Tag Archives: Gretchen Quarterman

Gretchen measuring banana leaves 2025-03-19

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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

Cypress Swamp pollen 2025-02-27

The cypress swamp is full of water and pollen.

[Cypress swamp pollen]
Cypress swamp pollen

That slash pine on the left is an example of a tree blown down by Hurricane Helene that still has a rootball and green needles.

Maybe some day soon the pine salvage operation will get here for such trees. They can’t survive like that, and they have some value as saw-timber of pulpwood.

-jsq

AT&T fiber optic cable to the driveway 2025-02-23

For a dozen years, Lowndes County, Georgia, has had it as “one of our top priorities” to get broadband Internet services to more of its people.

Could it finally be happening?

[Cryptic markings, digging, polishing, and flower pot]
Cryptic markings, digging, polishing, and flower pot

A month ago I noticed these odd markings on the road out front: Continue reading →

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 →

Yellow Jessamine 2025-02-17

A sign of spring.

[Yellow Jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens]
Yellow Jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens

Its yellow flowers grow on vines, Gelsemium sempervirens.

Often you will see the flowers on the ground and have to seek upwards to find where they fell from.

-jsq

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 →