Summer has finally arrived, the morning mists clearing to sunny days. As the sun arises, bands of mist lie like veils over the fields, disappearing to leave the grasses sparkling with beads of moisture. It is the best time of day, the world awakening with roosters crowing and birds singing. My work day has not yet commenced, and my head is free of the lists of tasks to be achieved as I wander around the garden.
I had written before that I had installed a small herb garden and put a fountain base as a focal point.
It now has its own little ecosystem with plants and fish, and this tiny pool has given me a lot of pleasure. I planted a waterlily, intending it as shade for the fish, and it obligingly sent up two fat buds, one of which opened a few days ago. There are even tadpoles, which probably came with the plants, now growing bumps on their sides where their legs will develop.
There is little in bloom in the greenhouses this time of year, but about a year ago I acquired Ipomoea bolusiana from Dylan Hannon. It comes from the Transvaal of South Africa and grows from a tuberous rootstock, part of which is exposed, so I think I should describe it as a caudex. I am very fond of morning glory-type flowers, so I was thrilled when it opened its first bud yesterday, and now am stricken with a desire to acquire more such plants. I know very little about this genus, but that is the joy of growing plants, there is so much to explore that you never run out of new adventures.
I have a few Hippeastrum in bloom. Here, to the right, is a beautiful cross between H. papilio and H. cybister.
I am not myself prone to make crosses, and the seed came from a friend, but I certainly appreciate the results.
To the left is a species, H. mandoni, a very large Hippeastrum that can grow to three feet with stunning flowers. In mild climates this can be grown in the garden. One day I will post on Hippeastrum, but my collection is somewhat limited, and the genus itself somewhat overwhelming, plus I am still waiting to get blooms on some of the rarer species.
The kittens are growing at an incredible rate. They no longer both fit in my lap, so there is a good deal of competition as to who gets the prime spot, but since they only stop moving for about a half minute at a time, this is not yet a serious problem.
Fortunately, I have great patience with animals, so when they dash across the keyboard, or toss all my carefully organized papers all over the floor, I mostly laugh and put things back. They have reorganized some of my computer files, by hitting some of those strange keys I never use that have 'F' in front of them, and that took a bit of sorting out!
I want them to be good mousers, so I found an electronic mouse that squeaks when you tap it (it sounds very life-like, or maybe throes-of-death-like), and I feed them raw beef occasionally to get them to like the taste of raw meat.
Without a mom to teach them these skills I am doing my best to substitute. Willie, my male terrier, desperately wants the mouse, and on occasion has got one and thoroughly killed it, so we are now on our eighth mouse. I am totally amazed when people say (usually pursing their lips while they say it) that they don't like cats. What is there to dislike? They are beautiful, endlessly entertaining and extremely affectionate. And .... they get rid of your mice, and when you have greenhouses full of bulbs, that is a very important consideration, so here at Telos they even earn their keep.
My day ended yesterday with a pleasant half mile walk to my neighbors' house for a barbecue. These are the wonderful neighbors, Wayne and Rashell, who leave meals in my mailbox, among other kindly things they do for me. A great evening with good friends, walking back at sunset with a great ball of fire sinking below the horizon.
Today I will work on international orders, and continue with the unpotting of the California native bulbs. It is a busy time of year, with long work days, and our local agility trial is next weekend, so I don't have a second to spare. I wouldn't have it any other way.
www.telosrarebulbs.com