Tuesday, June 11, 2013

"PROFUSION OF EASTER LILIES"

 "Lilium longiforum"
Is called "Easter Lily"
only in the United States.
I was trying to figure out what was on the left of the lilies...the grill. I was thinking that was a monster on top but just realized it is the grill scraper! WHEW!
This native of Japan first began to be marketed in the U. S.
as Easter Lily in the 1930s.
And aren't we glad it was!!
These beautiful lilies don't even bloom at Easter.
Except in hot houses.
They bloom here in mid May.
Every Easter lily I have received, for years,
has been planted in my garden.
For years the deer have eaten every one that I planted.
That all changed when we fenced a small portion
of our yard, a few years ago.
 About three years ago, 
after spending Easter 
in Nashville, Tennessee,
we stopped at our local Kroger
for the obligatory bread and milk
before arriving home.
There was a cart by the door
filled with dead or dying Easter Lilies.
I pushed that cart right into the store,
and added my bread and milk.
I checked out with twelve shriveled plants
that were definitely on their last leg stalk.
A few hiding on the other side of the grill
I have since been blessed with the profusion
of Easter Lilies you see here!
I hope you enjoyed seeing them.
~~~~
I have been MIA for a while. I have been trying to do some catch up work in the yard before it gets so hot here. Tomorrow's heat index is supposed to by 105+ so this is what I have been doing.
 Some of you may know that we have Formosa Azaleas planted around the foundation of our home. They were about chest high on me.
 They really don't need to be that large around a foundation and 
 it was an error on our part. Since they only bloom on new growth they will just get larger and larger is left unchecked. Since there are about sixty surrounding the foundation we can't move them.

The fence is four feet tall so that gives you an idea of the height of these azaleas. We do enjoy letting them grow unfettered in open spaces. This is their natural tendency. These have been left alone for more than twenty-five years.
Our solution? We cut the ones near the house back every few years, they come back quickly and will have beautiful blossoms in the spring. However, in the midst of my yard work, I came across this little fellow.
Now you know why I was freaked out by the scraper on the grill!!
He was drinking water off the plastic. I saw him a couple of times over the next couple of days and remarked to  Bob that I had a pet snake.

One morning I was looking out our bathroom window and saw him scampering across the straw. I had never seen him move quickly and looked to see what was up. He was in a confrontation with two, YES TWO, green snakes just about his size. One of the green snakes was aggressive toward my pet.
WELL, I am here to tell you, ONE little snake is a pet. Three,  and they are suddenly the enemy!!!  NO, I didn't kill them, but my next pet definitely will have four legs!
~~~~~
So that's what I have been doing. What have you been doing?
Please leave a  comment and be sure to come back, I will be posting a giveaway next week.


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I will be partying here, please join me.
What's It Wednesday 
Outdoor Wednesday 
Crafty Spices's Wordless Wednesday 
Thursday Favorite Things Bloghop 
Open House Party Thursday 





19 comments:

Tess Maxey said...

Loves it and I feel for you on the heat! Those snakes would definitely be making a trip somewhere and the further the better!!

The French Hutch said...

Your Easter Lilies are beautiful. Mine are blooming now too but we’ve had so much rain they are turning brown and beginning to droop. I see the monster too, looks like a tiny gator! I’m glad it’s only the rill scraper........

~Emily
The French Hutch

The Polka Dot Closet said...

OMG I hate snakes, I jumped at the screen...YIKKES! Now, the lilies, are lovely, you know I haven't seen any in Olrando, I wonder if they grow here?

Carol

~~louise~~ said...

What beautiful Lilies Ginger! I love rescuing plants. I've kinda made it a hobby of mine. Just the ones in the garden centers and stores though. It seems I draw a blank when it comes to the plants in my garden.

I agree three is not a pet! I recently spied the rabbit eating what is left of my carnations Won't have any of those this year.

I too have been missing from the blogging world. I've recently returned after a seven month hiatus. It sure is good to be back!!! I posted about my return here.

