Sunday Dinner: Paradox

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“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”

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  Marcus Aurelius

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“Art is the lie that

enables us to realize the truth.”

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  Pablo Picasso

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“But you can’t make people listen.

They have to come round in their own time,

wondering what happened

and why the world blew up around them.

It can’t last.”

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  Ray Bradbury

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“The opposite of a correct statement

is a false statement.

But the opposite of a profound truth

may well be another profound truth.”

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Niels Bohr

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“You may choose to look the other way

but you can never say again

that you did not know.”

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William Wilberforce

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“I do not know what I may appear to the world,

but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy

playing on the sea-shore,

and diverting myself

in now and then finding a smoother pebble

or a prettier shell than ordinary,

whilst the great ocean of truth

lay all undiscovered before me.”

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Isaac Newton

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“Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth,

and if a man does not know what a thing is,

it is at least an increase in knowledge

if he knows what it is not. ”

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Carl G. Jung

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2020

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“Cherish those who seek the truth

but beware of those who find it.”
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  Voltaire

Sunday Dinner: Trust In This

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“I promise you that the same stuff galaxies are made of, you are.

The same energy that swings planets around stars

makes electrons dance in your heart.

It is in you, outside you, you are it.

It is beautiful.

Trust in this.

And you, your life, will be grand.”

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Kamal Ravikant

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“We are all connected;

To each other, biologically.

To the earth, chemically.

To the rest of the universe atomically.”

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  Neil DeGrasse Tyson

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“If you want to find the secrets of the universe,

think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

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  Nikola Tesla

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“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.

Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.

The winds will blow their own freshness into you,

and the storms their energy,

while cares will drop away from you

like the leaves of Autumn.”

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  John Muir

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2020

Caladium bicolor ‘Splash of Wine’

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“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”
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Aristotle

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Six on Saturday: Texture and Form

Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’

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A bright flash of darting yellow caught our eye this morning as we were backing out of the drive.  The first two goldfinches of the season, startled by our movement, took off and flew across the garden to a low branch, where they could observe us in safety.

Color excites.  It attracts our attention and directs our eye from one colorful thing to the next.  We were delighted to notice the goldfinches, and my eye lingered on the royal purple panicles of Buddleia just opened and white calla lily blossoms shining in the morning sunlight.

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Zantedeschia began to bloom this week in a sea of native perennials.

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But too much color, especially if the color mix is random and uncoordinated, sometimes makes us feel a little anxious.   We might feel annoyed or turn away if it doesn’t feel harmonious.  We might need to buffer bright flowers within a frame of green to appreciate them.

And sometimes, I enjoy the restful and calming beauty wrought more of texture than of color.  There are uncounted shades of green.  Especially if one includes the blends of grey-green, silver, chartreuse green, blue-green, and green tinged white.

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When one begins to notice the intricate shapes of green leaves, their posture on a stem, and their degree of matte or shiny finish; wonderful compositions grow together from these living brush strokes.  Ferns of all sizes, textures and shades serve as both composition and frame.

I have been seeking out beautiful leaves lately.  I found a new Artemesia ‘Sea Salt’ this week, and am trying it in both a hanging basket and in a rock garden.  Artemesia likes it hot and dry, thrives in full sun and needs little attention.  This one is low growing, and I hope it won’t get washed out in our summer rain.  Its leaves are silvery white.

So many of our foliage plants like ferns and Hosta, Caladiums and Heuchera want shade, that it is good to find interesting foliage plants for full sun.  Calla lily leaves like the sun, and won’t end up chewed by caterpillars the way our Cannas often do.  Stachys is another great silvery grey leaf that thrives in bright parts of the garden.

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Gardenia shrubs bloom in full to part sun.

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I planted a basket this week for a shady spot, with just an emerald green shield fern in the center, and silvery Dichondra around the edges.  I expect it to be stunning as the Dichondra fills in and drapes over the basket’s sides.  I have some little Begonia semperflorens stems rooting in water, and I’m debating whether to add them around the fern, or just leave the basket in shades of green.  The flowers are a soft pink and the leaves variegated chartreuse and light green.  Too much?

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A little bright color cheers us up.  But all things in moderation, right?  This summer I am enjoying the calmer corners of our garden, those bits that invite close observation to fully appreciate their beauty.

The flowers will come and go, as they  always do.  But the tapestry woven by these interesting leaves will last all season.

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Woodland Gnome 2020

Visit Illuminations, for a daily photo of something beautiful.

Many thanks to the wonderful ‘Six on Saturday’ meme sponsored by The Propagator

 

Sunday Dinner: What’s New?

