Today’s GPOD comes to us from Lily Jacobi:
"I was expecting a frost on the evening of November 7th, so I went outside to see what was still blooming in my yard in Hooksett, New Hampshire. I brought in the last of the tropicals but some blooms were still holding on. Enjoy!"
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Comments
Hey Lily - Nice work, especially with your greenery arrangement. My word I have to hand it to all you guys who bring your cold sensitive plants indoors during winter. Must be hard work. However, I imagine it adds another dimension to gardening - and it certainly is a testament to your passion for the recreation. Cheers from Oz where it is warming up.
Thanks Frank. I sent in a few others But they didn’t get posted. And for some reason, they won’t load onto the page in the comments section. Is Kim Charles still around? Do you know?
Hi Lily - I forgot to mention that your vase is great. Try decreasing the size of your other pics. It would be lovely to see them. I have been wondering about the admin. of GPOD as well. Cooee (Aussie slang) are you out there KIm or has there been a change in the admin. of GPOD??????
Thanks Frank… I like it too! The option for loading pictures does not work on my iPhone. I don’t spend much time on my computer so haven’t tried that. Maybe later on today!
Hi, Frank, I don't know if you had a reason to revisit Lily's GPOD offering from yesterday but she mentioned in above comments that Kim is no longer our Blog-mother and that Steve Aitken, the editor, has taken over for the time being. I know we all hope that it his plan to keep GPOD alive and well.
Michaele - I second that sentiment - see my private message to you on FB.
Very pretty. What zone are you in NH?
Zone 5b, we finally got a frost a few days later.
I have discovered the name of the Dahlia, it is Bristol Stripe, A prolific bloomer.
We had lots of things blooming in Madison, WI until we had a hard frost as well. It was strange because it stayed so warm until it finally froze. I never thought to make a display of cuttings though. Very clever.
Thank you Chris! I’m glad we are able to inspire each other. I know I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from other people’s photos on this site also
Lily, I had to smile when I saw your passion flower. They used to pop up in my previous garden and I pulled them up as weeds. However, none of my 'freebies' were nearly as pretty as your 'Purple Nightie'. If they had been I would have let them have their way, whatever way they wanted to ramble. Lovely end of fall flowers in your garden and a stunning vase and flower combination to carry them over a little longer. We had our first 32 degree temps early this morning, just in time to head into Thanksgiving. I'll be out later today checking out the camellia and azalea blossoms to see how badly they were nicked by Ole Jack Frost and then to rake up the leaves the windy cold front scattered around. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and my arrangement Sonya. I was pretty pleased with my creativity as well. ?
As well you should be. They were great.
Hi Lily, lovely photos this morning. That Passion flower is a winner. They’re evergreen in our area but the type that we grow is not nearly as pretty as ‘Puple Nightie’. Fall weather seems to have been late in the east this year. Thanks for sharing and I’m also curious about who’s leading GPOD.
Kim is no longer with GPOD. I believe Steve Aiken the editor is spearheading things now, at least for the time being.
Thanks for doing this sleuthing, Lily. I truly hope Steve plans on keeping GPOD going and finds a caretaker for "us".
Good morning Lily , Thank you for the terrific photos & naming the mum. My friend gave me some mum divisions this spring & I believe( although it looks a little deeper pink) one is Will's Wonderland . This plant grew to about 4ft. tall & wide & is very similar to yours. I sent in photos several weeks ago & if GPOD posts them please let me know if you think it is Wills Wonderland.
Thank you & good luck this winter, Joe
I will Keep a lookout for your photos Joe, and when I see them I will let you know what I think.
Oh, so pretty, Lily! I confess that I sometimes buy a plant because its name is a delight; 'Aphrodite's Purple Nightie' is one like that!
That’s so funny Lorraine. I bought it just to try it and because it already had a bunch of flower pods on it. I guess I lucked out!
Lily, your table top arrangement is lovely and how nice to have that color in your home on these dark, dank days. Thank you.
Thank you... I was pleasantly surprised that quite a few of the buds opened. They only lasted a day or so but while they bloomed it was beautiful.
Beautiful Passion Vine! I didn't know they'd bloom all season--what a treat! I have one planted from seed this year which I'm guessing will take a couple years to bloom and is probably the run of the mill pale variety.
It’s the best passionflower I’ve ever had and also the longest blooming! I bought it when it was just a vine with a bunch of pods on it early this season. It is a winner for sure!
