Hello everyone! Aren't things warming up a bit in Arkansas? Well, while your baking in the hot sun, my tomatoes are staying cool in the garden. Since I don't have room for much in my tiny garden, I have planted my tomatoes a bit too close together. They may seem a bit crowded, but with the right pruning job they will be just fine. I've also planted them near a fence to help with support rather than dealing with those circular wire frames. 
Have you heard of a rice-paper plant or rice-paper tree or Tetrapanax papyrifer? It's a wonderful specimen that adds great foliage interest to the garden. At the corner of my house there was once a Lonicera maackii - needless to say, I chopped that down with a axe made from the fires in hell. (*Hint* If you paint a coat of roundup on the stump it wont come back.) After the Amur honeysuckle was removed, I installed the rice-paper plant as a replacement. Once established the plant will mostly take care of itself. It will grow into a nice mounding screen; however, it will die back to the ground in the winter in Arkansas. It might be possible that southern Arkansas might get away with having it year-round. Before you think that you want one, keep in mind that this plant loves to spread from the base. Many of my colleagues are against having the rice-paper plant in their garden, but I've always been pretty rebellious when it comes to following the crowd.
Another little accent to my garden is Polemonium pauciflorum aka. Hickley's polemonium - I like to call it skunk plant, because the foliage smells horrific, which I think is terrific! By the way, its flowers are nice too.
It's the summer! People enjoy relaxing in the shade next to a cool, clean pool with an ice cold summer drink. I believe that was my father's idea a few weeks ago as he stepped out onto the veranda and mosied on over to his large, green umbrella. It never occurred to him that he would disturb the rest of a peaceful creature. As soon as he popped open his shade providing machine... "AHHHHH! A BAT!" Then he screamed for his wife, "Chotsie, there's a bat! Help." After careful review of the pictures, I have no idea what kind of bat this is. Could it be the very rare Small-footed Bat? I just don't know.
My roommate Stephen Steward rescued a torn cocoon from the University of Arkansas farm over the winter. He brought it home and wrapped it in toilet paper, then placed it in our refrigerator. Stephen took it out a few months later and let it warm. It was pretty disgusting to witness my roommate pet a giant pupa. The abdomen would rotate in counterclockwise as he cuddled with the dark brown thing. Anyway, last week I noticed something strange in our mailbox - it was the cecropia moth! She had emerged from the cocoon and was ready to spread her wings and fly! (I have no idea how she got in the mailbox.) Minutes later, I realized that her wings were not unfolding and drying. It seems that I had discovered the moth too late, and she would not recover. However, she did do something very strange. I believe she laid an egg, but I'm not sure how that is possible considering that she did not find her mate.
Notice the egg
The White River, at the Twin Bridges location, is churning with female white bass. Anglers were leaving the area with pounds and pounds of bass on their stringers. They were fishing with live minnow bait in deeper parts of the river.
Silvia and I attempted to do some fishing; however, the bait shops had all closed and the Twin Bridges location was over crowded. After enjoying some awesome fried chicken, we headed towards Huntsville with no destination in mind. Eventually, we ended up south of Huntsville on Hwy. 23. It was a very private area - calm and quiet. We caught a Redeye bass and some hybrid bass that I have not been able to identify.
We shot many photos while we where there. I compiled some of the photos to create this animation:
The Horticulture Club, University of Arkansas, had their plant sale this past Saturday. The members and I worked hard all year. We grew some pretty great plants! Anyway, I thought I would share some photos.
Last week, my neighbor Amanda says, "John, I have to show you something." She seems so excited, like she has found a stash of gold or jewels. I follow her to a flower bed covered with rotting leaves. She points and tells me to scan the shaded area - morels! What a find! These are very rare, very delicious mushrooms (not to be confused with false morels which can be deadly). The reason they are so rare is because they are difficult to culture. Why is it difficult? Morels have a unique life cycle compared to most other fungi. To learn more click here.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
I returned to Artist Point near Mountainburg, Arkansas to search for the Galearis spectabilis - common name: Showy Orchis. Two years ago, I noticed this plant nestled in the lush moss only a foot or so away from the walking path. I wanted to revist the location the following year to catch the bloom so that I would be able to correctly identify the plant. I failed again. Up until recently, I promised myself to be on time - I would not miss the flower a third time! Sunday as I searched desperately to find the orchid, my mind began to wonder if something had happened: poachers, harsh weather, pollution, physical damage by fallen trees or animals. Having given up, I began to accend up the hillside when I noticed a familiar location next to a young Beech tree. My eyes focused on a little clump of dead orchids. Something did happen, but I am not sure what killed the Showy Orchis.
While in the area, I spotted some of nature's intricate designs:
We even decided to stop by the recently completed Lake Fort Smith and see how the fish were doing.
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