Another chance to test out your powers of observation!

Two weeks and one day ago, in my blog entry for October 15th 2021, I posted a copy of the image which is atop this entry and I stated:

A few weeks ago, Juan V was here and arranged pumpkins and squashes which I received from a program at the Greenmarket. 

They are included in the photo on the left (which features one of my urban hedges aka garden shelving).

However, this past Wednesday he added something to the "installation."

Check out the photo at the right. Can you tell what's new?

By the way my garden is the setting for all versions of my books that have "Words In Our Beak" in their title.

Juan was here again today and made an "adjustment" to what is on the bottom shelf. 

Check out the photo directly below and see if you notice the chsange that was made. 

TEST YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION!

A few weeks ago, Juan V was here and arranged pumpkins and squashes which I received from a program at the Greenmarket. 

They are included in the photo on the left (which features one of my urban hedges aka garden shelving).

However, this past Wednesday he added something to the "installation."

Check out the photo at the right. Can you tell what's new?

By the way my garden is the setting for all versions of my books that have Words In Our Beak in their title.

My Pumpkin Patch

PUMPKINS ON MY URBAN HEDGE VIEW ONE 

PUMPKINS ON MY URBAN HEDGE VIEW TWO

I now have a pumpkin patch in my rooftop garden! The photo atop this entry shows views of pumpkins atop one of my urban hedges.

Tuesday's Truths WK 190: Hot Temperatures May Not Be For the Birds (certain birds)

MY ROOFTOP GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR WIOB

Welcome to my one hundred and ninety-ninth segment of Tuesday's Truths series; which I am offering on another day of a second July 2020 heat wave taking place in NYC.

Even in the the southwest corner of my garden where temperatures are at their most coolest it was stiflingly hot, the temps were nearly one hundred degrees, as evidenced in the photo posted directly above which features a thermometer that hangs in that area.

It's February!

As you may recall last year on February's first day, I mentioned (here on Blogger) that this month is known as National Bird Feeding Month. Holiday Insights (HI) points out the reason for this, "Mid winter is a tough time for backyard birds. Snow often covers their food source, while at the same time food supplies are dwindling. A reliable high energy supply of bird seed is essential, to provide the energy your backyard birds need to survive the long lasting extreme cold in February."

The photograph atop this entry where house sparrows are eating from a feeder in my garden was taken three years ago in February of 2017. As you can see HI is correct in pointing out that weather conditions in February (in certain parts of the world) can result in food sources being covered — even feeders!

Galeux d’Eysines, Bumpy Gourds, & The Muscovy Duck, what's bumps got to do with it? (Tuesday's Truths WK 95)

In yesterday's blog post, I mentioned that while on my way to a greenmarket and the green-flea (on the UWS) this past Sunday, I noticed (as did many others, including the police) that a raccoon was looking down (from the tree tops near some scaffolding) on all who passed by. I also mentioned that I was at the market longer than I anticipated, so I never did find out what happened to the creature; for when I returned all evidence of the incident, including on-lookers and policemen were gone.

One of the reasons for my tarrying at the greenmarket was that I spotted a pair bumpy looking pumpkins (pictured above) at Gaia's Breath Farm's "vending" stand and took the time to ask about them. I learned from a kind woman working there that these are a variety known as a peanut pumpkins, a term which I immediately googled after putting the one I got atop the urban hedge in my rooftop garden.

According to a gardening-related web-page, "the peanut pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima ‘Galeux d’Eysine’) is an heirloom pumpkin varietal notable for its distinctive peanut-like growths peppering the exterior of its pink hued rind. Certainly unique looking, some might say unattractive, the 'peanuts' are actually a buildup of excess sugar in the flesh of the pumpkin."

I was not surprised to learn that some say the Galeux d’Eysine was "unattractive" because of having peanut-like growths. However, it is the peanut-like growths that drew my attention, because they reminded me of my own lumps and bumps (that I deplore so much that I rarely alllow my picture to be taken, but for purposes of this entry, one is included towards the end) which I have as a result of being born with the medical (neurological) condition, Neurofibromatosis Type-One.

Monday's Musings: Is it titmice or titmouses? That is the question!

The little bird featured in the photograph that's atop this entry is known as a Baeolophus bicolor AKA Tufted Titmouse. He/she is enjoying black-oil sunflower seeds from an umbrella style bird feeder that's atop an urban hedge in my rooftop garden.

A Lone Praying Mantis Visits My Garden!

The praying mantis seen in the images atop this blog entry, where he/she is moving gracefully — but with a sense of purpose — across the table that's in my rooftop garden, were taken by Juan V when he came to my place yesterday.

