FORTNIGHT LILIES

Fortnight Lilies, so called because they bloom every
two weeks until November -- especially if you
remember to water them!


These are surrounded by Jasmine, which is highly
perfumed especially in the evenings.

They are prolific around our house, not only because
they re-seed themselves but also because a few years
ago, I gathered handsful of seed and scattered them
in all the bare spots, because I like them so much.
They are like bright white butterflies.


To see a close-up of a bloom go to my photo ATC
blog. Address in side-bar.

BEAUTIFUL CATALINA ISLAND

Courtesy Fox News -- Breaking News

Our beautiful Catalina Island, Thursday May 10th. This is the little town of Avalon being threatened by wild fire. It is here that we spent several weeks on our sailboat, Flamborough, every summer, with our teen-aged sons. It didn't matter where else we had been for a 'proper' vacation, we always had to go to Catalina or summer wasn't complete. Thankfully, as of tonight the town was spared, but not before thousands of people were evacuated.

The town is only about a mile square and we loved every square inch, along with the rest of the island. It is one place you can really get away from city life. Swimming, snorkeling, fishing, walking, exploring and even wind sailing, you name it, we did it all in the 70's and 80's-- at least they did. I can't even swim! There were seals, sharks, sunfish, dolphins and flying fish to see. The sail boat may seem like an extravagant toy, but for us it was what held the family together through those turbulent teenager years. We started with just a 13 foot day-sailer and moved to a larger boat as the boys grew larger, ending up with a 28 foot Newport, (with the aid of the royalties from my two children's books written in the 70's). It was an excellent investment.

We don't have the boat now that we are retired, but our sons still have a serious love of boats. They each have one, but wake-boarding is the rage now. Thank goodness that was not around when we were into sailing. I'd rather not watch!

BIRD BOTHERS

We are overrun with crows right now. There are some who talk about shooting them! But I think it is only a temporary trend. We used to be overrun with mocking birds. They'd keep us awake at night! Then they seemed to disappear. But some are back again this year after an absence of probably more than five years.

SPRING FEVER

English Wild Flowers in the Spring

These are harebells, more translucent than shown
here. Dainty but hardy flowers. Grow to about
6 inches . The flower itself is about 1 inch. These
are not the woodland bluebell, but I have heard
them called the Bluebells of Scotland.




My favorite, the wild English Primrose. Grow to
less than 6 inches in height and the flower is about
3/4 inch across. They grew in wild profusion all over
the cliffs at Flamborough when I was a child. A spring
time occupation was "to go Primrosing". We'd come
home with fistsful of these delicate, pale yellow flowers.


More to come, if I can concentrate long enough.