Just Peachy

Shortly after we moved into 'The Hacienda' we purchased two peach trees. They made it through their first summer. Winter was tough for them. The trees had some blossoms, but the cold weather did them in. We didn't hold out much hope for any peaches.

But...one brave peach held on! We watched through the spring. It continued to mature. It grew, it began to have a blush of color...and finally, I found it on the ground, probably just after it fell. A nice, plump peach. Our only peach from either of our trees for the year. Not much of a crop.

But...

It was good!

Yum!

The Shady Lady

We had to remove a tree in our front yard to allow equipment to have access to our back yard to construct our pool and lanai. The tree we removed was called an Orchid tree.  It has beautiful, pink orchid-like flowers throughout most of the year. It is a messy tree. It drops leaves and flowers all of the time. It is not truly a native tree. It originated in Asia and escaped from cultivation, so it is occasionally found in the wild in Florida. 

Yeah, it's pretty, but we wanted its replacement to be a true Florida native.

We both began reading about native trees. We wanted something with a pleasant shape. We preferred not to have a deciduous tree. We did not care for a tree that dropped fruit, seeds or leaves. 

We read about the Black Olive tree (which doesn't produce olives), also known as the Shady Lady. The South Florida Plant Guide says:

The exquisite Shady Lady black olive tree, with its lush layers of tiny leaves on zigzagged stems, is one of the most beautiful South Florida trees. With the look of a natural bonsai, this tree lends an Oriental garden appeal when it's young. It grows in layered tiers with a distinct space between each set of horizontal branches. The tree matures to form a beautiful, well-shaped rounded crown.

We wanted to see this tree. It sounded like it would be perfect. We asked around, and lo and behold, we actually had one in our back yard already! How embarrassing! However, we had both admired the tree, so it seemed like the perfect replacement. 

We arranged with the local landscaper to get a large tree. We awaited its arrival... and watched, in awe, as it arrived and was transported and transplanted. 

We love our new tree, and can't wait to see it grow, providing wonderful shade in our yard!

One, Two... Tree

We had two very sad looking Queen Palms at the back of our lot. Our neighbor told us that one had looked like it was on its last legs for several years. The other showed no new growth. Hurricane Irma added another burden for the palms. We decided to replace them with two Sylvester Palms. Here is the picture story of the event:

Almost Home

When we left California it seemed that our trek across country would never end. Now, as we approach our final destination in southern Florida, it doesn't seem so bad. We have certainly taken a leisurely route. We refer to it as the "Three Thirty Rule" meaning we will travel no more than 330 miles or arrive no later than 3:30 PM. Certainly our trip has taken more days than it could have, but the quality of our days has been so much better. (IE... we aren't bitching at each other ...... as much!!!)

Our travels up to Jacksonville

We arrived in the Jacksonville area on Friday, and spent the weekend with family before moving on to our home near Labelle, FL. We were anxious to see the resort, as Hurricane Irma went right over it. And everyone had reported that although there was damage, it was not anything like it could have been. The staff of the resort has been (and remains) very busy cleaning up debris and broken limbs. The pines, oaks and palms are all a bit thinner than they were, and limbs seem to droop a bit more than in the past.

Last year I took a picture of the palms reflected in the mirror of our motorhome. I took a second shot of it last night. It shows the impact of the hurricane on the palms. They look so sad.

Here is another before and after shot. The first is a picture of our lot with the huge oak at the back and a pretty Bismarck Palm in the front. Compare this picture to the one I took this evening.  What a difference.

   

Of Teas, Trees and Booze

The coastal area of South Carolina is comprised of a series of small islands. In many instances you don't even realize that you are moving from one island to another. Our tour bus took us out to Wadmalaw Island, SC.

The first stop was at the Angel Tree. It is reported that the Angel Tree could be 1500 years old. It is so large, I couldn't get it all in the frame of the picture!

Then we made our way to the Charleston Tea Plantation.

This is the only tea production farm in the US. Tea plants were first cultivated in the Charleston area around 1800. Cuttings from those plants were brought to the current plantation in 1963.