I wonder how many guys decided without a doubt he should check this out! No disapointment here! Beautiful bright color! i love the crysanthumum too! What a great ending to the season! Thanks for sharing!
I am glad you enjoyed it Jeanne
Good afternoon, Lily...good thing there isn't a 5pm cut time for comments...I feel decadently late. What a star the 'Purple Nightie' is...looks great indoors and out! I don't blame you for making the effort to try and over winter it. Did you have it planted in a container to start with or did you have to do a dig up and hope for the best? Your flower and greenery arrangement is beautiful...very artistic.
Fortunately I Planted the passion flower in a container In the spring to make it easier to climb up my porch railing. So it was easy to bring it in this fall. It’s now in one of my bedrooms overwintering. So happy with it I’m glad you liked my arrangement, I liked it too!
Good evening, Lily. I had a long day at work today. Your photos are great. I love the dahlia. They are great old fashioned flowers they work well tucked into perennial borders. I just wish they didn’t need to be deadheaded.
Your floral arrangement is beautiful. Well done. We have have a few good freezes here. The annuals and tender perennials are officially done for the year. Some of my shrubs never developed good fall color since it stayed too warm, and not the leaves just browned. Oh, well. Part of the challenge of gardening.
Anyone know what happened to Kim?
Thanks Kevin, I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I reached out to Kim online, I found her LinkedIn profile. She is no longer with the magazine.
ohhhhh MANNNNNNNNNNN............:-(
Hi Jesse! How are you... what’s new in your part of the world? Happy Thanksgiving by the way to you and your wife and other loved ones!
Thank You, Lily!! And, Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Now... now that the formalities are over, I should tell you that I'm following through on our Dueling Ovens challenge. I'm trying out something totally new for tomorrow's get together.
I'm going to use the pears we grew and make a pie.
Not often done. But those who've tried have gotten rave reviews, and I've got the fruit....
My sis's family will be the guinea pigs. I'm mixing in some baked fresh cranberries and just harvested pecans for my experiment. Pecans are a cash crop around here, and plentiful, altho we got 6 from our very young trees, that number will grow in the future...knock on wood. Anyway, I'll have to let you know how it goes and the reviews I get.
Boldly going where no gringo has dared ventured!!
I'ld better get off of here and dab the butter onto the crust!!
Have a wonderful holiday and we'll talk to ya soon!
jesse
Sounds delicious Jesse!
Love your submission! Your garden is great at this time of the year. Love the color of the passion flower and arrangement. Thanks for sharing!
Lily!
I can't believe y'all haven't had a freeze up there before us down here?! Dad burn them climate change hoaxters!!!!
You're a Purple Person, huh?? I knew I liked you for more than just the obvious reasons!!
I'm more of a Blueser....particularly Navies and Indigos, but have lately been particularly attracted to and picking up Ambers and Oranges. Not sure where that places me in the Chakra realm and other worlds of insight, but at least we don't clash and I DO speak that more royal hue, too, just not as fluently!! I was afraid with all your traveling you hadn't had the time to do your own digging, but your posting shows me to put that concern to rest!
I AM a bit curious, tho, as to why you'll be bringing in that beautimous clematis for your winter? Is it THAT c-c-c-cold in New England?? Mercy!!!
And, CANDLES!! You KNOW how I love them!! And that's a beautiful shade of passionflower! I have the P. caerulea here which volunteers all over the place!! But, with our intense heat, they are but a soft blue..still beautiful, though!!
Lily, I hope you are with family and friends this Thanksgiving and that you're much warmer on the inside than on the outside....too chilly here for an Al fresco feast on the morrow! I appreciate getting to know you a bit better this year, as it's always nice to know there are kindred spirits out there!! (I'm NOT Alone!!!) ;-)
Blessings to you and yours!!
jesse
Oh, and PS: I'm gonna half to look for that mum! Having a country garden means I NEED spirits which get big and vigourous!!! Thanx for that tip!!!
Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!
Happy Thanksgiving Jesse! With friends like you near and far I am never alone. It’s a bit cold today, about 35 or so, but I did go outside and sit on my back deck, and I put my face in the sun. That’s what brings me the most joy. My daughter is celebrating Thanksgiving in the Netherlands this year, with her adopted mom there from when she went to school at the university of Amsterdam, her junior year in college back in 2010. Because my birthday is that time of year, I flew over to see her, and she and I prepared a full Thanksgiving dinner from scratch, including pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and apple pie, in her adopted mom‘s kitchen. I don’t know if you’ve ever cooked in someone else’s kitchen or not, but if they are not a cook and they don’t have sharp knives, it can take a bit of doing! We had fun though, And Nina, Etana’s adopted mom, loved it so much, that she asked Etana to come back this year and re-create it. Which she has done. So I am alone with my plants, my Facebook and GPOD friends, and I am perfectly happy. One of these days we will have to meet up in person. All the best to you and your family on this special day.
