Nitty Gritty Dirt Man

Bloomin’ Update 30: Night Fever

/ Kevin / 23 Comments

I know.  I know.  This was supposed to be the on-the-road post, the one where I post a picture and you write the caption and Joe and I drive back to New York.  The car, though, had other plans and is now sitting in a repair shop — which means the you-do-the-writing post will have to wait.

As will we — waiting for our car and for the arrival of Saharan dust.  Yes, you read that correctly.  A cloud of Saharan dust is making its way to South Florida.  Forecasters say the most noticeable effect will be a milky, hazy sky — nothing blue about it.  All I know is that it’s a little something extra to make the heat feel hotter.  I guess you could say it’s a dry heat, and how often can that be said in Fort Lauderdale?

So what should a couple of disheartened travelers do on a clear, dust-free night?  Take a walk, of course. 

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Repost: Lily’s Grand Opening

/ Kevin / 16 Comments

I’m still in South Florida and while here, I’m thinking of there — my Long Island garden.  Before Joe and I left, the bud of my Stargazer Lily was setting itself up to bloom.  I just know that by now, nearly two weeks since we left, I missed Lily’s grand opening — and divas hate that.  So in an effort to make amends with Lily, I offer you this repost.

The stars are ageless, aren’t they?

Let me first begin by saying that this is not the post that I had planned — but some plants tend to be divas. My initial idea was to give you a “Bloomin’ Update,” with a series of photos documenting the opening of a lily. My one and only lily that hasn’t been seen in years. To use a film reference, this lily is my very own Norma Desmond of Sunset Boulevard fame.

This post actually began long ago, well before there was a blog. I had planted three lilies in what I will call the perennial garden. In fact, the perennial garden was really my first attempt at gardening, and I felt the need to fill it with as many flowers as I could order, purchase, find, borrow, root. There was really no rhyme or reason. Regardless, the lilies bloomed beautifully, but their perfume was overpowering. At times, I wasn’t sure if I was smelling my yard or the funeral home that backs against the woods behind my property.

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Bloomin’ Update 29: How To Read A Palm

/ Kevin / 17 Comments

Based on readers’ comments from the previous post, I thought I would delve deeper into the wonders of Cocos nucifera, or the coconut palm.  Many northern gardeners had commented that either they had never really considered the seed-quality of a coconut or had never seen one sprout. 

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I’ve Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts

/ Kevin / 32 Comments

Florida?  In summer?  Are you nuts?

If you’ve read any previous posts, you already know the answer to that question.  But in this case, there is a reason to the madness.  In a nutshell — a coconut shell, that is — South Florida will someday be our new home.  About one month before Hurricane Andrew arrived in 1992, Joe and I purchased a house.  Each year since, we have traveled to Fort Lauderdale several times a year to do the most relaxing of vacation activities: yard work.  And as we go about our palm tree trimming and bundling and bagging of debris, we do a lot of planning and dreaming.

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Re-Post: Do You Suffer From G-SAD?

/ Kevin / 32 Comments

This post first appeared nearly a year ago, and since I am somewhere on a highway on my way to a vacation and faraway from any Internet service , I thought it was quite appropriate to revisit the anxiety that I feel when I have to leave my garden in someone else’s hands.  For longtime readers, I apologize for this repeat broadcast; for new readers, I hope you enjoy.

I have done what every therapist and doctor advises people not to do. I have self-diagnosed, but let me first explain.

It’s summertime, and Joe and I are going on vacation for a few days. It’s a chance to relax, to get away from everything, to reconnect, to breathe. In actuality, though, the days leading up to departure mean a growing sense of unease and worry. I become consumed with obsessive thoughts, anxiety, and stress — and none of it comes from the what-to-pack, what-not-to-pack scenario, nor from the airport pat-down, nor from who will mind the dog and the cat, nor from the last-second question, “Did I remember to take my trusted Swiss army knife out of my carry-on?” No. For me, the physical-emotional symptoms stem from leaving my garden and entrusting its care to someone other than myself. I am now calling these symptoms Garden Separation Anxiety Disorder, also known as G-SAD, as in, “Gee, That’s sad.”

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The Illuminating Blogger Award Goes To . . .

