Flower for the Day 4-30 Hoya

In the midst of all this outdoor explosion I looked 
upward from the dining room and found this exotic bloom 
on our hoya plant which lives on the second floor landing. 
A flower cluster in which stalks of nearly equal length 
coming from a common center to form a curved surface 
is called an umbel.

The blossom of the hoya is umbellated.

Flower for the Day 4-29 Phlox

Phlox subulata  Also moss phlox, moss pink, and 
mountain phlox.  Phlox is Greek for flame. This 
perennial evergreen creeper grows in mat like 
formations. 

There are two different colors in this phlox planting. 
I had not seen the striking markings at the base of 
the petals before using the macro lens.

Flower for the Day 4-26 Tulip

This is a full bodied red. 

Flower for the Day 4-25 Tulip

Tulips in a muted red.

Flower for the Day 4-23 Tulip

Tulip colors are rich and deep.

 This one is called Ice Cream Sundae.

Flower for the Day 4-22 Tulips

This is tulip week. They are filling the front berm 
and are showing up in many other places. Since 
they are planted in the fall it is always a pleasant 
surprise to see where they arise.

Flower for the Day 4-19 Vinca major

Vinca major, also big leaf, large and blue periwinkle     

       
          covers the ground by the front porch.  The leaves are larger 
          and more leathery than vinca minor and have a yellow 
          coloring. It grew all winter this year and its large flowers 
          continued to bloom.  

Flower for the Day 4-18 Periwinkle in 2 Colors

Here is purple periwinkle, Vinca minor. Also lesser,
dwarf, and common periwinkle.  It is a very successful 
ground cover as it provides a dense carpet which 
suffocates weeds, never climbs surrounding trees and 
bushes, and stays green throughout the winter. 

Here is blue periwinkle which is much more common 
in my garden. It often blooms in both spring and fall.

Flower for the Day 4-16 Hyacinth

This loan yellow hyacinth returns every year for 
a brief but memorable visit.

Flower for the Day 4-15 Hyacinth

The awakening time of the year begins. Hyacinth was 
a youth who was killed accidentally by a discus thrown by

Apollo who immortalized the boy by transforming him into 
the flower. 

They are striking but only last a few weeks.

Flower for the Day 4-11 Spring and the Red Bud

Spring by Jim Harrison

Something new in the air today, perhaps the struggle of the bud

to become a leaf. ...

On a cool night there is a break from the struggle of becoming.

I suppose that's why we sleep. ...

We are encased and can't stray from the house of our bodies. 

I could say we are released, but I don't know, in our private 

night when our souls explode into a billion fragments then calmly 

regather in a black pool in the forest, far from the cage of flesh, the 

unremitting "I". 

This was a dream and in dreams we are forever alone walking the 

ghost road beyond our lives. Of late I see waking as another chance 

at spring.

"Spring" by Jim Harrison, from Songs of Unreason. Copper Canyon Press, 2011.

Printed without permission of the author.

Flower for the Day 4-9 Daffodils

The daffodils started blooming in mid February this year. 
They were doing well when we returned from Florida. On 
March 24 we had a snowstorm with 12 inches of heavy wet 
snow. The daffodils to the left of the base of the tree in the 
center of the picture were covered.

They lived but they were droopy.

Elsewhere in the yard they were exceptional.

FFTD Bonus 3-10 Snowy Plover

Young snowy plover. It is endangered because its

       habitat is disappearing. It scratches its nest into the

the sand and the human pressure on these nests is increasing.  It has herky jerky movement. It would take three or  steps and stop still and then repeat it. 

Flower for the Day 2-27 African Iris

Dietes iridioides  This African iris grows at The Moorings 
on Sanibel Island. It is also called Cape iris, Morea iris, and

Fortnight lily. The flower only lasts for one day.

Ode to Joy 4-8

We happily interrupt the flower parade with great news. At 10:00AM today
we have Classical Music back in St Louis. Our previous station went off the
three years ago and this morning a new station , 107.3 FM, has begun where it
left off by playing Beethoven's Ode to Joy. It is a joyful day for sure.

The Room #8 3-30

Wright City Meat Market Wright City, Missouri