Alberto Reigns and Rains

June 22, 2024June 22, 2024Leave a comment

Today was one of the stormiest days I remember here. The remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto have been hitting the Four Corners and San Juan Mountains hard. My ditch lilies are likely pretty happy about all the moisture.

I had 3 “first of 2024” cultivators in bloom today. Fried Green Tomatoes had her first-ever bloom (in my yard) today. I really like the color combo. Of course, with the drenching rain and wind, everything is a little waterlogged.

The other firsts for this season are Kokopelli and Indian Love Call.

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I am a little uneasy with the slow state year and the number of scapes. Perhaps Alberto will do some magic! I didn’t go out and count today – but I will tomorrow when the sun returns to duty. Daylilies require an inch of rain/week. Montrose gets less than an inch a month. So, Alberto reigns.

Visions of New Mexico

July 24, 2020Leave a comment

Today, I had two Premiers – both Ned Roberts spiders with names from the State to south of here – New Mexico. The first one, Navajo Grey Hills, I believe to be named after a trading post just south of Shiprock, NM (Four-Corners region). I drive that way sometimes but never noticed it . . . I need to keep a lookout.

Star over Milagro is the other Premier of the day. Milagro is east of Albuquerque. Off our road trip circuit by a few miles.

Let’s see – Orange Punch was an Encore today.

Finales – Stephanie Returns, Fringe Benefit, Longlesson Show-off, Black Arrowhead, and Cheyenne Eyes. I like about 25 blooms – it is a good amount but not overwhelming. And, the monsoons have been back all week.

Daylily of the Green Table

May 17, 2020May 17, 20201 Comment

Mesa Verde – Green table is Spanish. And, it looks like that from a distance during certain seasons. Mesa Verde is a climb – and if you have ever tent camped there, the temp drops accordingly. I have great memories of camping there with my daughters when they were growing up. And, in my adult life.

Yucca House National Monument – Mesa Verde National Park in the distance – 2019

Dogs have slowed down my camping there because National Parks are not dog friendly – although they would be fine in the campground – it is a drive to get in and out to dog friendly places.

The road up Mesa Verde – 2017

However, in 2017, Kachina, Maizzy and I headed up during our annual labor day trip. It was hot – too hot to hike. So, I thought the elevation would be to our advantage.

Smiling doggies – Kachina and Maizzy at Mesa Verde 2017

That was the weekend I also decided to foster my little disabled dog, Sazi, then Dotsy. Her name, Sazi Ana, is inspired by our drive through Mesa Verde that day.

Mesa Verde 2017

The ruins of Mesa Verde are unique cliff dwellings. It has probably been close to 15 years since I went by myself on spring break and climbed one of the ladders. Folks, I have a huge fear of heights and that was nothing I would ever repeat. But it does give some idea what the Ancient Pueblo Indians must have lived like. I always wonder how they ever kept toddlers off of the ladders without baby gates.

Mesa Verde – 2017

Mesa Verde – 2017

Mesa Verde is also a gorgeous daylily with outrageous ruffles. She was another of my early Southwest named daylilies.

Mesa Verde daylily – 2019

I was naive before thinking that there might be a few dozen kinds of daylily. Somehow, I figured out about ordering bare-root on-line. The first year, I just picked fun colors. After that, I picked Southwest names.

Mesa Verde Daylily – 2018

Mesa Verde is decidedly pink until the sun hits – then she resembles the orange cliffs of her name sake.

Mesa Verde daylily – 2018

Her pot is over growing in grass. I was going to fix that in March, until COVID-19 hit and I didn’t want to go buy soil until it was too late. Perhaps this fall.

Mesa Verde daylily – 2018

This weekend, I am repainting my Monument Valley mural. I think living vicariously during the safer-at-home phase of corona virus has inspired the creative in me. My creativity has been totally shut down for the last year or two. Feels good to be covered in mural paint.

Mesa Verde tile painting – 2019

A couple of Christmases ago, I did try my hand at painting Mesa Verde. The flower, that is.

