The Beauty Of The Changing Seasons

[SweetSue]

Made my fella laugh out loud when I read it to him which made me laugh even harder... Thank you so much for being Sue.....

I'm so glad that brought both of you joy. Dale and I laugh about that one all the time. Hahaha!

Thank you guys for putting up with my insanity so often. It's been so helpful to be able to just be me here.

 

[SweetSue]

The stand of iris continues to bloom.

These two were for you Canna.

I see a river canyon with a succulent perched at the pathway. Pure fantasy and delight.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

I'm so glad that brought both of you joy. Dale and I laugh about that one all the time. Hahaha!

Thank you guys for putting up with my insanity so often. It's been so helpful to be able to just be me here.

It's so nice to be insane. No one asks you to explain.........

What awesome Iris shots Sue. I can envision myself sitting at the edge of the canyon with the succulent peering down and seeing a river of lavender and purples raging along the walls, creating form in the rock as it goes.

 

[SmokesDaKush]

Some annual flowers I took the same day as the apple blossoms since yes it's still cold, I also didn't want to photo bomb you.

Have a great day!

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Beautiful shots again Smokey. Photo bomb us anytime you like.
Those little violets (that's what I call them, but what are they really called?), you get beautiful clumps of them in different colors..I get one or two scattered across the yard.
NOT FAIR!

 

[SweetSue]

Beautiful shots again Smokey. Photo bomb us anytime you like.
Those little violets (that's what I call them, but what are they really called?), you get beautiful clumps of them in different colors..I get one or two scattered across the yard.
NOT FAIR!

Those are Violas Canna.

 

[SmokesDaKush]

SweetSue is correct, they are viola's! They are annuals so we did plant them this year as we saw fit, very fair. You sound as if you have perennial violets, those seem to be more commonly purple-ish as I have seen. I took some closeups for you.

Also here is an annual Profusion Fire Zinnia.

Lastly a close up of a pink Geranium.

Beautiful Morning to all!

 

[GrizzWald]

Great photos S.Dkush

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Smokey! What a fun bunch of color!

I went for a short walk this morning. First up, I was so excited to see that I have two more lady slippers growing!! One hasn't formed bud yet, the other is just starting. The main gal has her back turned to me this year, difficult to get her in a close up. But I persisted. It's just starting to turn pink.

Here's the other one budding out.

While I was down there I got shots of really pretty wild flowers. Very small.

And these are another type of ferns that grow down by the creek:

Yep, there's a critter hiding in there. This looks like some wild dude's head and shoulder. LOL

And the leaning tower of pond weed:

Back at the house, my strawberry plants are blooming:

And a bug thinking he was hiding....

We're getting real close to full flower on the Allium Radogast!

And this is just because I didn't want to upload 13 photos...had to make it one more. LOL

So then I went off to mow the lawn before it rains again (the dandelions were about 10" tall by now. LOL), of course...every single year I have to tear down the mower deck and work pulleys unstuck to engage the blades. It's a very old riding mower, but I refuse to give up something that works...despite the trouble. Finally had it going, got about 75% done and ran out of gas. Well, at least the front yard looks good for the nosy neighbor.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Also here is an annual Profusion Fire Zinnia.

Beautiful Morning to all!

That is so cool. There are tiny flowers within the flower.

 

[SweetSue]

How exciting to have these lovelies growing practically on your doorstep.

And these are another type of ferns that grow down by the creek:

Yep, there's a critter hiding in there. This looks like some wild dude's head and shoulder. LOL

Canna, you have a way with that camera.

And the leaning tower of pond weed:

This is some beautiful equisetum. We have numerous fossil specimens of close relatives in our collections.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

This is some beautiful equisetum. We have numerous fossil specimens of close relatives in our collections.

Thanks Sue! I've always wondered what they are called.
The dead ones on the ground have a color and texture that resemble fallen columns or pillars from some Roman Emperor's palace.

 

[Radogast]

Equisetum makes horsetail tea

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Horsetail tea? Ruh roh....off to the internet I go. (No, despite what my family and friends think, I have NOT reached the end of the internet yet) I have to check that one out. Ne'er heard of such a thing. LOL

Thanks!

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Wow, I'm going to grab some of that up while it's fresh green. It's all over around the pond. Read up on the qualities of it as a medicine!

Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense)

Horsetail Benefits

Horsetail is a member of the Equisetaceae family; the sole survivor of a line of plants going back three hundred million years. It is a descendant of ancient plants that grew as tall as trees during the carboniferous period of prehistoric times and members of this family gave rise to many of our coal deposits. Since being recommended by the Roman physician Galen, several cultures have employed horsetail as a folk remedy for kidney and bladder troubles, arthritis, bleeding ulcers, and tuberculosis. The Chinese use it to cool fevers and as a remedy for eye inflammations such as conjunctivitis and corneal disorders, dysentery, flu, swellings and hemorrhoids.

Because of its content of silica, this plant is recommended when it is necessary for the body to repair bony tissues. Silica helps to fix calcium, so that the body can store more quantity of this mineral and then use it to repair bones, oollagen and other body tissues. Horsetail can therefore be useful for osteoporosis.



Horsetail is also recommended for anemia and general debility. It has also been used to treat deep-seated lung damage such as tuberculosis or emphysema.

Horsetail is an astringent herb and has a diuretic action. It has an affinity for the urinary tract where it can be used to sooth inflammation, haemorrhaging, cystic ulceration, ulcers, cystitis and to treat infections. It is considered a specific remedy in cases of inflammation or benign enlargement of the prostate gland and is also used to quicken the removal of kidney stones.

Its toning and astringent action make it of value in the treatment of incontinence and bed-wetting in children. It may be applied to such conditions as urethritis or cystitis with haematuria, reducing haemorrhage and healing wounds thanks to the high silica content. This local astringent and anti-haemorrhagic effect explains the application of horsetail to such conditions as bleeding from the mouth, nose and vagina, its use to check diarrhoea, dysentery and bleeding from the bowel, and for slow-healing wounds, chilblains and conjunctivitis.

The horsetail constitutes one of the most diuretic species in all the plants. That is to say that it possesses a great capacity to eliminate water from the body, in such a point to increase urination up to 30% more than what is habitual. This fact makes that its scientific name Equisetum arvense generally appears in the composition of most of products that habitually are sold to reduce weight. This property is due to the action of several components, among which it is necessary to highlight equisetonin and potassium, but there are another ones that also take part such as calcium, magnesium, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid.

As a diuretic it is particularly suited to metabolic or hormonal oedema during the menopause. The diuretic action is thought to be due partly to the flavonoids and saponins. Equisetum is restorative to damaged pulmonary tissue after pulmonary tuberculosis and other lung disease, as the silicic acid is said to stabilise the scar tissue.



It may be taken internally to stop bleeding from ulcers or curb heavy menstrual bleeding. It may also be used as a gargle and mouth rinse for sore throat and bleeding gums or mouth ulcers. Externally it is a vulnerary and may also be applied as a compress to fractures and sprains, wounds, sores, skin problems and a gargle for mouth and gum inflammations.

It has been established that administration of silicic acid causes leucocytosis (a temporary increase in white blood cells). Equisetum's silica content encourages the absorption and use of calcium by the body and also helps to guard against fatty deposits in the arteries. Its influence on lipid metabolism leads to potential benefit for cardiovascular problems.

Recent research in Russia has apparently demonstrated that horsetail is effective in removing lead accumulations in the body.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Okay, full bloom and now she' showing off!

From the front she looks like a pair of ballerina slippers, from the side it looks like just a ladies slipper.


And here's a Whatizit for you.

I've had tons of fun in the woods today. LOL

 

[Dennise]

Well mine will just never look like yours but here's all I got.... I'm quite proud of my lavender out back... I started them by seed in plugs under cfl's last year and they smell absolutely amazing.... The rest of em' well if we would ever get any rain... supposed to this afternoon... they might look better and my yard is already brown.. by August it is going to look like an episode of Mad Max... a dust bowl...... going to go to a rain dance....

This is a Lilac tree.. it bloomed earlier this spring and was beautiful then the rain stopped...

 

[Dennise]

and my one baby in the house that has started to bloom.....

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Beautiful Dennise. I see the honeysuckle out there too. Such fragrance! I really want to get some lavender going here. One of these winters I'll start some. Did you start them from seed? Peejay had said he was going to send me some, but he must be really busy with life these days. Haven't heard from him in a few months now.
My Lilac bushes are probably the same size as yours now, I've been waiting 5 years for them to bloom. Haven't done it yet. Maybe next year, with the Clematis I've been waiting on for years. LOL

Hope you get some rain today. I'm still waiting.
I think you missed in my grow journal what I found in the woods this morning......;-)

Edit: Never mind, I see in your post that you did start them from seed.

 

[Dennise]

I just can't figure out what it is???...