The Maple Hill Hop 135

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

This is a bit of a random post, be forewarned.

Without much going on in our garden at the moment,

and no field trips as of late,

today we're sharing a bit of this and that.  

  

Last week, Sister visited for a few days.

We went to see Faye & Lynn while she was in town.

Here, Lynn is explaining to her how this tree was felled by Hurricane Charley,

but stubbornly refused to die.

He made the decision to leave it alone

and it is still growing,

 albeit a little on the unconventional side.

Who doesn't love a tree fort?

This platform was spotted on a yard sale run

and it made me think of the fort my brother and his friends made

when we were young.

Of course, no girls were allowed.

Looks like the perfect spot to take a gander

at the action in the neighborhood.

Or maybe just a place to convene with the birds.

Maybe some day I'll have one of my very own.

 This little guy greeted us on the patio one fine morning.

It must have squeezed into one of the holes in the screen.

Needless to say, he was promptly ushered out.

 Our constant visitors and morning risers

(who needs an alarm clock?),

these frogs nestle inside the frames on our solar screens.

We welcome them, as they devour many undesirable bugs,

including mosquitoes.

This porterweed, given to us as a seedling by friends in the neighborhood,

 is blooming nonstop. 

It attracts a ton of pollinators and we love the pop of color right outside our front window.

Look for our June series on natives in the Florida garden, 

starting this Friday.

There is no shortage of wonder on our homestead.  
Although we currently live in suburbia, 
we are surrounded by amazing creatures,
beautiful blossoms, and plenty of lessons to learn.

What's happening where you are?
HOP on!

  

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Memorial Day 2016

"The willingness of America's veterans

to sacrifice for our country,

has earned them our lasting gratitude."

-Jeff Miller

There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country. Nick Lampson
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday2.html

"There is nothing nobler

than risking your life for your country." 

-Nick Lampson

"The patriot's blood

is the seed of Freedom's tree."

-Thomas Campbell

"For love of country

they accepted death."

-James A. Garfield

"We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers,

but to praise them."

-Francis A. Walker

When I'm out and about,

I've gotten into the habit

of taking the time to shake the hand 

of every veteran I meet

and thanking them for their service.

There's no way that it's enough,

but it's what I can do.

This weekend, please remember those who have been lost

and those they left behind.

May God bless and keep veterans,

one and all.

-daisy 

The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude. Jeff Miller
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html

The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude. Jeff Miller
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html

The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude. Jeff Miller
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html

The Maple Hill Hop 134

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

I had asked Faye & Lynn if we could have the nest 

that had recently been vacated by their pair of visiting Carolina Wrens 

so that C and I could study them.

He's really taken to bird watching this year.

On Sunday, awaiting me at Farm School,

was this collection of fantastic birds' nests.

It felt like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one!

top

Each creation was a masterpiece!

bottom

We plan to dissect them to find out what materials were used

and research which breed of birds may have been the owners.

top

bottom

Some of the components were obvious,

like this Spanish Moss, which can be found abundantly here in Central Florida.

We look forward to learning more

about these amazing creatures.

We plan to use this website and others in our studies.

This type of learning is truly what unschooling is all about.

Natural learning at its best.

This pie-wedge shaped nest,

constructed by a male Carolina Wren,

was the catalyst for our studies.

It is like a delicate souffle,

with layers of dried leaves, paper and assorted found treasures.

Here's where the family called home.

These birds return every spring to this spot
on the inside of their garage door,

to raise their young and keep Faye & Lynn company.

What a marvel!

That's what's going on around here.
What's happening outside where you are?
HOP to it!   

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The Start of Something Big!

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. Gerard De Nerval
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=nature

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. Gerard De Nerval
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=nature

"Look deep into nature,
and then you'll understand everything better."
Albert Einstein

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins106912.html

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=nature

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins106912.html

We have new visitors.

Just discovered yesterday,

the gulf fritillary caterpillars will be frequent guests

on all of our passionflower vines throughout the rest of spring

and into the summer months.

Welcome, little beauties!

Have a fabulous weekend, y'all!

Here's to hoping you discover something wonderful!

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. R. Buckminster Fuller
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=caterpillars

"There is nothing in a caterpillar
that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."
R. Buckminster Fuller

The Maple Hill Hop 133

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

sunflower

We haven't had much in the way of April showers,
but we sure do have a load of May flowers to share!
Here are some of the beauties that bless our garden this month.

The lilies are just starting to peek out of the fern bed.

A few Easter lilies are scattered about 
and getting ready to open up.
I guess they don't much pay attention to the calendar.

The passionflower vine blooms year-round,
but we are only now beginning to see the gulf fritillary butterfly
lay its eggs on the leaves and tendrils.

This coral bean plant (recently identified by one of my readers),
is gracing us with a multitude of vibrant red blooms.

The gloriosa lilies are nothing to sneeze at either.
They have reseeded themselves and are popping up all over the west side of the yard.

I'm not sure if this is gallardia or something else.
The stem is tall and spindly and the profusion of blooms
lingers near the top.
The color combination is striking.
(After identification help from a reader,
I reviewed a past post and realized that yes,
it is indeed tickseed!)

I found these on the "dead rack" the other day
at Lowe's and knew that for a dollar each,
they'd bring us a lot of smiles.

I'm excited to say that our agapanthus
looks like it's finally ready to start blooming.
This is one of my all-time favorites in the Florida-friendly garden.
It's so elegant!

Amaryllis are finished for the season
and are dropping seeds to ensure their return.

The porterweed out front seems to be happy where it is.
We get lots of pollinator activity humming around it
and it's a wonderful sight to see out the front window.

Our beach sunflowers haven't stopped blooming since last summer
when they were started by seed.
It just keeps giving.
It is flanked by our beloved lemongrass.

Passionflower vine is being used as a border on the newest butterfly garden.
I ran out of trellises on which to grow it,
so I thought it might do well as a ground cover.
It just needs to be trimmed frequently.
We also have pentas, salvia, zinnias, milkweed,
lantana and marigolds growing here.

Another border was started using variegated liriope.
These send out purple spikes when in flower.
We have more salvia, zinnias and marigolds planted here,
along with cosmos, our agapanthus and the coral bean plant.

A couple of onion plants I just kind of threw into an empty space
are now flowering.
So interesting how food crops continue to provide.

One of the dwarf Fakahatchee grass plants out front.
I just love the way they sway in the breeze
and hold onto the drops of rain like precious crystals.

One of the pines we are keeping in a pot,
so that we can bring it with us when we move.
Marigold seeds were sown a week ago around its base.

shasta daisy

With most of our food crops finished for the season,
it's good to know that we still have a whole summer of flowers
to look forward to.
I hope something wonderful is blooming in your garden right now.

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What's going on where you are?
HOP on!

 

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