/ Kevin / 26 Comments

Illuminating.  The dictionary tells me that this has to do with supplying or brightening with light, making understandable, enlightening.  What I have learned in the past year is that there are so many bloggers out there who do the same for me – and to whom I continually return to for illumination.

One of these bloggers is Helene, of Graphicality UK, who nominated this site for the Illuminating Blogger Award.  It’s not enough to say that I’m honored or humbled.  The fact that this came from Helene means so much more, because I would use the same word to define her.  She is absolutely illuminating.

As you know, there are rules to rewards, and the rules here are a little different than other awards.

  1. 1. The nominee should visit the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/) and leave a comment that they have been nominated and by whom.  (They keep a blogroll of winners, so this is a very important step.)  This will be a check as soon as I click “publish,” I promise.
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Bloomin’ Update 28: I Went To A Garden Party . . .

/ Kevin / 24 Comments

It seems that quite suddenly, summer has brought the entire world into bloom — and that means hosting a whole bunch of guests to a bloomin’ banquet.  There’s plenty to eat and drink — so, bring a chair, sit back, and relax.

First up: butterflies.  I’m not sure what type of butterfly this is, but the garden is full of them.  They really don’t socialize with the other guests, and can often be found in pairs, fluttering about in mid-air and playing among the lavender.

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The One Lovely Blog Award Goes To . . .

/ Kevin / 40 Comments

Surprises are all around us – like the Petunia above.  It appeared in a flowerpot that holds a Gerbera Daisy.  You see, I didn’t plant this petunia – at least not this year.  If my memory is correct, that color palette was planted a year or so ago – which means that a seed from that planting remained viable for that length of time, and now – surprise!

That feeling – that thrill of receiving something so unexpected – is what it was like when I was contacted by Sara from Real Life Project to let me know she had nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award and the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  Making this nomination extra-special is the fact that Sara is not a garden blogger.  Instead she covers all topics important to new moms, from parenting to crafts, from wellness to recipes.  And no matter what she addresses, Sara’s goal is to share her life and her process of achieving balance – a very impressive task that is handled with great care, humor, and grace.

Since I have previously addressed the Very Inspiring Blogger Award in a previous post, I am going to concentrate on One Lovely Blog.

  1. Thank the nominator and link to his/her site.  Check.
  2. Share seven things about myself.  Give me a few moments to get my randomness in order, please.
  3. Nominate 10 other bloggers, let them know, and then link to their site from your own.  All in good time, since I have an idea on how to address this one.

Seven random things about myself:

  1. I’ve recently learned that I have titanium in my head.  About 15 years ago, I was in a car accident in which my only injury was a fractured skull (that could explain a lot).  I had two surgeries to alleviate pressure, but it never occurred to me that my skull would have to be held in place with some hardware.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I started getting sharp pains along the surgery site.  A CAT scan revealed the metal plates and screws.  The doctor says not to worry, but I have diagnosed myself.  Ladies and gentlemen, this may not be a surprise to you (and it certainly wasn’t to Joe), but I have a screw loose.
  2. 2. I have a rotating list of celebrities who I would like to invite over for dinner. Some past guests have been Madonna (but I have too many of those loathsome hydrangeas in my yard), Oprah (I worried that she would monopolize the conversation), and President and Mrs. Obama (but they never responded to my invitation). My newest dinner guest would have to be Adele.
  3. 3. I am addicted to my iPad, especially the game “Farm Up.”  Trust me: taking care of a virtual farm is hard work.
  4. 4. I cannot solve the Rubik’s Cube, which really has nothing to do with the previously mentioned head injury. 
  5. 5. My all-time favorite board game is Risk.  The problem is no one else liked or likes to play that game.  The charm of playing all six colors has worn off over the years.
  6. My favorite Broadway show is Les Miserables – and to say that I am anxiously awaiting the December release of the film would be an understatement.  If they have one of those midnight showings like they’ve done for the Twilight series and Harry Potter, I am so there – wearing a beret, of course.
  7. 7. An ideal Saturday for me when I was younger was watching television.  “Land of the Lost” to start the day.  Then “Soul Train” and “American Bandstand” by lunch time, followed by a mid-afternoon sci-fi classic like The Day of the Triffids.  And to end the night, a “Star Trek” rerun and “Space 1999.”  Is that the Geek Police knocking at my door?