This BUD's for YOU! (It's Red Rose Day)

Today is Red Rose Day (according to Holiday Insights AKA HI). HI states that Red Rose Day is always celebrated on June 12th.

Furthermore, HI proclaims this day is the "time to enjoy and appreciate America's favorite flower.....the red rose."

In bygone years, I've had red roses in my rooftop garden, which is where I took the photograph (that is now part of My Fauna-Flora-Insect-Themed Cards) that is atop this blog entry. This series of cards is comprised of images which can be found in Cam's book, Words In Our Beak Volume One.

The book, and/or the postcards make a great Fathers Day (which, is this coming Sunday) gift! As of this posting, the only way to purchase my book is via the publisher; MagCloud.

My postcards are available at More & More Antiques on the UWS of New York City.

Climbing Roses Create Another Urban Hedge!

The image atop this entry of my white climbing roses, is very similar to one I included in an FB entry for my author page, as well as in my post here on Blogger, this past Saturday.

As I indicated in both of the aforementioned cyber-venues, these rose are in a box-style container and trail up a trellis which has been attached to the railing that surrounds my rooftop garden. They are in between my Avellana corylus AKA Contorted Hazelnut (which is to their left) and my Continus Coggygria AKA Smoke Bush (which to their right). It was the intent of Juan V and I to create an urban hedge to give me some privacy in my garden.

In bygone years I wrote a series of posts for hometalk which discussed various ways to construct urban hedges; and I thought my urban and non-urban dwelling friends who have and/or appreciate gardens, might enjoy reading this series.* For as you know, Benjamin Franklin once said, "Love thy neighbor — but don't pull down your hedge. " 

*LINKS to my Urban Hedge series:
Part One:
SHELVING
Part Two:
BAMBOO TRELLIS
Part Three-A:
KIWI VINES
Part Three-B:
KIWI VINES

Oh, the weather outside's been frightful! (BUT....)

The image atop this entry was taken by Juan V when he was here eleven days ago on May 9th, on his third visit for the 2017 growing season. I featured it in an entry on TLLG's FB page at that time; and I discussed certain attributes of the H.F. Young Clematis vine. This particular vine climbs up a pole which in the northwest corner of my rooftop garden. It produces strikingly beautiful purple flowers which can be seen in Juan's image. Moreover, I have a number of close-ups of this vine's blooms within my May 9th entry here on Blogger. Unfortunately, only four days after Juan worked with me in my garden, and after my publishing posts re the flowers of my H.F. Young clematis, a Nor'Easter struck NYC and surrounding areas.

Last Saturday, May 13th 2016, "a moisture-packed coastal storm that hit the New Jersey region on Saturday dumped almost a month's worth of rain in just one day in parts of the area." I've been try to find out how much rain fell in the NYC area.

The Dendranthema Rubellum AKA Korean Mum IS the word....

The flowers seen in the pictures (taken in my rooftop garden) atop this blog entry are a type of mum known as Mum koreana Sheffield AKA Korean Mum, Dendranthema Rubellum.

Ode to a Tufted Titmouse and Dearly Departed Flora

It has often been said that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. I don't know much about making God laugh, but I do know that if I want to make my muse laugh, I'll tell her my plans, which is something I not only told her last week, but also posted here on Blogger, where I stated that in going forward with this blog, "I'll return to posting more in depth content within my blogging venues: Blogger, tumblr as well as hometalk. I'll leave the shorter content for FB readers, who will always be directed to my blogging in case they want to read more."

A week has passed and my postings have been confined to Facebook, not only my page, but the pages of others such as Birds, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Ellen Show, and WBU-Paramus. 

I find it difficult to give up old habits and routines, but be that as it may, today's post is an attempt to act on the plan I laid out in my previous entry here on Blogger, and so without further ado, I give you today's post where I am honoring a very sweet bird.

"another year over AND a new one just begun . . . " PART ONE (FOR January 2013)

On this tenth day of the new year, my champagne loving character (pictured above) and I offer you, dear reader, cheers and all good wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2014.

Usually by this time in a given January here on TLLG's Blogger pages, I have offered my salutations, spoken about resolutions, written reflections on The Feast of the Epiphany as well as reflections on Three Kings Day; and I have even been in the process of writing a year-end reflection of the comings and goings in my urban (NYC) terrace garden.

This year, 2014  salutations were posted on TLLG's FB Page, and mentions of Epiphany with salutations were discussed on hometalk. As for 2014's Three King's Day, I posted info about it on TLLG's FB Page as well as hometalk, where I offered new content re specifics of traditions to honor the day. 

Alas, I did not get the chance to post anything here on Blogger, but please don't feel slighted as I am even further behind in my "correspondence" with my tumblr community!

