Ptarmigan Cirque de Soleil et beaucoup de vent!

Me and the littlest took a quick late afternoon trek up to see the subalpine forest and alpine tundra.  Other than passing a few souls on their way home, we pretty much had the whole mountain to ourselves.  The temperature when we started out was only 10 C and the wind was hard to keep your hat on insane.  I was glad that I brought rain suits and an extra sweater for the littlest, otherwise, I think we would have been cold.

The flowers were stunning - paintbrush in white, cream, 4 shades of pink and red, purple aster, yellow and white avens, arnica, saxifrage, moss campion, Saussurea densa, fireweed, vetch, alpine forget-me-not, rocky mountain goldenrod, luetkea pectinata or smelowskia calycina (not sure which), shrubby cinquefoil, stonecrop, and I think my hard to identify thick-rooted spring beauty plant found way up in a gravelly, shaded crevice.  If anyone has a different identification, let me know, I struggled with this one.Today, even at a much lower altitude there is fresh snow on the mountain top.  

To think last week we were melting in the heat an today, I'm wishing I had a warmer sweater on, inside...!!!

  

White and Yellow Mountain Avens    

Moss Campion

Thick rooted spring beauty - Claytonia Megarrhiza????

Paintbrush     

      

 

Sunspots on a rainy day

Everything got a good soaking today - including our poor dog - although I think she appreciated the cooler weather. So in honour of the gloomy weather I threw up this sunny little Sundown Echinacaea. I've only observed the garden through the kitchen window today - so I don't know if there is anything new or exciting. I did notice that a few more lillies were open. Yesterday there were signs of digging in the box on the deck rail and something completely dug up a viola which I tucked back into the dirt, but I don't know how hopeful I feel about its survival.

There are still no sunspots on the face of the sun - however - there is official word that this is completely normal and all the folk theorizing global cooling due to reduced solar activity can give it a rest for a while as Nasa expects the solar maximum to occur sometime in 2012. In the meantime, the sun is going into its third week of spotlessness, however the rate of the solar wind is up today and there is a 30% chance of auroral activity in the next 48 hours - at least if you are a bit further north - Say Ottawa at a minimum. I'm tempted to road trip, but I unfortuanately have other things I need to do... so perhaps some of you northern folk will have to let me know how it went. Here is the forecast from the Alaska University.

Today, I'm officially 1 month from heading north - where I won't need to consider road tripping when I want to see the nothern lights!!! Here is to lots of sunspots and auroral events for me to photograph in the coming years. :D

Jennith

The Day the Lilies Bloomed

So, far only the 2 yellow daylillies on the back corners of the bed have bloomed. I'm sure they are getting a bit more shade than they'd like owing to the crab apple tree's ongoing expansion - however, most of the other plants are finally starting to send up flowering shoots... so hopefully pictures of red, salmon, peach and orange daylilies to follow soon. In the meantime, this one plant is making up for the rest of the bed. Today, I also found the first nasturium flower - orange and yellow hiding under a mop of wobbly foliage and curly stems. The beebalm is slowly unfurling and the next mystery plant has flowers buds - but no flowers yet. I did assume that it was a returning blanket flower, but in fact I now believe it is the dwarf brown-eyed susan. Hopefully, I'll find out soon. In the wildflower section, the seeds have produced a mass of greenery and now a few flower buds. I have no idea what to expect - but some guesses include: buttercup, poppy, asters, chickweed and willowherb - but really - I'll have to wait for the flowers. I'm also still waiting for one last overwintered geranium to flower - because I'm hoping it is one of my favoriteones with white petals and pink edges - the buds show promise that this is indeed true. Also there is finally (several months later than last year) a single flower bud growing on my african violet.

Otherwise, nothing new to report. I'm going to procure a can of colt 45 for the slugs and earwigs and I'll have to do something about the powdery mildew on the columbine. Its another day of bright sun and warm temperatures today and that can bring quick changes.

Hosta La Vista

Here is the first hosta to flower.

