Reminder: June is National Rose Month

RED ROSES ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME ONE 

Two days ago, June 12, was Red Rose Day and in belated honor of the occasion, I've posted an image  (directly above) of this flower (taken in bygone years) that was growing in my rooftop garden).

Red Rose Day is not the only homage given to roses during the month of June, the entire month is known as National Rose Month and since tomorrow the month of June will be halfway over, its about time that I remind readers of this fact.

"If it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr . . . " Week Twenty (AND HAPPY VALENTINES DAY)

My spokes-plant (and collaborator), as you may recall from a previous entry here on TLLG, is one of my ornamental grasses known as Ophipogon planiscapus (Black Mondo Grass) triplets. 

The other day, as he and I were going through my Aperture Library, doing some early spring organizing of the photographs that I have there, we agreed that the image posted above, of one of my flowering Hens and Chicks, a succulent that grows in my urban (NYC) terrace garden (but who is sleeping now during our "so-called" winter), should "serve" as our valentine card to you, dear reader, as a small token of our appreciation for your support in following us here on TLLG.

Remembering ETHEL MERMAN: January 16, 1908 --February 15, 1984

What follows (except for the picture of Ethel Merman at the top of today's blog entry from Wiki), is similar content to what I posted this afternoon on TLLG's Facebook page. I rarely duplicate content, but the roses, which I grow in my urban (NYC) terrace garden, insisted I post the same thing here on The Last Leaf Gardener blog for my followers who "don't do Facebook."

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.

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 Gathering of Rosebuds

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, 

Old Time is still a-flying: 

And this same flower that smiles to-day"
 To-morrow will be dying."

Most everyone is familiar with the aforementioned "quote" as it includes the words which are the opening stanza to Robert Herrick's famous poem, To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time, a poem, that was the inspiration for the painting, Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May, by John William Waterhouse. The painting is pictured above in an image from Wiki.

As Wiki concurs, Herrick's poems were known for their "overriding message", that "life is short, the world is beautiful, love is splendid, and we must use the short time we have to make the most of it".

"Make New Friends, Keep the OLD; ONE is SILVER the OTHER is GOLD"

For me, and perhaps you as well, dear reader, there is nothing like nature to be reminded of the message indicated in the traditional Girl Scout song, "Make New Friends But Keep the Old; One is Silver; the Other is Gold."

If you would like to hear an instrumental rendition of this song, please click here.

Meanwhile as of today's blog entry, in my urban terrace garden my yellow roses are blooming again for the fourth time this season, and I am not complaining. The yellow roses are aways a joy to behold; and as you may recall, one of my yellow roses authored a post about itself; and told of its life experiences in my terrace garden in a blog entry this past May, which you may refer to by clicking here.

No matter what life is bringing your way, STOP AND SMELL THE FLOWERS

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

Last Tuesday when I went to Central Park, I was on a mission to get a disappointment off my mind by observing squirrels as away of honoring Squirrel Awareness Month (which always occurs in October). I wrote about that particular experience (and included photographs of those busy-tailed creatures) in last Wednesday's posting here on Blogger.

One thing I did not discuss in the aforementioned entry is that while on my way to take in the antics of such entertaining furry creatures, I came across numerous Common Grackles and I shared some of the peanuts that I had intended for the squirrels with them.

A "representative" for this bird type noshing on one of my peanuts can be seen in the image atop this entry. I am aware that grackles like peanuts because I've often seen them in my rooftop garden, munching on this legume.

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.

Monday Morning Musings: Reflections on Thee "Official" Memorial Day

ROSES WITH ROSEMARY

The photograph posted above, which was taken in the northwest corner of my urban terrace garden, features a few of my Roses — mugging a shot of my Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), is quite apropos for this blog posting, because today is "officially" Memorial Day, and  roses are often laid at graves, while Rosmarinus officinalis, is the herb that signifies remembrance (as discussed in a prior posting on this blog which you may read by clicking here). 