Now for my nominations.  Since the nomination came from a non-gardening blog, I thought I would nominate non-garden as well as garden blogs.  Here are my ten lovely blog nominees:

  1. Photography by Joylene – I know this is a blog promoting a “business,” but when I visit it, it’s more like a blog promoting a life that is filled with talent, sensitivity, passion, and creativity.
  2. Vickie Szumigala Photo Blog – When I started this garden blog, it opened up a world of other blogging genres – especially photography blogs.  And this site is one of the best – and there are lots of amazing photos of flowers, which I personally think make the best subjects.
  3. Breathe Lighter – The title alone is something we all need to learn to do.  Read each of Debra’s post, and you will be greeted with warmth and a hug.
  4. Cathyann’s Studio – I had the pleasure of “meeting” Cathyann when she asked to paint my dog Murphy for a benefit.  Her site offers so much of her work and talent – and I am impressed when anyone can take some tubes of color and freely create with some strokes.
  5. Outtakes on the Outskirts – Join Julie as she adjusts to rural life.  Each post is filled with humor and honesty about her successes and fails – and always with a smile on her face. 
  6. Gardenhood – Somehow, Cheryl is able to translate her sense of peace and tranquility into words and photos on her blog.  It’s the perfect ending to a stress-filled day.
  7. Canoe Corner – Marguerite’s blog is a journey where she documents her adventure as she builds a new life on Canada’s east coast.  It’s mesmerizing to watch the process and the changes that her dedication brings.
  8. Graphicality UK—I adore this site for so many reasons: honesty, creativity, inspiration – and Helene, the woman who is responsible for all that is graphical. 
  9. Cindyricksger — Here is the blog of a fascinating woman who lives on an island in northern Lake Michigan.  There, she lives, works, writes, and creates — with passion and honesty.
  10. Our Garden Journal – Cathy and Steve, the couple behind this blog, fascinate me.  I love their enthusiasm and passion for gardening, life, and people.  Their warmth is evident in every single post.
  11. Joy in the Moments – The title says it all.  Char is the voice behind the blog, and she sees and celebrates the smallest joys that life offers.   A true treasure!

Now, I’m off to notify my nominees.  In the meantime, I encourage you to click on the links and explore these wonderful sites – you just might be surprised, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Bloomin’ Update 27: Let’s Go For A Walk

/ Kevin / 32 Comments

I read somewhere – and I apologize to whoever said it because I cannot credit you – it’s a shame that so many gardeners keep their gardens locked up in their backyards. How nice it would be if the garden could be in the front yard for everyone and anyone to enjoy as they walk by. 

That was my thought as Joe and I walked around the neighborhood on this first day of summer, strolling by our neighbors’ homes to get a peek and to be inspired by what was blooming.  This is what we found.

To start the walk, we had to pass our Lace Cap Hydrangea. The flowers remind me of speckled Easter eggs.

This would be a close-up of the “lace” in the Lace Cap.

Across the street, we spotted a small bouquet of Dianthus.

Just up the street, another neighbor had Daylilies blooming everywhere.

Another neighbor had cluster upon cluster of Roses spilling over a rock retaining wall.

I couldn’t resist a closer look at the ruffled petals.

This Daylily seemed to scream, “Look into my eye.” So I did.

Around the corner, there were beds of Astilbe in full bloom.

Up close, the pink clouds reminded me of cotton candy.

Around another corner, we discovered a bed of Yarrow growing around a curbside mailbox.

Imagine our surprise when we spotted a bed of Cactus — in flower — a few houses away. The owner, Helen, came running out and offered us a clipping, and then showed us the rest of her front yard garden. We made a promise to return again for a tour of the backyard — a new neighborly friend.

When we returned home, there was time to stop and smell the Lavender.

Happy Summer!

Who’s Your Daddy? I Am!

/ Kevin / 27 Comments

It’s Father’s Day weekend here in the States, and I have daddy issues.  You see,  I do not have children of my own, so fatherhood and this holiday are like an exclusive country club from which I have been barred.  This doesn’t go to say that I don’t know what it’s like to care for and nurture something, because I do.  It’s just that my children aren’t – well, they’re not human.

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