Tag Archives: Blondie

Wild azaleas and blueberries 2025-03-20

Down the Not A Driveway, over and under the Hurricane Helene deadfalls, following the dog pack, lies an acre of wild azaleas, plus wild blueberries.

[Blondie, Honeybun, Sky, River, over the deadfall into the wild azaleas]
Blondie, Honeybun, Sky, River, over the deadfall into the wild azaleas

Some of these Rhododendron canescens are already blooming. Many more are just budding.

[Wild azaleas, pine deadfall, and dog on Not A Driveway]
Wild azaleas, pine deadfall, and dog on Not A Driveway

[Wild azaleas and loblolly pine cones]
Wild azaleas and loblolly pine cones

[Closeup red wild azaleas]
Closeup red wild azaleas

[Wild Blueberries]
Wild Blueberries

[Pink wild azaleas]
Pink wild azaleas

[Pale wild azaleas]
Pale wild azaleas

[Wild azalea beneath oak deadfall]
Wild azalea beneath oak deadfall

[Closeup wild azalea beneath oak deadfall]
Closeup wild azalea beneath oak deadfall

“Here Spring was already busy about them: fronds pierced moss and mould, … small flowers were opening in the turf, birds were singing. Ithilien, the garden of Gondor now desolate kept still a dishevelled dryad loveliness.”
—Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit, The Two Towers, JRR Tolkien

-jsq

Gretchen measuring banana leaves 2025-03-19

A few days before, Gretchen whacked off the tops of these banana plants with a machete. She says this is necessary after they freeze in the winter.

[At least a foot]
At least a foot

That leaf measured a foot of growth.

[Sproing]
Sproing

River and Blondie assisted. -jsq

Garter snake and obvlivious dogs 2025-03-18

I almost stepped on it, and the dogs never saw it.

[Garter Snake]
Garter Snake

All four dogs walked right by this harmless (to dogs and humans) eastern garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis.

[Oblivious dogs]
Oblivious dogs

-jsq

LeConte Pear Tree 2025-02-24

This is one tree in two locations.

[Driveway and garden LeConte Pear Tree]
Driveway and garden LeConte Pear Tree

It’s a LeConte pear, introduced to Georgia in 1856 John Eatton LeConte. He was the uncle of my second cousins thrice removed Professors John and Louis LeConte. Continue reading →

Oddly broken plumbing 2025-01-28

Hurricane Helene, or maybe the ice storm after, broke off a woods spigot.

It was a little more complicated to fix than expected.

[Pipe pieces and fixed plumbing]
Pipe pieces and fixed plumbing

I got a replacement part and cut below the break. Continue reading →

Frozen cypress swamp with dogs 2025-01-23

Cold enough the dogs did not want to go into the cypress swamp, after the January 22, 2025, sleet and snow storm.

[Gretchen pokes it with a stick as Blondie, River, and Sky stay high and dry]
Gretchen pokes it with a stick as Blondie, River, and Sky stay high and dry

Honeybun did not even come down to the frozen water’s edge. River, Sky, and Blondie stayed out of the water. Continue reading →

Pond flatboat pine rescue with dogs 2025-01-01

After half an hour bushwhacking to get to the pond for the first time since Hurricane Helene, on New Years Day the dogs and I discovered something in a pine tree.

[Something in that tree, says Honeybun]
Something in that tree, says Honeybun

She said she meant to be there. Continue reading →