Mystery Pepper
Michael brought this plant home from his work the other day, they were giving them away (they give away the ones too dejected to sell.) I know it is some kind of pepper/chili but I am not sure what kind, it had no tag.
Michael says there was a sign by them that said “Do Not Eat” but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is not edible, it just may have been treated with a bunch of chemicals. It might be some kind of ornamental though.
Peppers are an annual right? I might dry these peppers for decoration…
Does anyone know what variety this is?
Mystery Tree
Does anyone know what kind of tree this is? It is right outside our townhouse door.
I love the clusters of vivid orange berries that is has. The birds don’t seem to touch them though.
Tree Identified: European Rowan
Even more of a reason to love it, it is a sacred tree in Scandinavian myth (the first woman was made out of the rowan) and in Aegean lore the first rowan came from where the blood of an eagle fell on the ground.
You can make a jelly out of the berries too, but shouldn’t eat large quantities of them raw. According to Wikipedia various parts of the tree can be used for throat problems, bowel and vaginal irritations, eye problems, cramps and to remedy diarrhea.
I have a few clusters of berries that the tree let me harvest. I am drying them to add to my Autumn wreath.
Fuchsia Dream
I was standing in the middle of a very flat desolate landscape, with hard white ground as far as the eye could see, perhaps it was a salt flat. I am standing looking towards the pale blue sky with my arms raised, palms up, the wind is blowing my skirt behind me. I am wearing a blue ground length skirt, almost exactly like this one and a fuchsia peasant blouse, similar to this one. I am also wearing Damian in my Maya wrap, except its fuchsia rather then grey.
(Yep, I said fuchsia, as in electric pink. Totally not my color, I do not even own anything remotely pink. In fact I avoid pink like the plague… but I do have to say, fuchsia didn’t look half bad on me in the dream. Dreams can make anything look good I guess!)
I was calling out some kind of invocation, I don’t remember the words, but as I spoke them everything around me turned every shades of pink imaginable. The sky, the ground, all pink, even the air seemed to take on a hazy fuchsia tint. The pink seemed to emanate from me. Gradually as my invocation came to an end the pink faded. The bright white ground and blue sky returned.
A few moments after my invocation ended, there was a rumbling, one that I felt more then heard, and suddenly it was as if the world around me was fast forwarding. Water flooded the ground, swirling up to my knees and then receding. As it receded, low growing plant life grew in its wake and insects buzzed. Small bushes grew, then shrubs, then small trees, the towering ones. Soon I was in a dense forest, not unlike Colville National Forest (that photo is taken in them.)
A huge tree grew around me and I stood in a hollow alcove within it. Ivy climbed up its trunk, draping in front of me like a curtain. The seasons changed and the ivy turned red and its leaves fell. A little boy, Damian I assume, came running out of the tree and I followed. Michael followed too (where the heck did he come from?) and snow began to fall. Spring came and the little boy brought me a (pink) daisy chain and smiled up at me.
I woke up.
The dream was very chaotic but felt powerful. I don’t know about all the pink but in a general way it represents love doesn’t it? From love life comes forth perhaps? Any thoughts?
Morning Glory
I never thought my pitiful stunted hail bitten morning glory would bloom but when I woke up this morning it has a beautiful flower smiling victoriously at me.
Morning Glories
I love my yellow tulips, they are so cheerful! Michael brought them home for me last week. I don’t know if I will be able to transplant them after the blooms die though. I have read mixed results of doing that as the bulbs were probably forced in a greenhouse before shipping to retailers.
Regarding the title of this post though, mornings glories. Am I asking for trouble if I plant a morning glory vine under that window? It will have a window box outside it shortly. I remember my parents having morning glories when I was growing up and they were so incredibly beautiful. However I remember them getting enormous and unruly.
So, if I plant one will it be impossible to control or will I be able to keep it on a trellis? My front door is west facing and I live in a zone 4 area by the way.
I’m not sure what else I am going to plant in that little bed yet though I like plants that I can eat (I am open to suggestions here.) I mights have a rather prolific amount of basil, parsley and chives shortly as I decided to grow them from seed. (If you are local you might be getting seedling gifts from me for awhile…)
I have a separate question too, still flower related though. What are these?:
I saw them in a raised bed in a parking lot today. They were a thick carpet of the most beautiful tiny purple flowers (the photo does not do them justice.)
I have a feeling most of my favorite flowers might be weeds…
EDIT: The purple flowers are called Creeping Phlox. Thank you for the id Aunt Ruth!
Earth Day
Michael works for a produce company and sometimes they get plants in for restaurants and have some
Today the Bank of America building in downtown Spokane shut off their power from 12:00 to 13:00, and people were invited down to the lobby for free coffee and tea as well as free compact fluorescent light bulbs*. The Spokane mayor, Mary Verner, spoke briefly to the people gathered about how our city is working towards a being more green and that all our little changes could make a big impact. It was a typical inspirational political speech, but I was still happy to hear it. We need more politicians who care.
So many people do eco-conscious things on Earth Day, which I think is really fantastic, but it is important to carry those goals throughout the year. I feel I lead a pretty “green” lifestyle. Change does not happen instantly or particularly naturally to me but as long as I keep moving towards it, one small step at a time, I know that I will reach my goals.
*Just a note about CFLs that most people do not know, they do contain mercury so you shouldn’t toss them in the trash. Once they die you can return them to where they were purchased, (the store will recycle them correctly) or you can take them to a recycling facility.
Spider Mites
Poor George has spider mites… He is my little cypress tree who stays near the front door. (Yes, I name my houseplants.) I don’t know how I didn’t notice the infestation, now his branches are dry and brittle. George’s rootball is really tight in his pot so I am going to try repotting it, as well as doing the water thing (a strong water stream to the underside of the leaves will knock off/drown mites.)
I read you can cut the water 50/50 with rubbing alcohol too and spray it on the underside of the leaves to kill mites. Has anyone had any experience with that method?
Damn you spider mites.