Tag: camping weekend

Purple T-bird

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No, I don’t mean a wild looking old car.

Purple T-Bird Car (google images)

This was a camping weekend – and, like it or not, the last weekend before school starts. I had a frightening encounter with a drunk driver on the ride home. Not awful, but it coulda been.

Purple Thunderbird 8.2.20

We got home early afternoon. With temps in the 90s with high UV, my blooms were pretty weathered by the time I took pictures. I had one premier – Purple Thunderbird. That leaves only a couple of Roberts premier spiders to bloom in 2020. Purple Thunderbird is a big flower. Her scapes are short in my yard, though.

Navajo Grey Hills 8.2.20

I also noticed that the weathered coloring makes Navajo Grey Hills look, well, grey. She is decidedly purple in the morning.

Shape Shifter 8.2.20

I ordered my first round of improved pots. I need to get soil and manure for the transfers. Might start next weekend and work around those still in bloom – a number that dwindles daily.

Mediocre

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Maybe it is because last year we had the rain and we were officially not in a drought that makes this year seem mediocre. I don’t mean bad . . . I just mean a pretty good drought year. But, an exceptional drought year just the same.

My irrigation water basically comes from a system that feeds off the Gunnison – This is Blue Lake Reservoir, where we camped, and it looks pretty full so far.

There are a few cultivators that didn’t bloom last year that usually are reliable – I think it was the freezing rain that stopped them. This year, Navajo Rodeo and Papa Longlegs sit looking like tall grass. Maybe I need to get the new pots going this fall – maybe the tree roots are taking over, again. I mean – the tree is thirsty, too.

Santa’s Pants 6.28.20

I had some premiers today – perhaps I should start with Santa Claus – because Santa’s Pants showed up today.

Wineberry Candy 6.28.20

Wineberry Candy also had a premier bloom. She doesn’t fit my name theme at all, but I wanted a new daylily the day I saw her.

Catherine Irene 6.28.20

Speaking of name themes – another from my family garden had a premier today. Catherine Irene – named for my mom. She is a pretty little mini.

Early Bird Cardinal 6.28.20

And, Early Bird Cardinal showed up for the first time. When I put the sprinkler (drip) system in a week ago, I wondered if I was on-time because her buds were so dry. But, they seem much happier with a little more water. Sadly, my porch drip system battery died and I didn’t notice – I lost some buds off of primal scream. Darn drought. We need monsoons.

Dream Keeper 6.26.20

And, one finale while I was gone yesterday – Dream Keeper. My spring bloomers are hibernating. Seems too soon.

A nice cluster of Ojo de Dios today

It was a fun weekend camping and I need to hit the hay. Tomorrow, another day of novel pretty blooms to explore. Good night!

Stay of Execution

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So, my day job is busy, although the buzz of the term is settling down some.  My evening job this week is tweaking the new drip system.  Last night, it was staples and stakes.  Tonight, I tried sprayer heads on a couple of the larger pots that were hogging water.  I think the little sprayers will work better without a much water waste.

I can’t believe I still have 7 in bloom today.  But, the buds become rare and every day I say goodbye to at least one cultivator for another year.

Purple Corn Dancer is in 2 locations and so she has most of her buds left in location #2.

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Purple Corn Dancer 8.27

Frans Hals has maybe 10 buds left – +/-

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Frans Hals 8.27

Purple Grasshopper and Ruby Stella have a handful of buds left.

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Purple Grasshopper 8.27

I think both Navajo Curls and Cripple Creek have a bud or two left.

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Navajo Curls 8.27

Purple Thunderbird maybe has one bud left (max).

PurpleThunderbird8.27.1.jpg

And, then it ends.  Except that I found one of my Lowe’s Stella hybrid rebloomers with a new scape.  It only has a few buds, but it is still 90 degrees.  So, my hope is that the new drip system might give me a few more reblooms.  My stay of execution.

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Ruby Stella 8.27

My poinsettias seem to be perking up – but it is not a good year for them.  I need to start forcing the big ones so they can all cycle through the bloom closet.

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El Desperado 8.27

I’m camping this weekend and maybe looking for succulents down in SW Colorado.  Oh, and I mail ordered my first air plants.  They should be here tomorrow.  I was reading that too many varieties of plant detracts from all of them.  I honestly am OK with having less and getting more air plants and succulents.  All my super market specials make the place look cluttered  . . . we will see.  The long and boring winter is less than 4 months away.  My stay of execution is only temporary.