PS... clematis Is Hardy in this neck of the woods, but passionflower is not. It’s the passionflower I brought in.
Sometimes, the best times are those of gentle solitude and quiet reflections. I penned this back in the last century...when our digital letters had those indent arrows before every line... and have only shared it with a couple of folk, literally. I was told they enjoyed this composition and for some reason I thought of it after all these years after reading your note above. It's from a time when I had just made a change out of my comfort zone and was wondering if'n I had made the right choice in moving to a huge city. (In 20/20 Hindsight: Turns out it was the BESTEST choice EVER!!) I settled into the White Rock Lake area of the Metroplex and took an apartment as close as possible to said Lake. The Lake is surrounded for the most part by mowed parkland, by a little bit of wildness in a few "unkempt" edges, and by the Dallas Arboretum. I used the paved trail which encircled the waters to maintain both physical and mental fitness....well, at least as much as I could!!!
I didn't edit this so it's bit rough and it's also before the days of spell checkers!! As I have told Ms. Charles (of this post) I've learned the value of a good editor! My hope is that you will also enjoy my observations and ramblings, even in the un-polished state:
On Saturday, I went out for a long run around the lake. The weather was perfect; bright sun, no wind, and coolish temperatures. I'm still not able to go all 12 miles, yet, without stopping and walking for part of it, but, was able to go 2/3's of it before I had to slow down to a fast walk. I figure by Christmas I'll be able to go the distance without a slow-down. I can tell I'm putting on my winter weight. My feet-falls are a might heavier than my summer sprintings, however, the upside is my endurance is much more, and I'm not as wasted by the heat and length of the course. Come March, I'll begin paring down as the temperatures warm, and that is when I normally obtain my best times. My body is no longer just trying to build warmth, as in mid-winter, and I've still enough "fuel" from the Holidays to keep my muscles from petering out before the finish line. By May, the heat is back on, and I've slimmed down, again. My times begin to lengthen until the serious heat of high summer, (100's) limit my speed to only 1/2 of the course; the other half spent walking, so as not to expell ALL of my body's moisture and calories. I've gotten to where I don't mind the walking. It allowsme to slow down and enjoy the surroundings, to focus on the wildflowers of the season, to notice the changing of the leaves, to observe which fowl are on the lake at this month, watch the families playing, and catch an occassional pretty smile going in the opposite direction.
This weekend past, I noticed something else which is an annual event, here on the southern Great Plains. Some of the families and folks were out on their knees beneath barren trees, rustling through the fallen leaves in search of treasure. While walking on the East side of the lake, I took note at the crunching under my running shoes, and made few mental notes to return on the morrow. And, that I did.
> Sunday, I finally regained my wakefullness from last weeks' long hours. I awoke, then had my usual ritual, then, made another mug. This one was of greater size, and in a plastic vessel, as soon we would be on the trail. I put in half-decaff/half full octane, then extra honey, extra cream. And, since it is the season, (almost,) I added a dash of Eggnogg! Grabbing a sturdy bag, we made for the East side of the Lake. Only this time, I took the tonka-truck instead of the Reeboks. Arriving without incident, (remember, I do live in Dallas, and we're quickly building to a full moon!), I disembarked from my faithful conveyence, and set off a-foot; sturdy bag and steaming mug accompanying me. We hadn't far to go, as my navigational calculations from the day prior proved somewhat ( and miraculously) accurate!
To the underneath of a barren tree did I make, only to kneel and deposit my cargo on the thick carpet of fallen summer. I took my bearings and decided a course. With my outstretched hand, I.....wait.......I first took another wonderfully long draft of the steaming vessel......aaaahhhh...it's SO good....THEN...I extended my arm and hand to sweep away the litter and expose......wait, again,...to expose..........one more time: to expose.(Thank God, there's one!).. a beautiful seed, one and a half times the stature of an acorn, yet so much more sweeter.
