Starts with P
P is for pink! This is the first non-crocus flower that has begun to appear in my garden. It is the flower of Daphne mezereum, which has a common name in some places of February Daphne. It would be really nice if we had flowers in February here, but we don't. So it's April Daphne to me! Also, the flowers are in a format that is called a panicle. A panicle is a group or cluster of flowers, rather than a single flower form. You often see panicles on grass crops like oats.
Daphne mezereum is native to all of Europe, as well as the Caucasus, Turkey, northern Iran, and parts of Siberia. It is very hardy, which is why it does well here. The flowers come out first and the leaves will follow later in the spring. Unfortunately, all parts of this plant are very toxic, so I need to be sure the goats and sheep never get to it!
P is also for purple. The purple crocuses are really spectacular now - in large groups and sporting their lovely orange stigma - the bees love them at this time of year.
Week's Favourite
So, I was very excited today because I finally (FINALLY!) got a picture of an owl. I had it in my head that today was the letter O, and I thought it was just perfect. Then when I went to check the prompts, I realized that today was letter P. So, my owl picture has become my week's favourite. I have been trying for many weeks to take a picture of an owl. I keep hearing them in my woods and even wrote a separate blog post about the owls thwarting my efforts. Today, my effort finally paid off. I was actually helped by some crows who were mobbing this poor owl, so they tipped me off to its location. I had been hearing a barred owl in the woods, but this one is actually a great horned owl. It was very high in the tree, and there were a lot of intervening branches, so it was a difficult shot, but at least it's recognizable. I hope to get a better picture in the future. The owl was watching me and I knew it was already upset by the crows, so I didn't want to stress it out even more. I took my picture from a distance and thanked the universe for such a wonderful gift.
Today I took a picture of Marc's feet. He was up on the ladder working in the garage, so his feet were at my eye level. That made them a convenient photo subject!
He is continuing his work on the outbuilding that will become his workshop. Today he was installing two lamps that will be over a workbench. They are vintage lamps that he purchased at an antique shop.
Hopefully they will be just what he needs for proper illumination. Bulbs will help, I'm sure!
10 comments:
Pink and Purple are wonderful examples of the letter 'P' - and pretty too! I am looking forward to spring blooms around the home (and now it is a brilliant yellow forsythia on our side yard :) That owl is beautiful, although his/her look seems to be of disdain for the photographer - but who cares, this is a great shot! Marc is a true craftsman, and his feet are perfectly (and safely) attached to the ladder!
'P'ink Daphne is 'p'retty nice. 'P' anicle takes me back to botany class. 'P'urple crocuses are 'p'retty too and stigma takes me back to botany class. Lucky you, I've never seen an owl before. You married a handy fellow.
I've never seen such colorful daphne; ours are creamy white with pale pink undersides. Do the pink ones smell heavenly, too? Congrats on the owl capture!
The owl photos are perfect! Being depicted in a totally clear shot would be out of character.
It is looking good for the motorcycle garage to be finished before the hots come for summer. I am glad that you found the owl. I do hope the crows don't get it, is there a chance of that for them? Your flower pictures are good also. It is nice that you can identify them.
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Took me a few weeks to get back here -so I don't know if you repaired your patio?
What a treasure -the pink flower I have never seen! Envious...:)I am still waiting for my owl to show up! Your hubby looks like mine - there always seems something to be built or repaired, lol!
Have a great weekend.
I miss my garden in the springtime, but not the work!
So lucky to see an owl like that.
Beautiful flowers ! and I love the owl ! I like owls, they have just such a funny face and so huge eyes ! After having hoped that the cold would go away forever it became very cold again, even freezing during night. Poor flowers !
Pretty P representatives. How nice to get an owl pic! It's nice when one knows how to DIY. Saves a lot of money.
The flowers are beautiful. I'm afraid I've lost most of my flowers to two years of yard goats. The owl is beautiful. I do love owls, and the great horned owls are my favorite (unless I could actually see a snowy owl). The shop is looking good! It will be nice for him to have that finished. Thank you so much for joining in Friday's Hunt!
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