Tundra Swans and New Phalaeonopsis

First, the bad news. There were three or four Tundra Swans on Findley Lake today, 10/28/09. This is particularly early and suggests that winter will start early and hard. I hope not since we don't have our two tons of pellets in yet. Fortunately they are paid for and just waiting for delivery.

Now the good news. We have acquired a new Phalaeonopsis. I just couldn't pass it up at Home Depot. The flowers are huge, white but with strong purple centers. The flower spray has 13 open flowers and 4 fat buds. While watering it today, I checked the roots and it is certainly overdue for a larger pot and better potting material.

Because of it's absolutely stunning appearance, I've named it Aphrodite. She joins our first purple Phal, which we call Hermes, and our second Phal, a creamy flower with red striping which we call Apollo. I've also been trying to rehabilitate a friend's Phal. So far, that plant has survived surgery on the rotted plant base and has begun to put up a new leaf. Because of the sad state it was in, I named it Niobe. If she perks up soon, there is a possibility that she may produce a flower in December.

Even my husband gets a lot of pleasure from these Phals. The flowers last up to 3 months, which is amazing. The colors are stunning and the dark green shiny leaves look nice during the rest of the year. Today I repotted Hermes, and found that it was starting to rot underneath. Fortunately the plant is reasonably healthy and has some good roots so it should perk up.

The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring Tra-La, Year 2

Naturalized daffodils are up all over our old pasture area. These have double flowers, pretty in their own way and apparently very hardy. Spring Beauty is blooming in the forest and naturalized crocuses in the lawns. The willows are turning a distinct shade of yellow as the sap rises to the tips of the trailing branches. The local Corvette owners have started taking their pampered cars out for rides when the weather is good.

Last but not least, the Findley Lake "flower du jour" is springing up - "For Sale". Not surprising, after the cold and snowy winter we are just coming off. Thoughts turn to warmer climates, not digging snow every day, and toying with selling the old homestead. It's more a knee jerk reaction than a true desire to move. By June, the horror of seemingly endless snow will have vanished, the green of the land and the blue of the lake will be soothing jangled nerves, and thoughts of selling the house will recede.

It's a good time to look at property out here. You can see the lay of the land before the underbrush, shrubbery, and tree top shadows change it's appearance. Lakeside properties have much to offer but so do those out in the more rural areas. All in all, if you are looking to purchase your home or get-away haven, checking out these "flowers" will be worth your time.

The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring Tra-La

Thank Gilbert and Sullivan for today's theme song. " The flowers that bloom in the spring Tra- La, bring promise of merry sunshine".

Findley Lake spring flowers come in many forms.

While there are buds forming on the daffodils, they still have a ways to go before blooming.

Probably the first flowers to erupt here in early Spring are the Corvette flowers. Several weeks ago we caught a glimpse of a burgundy Corvette, brought out of it's winter shelter for a quick wash and a little hardening off. Just as quickly it was put back under cover, too delicate to stand the still freezing weather. This week, it was out again, taken for a spin on a nice day. Then today a yellow convertible Corvette was spotted. Like most of these flowers, it spends the winters indoors, pampered, fed and resting. Warm weather finds them visiting the Post Office, waiting for the first Whitney's catalog to arrive.

The second Spring flower, and most confusing for visitors, are the "For Sale" sign flowers. Having observed this phenomena for almost 30 years, I can attest to the seasonal nature of the sudden proliferation of signs in early Spring. Usually there are three or four different varieties. Visitors often conclude that the appearance of these signs signals untenable taxes. In reality, the desire to maximize income is a much more human and understandable reason. Also local realtors are adept at keeping first and second string "stables" of homes that could be sold for the right price. While I've considered trying this very popular lawn "flower", I'm more into vegetables this year.

That brings me back to the real flowers. Probably first visible will be the wild/naturalized crocuses in the lawns on School Street. Next will be the regular crocuses and wild daffodils. The Forget-Me-Not's will follow them later this Spring. The first tree to bloom will be the Service Berry, with it's smooth gray bark. Last tree to bloom will be the Locust.

Findley Lake won't see real flowers for at least two to three weeks after they start blooming in Erie. That's the wonder of the thermal flywheel. As we wait for warmer weather to arrive, we'll take any flower we can get. I'm planning on watching for more Corvettes and counting the "For Sale" signs. It's my usual Spring activity and a welcome change from the Winter doldrums.