I spent the next hour or so exposing many native pecans from their hiding places, deep in and under the leaves of the mother tree. I noticed some wide sweeps from someone earlier in the day, as evidenced by the leaves and husks moved into miniature windrows, and with cropped grass exposed to sunlight, between. I set about making my own windrows, ferreting out the sweet kernals from the natural litter. It reminded me of an earlier time, when I lived along a lake shore in Eastern Indian Territory. (Oklahoma.) We used to go to one particular beach, when the water level was down, and search through the sand and pebbles for arrowheads and flint tools. This particular site was where the old ones would sit and manufacture the points, as evidenced by the large numbers of flint flakes. Most often we would find the defective points, as the perfect ones were employed by the hunters of the people, and carried in quiver and on the wind to distant and fleeing marks.
> Finding a native pecan isn't quite like finding a native arrowhead, but, I have this curious bent to keep looking until the best, or, the most are recovered. (If I just uncover another handful, my efforts will be rewarded. And, another, and ad infinitum until daylight fails me. I fear it is a disease in me, but, am thankful it is a relatively benign pasttime, and not the more serious form of gambling.) At anyrate, I soon settled into a cadence of sweep, pick, scoot. After a while, the eyes become trained as homing radars to spot the distinct, partial outline of a hiding nut. They are, after all, well camouflaged. I wonder if the trees have some wisdom in creating their offspring so. Upon further reflection, I believe they do.
I look around me, letting my fingers search for a while, and notice I'm collecting from where another did so earlier, today. And, yet they did not discover all the nuts. I surmise, I, too, am leaving behind a bounty, to be harvested by the local squirrels, and other rodents. Unlike we humans, the squirrels will bury the nuts for safe keeping until the depths of winter require their exhumation for rations. (Of course, not all the nuts will be rediscovered. Also, we humans will inadvertantly "plant" some of them just by the treading of our heavy soles, as we push the pointed seeds into the Earth.) I marvel at the trees' scheme of not putting all her eggs into one basket. By first dropping her summer clothes, she prepares a soft hiding place for her children. If happens any rain, the leaves also hold the moisture close to the surface to facilitate the easy insertion of the hard capsules of life. By hiding the bounty with the same colours as the clothes, she insures that several spirits take her seeds, and disperse them far greater distances than the wind and storm alone could do. She also insures against the greedy, who would take all, if given chance, and leave none for others, much less for procreation. I notice, as I take another warm, creamy swallow, that not far away, works a squirrel, wary of my presence, but intent on his mission of gathering and storing. His very future depends on it. I go back to my gathering and storing.
> Presently, comes a trio of elderly and friendly Texans. They are not real Texans, as their accents betray another upbringing. They are transplants, as am I, but now call this land home. They come close and half-heartedly sweep the ground with their feet.
They continue chatting happily, but, cannot resist picking up a few of the unmasked findings. After a short while, they approach me and deposit their treasures into my sturdy bag. One of the ladies says it is far easier to drive to the supermarket and harvest from the counter. I smile and thank them warmly for their generosity. They have exposed themselves as city dwellers. Not so much by their words, but, by the fact they have picked up un-ripe fruit. You see, if the husk is not ripe, then neither is the nut riding inside in its journey to the Earth. They haven't observed that during the past few weeks, the squirrels have been more than a bit anxious. They've been going from tree to tree and "peeking" into the unfallen husks, trying to find the season's first ripe pecan. The damaged fruit falls, stopped before its time. I don't tell them this, as I'm afraid of embarresing them. (Had they continued collecting, I would've played the role of educator.) They continue on down the jogging trail, still locked in lively conversation. I continue to sweep, pick, and scoot.
I notice another spirit present as I continue to slow into my rhthym and deepen my awareness. The ground exposed is covered, literally, with earthworm castings. Perhaps, these natural soil aerators were drawn by the covered and conserved moisture. Perhaps, they have a simbiotic dance with the mother trees. Perhaps decaying pecan leaves contain some vital nutrient, or, mabey they are chlorophytic ice cream. Someday, I shall have a small holding, again. Take a mental note: Plant pecan trees, then plant some night crawlers. Continue till done.
> Across the way, a young couple are reclined in a clearing. She's on a blanket. He's on a sort of portable stool, with a six-string in his lap. The wind is with us today, so, I can't hear the whole song. Pity. What I can hear, I like. His voice will never let him quit his day job. But, the composition is his, as well, and the pureness of his heart and soul can never be conveyed by even a seasoned professional talent. I wish I had talent like that, and I wish I could capture a maidens' interest with it, and Iwish I could express my feelings and wishes with my fingers and a melodious voice. If I could even copy anothers'!!! (...cuz I've got a peeeeeeaceful, easy feeeel-in'...) I guess my gifts lie in other areas.
