Fall Bulbs and eBay Browsing

^Crocus 'Pickwick'^

They're appearing, some even two weeks ago. Most notably at Home Depot. They were storing them outside in 85 degree weather. I picked up a few bearded iris that hadn't dried out yet, some allium and muscari. I'm probably going to have to look elsewhere for everything else I want. This week I went back and more bulbs had been delivered and they had been moved inside, but all the bearded iris were already fungusing and getting squishy. The ones I bought 2 weeks ago are potted up and sprouting. Bearded iris should really be bought the second you see them at a big box store, as care in store is almost nonexistent. I liked the store I saw once that was storing their bulbs outside in the rain. This year I have a few distinct goal plants. I'm looking for Iris reticulata 'Katharine Hodgkin', Crocus Minimus, Saffron Crocus, Colchicum 'Water lily', and Siberian Iris. (Can you tell I took a bulb book out of the library in July). So far I've bought Siberian Iris on eBay. The seller I picked has over 1,000 positive reviews, and a 100% rating. I expect the plants should be nice. I'm likely going to buy the others on eBay as well since they have mostly positive reviews, and most of the online bulb retailers have some very impressive negative reviews, or don't carry what I'm looking for.

^Streptocarpus^

Of course randomly browsing eBay tends to lead to old obsessions. African Violets come to mind, as do Streptocarpus. I once bought a set of 10 ponytail palm seedlings as well. I've bought hosta seeds and strange miniature tomato seeds. It just occurred to me that right now is a good time of year for plant shipments. The weather is stabilizing and keeping from being horribly hot or cold. Guess I'm gonna lose some money to eBay this week... I grew this streptocarpus from seed a few years ago, before I knew microwaving the dirt might get me better germination. It was one out of 15 attempts.

Daily Photo - Green Marbled Spider

Best I can come up with it is an Orchard Orbweaver Spider.

Sunday in the Garden - Spiders

I got a little bored of flowers, and nothing new is blooming. These are the spiders I found on a short jaunt around the garden. Two leaf hoppers begged to be included as well.

Cross Spider - European exotic

Orchard Orb Weaver maybe?

Scarlet-and-green leafhopper. (Graphocephala coccinea)

Leafhopper, no idea on type.

No idea, spider insists on hanging with her top facing screen making her impossible to photograph from above.

No idea, just thought the stalking pic was cool.

Grass Spider like the Daily Photo from last week.

Daily Photo - Green Bee

I like the odd looking bees.

Daily Photo - Darner

I average maybe one of these landing a season. This year's has a nice meal, which was twitching when he first landed. He worked all the way through the head with nasty crunching noises before he took off.

Summer's Fading

Critters are leaving shed fur chunks everywhere.

Darners are decimating the dragonfly population (kidding.) Cat tails are breaking apart. Milkweed pods are ripening. And it's thinking about getting dark early again, uggh...

Daily Photo - Water Lily

The water lily I used as a potting example back in May bloomed this week.

Daily photo - Yet More Clouds

Sorry, the last three days have been excellent cloud days. I also got stuck with a flat tire and a cat trip to the vet so haven't been managing to go hiking after work this week, even though the weather is freaking perfect for it. All I get is sitting in parking lots, or taking quick pics before leaving work.

Daily Photo - Night Clouds

My Mom took this out my passenger window on the way back from Vermont. I really like the reflections.

Daily Photo - Clouds

This is from Vermont over the weekend.

Daily Photo - Clouds

I am just waiting for the day someone comes out and asks me what I'm doing with my camera pointed up in various parking lots.

Sunday in the Garden

^Bergamont^ ^Cucumbers finally doing something^ ^False Sunflower^ ^Hosta^ ^Garden Phlox Purple^ ^Garden Phlox White^ ^Hosta^ ^Morning Glory^ Also blooming: Fringed Bleeding Heart, Spider Wort, last of the day lilies, Blue Lobelia (sold as cardinal flower, quite annoyed) Water lily just coming up, Many more Hostas, Tomatoes by the handful, Dianthus reblooming, Mutt Violas still going.

Daily Photo - Flamingo

Minot zoo again. We went when it was raining, so no screaming children, and very calm animals. You could easily touch any of the flamingos, My camera was only a few inches away.

Daily Photo - Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Through a car window at Audubon Wildlife Refuge on their 7 mile driving tour. Your stuck with Minot pics for at least a little bit longer.

Daily Photo - Rooster

I'd promise this was the last bit of poultry, but I do have a bunch of pictures of them you haven't seen yet.

Daily Photo - Chicken

It turns out I'm fascinated by chickens. I spent a long time staring at some at the Minot Zoo in the Petting Zoo area. I then came back twice more.

Daily Photo - Grass Spider

It welcomed me home. Thankfully from outside.

North Dakota Clouds

Most of these were taken on rt 83 in North Dakota, around the Minot area. It's freaking cloud photographer heaven here. Most were through car windows, but I managed to avoid reflections on almost all of them.