Today all of the shrubs, a type of camellia, come from cuttings of ancestors of the original plants. I knew that tea came from tea leaves, but I was clueless about how it is produced. Cuttings are rooted in the greenhouse, and remain here until they have well established roots. The taller plants on the right will be planted as soon as the temperatures begin to warm up.

The small shrubs are planted 18" apart. They have irrigation until they are well established.

Mature plants that are just beginning to show new growth. 

The leaves that are used come from the new growth on the shrubs. A unique machine runs down the rows and 'mows' the top of the shrubs when the new growth is 4"- 6" high.

They will get up to four cuttings each year, but the best tea is made from the first cutting. The mowed leaves are dried and chopped up in the production area.

So as not to be considered teetotalers, our last stop was at Firefly Distilleries and Deep Water Vineyards. First we participated in a wine tasting. The wines are produced from local grapes. In the sultry south, the only grapes that grow well are various Muscadine varieties.

These grapes are much larger than those grown in California, and they must be harvested by hand as the grapes don't all mature at the same time, so workers hand pick ripe grapes, day by day. The wines tend to be on the sweet side. I enjoy sweet Riesling wines, but I didn't particularly care for wines made from the Muscadines.

The history of the winery is rather interesting. A couple, entering retirement, decided it would be fun to open a winery on this SC island. They did some research. They planted the vines. They began harvesting the grapes and making wines. They worked for several years to develop their share of the market, and to market their wines. Then.... they sold the winery, and opened a distillery. Perhaps they grew tired of picking the grapes!

We moved from one venue to the next. Here is our group, waiting for our turn in the tasting room.

Firefly Distillery seems to specialize in flavored vodka and moonshine. Our hostess was very enthusiastic and let us taste anything we wanted. She ran down the list, "Who likes peach vodka? Here, taste this." Then, "Who likes tea flavored bourbon? Here, taste this." We had many tastes. I liked the sweet things, like coconut vodka and Red Velvet Cake Vodka.

We hopped back on our bus, and I happened to spy this:

Perhaps it was a good thing the bus driver was behind the wheel. I must have consumed more alcohol than I thought, as surely, a goat on a spiral staircase in the middle of nowhere must be some sort of hallucination!

Through the Ages

We have been having severe afternoon storms. On Saturday, I experienced one of those bright flashes and a simultaneous crack of thunder, as chunks of bark pelted the front door. I opened the door to check the Ponderosa pine. It had been struck by lightning. I could smell burning wood and fresh pine. 

This was the largest tree in this part of our yard.

Hunks of bark littered the area around the tree.

Some of the pieces were thrown almost 100 feet.

Mr. Dreamy and I began speculating about how old the tree was.

Trees in this part of Colorado just don't grow all that fast.

We went online and checked Google Earth where you can see

historical imagery if it is available. 

Here is a recent satellite view of our home.

The tree that was hit is circled.

So, let's take a look back through the ages

to see if we can get an idea of the tree's age.

Here is the house in 2010. 

The house has a blue tarp on the roof.

(I still find blue tarp 'strings' when I work in the yard!)

No one lived there anymore. 

The owner gave up the property around 2008.

Shortly after this the bank began preparations to sell the property.

They had the roof repaired, and not long after, we purchased the home.

Yes, the tree is there.

Here is the property in 2007.

A new owner had purchased the house.

He made a lot of improvements inside and out.

Do you see all of the 'dots' in the yard between the

house and the white building (the barn)?

Those were 25 large trees he had recently planted.

Sadly, the new owner's wife passed away.

He sold the house sometime before this photo was taken

(All of the trees subsequently died.)

Yes, the Ponderosa is there.

This photo shows the house in 1999.

The 'barn' (the white square)

consists of 2 stalls only. 

At some point after this picture was taken, 

the barn was expanded to include a garage on the left side,

and white pipe fencing was added to enclose a paddock.

The tree is there.

We have heard conflicting reports about our property before our home was constructed in 1994. We have heard that the original farm house was near where the barn is currently located. We have also heard that our current home was built on the same plot of land as of the original house. 

This view from 1956 confirms that the original house was closer 

to where our barn is currently located.