Peaches and Cream?

I'm sure that this was supposed to be a "Peaches and Cream" Lily - it (cough) appears to be another colour entirely.

The Asian Lily Openeth

After waiting with much anticipation for these guys to open - here is the first of the second shade of lily to open in the centre bed.

Sundown Echinacaea

These flowers have slowly been filling out and gaining colour. They are one of 3 shades of echinacaea that I'm growing.

Mullein - Jackie Hybrid

This is still one of my favourite additions for the year. In the background you can see two types of "tutti-fruiti" yarrow - one in a soft reddish melon and the other in a crimson.

Blanket FLower

I added just a few more things to the garden yesterday - finally getting the Astilbe, Iris and Hosta planted that I've had for quite some time. (Growl at the dratted clay for making this a considerable chore). I also picked up quite a few different types of blanket flower. I can't remember what this one is called - but I also got a yellow one, a burgandy one, and an "oranges and lemons" one. They added some much needed yellow and red to my pink and purple perennial bed.

Mystery Solved

This is my new mystery plant - for a while I assumed that it was brown-eyed susan - becuase I did actually plant some in the vicinity of this one - however, my new guess is that it is Mondara and I have finally got my beebalm after much trying and ending up with lemon balm. It is definately a mint with its nice square stem and slightly fragrant leaves - and so hopefully the flowers will open soon for final identification.

Daisy Fleabane

This was the once mystery plant - now identified as daisy fleabane - although that may not be quite its exact name.

Astilbe Stuns

Well, here is a much needed burst of colour in the summer for my woodland garden. Its currently in good company with the heuchara and the Jacob's ladder.

Public Enenmy #3 - Random Weeds

My first thought is that these seedlings were Poison Ivy - however upon further investigation it seems likely that this is a Virginia Creeper seedling. It can also cause dermatitis in some people - but it is less evil that poison ivy. The other random weed is of course the dreaded maple seedlings - which I'm still battling at this time.

Here is a fun site called "Is it Poison Ivy?"

My last thought for the day is that its been over 2 weeks since there as been any sunspots - so much for my taking northern lights pictures. For those who are keen - the best guesses by the forcasters for the next month and a half are July 12-13th, and August 8th... otherwise... all is expected to be quiet....

The Killer Bunny about to Bolt

Public Enemy #2 - The Dreaded Killer Bunny

Okay - this fellow, unlike my earwig friends - is hard to hold a grudge against. He is probably more destructive and I don't like the places I've caught him hanging out (although he hasn't seemed to have eaten any daylilies yet) - however... so cute is he - that he melts any anger I bear towards him. He's actually pretty small - so I'm guessing he was born this spring. Hopefully, he keeps my plants out of his stomach or I'll have to let the dog chase him around a bit so he finds some other garden to hang out in.

Fly Boys Discuss Next Mission

Okay - I really have no beef with the flies - at least none known. Just thought they'd fit in well with the earwigs.

Earwig Eats the Daisy

See - I'm not kidding and we won't even discuss how many I found in the center of some roses....

Pests #1 - The Earwig

I think a shocking amount of the insect problem's in my garden can be blamed on the earwig - certainly the roses and the daisies have been under seige. All my life I've defended the lowly earwig to my campers. I tell them not to kill them because they are only ugly - not harmful and to save their murderous urges for things that bite - like mosquitos. Little did I know.... Still at camp really - aside from grossing out even "Nature Girl Jennith" once and a while (nothing like putting on a "clean" t-shirt" only to have 5 or 6 wriggly earwig crawl out... or putting your hand into an innocent looking oven mitt only to feel squiggling at your finger tips) - they aren't known to bite people or as the urban legend insists crawl into peoples ears. I'll post a picture of one munching on one of my daisies shortly.

The Kindergarten's Were Playing with my Geraniums

Well - maybe not quite - but who would of thunk that I'd find splatter paint geraniums!!

New Mystery Plant

Not sure what this is going to be... but its nearly open, so I'll let you know when I do.