Daylilies for the Navajo Nation

May 10, 2020May 10, 2020Leave a comment

Today, it struck me that no series of blogs about the Southwest during Coronavirus would be complete without a mention of the Navajo. I love the Navajo culture – it makes my trips to the Southwest take on a cultural feel that is humbling. I have so much to be grateful for in life. And, I do envy their sense of family and community.

I was wondering if we could trace the boundaries of the Navajo Nation from various road trips. So, last year, we traced the New Mexico side starting at the Shiprock and down through the Bisti Badlands.

Shiprock Flea Market – 2019 road trip

Bisti Badlands – 2019 road trip

If we were to have headed due east after the Bisti Badlands the way the crow flies, would would trace the Navajo Nation boundary to Window Rock (the capitol of the Navajo Nation) and Fort Defiance. These are absolutely some of my favorite stops in Navajoland. I like to spend the night in Window Rock so I can spend the whole day taking in the scenery.

Window Rock, AZ – 2018 Road Trip

Near Fort Defiance – 2018 Road Trip

Then we would turn due south – if we were tracing the boundary. That would take us just south of Route 66.

Route 66 Arizona – 2014 Road Trip

And, then we trace west to the Northern Border of the Painted Desert at Petrified Forest National Park.

Painted Desert – 2018 Road Trip

From there, you head due west, almost to Flagstaff. Then it is a turn to the North through Cameron up to Page – just east of the Grand Canyon.

Eastern Grand Canyon – 2015 Road Trip

You end up almost to Utah, at Page, AZ. That was a strange stop the year we went because they weren’t on rez time, even though everything surrounding the city was an hour later. We visited the famous Horse Shoe Bend near Page.

Horse Shoe Bend – 2015 Road Trip

Then, you are up in Utah at the Glen Canyon Dam area – a favorite stop on our road trips!

Glen Canyon – 2015 Road Trip

Mexican Hat – 2019 Summer Camping Road Trip

Then, it is pretty much due east to Mexican Hat, UT. Very iconic Utah.

Bluff Utah – 2019 Summer Camping Road Trip

And then a bit further to Bluff, UT – we camped here last summer. It was a fun (but hot) spot to explore.

We approach home as we get to Hovenweep National Monument on the Colorado Border – this is absolutely a favorite spot and a place I plan to go camping as soon as we can travel more than 10 miles, again.

Hovenweep National Monument – 2019 Summer Camping Road Trip

From there, the boundary heads South to Teec Nos Pos, AZ. They have a great trading post there.

Teec Nos Pos – Fall Break Four Corners Trip 2015

And, we are almost back to Shiprock, where we started. I wish I could end the story here, but there are a few other favorite places that are internal to the Navajo Nation that we must visit. First, the infamous Monument Valley. This is just south of the Mexican Hat.

Monument Valley – 2019 Summer Camping Road Trip

And, Navajo National Monument has great free camping and some very spiritual ruins.

Navajo National Monument – 2016 Utah Graduation Camping Trip

The other route we frequent is 191 South – This is a good route to the Senora through the Four Corners area. I absolutely love Canyon de Chelly – it has the best red rock of any canyon I have visited.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument – 2017 Road Trip

With a stop at the Hubbell Trading Post on the way to Petrified Forest.

Hubbell Trading Post – 2017 Road Trip

Sadly, Coronavirus has hit the Navajo Nation hard. As of tonight (5/9) they have nearly 3,000 cases and nearly 100 deaths. So, this blog is my tribute to this nation that is feeling the grip of COVID-19.

OK, back to the daylily blog. Here are my Navajo named daylilies. (I have a few, I wonder why?)

Navajo Blanket Daylily – 2019

Navajo Curls Daylily – 2019

Navajo Grey Hills Daylily – 2019

Navajo Rodeo Daylily – 2019

With this, I live vicariously through my daylilies while I stay safe at home. It is not the time to travel to Navajoland – but my heart goes there often. Now, I think of the reservation. I think of the poverty and the hardship that these people know. They lived a less hurried life, they honor their ancestors. I learn so much from my visits. With this, I send heartfelt thoughts of hope and healing to this spiritual land.

PS – This was fun, although a bit time consuming – I never really thought about tracing the border of the Navajo Nation through my trip photos.

