Hurricane Beryl's Ballet

She pirouetted across my garden, dropping trees like abandoned partners. She spun over the river patio and hurdled hexagons. She deposited two kittens in the compost area and washed all of the mulch out of the labyrinth. For and afterthought, she sent horizontal winds into the attic laden with rain which created and interesting pattern on the B&B upstairs ceiling. Then she exited stage left. Not a bad opening act for the 2012 Hurricane Season.

Cursor Crazy

Laughter is therapeutic. As I stood before the 300 dear members of the Florida State Garden Club Convention, I was not at all certain my audio visual component would be functional. The laptop cursor had developed a mind of its own and periodically would drift to left or right and on occasion would disappear completely. I began having a 30 year flashback to that moment in Miami Beach's Fountainbleu Hotel when the power went out after my first slide and I stood in the dark telling 600 folks, " What you would have seen, would be??????????????????? Luckily, on Friday May 11 the A.V.gods bestowed mercy. The Power Point worked and my evangelical message concerning the necessity for community garden was delivered and seemed well received. Thank you, Mr. Cursor. Huge thanks!

To Every Season

There is a time. Right now it is time to inhale the almost overwhelmingly pungent jasmine. It is everywhere. If it weren't 83 degrees one might think that snow had fallen, blanketing the river arch and the side bushes. The azaleas put on quite a show, but the almost luridly pink blossoms did not carry the aromatic impact of the jasmine.Nothing says deep South to me like the jasmine. Nothing.

Welcome to the Hotel Calamondin

They are bending the limbs down on my tree, even breaking some. Yes, there are thousands of Barbie sized orange look alikes. Their purpose in life is calamondin ade with lots of honey. Better yet, I go to the IFAS canning kitchen and watch Phylis, the canning guru, demonstrate how to create jars of marmalade or cupcakes. Yum ! A locavore's dream.

House of the Rising Sun-flower

Just finished one of the best books I've ever read on attracting birds to the back yard. It's called Best-Ever Backyard Birding Tips by Deborah L. Martin. I've always been somewhat casual about attracting birds, believing that those feathered folk who wanted to come would show up. Then I began reading about the importance of birds in pest control and pollination and decided I needed more help in the both departments. Evans is a delight to read. She assumes no prior knowledge. Her last hint is, if you have time to do only one thing plant a sunflower. Black oil sunflower seed is the preferred delight of most birds in NE Fla.

The Lime in Winter

Mornings on the St. Johns shore have been heartbreakingly gorgeous. First, the cosmic artist drenches the sky with ebony which fades into blue;then a slash of apricot appears. Birds begin to zip westward. They are silhouettes of aerodynamic zoom and purpose. Later in the morning the Top Gun pilots will try to emulate them, much higher and so very much louder.

Compost Tea in a Sun Tea Jar

Put some high grade compost in one of those mysteriously single socks that return unmatched from the washing machine. Add water. Some folks add molasses and use an aquarium pump. I don't. I put the jar in the Florida sunshine and leave it for three to five days. Then I decant it and pour it on my green friends. I am frequently assisted by my grandson Harry, a truly amazing novice gardener.