The row of trees provides a good landmark.

In the more recent photos, those trees are just west

and slightly in front of the barn.

Not too coincidently, I am always picking up nails and glass

in the area where the original house stood!

I added a copy of this shot, with labels, below.

The tree shows in this shot, too!

 And the first available aerial photo from 1937...

If you look straight down from the little house on the left of the drive….

There's our tree!

How sad. A tree that was over 75 years old was struck by a random bolt of lightning, and in all likelihood won't live on. Nature is a cruel mistress, indeed!

As I received several comments about not knowing Google could do this, I thought it might be helpful to provide information so you can search areas back through time.

First you must download Google Earth. (Different from Google the search engine). It is free.

Once you have it downloaded and open it, there is a box in the upper left corner where you can enter a location, address, city, whatever. You will 'fly' to that location. 

On the upper toolbar there is an icon that looks like a clock surrounded by a green arrow pointing around the clock face going counter clockwise. If you hover over the icon it will say, "Show historical imagery…." Clicking on it will open a slider that shows the beginning and ending date of images from the area you are viewing. The white vertical lines on the slider bar are the points where images are available. Here is a screen shot from my search:

It's a great way to see the world!

Going...Going....

Going...

October 14, 2013

Going....

October 22, 2013

Gone!

November 1, 2013

It's Fall, Y'all

The trees are showing their true colors!

 Did you know...

chlorophyll (the substance that helps plants create food)

masks the "true" color of the leaves?

As days grow shorter, 

plants stop their food making process and

chlorophyll is no longer produced.

This allows the true color of the leaves to show through.

Happy fall, y'all!

Gypsy Jabbers: Bird Dog

I see the bird. 

I see it in the tree.  

I see a bird on a nest in the tree. 

I see baby birds in the nest with the mama bird. 

I know they are there.

They don't fool me when they sit like statues.

I want the birds. 

I could be a mama bird. See?! 

I can sit still for hours and hours and hours. 

Just like you are doing, Mama Dove. 

I have as much patience as you do. 

Maybe more.

I have hair that can keep baby birds warm. 

Let me up there to take care of your babies.

Better yet, why don't you come down here.

I can take care of you.

Heh, heh heh!

And you thought I was a herding dog!

If you 'biggify' the picture you can see

two chicks squabs in front of mama's breast.

Oh Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree, our Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches.

We put you up 10 days ago;

The LED lights provide a cool glow.

My Christmas tree, my Christmas tree,

Why did you have to die on me?

Your needles drop and branches crack,

The thought of fire, gives me a heart attack!

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,

Take off the ornaments and out with thee!

We really did take our tree down today. It was so very pretty, but had dried out so badly that we really were concerned. We have never had a tree dry out so completely, so quickly. This will be our first Christmas that we will celebrate in our home since we moved to Colorado. We must have a tree, and decided we didn't want to bring out the artificial tree. So, Mr. Dreamy and I went out to buy another tree. We dropped by the big box store where we bought our first tree, a Grand fir. I only took the one picture of the tree, and it really doesn't show how beautiful it was, and since this isn't a 'smell-a-blog' you can't even begin to imagine how lovely it smelled. As we walked in the garden area an employee commented that every tree was $5.00. With just a hint of sarcasm, I asked if that was because the trees would only stay green for 10 days. He looked at me a bit strangely, so I proceeded to tell him about the fate of our previous purchase. He apologized and agreed that the trees were not in the best of shape, even when they first arrived at the store. One of the customers commented that he had been looking at trees at other tree lots, and most seemed to be in rough shape. He heard that because the weather hadn't turned cold, trees had not gone into their 'winter mode' before being cut and for that reason they were not lasting as long. There were a lot of Grand fir trees, but they were also quite dry. We found a few nicely shaped small Fraser Firs and decided that having already purchased one tree, a smaller $5.00 tree would be just fine. As another employee cut the trunk and wrapped the tree, he heard about the fate of our other tree. He gave us the tree for free.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,

I hope you last, I don't want three!

No room at the inn... er, on the tree.

I will have to pack up some extra ornaments tomorrow.

Have you experienced a tree disaster?