There Goes The Sun

September 1, 2017Leave a comment

Tonight will be my last nightly blog. Maybe weekly from here out. It struck me how dark it was by the time I got off work. Like, WTH? The change always seems so quick to me in fall and so slow in the spring. And, then we set the clocks to make it worse.

Anasazi

Today, though, brought another double Anasazi bloom. These are such cool flowers!!! I have wondered if there was a mix-up when they shipped it . . . early/mid bloomer and not a double. But, it is a rebloomer, so maybe that is why is showed up so late. I did find a post in the Lily Auction today that said that it can double. Perhaps it knows it is stealing the show right now with so little competition.

Azalea

It reminds me a bit of my new Azalea, actually. Pink frilly blossoms. Make blooms while the sun shines. Tomorrow starts the 4th month of blooms. I can’t wait for May!

Speaking of Anasazi, this weekend, I am off to the 4-Corners!

Yellow Punch

Twin Firebirds

July 16, 2016July 16, 2016Leave a comment

Today was much less overwhelming than peak day yesterday. Every bloom was a return. However, the bloom(s) that caught my eye were twin Aztec Firebirds. There is something about two blooms together, facing the same direction. They look like dancers.

Aztec Firebird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The name brings to mind Aztec Ruins, an Anasazi site close by in the Four Corners. I need to superimpose these blooms on the ruins picture from my spring Southwest road trip this spring. They are awesome ruins, just like the blooms.

Aztec Ruins National Monument – Photo by C. Hartt

Since I have no new blooms, I will highlight a couple of other Ned Roberts spiders in bloom today. Desert Icicle is a beautiful bloom.

Desert Icicle – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, poor Zuni Thunderbird was invaded by thrips and looks like it has reverse measles. I did some photo touching with it to make it presentable. One thing about having over a hundred cultivators – you begin to learn the work of farming daylilies.

Zuni Thunderbird in enamel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here is the collage for today. Some really nice blooms, all in all.

Left to Right: Top Row – Just Plum Happy, South Seas, Desert Icicle, Lady Fingers. Row Two: Chorus Line, Ruby Spider, Soco Gap, Lullaby Baby. Bottom Row: Purple de Oro, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird.

And Feathered Canyons Everywhere

July 5, 2016July 5, 20161 Comment

I obviously love the Southwest. Anyone who knows my daylily collection knows that over 50% of my garden has a name that brings with it some Southwestern meaning. And, so today Canyon Colors bloomed. Like Mesa Verde, the colors are much warmer in full sunlight. I think I prefer the shade version.

It is a beautiful two-colored daylily. It, like Mesa Verde, is an evergreen. So, they both lived in my back porch all winter. They have matching containers of turquoise and are positioned near each other on a sunny corner of my house. I love them together! They compliment each other nicely . . . and I feel like I’m on a campout at the Four Corners.

So, I have this idea that all my Southwestern place named daylilies need to be superimposed on a photo of their place. With Canyon Colors, I decided to use a photo of Canyon de Chelly that I took on my road trip this spring. It is shaped a lot like Spider Rock, even though it is not a spider daylily.

Other new faces for the year 2016 were both old faces to my yard. I felt like old friends had returned when I saw Lady Fingers had opened her first two blooms. These may be the most eye-catching daylily in my yard.

Also, little Purple de Oro is back. I feel bad for this little one, because I have never taken time to get a good photo of it. So, today that was my mission. How did I do?

My Ned Roberts Southwestern garden (I call it the Yucca garden) was very quiet today. Soco Gap, however, is not going to wait more than 24 hours to show her colors for the first time in my yard. I can’t wait.

As promised, the other bloomers of today were put in a single collage to save blog space. They include Jungle Queen, Ruby Spider, Early Bird Cardinal, and Mesa Verde.

After tomorrow, I will miss a couple days of blooms while I travel for clinical hours for my doctorate. I am hoping to get out early and take photos before I leave. I need to get a webcam for each plant, I guess.

PS – I divided up my Funny Valentine so my daughter could have one. She lives across the Rockies in Colorado. She has a bloom today, and I am still waiting on scapes.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Four Corners