Tuesday, September 29, 2020

A peony in pink, part 2

There was a part 1 that you might or might not have seen. Here is part 2. I'd thought it was mostly the peony in the back patio garden; Linda calls it Sarah Bernheart. It puts out amazing blossoms, but it's tough to photograph because of all the plants around it. Plus, while it seems really happy where it is, from a photography perspective, it doesn't get the best light. The white peony gets the best light. 

However, as I look at the photos, it turns out that some of these are from a new peony beside the house.

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Of the Day
Flowers, from the pots out front. As might be expected, the pansies (I think these are pansies) are still going strong.

White peony


Driftwood




Sunday, September 27, 2020

Sunday morning thoughts

There's a Johnny Cash song, "Sunday Morning Coming Down", about waking up with a hangover and being alone. I was never a huge fan of country music so I probably didn't hear it when he first released it. I'm not even sure when I first heard it. His deep voice gives that song a twist that you can't forget.

I've had my share of hangovers in my life, but none recently. In fact, though one tends to forget them, I can't remember when I last had one. Two glasses of wine, or a big glass of beer on a hot day is about the most drinking I do now.

After years of problems sleeping, I've become a morning person a long time ago. I like getting up at a time most people think is early, and enjoying the morning, getting started on whatever needs to be started. Lately that's been making coffee, feeding and playing with the cats, often doing some writing. Just lately there's been some work meetings that happen, and work computer time.

This morning I was off consorting with other cats, feeding them while their humans are off doing fun human stuff. There was a sticky note on the drawer, telling me about the child latch. I'm guessing the cats have figured out how to open the drawer. Our cats know the crunchies are in the big green container, and paw at it sometimes, but haven't figured out how to push the lid off.

Then was coffee and editing some photos from the last couple days. There's more purple dahlia photos, and I must say I'm really pleased with some of them. Once it's done you'll get them all at once. That will be soon, I think. The nights are getting some light frost now, and that's only going to get worse. There's one more dahlia bud that we'd like to see bloom. 

The bees are not as active as they were, but there's still a few around, mostly working on the dahlias and the remains of the mint.


Autumn is in full swing here. Lots of my photo buddies are out getting landscape shots, but I don't have the time to go looking. Sometimes you don't have to travel far to get nice light.


So here I am, not hung over, enjoying life. Not alone, though my connections are many and varied, rather than a few and close. I think of a pair of my buddies, both of them "officially" 28, who have been best friends since grade 1, and rarely go a day without talking, or texting, or seeing each other. 

I like Facebook in the sense that it helps me maintain relationships, but I've been thinking lately that the price is too high. All those ads! Their recent changes have made commenting more difficult. I can't stand it when I can type faster than the system shows the letters on screen. I get all tangled up.

A buddy posted an article by Dan Rather, talking about the state of his country. Decrying the state of things is a long and honoured literary tradition, and he did just fine. I wish I could do as well. There have been any number of countries that have done well for a period of time, and then gone off the rails in what seems like mass insanity. We are watching it happen in the US, and I'm horrified it will happen here while I'm still alive. The beginnings of it is happening right before my eyes in Alberta. What can be done about it is a question much on my mind lately.

Of the day
Celina and Linda

Flower

White peony

Driftwood



Friday, September 25, 2020

Flowery Friday 17

Fall is coming on strong as I write this, but there are still some dahlias doing their thing, and and the roses seem to love this weather. Some of the clematis are doing well, and one of the scarlet runner bean plants has produced a bean. Linda was wondering if we should ceremonially harvest and eat it. There's a couple lilies still blooming, but overall it's getting to be slim pickings for the bees. I hope they've got enough stored away in their hives to keep going till spring.

This year is another example of how fall really is the best season in Calgary. The days are mostly warm and sunny. The nights are mostly warm enough to keep the plants going, although Linda has covered her plants a few times. The leaves are turning gold, making for lots of autumn landscapes.

The flowery photos are from June 4 to June 17

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Of the Day
Curtis has been in my face a lot lately, but not on camera. He's grumpy about how much time I spend looking into screens, even if he has a lap at the same time.

Flower
Some of the dahlias in a pot on the back patio.

White peony


Driftwood


Thursday, September 24, 2020

A peony in pink, part 1

You've been seeing the white peony on a regular basis, and know there's a red one that shows up every now and then. It's just as pretty, and has a wonderful scent, but that red is really hard to photograph. At least hard for me to photograph. Sort of like Celina, she is a really pretty kitty, but somehow not as photogenic as Curtis.

But there are several other peonies that have some pink in them. So that's what you get today, in no particular order. These are mostly the new peonies beside the house, getting morning sun.





Now that I look at it, this might actually be the red one, with me playing with colour balance and stuff. 








And stay tuned for part two, mostly featuring the big pink peony in the back patio.

Of the Day
I've been trying to get a photo of these little guys in the basket for a while, but have had my difficulties. Linda says they're biddens. Which sounds like a derogatory term used by staff at auction sales to describe people afraid to bid.


White peony


Driftwood