Thank you so much for sharing...stay cool. We'll be having rain, again!!! Louise

Dee ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️ said...

Oh I adore lilies! I have pink ones in bloom in my front garden. Yours are beautiful Ginger :)

Pat M said...

Ginger, your flowers are always lovely! Easter Lilies are my favorite. I used to buy one for my Mom every year. Now I get one for me and remember her everytime I get a whiff of their wonderful fragrance.
Thanks for sharing...hope all's well in your neck of the woods!
Hugs,
GraceinAZ (Pat)

Barbara F. said...

Love your stunning white lilies, Ginger! But the snakes, ewww not so much! xo

Chatty Crone said...

Ginger - I love your lilies and other beautiful flowers - but those snakes - no! lol
sandie

Unknown said...

Wow your little friend is very long Ginger. I do not like snakes, never have and never will. Not that I don't appreciate what they do mind you. You're lilies and azaleas are beautiful. I hate to see people try to shape azaleas in squares are balls. They are so much more beautiful in their natural state but yes you have to cute them back are they can just overtake a home when planted near the foundation.

I've been thinking of you a lot. I hope Bob is feeling better and that you're doing well too. I'm dreading tomorrow's heat as well and plan on staying indoors. I've enjoyed having the high temps stay away this long but now the humidity and temps are coming on with a vengeance. Maybe the cold front, said sarcastically, will stick around. I think the temps are going to drop by 5 degree's this weekend. lol.

Hugs… Tracy@CottonPickinCute

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Ginger,
Your Easter lilies are a feast for the eye and you were kind and smart for adopting them at near death stage! Rewards keep coming...
As for your snakes, that sure is scary and we certainly don't want to provide shelter to them near the basement of the home!
Lovely photos and hope you will be able to enjoy things now a bit calmer. We still have to attack our garden; we've been so busy with the inside. Pieter is working at the balcony and I will do the happy dance once all is DONE!
Hugs,
Mariette

Suzy said...

Oh my - 105? I don't blame you for trying to get your yard work done now while you can! Do you know that you're the first person that I know who actually plants their Easter lilies? Not sure why - maybe they don't survive the winters in NC. Or the more likely reason is that my head stays under the perpetual rock! Anyway, yours are glorious! And your bank of azaleas is to die for!

Beverly said...

I totally agree with you, Ginger. More than one is too many.

Your lilies are gorgeous! Great Kroger shopping led to beautiful blooms.

Curtains in My Tree said...

I miss my azaleas from the south seems they are always so much larger and fuller in the southern states, I lived in Paducah Kentucky several years and they are beautiful there

I haven'y forgot about the footed punch bowl etc

bj said...

Beautiful flowers, Ginger.
Yes, it's getting awfully hot here, too, and so so DRY. We, as always, need some good rains.

bj said...

Beautiful flowers, Ginger.
Yes, it's getting awfully hot here, too, and so so DRY. We, as always, need some good rains.

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

Ginger, you have the most gorgeous flowers!...I remember "your island" being so beautiful during azalea season...and hate snakes, but I understand that the black ones eat mice, etc...but still..so creepy!

Babs said...

I didn't know that about Easter lilies. I have one that needs to go in the ground, if I ever find a place for it. Your azaleas are gorgeous, and it's good that they bloom on new wood. The little snake is like the ones I see around here, except they usually have little holes in them, from the cats catching them and leaving them as a "gift".

Diane | An Extraordinary Day said...

I too, have planted Easter lilies after the fact and enjoyed them in my garden. They are a treat. When I was growing up my parents had a large ring of them around their grassy circle. They are a treat to see.
As far as that snake goes...you know there just can't be one. [wink]
Oh...and those azaleas are stunning. I think it really is a lovely problem with a simple solution. Though...a bit of work, no doubt.
Stay cool!!!

Marlis said...

Ginger, your lilies are gorgeous. I wish we had had some this year. The late freeze or early warm temps messed up many blooms! xo marlis

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