New growth emerges from D. ‘Autumn Brilliance’

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“Life is a concept, like the “universe,”

that expands as soon as we reach

what we think is its edge.”

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Kamand Kojouri

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“In new surroundings, one grows new eyes.”

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Marty Rubin

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“Change is like the skin peeling off of a snake.

It is slow. It is sticky.

And sometimes you have to rub against a hard place

to pull yourself through it.

But in the end, you realize

that it was worth it all

to get the the new place

and new person you have become.”

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Stella Payton

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“Nature is not about preserving old things,

but about creating new ones.

New life. New ideas.”

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Gemma Malley

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“Accept that you are not finished,

and a new and better life

is just beginning.”

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Bryant McGill

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“And in the evening
After the fire and the light
One thing is certain: Nothing can hold back the light
Time is relentless
And as the past disappears
We’re on the verge of all things new”

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Billy Joel

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2020

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“When we love,

we always strive to become better than we are.

When we strive to become better than we are,

everything around us

becomes better too.”

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Paulo Coelho

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Please visit my new website, Illuminations: Walking In Beauty Every Day

Sunday Dinner: Symmetrical

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“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes.

If it were always a fist or always stretched open,

you would be paralyzed.

Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding,

the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated

as birds’ wings.”

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Jelaluddin Rumi

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“There are moments when i wish i could roll back the clock

and take all the sadness away,

but i have a feeling that if i did,

the joy would be gone as well.

So i take the memories as they come,

accepting them all,

letting them guide me whenever i can.”

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Nicholas Sparks

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“He felt that there is a loose balance of good and evil,

and that the art of living

consists in getting the greatest good

out of the greatest evil.”

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Machado de Assis

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“To light a candle is to cast a shadow…”

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Ursula K. Le Guin

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“Mathematics expresses values that reflect the cosmos,

including orderliness, balance, harmony,

logic, and abstract beauty.”

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Deepak Chopra

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“what is joy without sorrow?

what is success without failure?

what is a win without a loss?

what is health without illness?

you have to experience each if you are to appreciate the other.

there is always going to be suffering.

it’s how you look at your suffering,

how you deal with it, that will define you.”

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mark twain

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Photos by Woodand Gnome 2020

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“You must let what happens happen.

Everything must be equal in your eyes,

good and evil, beautiful and ugly,

foolish and wise.”
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Michael Ende

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In memory of Robert Nowak 1941-2020

and for those he’s left behind

Sunday Dinner: Vision

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“While there is perhaps a province

in which the photograph can tell us nothing more

than what we see with our own eyes,

there is another in which it proves to us

how little our eyes permit us to see.”

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Dorothea Lange

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“How you look at it

is pretty much how you’ll see it”

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Rasheed Ogunlaru

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“The power to concentrate was the most important thing.

Living without this power

would be like opening one’s eyes

without seeing anything.”

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Haruki Murakami

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“The more boundless your vision,

the more real you are.”

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Deepak Chopra

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“If the doors of perception were cleansed,

everything would appear to man as it is –

infinite.”

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William Blake

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“Your heart is able to see things

that your eyes aren’t able to.”

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Kholoud Yasser

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“I await your sentence

with less fear than you pass it.

The time will come

when all will see what I see.”

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Giordano Bruno

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“At the moment of vision,

the eyes see nothing.”

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William Golding 

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2014-2019

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“You get what you focus on.”
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Chris Hutchinson

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“After all, … your eyes only see

what your mind lets you believe.”

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Paul Jenkins

 

Sunday Dinner: Illumined

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“The sun rises each morning to shed light

on the things we may have overlooked

the day before.”

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Tyler J. Hebert

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“Grace is darkness and light,

peacefully co-existing, as illumination.”

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Jaeda DeWalt

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Even plants know to lean toward the light.”

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Meredith Zelman Narissi

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“…the basic stuff of the universe, at its core,

is looking like a kind of pure energy

that is malleable to human intention and expectation

in a way that defies our old mechanistic model of the universe-

-as though our expectation itself causes our energy to flow

out into the world and affect other energy systems.”

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James Redfield

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“One passionate heart can brighten the world.

From person to person the chain reaction burns through us —

setting heart to heart ablaze,

and lighting the way for us all!”

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Bryant McGill

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“Here’s to the bridge-builders, the hand-holders,

the light-bringers, those extraordinary souls

wrapped in ordinary lives who quietly weave

threads of humanity into an inhumane world.

They are the unsung heroes in a world at war with itself.

