'Tillyhouse'

Some of my favorite plants since i learned about them - Tillandsias! Unfortunately, they aren't hardy in my area, plus they need high humidity, since they normally do not grow in soil, and take in water and nutrients thru their leaves. They spend our hot, humid summers outdoors, which they like, but for the eight months they are in, they spend their time in this little hanging greenhouse in our unheated sunroom that i fabricated out of PVC pipe and vinyl sheeting. They do get cold, (but don't freeze), and i spray them periodically with warm water, which makes it nice and moist in there for them - I still lose one now and then, and it isn't the best life they could have, but i just love them, and i have to have them around! Works pretty well, they even bloom for me once in a while!

Thoughts On Skunk Cabbage And Steroidal Giants...

My garden contains as many rare and oddball varieties of plants as i can find, whether grown from seed or cuttings, acquired from neighbors, friends and family, traded for, or purchased (last resort!).The trees are filled with many cultivars of Tillandsias, not hardy -or even heard of- in my zone. The yard also is home to variegated Horseradish, variegated Dogwood and Redbud trees, variegated Lilac, HEMP (!) leaved Lilac, hardy Bamboo, things like that, and over in the veggie garden, purple snap beans, Elecampane, and "Preacher's Pride" tomatoes grow. Now that i'm a "leafer", my sights are on unusual plants with large leaves. i do have a Gunnera (she is keeping the Tillandsias company in the Florida room at the moment), a Butterbur, giant Lotus, and Inula (Elecampane), but this year i decided i "need" a Tetrapanax (one of the varieties is the 'Steroidal Giant') and Skunk Cabbage!

A Story...

i discovered this little story a few years back in a gardening magazine - it made such an impression on me that i cut it out and kept it ever since, and i'd like to share it. Did not get the author's OK, but i will reproduce the whole article as it was printed and hopefully she will not mind my passing it along....

"The Mouse Who Roared" by Linda E. Rosendahl

The short days and cool October nights had brought out pink buds, like miniature Christmas tree bulbs, on a dozen Christmas cactus plants in my small greenhouse. Touching the soil in one pot, I thought the plants needed a drink of water. Hose in hand, I aimed a generous spray of water into the biggest planter, a ceramic elephant, and out shot-what? Popcorn? Beans?

As the tiny pink things hit the concrete floor, I was horrified to see that they were baby mice. In the weeks since I had watered the plants, field mice had made a nest in one leg of the elephant planter, and now I had destroyed their home and all but drowned the whole family. Flinging the hose out the door, I went to find a small box and and something soft to nest the babies in, hoping that their mother would find them again. Some minutes later, box in hand, I bent to pick up two babies, when something in the corner of the greenhouse caught my eye.

There, standing at her full two-inch height, was the mother field mouse. With her two front paws, she clutched one of her babies to her chest. She looked me straight in the eye. Then she bared her teeth.

We stared at each other for a long moment. She did not blink.

"I'm very sorry," I said.

I set down the box with the two babies in it, then backed out the door and slid it almost shut, leaving just a mouse-sized opening.

All evening I thought about that fierce little mouse, defending her baby against something so unimaginably huge I needed a calculator to figure out that, if I were in her place, I would have been defying a monster nearly 200 feet tall.

Our culture would have us believe that big is best, and that without great power we are of little consequence. That night it did not feel one bit good to be a giant. And I knew that the mouse had more courage that I will ever have. I could only hope that somehow she would find a new nest for her babies, one far away from the huge and powerful.

In the morning, I slid open the door and peered in. Nothing. No pink babies, no fierce protective mother. Just the box.

But the box was empty. During the night, she had managed to carry away her little ones. Had she found a snug, safe place for them? I dared to hope so.

Linda E. Rosendahl, a retired high school teacher and librarian, gardened as a hobby for 40 years before having this close-up encounter with a field mouse. She resides in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

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A "Real" Sign of Spring!

The crocuses are hiding, the tips of the tulip and daff leaves are just breaking through the soil, but at least something's blooming! A friend of mine from my old job gave these to me - thanks, Barb!- don't think she knew the name of them, nor can i remember what i thought they were (winter Aconite?... hmm, have to look 'em up), but they are a pretty sight amidst all the brown leaves and sticks.
(P.S.- Yes, they ARE Winter Aconites!)

SkeeterWorld

Skeeter - in her first month home....

Speaking of "the new kitten", about four years after we adopted Crickit, my other cat, Sneekers, passed away at the age of 17. It was very hard- she was, i think, the sweetest and prettiest cat i ever owned (more on her later). My husband didn't feel like going out and getting a new pet right away after that, but although i missed her terribly, i thought it would be better to bring another kitty home as soon as possible. As a result, i waited longer than i wanted to, and Crickit became used to being the "only child" in a hurry! After looking at shelters and the newspaper, i ended up adopting a tiny female calico (calicos are almost always girls!) kitten. When i brought her home, Crickit looked at the kitten, gave us both a betrayed look , hissed, and ran off! It took her a full six months to calm down about that - plus Skeeter, being a typical kitten, would happily chase, torment, and tackle Crickit, no matter how much she growled and hissed. It's been another four years, and unfortunately Skeeter hasn't slowed down at all, much to Crickit's irritation! We call Skeeter "Picasso", the way her face is marked, it makes her look lopsided, like a Picasso painting - she acts sort of caddywampus at times, too!