In my blog entry this past Saturday, I wrote about the fact that the 30th of May, was initially set aside for observing Memorial Day, and, I pointed out that it is now celebrated on the last Monday in May, which this year is indeed May 30th. However, next year, Memorial Day, will be celebrated on May 28th 2012, which may bring back the perhaps much needed rhetoric to help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of this solemn day. Details about these efforts can be found by clicking here.

As a child, I was very sensitive to the solemnity of Memorial Day, having had a father who served in the war, and, therefore, I was thrilled at the prospect to be able to participate in the Memorial Day Parade which marched down Main Street in my hometown. My being allowed to participate in the parade was due to the fact that I was a Brownie, and my troop, because of our service to the community, had been invited to join the commemoration of the solemn day.

Yellow Coloration in Nature

I came upon the Silver-Spotted Skipper (seen in the image atop this entry) when I took a walk in Central Park twith CF his past Saturday and I included facts re him/her in my blog post for that day. This creature is on my mind today because I've been thinking about his/her yellow markings as well as elements of nature who have yellow in their coloring.

Ta da! I've put a SQUARE PEG in a ROUND HOLE!

September 22, 2012

September 25, 2012

Once again, due to the upheaval in my urban (NYC) terrace garden,  I'm posting on a non-scheduled day, but I want to play catch-up so I can return to my "regularly scheduled program" on Friday, September 28th 2012.

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

Happy 1/2 Year!

Well, dear reader, today is June the 30th 2012, which means that tonight is New Year's Eve for the half year! Six months down, and six months to go! And, as I promised in this past Monday's post, I am posting on a non-scheduled day in honor of the half-year.

Raindrops on 'Grace' Leaves . . . .

The leaves of my Continus Coggygria AKA 'Smokey Bush,"Royal Purple' or 'Grace' have been glistening with the rain drops from the Autumn rain; as evidenced in the photographs within today's blog entry, which were taken between the second and third week of this October in my urban (New York City) terrace garden, where I have had my Continus Coggygria for at least five years.

'Grace's' leaves are always beautiful, but, I find them even more exquisite when they are playing host to raindrops, and allowing them to rest on their surface. This wonderful shrub not only produces amazing flowers in the springtime, but the colors of its leaves are constantly changing. 

For example, in the month of October, this shrub boasts an array of colors on its awesomely textured branches, and, with the rain-kissed leaves it is a very inspirational sight to behold.

Thankfully, seeing the rain on these leaves has not caused me to run around my garden singing, "Raindrops on Grace leaves" and providing a spin-off to the lyrics "Raindrops on Roses" from the song, My Favorite Things which was popularized in the 1965 movie, The Sound of Music, and I must confess, as un-American, as it may seem, is not one of my favorite things. However, my reasons for this, as they say, are another story!

Meanwhile, the spinning-off lyrics is what it's called when you put a "take" on well known lyrics by substituting your own words. For me, this is an easy habit to fall into, most likely because my father was prone to doing this (as I discussed in a previous post which you may refer to by clicking here). 

However, I never heard my father put a spin on the lyrics from My Favorite Things, but, if he had, it would've most likely been in "agreement" with the opinion of the actor, Christopher Plummer (who played the patriarch in the movie), when he feared the movie, The Sound of Music would be thought of as The Sound of Mucus, as he recently (2010) admitted, in an Oprah television segment, which you may read about by clicking here. 

Putting a spin on lyrics can be creative and fun but having a song or lyrics get stuck in your head can be annoying. The "condition" associated with this syndrome is known as ohrwurms (earworms). 

In an article by Stephanie Watson (which you may read in full by clicking here), the condition known as ohrwurms or earworms "is what can come about when we listen to a song, it triggers a part of the brain called the auditory cortex. Researchers at Dartmouth University found that when they played part of a familiar song to research subjects, the participants' auditory cortex automatically filled in the rest -- in other words, their brains kept "singing" long after the song had ended . . . the only way to 'scratch' brain itch is to repeat the song over and over in your mind. Unfortunately, like with mosquito bites, the more you scratch the more you itch, and so on until you're stuck in an unending song cycle."

Hopefully, my association with the lyrics,"raindrops on roses," will remain at bay, and I will not finding myself humming a tune associated with a movie that brings up bad memories when I notice the raindrops on 'Grace's' leaves, for I certainly have been blessed with the opportunity to capture many images thus far!