They are the whisperers of hope that peace is possible.

Look for them in this present darkness.

Light your candle with their flame. And then go.

Build bridges. Hold hands. Bring light to a dark and desperate world.

Be the hero you are looking for.

Peace is possible. It begins with us.”

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L.R. Knost

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2018

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Sunday Dinner: Imagination

Caladium ‘Peppermint’

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“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”

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Jonathan Swift

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Begonia

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“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge.

That myth is more potent than history.

That dreams are more powerful than facts.

That hope always triumphs over experience.

That laughter is the only cure for grief.

And I believe that love is stronger than death.”

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Robert Fulghum

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Begonias with Caladium ‘Moonlight’

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“Imagination does not become great

until human beings, given the courage and the strength,

use it to create.”

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Maria Montessori

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Caladium ‘Berries and Burgundy’

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“Logic will get you from A to Z;

imagination will get you everywhere.”

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Albert Einstein

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Begonia ‘Flamingo’

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“Consciousness, unprovable by scientific standards,

is forever, then, the impossible phantom

in the predictable biologic machine,

and your every thought a genuine supernatural event.

Your every thought is a ghost, dancing.”

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Alan Moore

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Caladium ‘Sangria’

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Photos by Woodland Gnome 2018  

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“Everything you can imagine is real.”

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Pablo Picasso

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“An idea is salvation by imagination”

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Frank Lloyd Wright

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Caladium ‘Summer Breeze’

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“When I start a new seminar

I tell my students that I will undoubtedly contradict myself,

and that I will mean both things.

But an acceptance of contradiction is no excuse for fuzzy thinking.

We do have to use our minds as far as they will take us,

yet acknowledge that they cannot take us

all the way.”

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Madeleine L’Engle

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Begonia

 

Fabulous Friday: Rain and Lizards

Hosta in (soggy) bloom

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Our garden is thoroughly watered, I’m happy to share!  And it’s unlikely that any of my gardening friends will be spending chunks of their weekend with a hose in their hand watering after the several inches of rain that we’ve had this week.

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Zantedeschia ‘Memories’

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In fact, the sound of pouring rain roused me well before sunrise this morning.  Downpours have come and gone today, interspersed with glimpses of blue sky and brilliant sunshine.

I appreciate the rain, of course; but am well aware of the flash flooding many have to deal with this week.  It has snarled the local airport with delays as the runway and access roads flooded early this morning.  Local roads flooded out again, and the chocolate milk brown James River is churning very high against its banks.  It is a good day to stay at home!

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Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’ after this morning’s rain

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Plants hate too much rain, and may perish from their roots up when the soil stays saturated for very long.  I’ve emptied saucers under a few of our pots twice already today, and know I should do the tour and check them all again this evening.

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Artemisia prefers dry conditions. I have potted this one up from its nursery pot into a small ceramic pot just until I can prepare its new place in the garden. 

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All of the small creatures must cope with too much rain, as well.  While there is plenty of fresh water to drink, there is also the small matter of flooding in the nooks and crannies where they generally hide.

We came home mid-day to find our resident lizards enjoying their privacy, sunning themselves on our side porch.  One after another scampered away for cover as we approached.  They know us, and that we bring them no harm.  The boldest held her place on the step making eye contact as I greeted her.  She didn’t scamper into the vines until my shoe touched her step.

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These small lizards are known as skinks.

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Lizards crave warmth and laze about on all of the hardscapes around the house and garden.  Since they gladly eat up insects, spiders, slugs and worms wherever they can find them, I am quite happy to see them hanging around our potted plants.  We have an understanding, as these little guys are quite harmless.  Our cat is in on the bargain and watches them closely, but leaves the lizzies strictly alone.

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It is challenging to plant for the weather and our ever variable ‘climate.’  Those of us who planted drought tolerant perennials, like lavenders, Yucca, and other succulents are watching them try to cope with the saturated soil.  Sometimes herbs will get moldy or turn to mush in our steamy wet spells in summer.

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Spanish lavender wants great drainage and bright sun to thrive.

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That is why it is smart to consider drainage when planting them in the first place.  Plant a bit high, on a bit of a mound, and incorporate sharp sand or small gravel into the surrounding soil to improve drainage.  Mulch with grit, crushed oyster shells or gravel to keep soil and pathogens from splashing up onto their lower leaves in heavy rain.

Sun reflecting off of the gravel mulch will also help dry the plant’s inner foliage more quickly.

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A tiny dragonfly happily hovered around the pots on the patio during a break in the rain this afternoon.

