A Little Garden in which to walk...

We had heard a lot about the Cummer Museum Garden and one day looking for something to photograph we grabbed our cameras and set off.

The garden is the combination of adjoining estates owned by two millionaire brothers from the turn of the century who donated the property to the museum. What we discovered is an area dedicated to quiet repose that overlooks the St. Johns River. As usual, click each photo for a better view.

The entrance above has the look of going into a secret garden loaded with plants, fountains, and pergolas. I'm certain the brothers took their inspiration from gardens they saw in Europe as that was the trend at the time to make the voyage there and recreate items seen once you returned.

A closer view of the little fountain that sits in the middle of the walk.

This part of Florida is known for it's growth of oak trees and this one really impressed. It has stood for a millennium, and in the process of venerable growth the limbs have stretched in unbelievable shapes and directions. They not only reach to the sky but cover the ground. We both stood in awe because it is a fantastic sight.

Under one of the pergolas I saw this vase that created the perfect mood of being in Italy rather than Florida.

And the berries attached to the vine provided the perfect play of light to create a great shot.

This fountain made a leisurely afternoon of listening to the fall of water and the view of the river very enjoyable. We went later in the afternoon just before dark and we could understand how walking here could remove all the stress of the day for the financial titans.

This gargoyle was one of my favorites. It gives a sense of malevolence that seems to stare out at you.

I also find it strange that the side view which offers more detail does not seem as threatening.

And talk about a place for peaceful contemplation. This little pond has a raised seat that allows a great view. This shot was taken with the idea that this is what you would see if you were sitting on that concrete bench.

Another of my favorite shots is this little fountain with a branch of the big oak suspended above it and a little boy among the plants. The sculpture is so life like I at first thought it was a real child playing in the flowers. It is such a charming view that you almost think you are a secret observer of a quiet moment.

And finally a real stolen moment: I saw this young woman quietly resting near a branch of the same great oak and it seemed like the perfect way to end the day.

Round up The Usual Suspects...

I don't know about the rest of the country but March went out like a lamb here in Florida. In a couple of days we went from early Spring to Summer lite and 75 degrees! As always, click each photo for a better view.

The usual suspects have returned to my bird feeder. The backyard bully woodpecker has not changed his ways, and despite being much too large for the feeder, still drives the other birds away and finds a way to eat his fill.

I saw this little miss through a window doing what I call "Cardinal watch." She sat there patiently and allowed me to take as many pictures as I wanted. That is why I call it Cardinal watch because she was not disturbed by my presence, highly unusual, which let me know she regarded the area as her territory.

The garden has begun to come to life. I cheated a little and bought two tomato plants I thought would keep me busy while I waited for the others to grow from seeds.

Both already have blooms and small tomatoes.

The squash too have come to life. Notice how dark the soil is. I always find it amazing that you could almost throw the seeds on the ground here and life would burst from it.

And so, the vision of becoming a backyard gardener is quickly moving from dream to wonderful reality. Can standing with a pitchfork in front of the garden doing "Single American Gothic" be far off?


I was listening to a gardening program on the radio the other day, and the guy giving advice casually stated that tomatoes are generally the gateway drug into full blown gardening. I confess! I have planned and planted so much I am ready to go into rehab... But, before I check myself in I still need to buy and plant onions around my crop as a natural method of keeping pests away. I'm raising my right hand and promise rehab after that!!!

The Promise of Spring...

It is the day before the official first day of Spring and I am enjoying a warm, beautiful day. I love this time of year... everything seems to be waking up from the long sleep of Winter.

Even Daddy has shaken off his ground hog status and is planning his next conquest at the Senior Center. And so I thought it only fitting to give you an update on all the doings as the backyard once again comes back to life and I can enjoy, for a few months at least, why I moved to Florida. As always, click each photo for a better view.

Long before the official date the trees somehow knew that it was time and I could see buds. It feels nice most days now to sit on the pergola and watch the leaves develop almost like butterflies coming out of a cocoon.

My old nemesis, the dark spooky tree, that was tamed last year is still there but not much of a threat now.

in fact, so much light now comes through that I decided to make a small garden out of that corner of the backyard. Daddy says I am ambitious in that I have planted all kinds of vegetables to the point of making myself a full time farmer, but I think it will be fun to just go in the backyard and pick food from the ground. I will provide regular updates as it progresses.

The birds have also decided to return and it feels reassuring to hear either the tapping of a woodpecker or the cooing of a pair of wild doves that have taken up residence.

Daylight Saving Time now gives me time in the evenings to enjoy a glass of wine and ponder the plants that did not survive the hard winter,

the flowers that are blooming everywhere (even if they are weeds),













and yes, JLBO, even the makings of the afternoon barbecue!














That is truly the promise of Spring and what looks like a lot of work this Summer...

Dancing with Avocados

All my friends tell me I have a green thumb but I just like the work of making something grow. As long as I can remember I have always had plants around me. I’m one of those people who gets a cutting from something and then begins to grow them like mad. This is where the green thumb part comes in because plants seem to respond to my touch. All kinds of plants! In fact, the only plant that has refused to fall under my spell are African Violets. They are a rather high strung lot and despite lots of care have consistently resisted the pull of my caress so I stir clear of them. Everything else if fair game.

I like avocados but Alex loves them and probably if given a choice would eat nothing else. One day recently I decided to try my hand at growing them. Alex gave me a million reasons why they would not grow but I pressed ahead anyway.

As always click each photo for a better view.

First comes the rooting

The rooting process is pretty straightforward in that you should first eat an avocado and save the seed. No problem there... Let the seed dry out and next suspend it in a glass of water with toothpicks.

This little beauty is almost ready to go. I found out that in order to get fruit (an avocado) you have to have at least two trees so I have several in various stages of sprouting.

After about two to three weeks if lucky and patient you will begin to see signs of life sprout out through the top of the seed. You almost feel it is a chick trying to break free from an egg and you should provide encouragement.

Dirt and growth

Little by little the sprout works its way out of the seed. Once it does it is time to place it in dirt. I know this is going to sound strange but at this point you want to slow growth. The leaves at the top should be pinched back to allow the trunk to get strong and hardy, otherwise it will grow too fast and become stringy. The stringy part is important because they don't like wind.

While growing these I learned all Hass avocado trees are descended from a single "mother tree" that was raised by a mail carrier named Rudolph Hass, of La Habra Heights California. He patented the tree in 1935.





The makings of a tree
Following the pinching stage the plant begins to get stronger and stronger, and once the trunk is strong enough the plant will override the pinching process and sprout more leaves to get taller.

It is truly a sight to behold as the tree gets bigger and bigger. And, true to form Alex asked me to grow one for him. He is now the proud owner of the beginnings of an avocado tree. I will keep you updated as we grow our avocado farm. If we only get a few avocados it will be well worth it because I learned in some cultures they are considered aphrodisiacs and contain 60 percent more potassium per ounce than bananas. Is this a great fruit or what?

Next stop... Jackfruit!