I turn away from my envy and go back to my treasure hunt.
After a while, I've pretty well gleaned the ground beneath the one tree. There's still plenty more for others, and alot more still in the branches to fall at a later date. However, my daylight is growing more dramatic, and there is one more tree I wish to visit this day. I face the mother tree, and express my gratitude. I set off down the jogging trail, off to one side choosing the grass instead of the asphalt.
I pass the lively trio on their return journey, still engaged in conversation. They do not notice me, but I notice the man of the group is carrying a plastic bag with small bulges galore. I smile that they, too took a bit of time to become part of the season. ( I also hope they picked up some ripe ones!)
The second tree I visit is standing apart from others. Its branches are symetrical and evenly spaced around the stately trunk. Like the first, it is also barren of leaves, but, here in the more exposed location, the litter was whisked away by the plains' winds. Like the first, this tree was also visited earlier in the day. However, with the slight wind, more bounty has rained since this morning's harvest, and I begin a new cadence, one of a more sprightly walk, walk, pick, walk, pick, walk , pick, pick., and so on. The nuts are on bare turf, but the camouflage is still supurb, and my eyes (all four of them) have to adjust to a new searching.
The nuts of this second tree are far more cylindrical than the first's glubose seeds. They are also of much thinner skin. "Paper shell" is the term folks here use. I collect rapidly, and make a game of spotting the pointed cylinders laying haphazardly across the dry lawn. But, this time of year, the daylight fades quickly, and my time is cut short.
> I feel the draw of the city beckoning me, as there are still a couple of errands to run before the venues close for the evening. I begin to leave, but the tree taunts me to stay longer by throwing a nut directly in my path. Ok, I'll stay and commune for a few more minutes. As if answering in delight, I happen upon three, then two, then three more prizes in rapid succession, and immediate proximity. I collect them to my sturdy bag, which is now weighing several pounds, and hunt for another five minutes. It is during this time when I happen upon a brightly coloured Blue jay feather, lying alongside the nuts.
> Then, it is time to go. I knew because my generous mug had since expired its contents. The tree tempts me by dropping another behind me, but, within audible range. I cannot turn 'round, for I fear the temptations will continue throughout the evening into the nearly full moon. Covertly, I begin moving in the direction of my return. As the treasures' density and desire begin to fade, I turn, and graciously nod to the magnificent and playful tree. I walk to my truck and think about the lesson I read this morning as part of my ritual. It was a passage about how the universe is trully boundless, and infinitly bountiful. (Not to mention incredibly beautifull.) All we need do is believe, and know how to ask for, and then be open to receive what we need and want. I thought about the other spirits receiving what they need and want, whether the earlier harvesters of this day or the earthworms through the eons. I thought back in time, when a people of hunter/gatherers would collect with as much intensity as the squirrels, for their futures also depended on their industry. I thought back before there was a city here, when bears and coyotes and wild turkeys would share in the harvest. I wondered how many realized that besides being a good year for pecans, it was an exceptional year for acorns from the Live Oaks and Red Oaks, too, and wondered what spirits were rejoicing in those gifts/harvests?
As I reach my faithful vehicle, I stop for one long moment. The radiant orb is now poised on the water's edge, and has changed into a golden-orange. The lake's waves generated by the gentle wind reflect and duplicate the magic light. The colours of autumn become charged with a mystic, but quiet energy. Even the last runners and bikers have become reserved in speech, as if recognizing the significanse of this moment.
This is my favourite time of the day, and I gratefully receive the recharging of my spirit. It happens when I take the time to slow down to reflect on and to express reverence to the spirits with whom I share this time... to acknowledge the gifts placed in my path .... to appreciate the beauty around me, and to pray I don't ever get so jaded or lost so as to loose this appreciation. jrr
My dearest Jesse…
Your writing is a treasure! I was fortunate enough to read it for the first time on Friday night, savoring your words, the picture you painted, and was reminded of the lessons of the bountiful universe that we live in. The story of pecan gathering must have made an impression on me, as I made a pecan pie this morning to celebrate my birthday. And unconscious nudge as it were! You really are gifted with regard to painting a picture. Thank you for sharing this lovely experience with me. I really enjoyed it and I treasure this friendship. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a blessed thanksgiving.
PS... I happened to be in Kentucky this past summer for the solar eclipse, and happened upon a pecan tree myself. I found a few nuts under the tree and picked up a few and brought them home. Unfortunately when I opened them there was nothing inside. They must not have been ripe! I need a good teacher Jesse!
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