No April Fools Day Prank OR Fake News: Dandelion has been retired!

On this April Fool's Day, I'm sorry to report that the announcement made by Crayola yesterday, regarding their retiring the crayon color known as dandelion; was not a pre-April Fool's Day prank!

And it was not fake news either!

The crayon known as dandelion (pictured above) will no longer be a part of any of their crayon collections. It is my understanding that some type of blue color will be replacing dandelion, which seems problematic to me given Vincent van Gogh's philosophy on the color yellow. He is known to have claimed, "There is no blue without yellow and orange," which is something I wrote about here on Blogger in 2011!

Yellow has been an important color in my urban garden, as evidenced by the members of the fauna community who visit my place; as well as by the flora which has grown here.

Another month over . . .

Thirty days hath September, and by the end of this day, the month of September will have ended for 2013. It has passed slowly for me on a certain level for I have spent the month recovering from an accident I had one month and one day ago on August 29th 2013. 

Additionally, I was knocked out of commission by a nasty virus/cold for nearly twelve days beginning on September 15th 2013 (two days after my last posting here on Blogger) until this past Tuesday, September 24th when Juan V came to work in my garden and ultimately took the image atop today's entry.

Today's the last Saturday of October 2011! Question: Will it be Halloween's Last Stand?

If you have been following my blog, then you are probably aware that some of the things which I grow in my urban (New York City) terrace garden have taken it upon themselves to express their thoughts and opinions by authoring blog entries and posting them within this blog.

This "hoopla" — which has caused one of the Halloween pumpkins that I currently have in my garden to be overcome with laughter as seen in the image to in the upper lefthand corner —  all started in April of 2010, when my blog was only a little over four months old, and one of the flowers from my Paeonia suffruiticosa (Tree Peony), posted a photograph of herself with a short narrative. (If you would like to refer to this, please click here.)

As time passed, word got out among the plants, vines, flowers, herbs, trees and shrubs — which totaled a little over eighty when I last took a census — that the flower from my Paeonia suffruiticosa had done this, and many of the things which I grow began authoring entries on my blog. (This fact has  caused another one of the Halloween pumpkins that I currently have in my garden to also be overcome with laughter as seen in the image at the right.)

"If it's Tuesday, it must be . . ." tumblr. Week Eleven

As you know, one of my missions as The Last Leaf Gardener is to give the things I grow a voice, and I often do this by giving them the opportunity to author their own entries on TLLG. 

A few (there are many instances throughout TLLG) examples of this are entries which have been written by my Physocarpus opulifolius (Coppertina), as well as by my Helichrysum bracteatum (Strawflowers), my Ophipogon planiscapus (Black Mondo Grass), and one of my roses.

And, as you undoubedy recall, I also permit some of the objects in my terrace garden as well as some of the figurines which "live" in my indoor succulent garden to express their point of view. If you'd like to refer to the most recent blog posts on TLLG where this occurred, you may click here for the viewpoint of a terrace garden object, and here for the thoughts of Lucifer, one of my succulent garden figurines). 

But I digress. Today is all about the ram (pictured above) who is visiting my succulent garden for the holidays. He has inspired me to remind you of a passage from E.B. White's Charlotte's Web  (White is a TLLG fave please click here to see related posts.)

The ram, is a significant character in Charlotte's Web, because he is the one who tells Wilbur (the protagonist who is a lovable pig) that he is going to be killed and eaten after Christmas; this "conversation" prompted the friendship between Wilbur the pig, and Charlotte the spider. However, my little ram is not so malicious or mean spirited as the ram in White's story, and he wanted me to share a passage with you that is from Charlotte's Web.

"Time is fun when you are having flies."

Happy First Saturday of November, dear reader, from the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where I live, and where extra preparations are still under way for the New York City Marathon, an annual world-famous event which takes place the first Sunday of November. It is an exciting time for many; however, it is a bittersweet time for Lucifer, my rhinestone frog, who is the little creature featured in the image posted above todays blog entry.