Wind making the Yucca vibrate:
Not only did I still have a big pile of mulch to spread, but the wind started to roar, whoosh, and howl. Eyes full of mulch dust. Lovely. I did what I could. The priority for the day was getting the pile pushed to one side so Beloved could get his car into the garage. Beloved wants his car parked in the garage, not on the street. He was willing to tolerate it on the street for two nights, but yesterday, time was up. I did get that accomplished.
Just before sunset the wind abated a bit, and I wandered the garden. There was a cluster of tiny birds with black and white striped heads peeping in the neighbor's hedge. Another bird in the Avocado tree was shrieking. Ah. A cat was stalking the shrieking bird--a very beautiful cat, golden and golden-eyed, marbled and swirled with dark stripes. A designer cat. I guessed the bird was possibly nesting. Stop and chase off cat. Bird shrieks ceased.
Aloe 'Fire Ranch' catching the last of the day's sun. I like the contrast of the thick meaty leaves with the delicacy of the Calothamnus behind it.
Well how about this: an Epiphyllum leaf that actually looks good. Epiphyllums are a lot like Orchids: out of bloom, they are not much to look at. I think that's why I don't have many of them.
Aloe ferox is finished blooming and the bloom stalks are now bare, but still sculptural
Aloe marlothii is just about to start opening, and is looking ever more spectacular.
At that point the bird in the Avocado tree started shrieking again. The cat was back. I chased it off again. The shrieking stopped.
Now the ldayight was really fading. 'Blue Glow' stopped glowing.
'Joe Hoak' looked more yellow and less white. Both were of course unfazed by the wind, which was starting to pick up again.
Before escaping back inside, I paused again at the Moroccan Daisy, Pyrethropsis hosmariense, which I've been taking picture after picture of lately. Why is it so beautiful? The silver foliage? The icy white and brilliant chrome yellow of the flowers?
Something else...its...the buds! The black-edged, silver buds!
I forgot all about the mulch pile at that point. And the howling wind.
Not only did I still have a big pile of mulch to spread, but the wind started to roar, whoosh, and howl. Eyes full of mulch dust. Lovely. I did what I could. The priority for the day was getting the pile pushed to one side so Beloved could get his car into the garage. Beloved wants his car parked in the garage, not on the street. He was willing to tolerate it on the street for two nights, but yesterday, time was up. I did get that accomplished.
Just before sunset the wind abated a bit, and I wandered the garden. There was a cluster of tiny birds with black and white striped heads peeping in the neighbor's hedge. Another bird in the Avocado tree was shrieking. Ah. A cat was stalking the shrieking bird--a very beautiful cat, golden and golden-eyed, marbled and swirled with dark stripes. A designer cat. I guessed the bird was possibly nesting. Stop and chase off cat. Bird shrieks ceased.
Aloe 'Fire Ranch' catching the last of the day's sun. I like the contrast of the thick meaty leaves with the delicacy of the Calothamnus behind it.
Well how about this: an Epiphyllum leaf that actually looks good. Epiphyllums are a lot like Orchids: out of bloom, they are not much to look at. I think that's why I don't have many of them.
Aloe ferox is finished blooming and the bloom stalks are now bare, but still sculptural
Aloe marlothii is just about to start opening, and is looking ever more spectacular.
At that point the bird in the Avocado tree started shrieking again. The cat was back. I chased it off again. The shrieking stopped.
Now the ldayight was really fading. 'Blue Glow' stopped glowing.
'Joe Hoak' looked more yellow and less white. Both were of course unfazed by the wind, which was starting to pick up again.
Before escaping back inside, I paused again at the Moroccan Daisy, Pyrethropsis hosmariense, which I've been taking picture after picture of lately. Why is it so beautiful? The silver foliage? The icy white and brilliant chrome yellow of the flowers?
Something else...its...the buds! The black-edged, silver buds!
I forgot all about the mulch pile at that point. And the howling wind.
Thanks for the great vibrating yucca shot...never have captured that on yuccas, Dasylirion, Nolina, etc. Forget that mulch...most will still be there when the winds relaxes some.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say "the buds!" too before seeing your second photo and comment. So striking!
ReplyDeleteSome nice photos here -- glad you took time off the mulching. :-)
@Desert, I've been trying to get that shot for a year!
ReplyDelete@Alan, the buds are kind of a tiny cross between Agave parryi truncata and an artichoke. I needed a break from mulching, that's for sure!
Splendid pic of Fire Ranch Hoov.Just splendid !
ReplyDeleteSo stunning!
ReplyDeleteIt's definately the silver and black buds! I love Centaurea 'Gold Bullion' for the same reason- the black edges on golden buds which open blue is a stunning combo. Wish I could grow that daisy in these parts. Sigh.
Nice Aloe 'Fire Ranch'! I like those thorny edges. Likewise the lovely daisy buds. Thanks for showing me how to see such a simple plant.
ReplyDelete