Buckeye Tree was heavy laden with its seed pods. They should be busting open sometime within the next month and I will be sure to collect the "nuts" as they drop. These "nuts" are poisonous to humans so I am not gathering them for food but rather as seeds. I just love this small shrub-like tree because it is such an attractant for hummingbirds and bees. Blooming in March, it is one of the first flowers that the hummers have to feed from after a long winter. Hopefully, the seeds will sprout and grow into more beautiful little trees. Since it only gets about eight or ten feet tall, the Red Buckeye is a great complement plant in the flower garden. They can be found growing wild in any wooded area around here. I actually rescued mine from a site where bulldozers were clearing for new homes. It always breaks my heart to see so many wonderful plants being smashed under the heavy

machinery and I was fortunate enough that this crew let me dig out at least one of the bushes. I saved a tree!!! It has repaid me well each spring with lovely flowers and lots of visiting hummingbirds! The only downside is that it goes dormant relatively early in the year (late September or early October) and stays bare of leaves until early Spring. Still it is one of my favorites.