Snow, Snowball Bush, That Is.

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New Market, Virginia, taken April 24, 2012.  One of the largest "snowball" bushes I have ever seen, well, one of the fullest.  Taken while Jolly was rolling, we did not have the opportunity to view this up close and personal, or talk to the homeowner to determine the exact type of bush.

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Captain Hook, Looking At Cha

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Yep, he was trying to tell me something - -

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Red Lichen

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 Have to say, I have never seen anything quite like this, it is Red lichen, Cryptothecia rubrocincata.

This was found along the Rosemary Ridge Trail Loop at the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida.  I want to thank Lad Hawkins and Lynda Aycock of the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens for the assistance in identifying this lichen.

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Look Who is Hiding, Pretty Good at it Too!

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I know, you are asking, why is Carol showing us two ole rotted away stumps?  Look at the one on the right, see it??

Let's get a bit closer, see it, it is wedged in that little notch in the tree:

Close up from a different vantage point:

Yep, I almost missed it too.  He was not very large.  And, he was VERY good at hiding!  Or so he thought!



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Got Shelf?

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From our visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida, end of March 2012.

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Carma's, Spiderwort, Spiderlily, Tradescantia One Way Or Another.

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Friend Donna and I chatted about this, she feels this is Spiderwort, although it also be could be Spiderlily (range is slightly questionable for Spiderlily).  I did a brief search, I'll agree with her!  Donna is pretty good at this identification stuff!  Check out these two Wikipedia pages, Tradescantia ohiensis and Tradescantia virginiana.

Some say it is invasive, popping up everywhere, self seeding and spreading.  Sounds like my johnny jump ups at the stickbuilt, they "pop up" all over the yard, even back in the woods now.  Well, since I don't have this lovely in my yard at home, I don't have to concern myself, I just get to enjoy it's beauty!

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Jacksonville Florida Zoo and Gardens :: Greater Kudu

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No males here, but, they show one on the Wikipedia page, WOW, what beautiful twisting horns they have.  They are from Africa.




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Jacksonville Florida Zoo and Gardens :: The Stunning Top Knotted Grey Crowned Crane

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As found on this Wikipedia page.

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Jacksonville Florida Zoo and Gardens::Cheetah

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A Few of Carma's Flowers

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Photos taken in Carma's garden, March 20, 2011, Gulf Shores Alabama area.  Carma is a Alabama Master Gardener and her gardens are beautiful, truly beautiful.



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Carma's Garden, Living in the Pad(s)

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Carma's Amaryllis

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Carma's Gulf Shores garden, March 20, 2011.  A beautiful peachy color.

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White-Topped Pitcher Plants, Weeks Bay, Baldwin County, Alabama

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Read lots more about pitcher plants at this Wikipedia article, from which the following information was copied:

"Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap.  Foraging, flying or crawling insects such as flies are attracted to the cavity formed by the cupped leaf, often by visual lures such as anthocyanin pigments, and nectar bribes. The sides of the pitcher are slippery and may be grooved in such a way so as to ensure that the insects cannot climb out. They drown the insect, and the body of it is gradually dissolved."

When we were in Gulf Shores two years ago we visited the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog area in hopes that we would find the pitcher plants blooming or growing or something.  What we found was nothing.  Alas that year, we were just a few weeks too early and could not stay longer.

This year I had hoped with the extremely favorable weather, with all the flora blooming early that maybe I would get to see some plants alive and growing.  And, we did!  There were not a lot of the pitchers themselves, but the blooms! I had no idea what to expect, but, I did not expect these large (4 inches across minimum) dark red balls with pedals.  (Yes, I am fully aware that is not a biologically correct description, just my poor descriptive powers at work here.)

I took about 55 photos trying to capture them.  We were on a boardwalk, very few of the plants were blooming or growing and living close to the board walk.  Sony had a work out!  It was great fun and I enjoyed it to no end!

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I'll Do A LOT To Get The Photo

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On the hunt for pitcher plants, Weeks Bay, Baldwin County, Alabama.

* Photo courtesy of RVing friend Donna.
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Yep, We Are in the Deep South

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And, I could not get the entire width of this live oak without moving back even more, fraid I would loose Man in the effort!  LOL

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Carma's Garden, It is a LOT More Than Plants

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All these whimsical critters and art are from the garden of Master Gardener Carma.   Carma lives in the Gulf Shores area, she has an amazing YARD full of flower beds and plants!  She was gracious enough to allow me to photograph her beautiful yard.




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