In any event, having just told you where I've been spending my blogging energies, I will tell you that in terms of my annual year-end reflections on comings and goings in my rooftop garden, I've "saved" the topic for the community I have here (but may refer others, especially those interested in gardening, to this content).

Last year's year-end review (for 2012) spanned a number of entries here on Blogger (fifteen) from January 5, 2013 through January 20, 2013. 

My year-end review for 2013 will be set up in a similar manner but will not span as many entries. For 2012's garden circumstances included coping with a few upheavals in my garden such a so-called building renovation, preparing for a hurricane that was ultimately named Super Storm Sandy which was followed by preparing for a nor' easter. 

Thankfully, the aforementioned events were not a part of my 2013 gardening endeavors!

The format for my 2013 garden year-end review will span twelve months as I'll use the first day of a given month to take a look back. 

And now without further ado, the 2013 year-end garden review!

What FLORA Knows RE Time Passing

Once upon a time I saw a Mary Englebreit greeting card where the text read, "Time flies whether you are having fun or not." And indeed time does fly, calling to my mind, two of my favorite quotes invloving the passing of time.

Dr. Seuss's "How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?," is one of them.

The second quote re time passing that I appreciate is Kermit's quote: "Time is fun when you are having flies." 

TWO Birds AND Bad Feather Days (a clarification)

The bluejay pictured here is not having a bad feather day! Rather, he has just spent a significant amount of time in today's pouring rain — noshing from a suet feeder that I have in my garden — and, therefore, had no chance to blow dry his/her feathers!

"another year over AND a new one just begun . . . " PART TWO-J (December 2012 — January 5, 2013)

Today's entry here on Blogger is part two-J of a series of posts pertaining to a year-end review for special occurrences in my urban garden for the year 2012 (the schedule for this series is described in part one as well as part two-A of this topic), and this particular post is also the conclusion of my series; in it I will be covering the "events" in my garden from December 1st 2012 through January 5th 2013.

The beginning of the month of December 2012 brought with it the return of Cam, my lone female cardinal visitor, who can be seen in the picture — as she appeared upon return — atop today's blog entry.

"another year over AND a new one just begun ." PART TWO-G-3 (Sept. 21st — Sept. 30th 2012)

Under "normal" circumstances, regarding this blog, Tuesday's posts are "reserved" for "directing" readers to my posts on tumblr, in other words, usually, if it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr! 

However, if you have been reading my entries on Blogger these past few days, you will recall that today has been "reserved" for part two-G-3 of my 2012-2013 year in review (re events that occurred in my garden) as I stated in describing my schedule in part one and in parts two-G1 as well as in part two-G2 of this series of "review" posts.

Today's series concludes the events in my garden for September 21st through September 30th of 2012, and I'll begin where I left off in yesterday's post, which was with the image posted above atop today's blog entry, minus the circles which have been superimposed on this photograph.

"another year over AND a new one just begun . . . " PART ONE

GARDEN WINTERIZED AND HOLIDAY DECOR 2011-2012

GARDEN WINTERIZED AND HOLIDAY DECOR 2012-2013

Today is the first Saturday of 2013! The date is January the Fifth, the Eve of Epiphany, which is also the Twelfth Day of Christmas, and it is the day I've chosen for my urban garden's 2012 year in review as well as a great opportunity for me to return here to Blogger after not posting since "the Monday after Thanksgiving," as I have been contending with some health issues as discussed briefly on TLLG's tumblr and Facebook venues.

I realize that most accountings of a given "year in review" take place in late December of the year being reviewed; but since this review will solely be dedicated to my urban garden, I have chosen this particular date, because last year on this day, Juan V came over to help me complete my garden winterizing for the winter of 2012! Hence January the 5th 2012 through January the 5th 2013 was the last full year in my garden!

"If it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr . . . " Week No. 36 (But First The Birds Survive Hurricane Sandy)

Today, October the Thirtieth, or rather the eve of today, is what is known as Corn Night or Mischief Night, and according to Holiday Insights, “Mischief Night appears to have roots in England back to the nineteenth century.” It occurs the night before Halloween and typical acts on this day include, “soaping windows, egging houses [as well as] cars, tossing a few rotten tomatoes, toilet papering house trees et ceteras, (and) knocking on doors, then running away.

I never really understood honoring mischief, but even if I did, New York City, where I live, has already endured enough “mischief” through the perils of Hurricane Sandy, which slammed us (and our surrounding areas) yesterday, which is why I did not post here on Blogger, which is normally what I do on Mondays.

Sandy wreaked havoc, which has resulted in (among other catastrophes) power outages, including damage to a back-up generator at a prestigious New York City hospital, causing them to have to relocate all their patients by ambulance to other hospitals!