Sunflower Serendipity

Weeks and weeks ago i transplanted a 3" tall volunteer sunflower seedling from between stones on the Stone Patio to the Kitchen Garden, about ten feet away. It has since thrived and shot up to over 6'. Four days ago I settled sunflower seeds into vermiculite-filled soy yogurt cups and gave them a good soak. This afternoon, the first flowerhead on the Volunteer is unfolding just as the Yogurt Cup guys are emerging. The YC sunflowers I started especially for my son and his fiance's September wedding...I'll try to communicate ( to the seedlings ) the importance of timing their blooming to the wedding date, and see what happens :>
I also started some Morning Glories a few weeks ago and now have those in the ground and in a big pot...they have really taken off in the last day, with the heat ( and extra water)...Heavenly Blue...wonderfully cool crisp , fraglie flowers. The unexpected pleasure of re-using the yogurt cups over and over ...tomatoes, Cardinal Climbers ( up to 9 feet today, but no blossoms yet ), MGs, Sunflowers... has been fun. They're the perfect size, and with little slits cut into their bottoms, they soak up water from tubs, and drain off nicely.
I've been seeing a few 2" long Praying Mantis' energetically skipping among the tomato plants...hope they're finding lots to eat ! I rescued a 3/4" brown one from the kitchen counter the other day ...not sure how he got there, but I was so happy to get him/her out the door undamaged.
I've put off posting this till the sunflower seedlings were big enought to show...and here they are ! The tall leafy vine in the Silk cup is one of the Morning Glories, still waiting to get planted. As you can see, there are several brands of soy yogurt available... Trader Joe's , Whole Soy, Stonyfield and Silk are represented here. Not seen is the Wildwood brand, which has the advantage of coming in the quart size, unsweetened and unflavored...very nice to have on hand for uses other than the morning's first bite ! Some grocery stores carry a few brands, some carry none...you do have to do your homework to stay staocked up as a vegan !

Summer Solstice Afternoon

What better way to end the longest day of the year than with a double rainbow ? Our next door neighbor alerted us to the gorgeous event unfolding outside our door, off to the south east. Too bad the rainbow doesnt offer any magical properties to the cows and calves on the farm, such as exemption from ending theirs lives as living , breathing beings and going to slaughter, but still...what a beautiful sight.

A June Wedding

On June 9th my amazing daughter and her wonderful man got married up at Cooper's Rock State Park. This is the rock that they got married on...it is not THE Cooper's Rock, but a fabulous rock nonetheless ! It's hard to tell how large it is without people around it, but I'd say from the ground to the level part by the ferns, where they took their vows, is a good 10 feet or so. The weather was perfect,this after thunderstorms and drenching rains moved in the evening before. The Bride and Groom wanted a casual ceremony with "a picnic in the woods" sort of theme, which suited them perfectly. I love how they did just what they wanted and didn't sweat all the silly details and expectations created by various religious notions or the very wasteful and profitable Wedding Industry. They've started their life together with care, honesty ....and a nice piece of land to build on !

Summer Solstice

Here it is, the longest day of 2007 already ! This is the view from our front yard, practically. It was taken at about 5:45 this morning. The light plays over it all day, a constantly changing show. The seasons work their magic, also...fog, snow, rain , even the amount of humidity in the air all create very different effects.

It overlooks a "calf and cow" farm...I think that's what it's called....pasture impregnated beef cows on these rolling hills, let them calve and keep the young ones with their mothers for a few months and then it's off to a " finishing" process for the young ones while their mothers stay , graze and grow wide with the next calf developing inside her. I read somewhere that that cycle goes on for 5 or 6 years for the mother cow and then she herself is sent off for slaughter. I can see how people have a hard time connecting the contented looking animals they see out in the sunny pastures, to the meat industry as a whole. They never see the fear, pain and suffering endured by the animals in transport to and at the industrial slaughterhouses that turn living, breathing sentient creatures into sanitized steaks, burgers , leather, dog food and so on.

This morning while walking with two friends ( and all of our dogs ) we walked by another such pasture, only this one was empty but for one very young calf all alone, not another cow or calf in sight in the acres and acres of fenced fields. He could not have been more than a few weeks old. He stared and stared at us, about 15 feet away, unsure what to do. WE weren't sure what to do...and as we moved off , he just hung his head and slowly wandered off, stumbling a bit. My heart about broke...he's given up already ? Where are the other cows, where's his mother ?! About that time a truck drove by that we flagged down and pointed out the calf. Luckily it was one of the men who work with the cows and he was going to take care of the situation. He said that they had moved them all to another pasture yesterday and this little guy must have gotten separated. I'm happy in one way...the little calf will be reunited with his mother and won't starve , he gets to live on to.... make it to the...slaughterhouse and become...just...another piece..of...meat. Oh.
While going vegan and taking oneself out of the meat-eating loop does make you feel good about not participating in an incredibly cruel and unnecessary industry, it doesn't lessen the heartache felt for the animals having to live their lives out as resources, commodities or entertainment. I think it actually heightens the emotion. Advocating for the animals, speaking up for them, is about the only thing that really lessens the pain and anger on this end, for me , anyway. Not that calling attention to the stranded calf was advocacy ( that was just common sense )...I mean leafleting and supporting vegan efforts to raise consciousness of the cruelty of animal agriculture.

Wrens

This Carolina Wren was furiously stuffing this decorative bee skep with grasses...he ( she ? ) seemed to be in a BIG hurry. I think I saw another one flitting in and out of the shrubs. This skep is on our front porch, just sitting on a table. I don't mind them moving in, but I worry that it is not such a great place...in fact, the cats ( two ) could just reach right in, really. I think I'll move the whole thing up...maybe hang it in the corner of the porch. There is also a pair of house Wrens out back...raising a second wave of wrenlets in a Bluebird house hanging in the Wisteria. Early eviction of House Sparrows ( removed nest ) back in April seemed to send the Sparrows on their way,and then I left the door open...didnt want ot keep clearing out HS nests ! But then J closed the House back up, and within two days the House Wrens took charge. I'd heard that you can have multiple wrens in your yard, they just need to not see each other. So front and back yard territories seem to suit these couples just fine.
A friend, Laureen, and I monitored the Bluebird boxes out at BRCES this morning. She was really great to have along, unafraid to get dirty and intensely curious, as is requisite of all of us amateur naturalists :) She did most of the work...unscrewing the door, looking or gently feeling for babies or eggs. We saw some VERY young , naked babies. The tiny nubs of wings; wrinkled, pot-bellied translucent bodies and gigantic bulging still-sealed up eyes seem far to frail to digest still-kicking robust insects caught by the parents and stuffed down their throats...yet they not only manage, but thrive. Amazing.
We also saw a Northern Oriole, a Worm-Eating Warbler and several Indigo Buntings. The birds were all pretty quiet, perhaps because of a big Scout Training event with Wood Badge.
Zillions of gnats swarmed around us , but none of them bit ( thank you Gnats ! )
What a great start to June !