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On the other hand, we have plenty of plants just loving the reliably moist soil.  The Caladiums and Colocasias like even moisture, though even they may rot if the soil stays too wet too long.  When the weather turns dry, these want watering most days to keep them growing happily.

They have a system:  Their large leaves, covered with tiny openings called stomata, allow water transported up from their roots to evaporate into the surrounding air.  So long as their leaves are growing and working in the sunlight, their roots can pump large amounts of water out of the soil and into the air.  Trees do this on an industrial scale!

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Caladium ‘Carolyn Wharton’ and Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’ both enjoy moist soil.

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The smaller or more protected a plant’s leaves, the less water they will release from soil to atmosphere, and the better they tolerate drought.

It is smart to learn about a plant’s tolerance for wet soil and humidity just as we learn about its needs for sunlight, warmth, PH, and trace minerals in the surrounding soil.  That way, we can give them the conditions they need and keep them growing.

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Succulents with thick, waxy leaves release very little water into the air. They are built for hot, dry conditions and may rot of their soil remains saturated for too long.

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A plant with particular needs, or one that doesn’t thrive in local conditions may still be grown well in a pot.  And of course, pots can be set back under the eaves when the skies open and a downpour comes.

And believe me, our little lizards and toads find lodging in the pots sometimes.  Somehow, it seems to work out pretty well, no matter what strangeness the summer brings.

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“Breathe deep…

The rain falls but a moment,

and in a moment, gives life to another day.”

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Laurence Overmire

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Woodland Gnome 2018

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Fabulous Friday:  Happiness is Contagious. 

Let’s infect one another!

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Caladium ‘Peppermint’ left, and C. ‘Berries and Burgundy’ above and right

Fabulous Friday: Reading the Leaves

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It is possible to ‘read’ a garden much as one would read a book.  A careful glance can give lots of information about what is growing, how healthy it might be, what visitors have stopped by, the recent weather and maybe even the condition of the soil.  What do you read from these photos, taken this evening in our garden?

What you might read is that the gardener has been a bit inattentive, lately.  Do you see the vine that doesn’t belong?

These are photos of our Muscadine grapes.  Did you notice the tiny grapes already beginning to grow?  But, I noticed tonight, that Virginia creeper is trying to colonize this patch of grapes.  The vine with compound leaves, five to a cluster, is our native Virginia creeper.  It is a vigorous grower and can colonize a tree, if no one notices and cuts it back.

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Early summer is a time of vigorous growth.  The warmth and frequent rain, these last few weeks, have nurtured all of the green growing things into exceptional exuberance.  I’ve been pulling Virginia creeper off the house, out of shrubs, out of beds and even out of the grapes here this week.  But, it’s obvious I missed some!

Virginia creeper is a pretty vine, provides food and shelter for wildlife, and turns brilliant scarlet in October.   Birds spread its seeds around.   But it scrambles so quickly over other plants that we are always on the lookout for it, to keep it in bounds.

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Can you ‘read the leaves’ here to see what might be pruned out? There is blackberry taking off to the bottom left, and a tendril of Japanese honeysuckle winding around a stem. Both are invasive plants that crowd out more desirable ones, like the Asclepias nearly ready to bloom.

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Of course, wild grapes are growing pretty enthusiastically this week, too.  If you have somewhere they can grow, they are a great food source for wildlife.  Your birds will love you if you give them a good patch of grapes.

But moving around the garden, I find them growing in places where they can harm other plants, too.  This week I’ve been on the lookout for these vines, and for blackberry brambles, to cut these thugs back where they aren’t wanted, before they take over!

That is why it is good to ‘read the leaves’ as we move around the garden.  We can see situations as they arise and nip them back right away… at least in theory!

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What do you read, here? How many different herbs can you count?

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I love this time of fast growth and re-appearance of favorite plants.  We are settled in to true summer now, and the plants have shown their dedication to becoming their best selves.

The lavender is blooming, finally, and all of the herbs show new growth at last.  The Basil is expanding, coming into bloom, and the butterfly bushes are covered in buds.

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I’m occupied daily now with weeding and deadheading, cutting back, and of course, lots of planting.  It is soul satisfying work. 

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Caladium ‘Highlighter’ with C. ‘Chinook’

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We are  still  in  process  of  creating  the  garden .  The  choices that  we  make  now  will  determine  how  our  garden  grows for  the  season  ahead.  How  fabulous  to work  with  nature’s  creativity  day  by  day .

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Woodland Gnome 2018

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Fabulous Friday:  Happiness is contagious. 

Let’s infect one another!

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