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| THREE DAY OLD INDIAN RUNNER DUCKLINGS |
Our shipment of baby ducklings arrived today, a dozen mallard-colored Indian Runners all fluffy and full of peeps and cuteness. We even let them swim in the warm bath tub since it was unseasonably cold and rainy, not that they really mind the cool weather,, but seeing that they are only a couple of days old, we wanted to give them a break. They are so cute at this stage.
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| INDIAN RUNNER DUCKLINGS, SPENDING THE DAY IN AN OPEN PEN WHILE JOE PREPARES THE NEW COOP. |
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| IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN, THE HEIRLOOM GARLIC IS BEGINNING TO SHOW FLOWER SCAPES, WHICH ARE ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL, AS THEY TWIST INTO GRACEFUL LOOPS LIKE SWAN NECKS. NEXT WEEK WE WILL PICKLE SO FOR WINTER USE. |
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| MOUNTAIN LAUREL IS SYNONYMOUS WITH JUNE IN NEW ENGLAND |
Across the north eastern US, the woodland is in full bloom with Mountain Laurel, or Kalmia. Our native Kalmia typically blooms in late June, around Fathers day, but in the past few years, it has been blooming earlier, but never as early as newer hybrids, such as this one, which is strawberry pink when in bud, but white when open.
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| NOW THAT THE WARM WEATHER HAS ARRIVED, SPECIES BEGONIAS ARE RELOCATED TO THE PORCH, WHERE THE EASTERN EXPOSURE AND BREEZES SEEM TO PROVIDE A MICRO CLIMATE WHICH THEY SEEM TO LIKE VERY MUCH DURING OUR HOT SUMMERS. THESE TWO SPECIES ABOVE ARE SIMILAR, PRODUCING A SPIDER-WEB LIKE LEAF, ABOVE RIGHT, BEGONIA MOYESII, AND LEFT, B. PAULENSIS. |
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| THE SPIDER-WEB PATTERNED LEAF OF BEGONIA PAULENSIS. BY AUGUST, THESE PLANTS WILL BE MASSIVE WITH LARGE LEAVES. |
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| IN THE GREENHOUSE, THE CACTUS COLLECTIONS CONTINUES TO BLOOM, AS LONG AS THE SUN CONTINUES TO SHINE. WITH A FULL WEEK OF RAIN AHEAD, THIS MAY BE THE MOST I CAN EXPECT THIS YEAR FROM THESE PLANTS. |
Related
Mountain laurel means allergies in New England! 😉