Mold

We moved a large hardwood log in the backyard. I'm fairly certain it was oak. Well, actually I didn't move the log. My brother was visiting so I said something like "You know all about cutting down trees and stuff so how should I move a large log?"

So he moved it. That was so nice of him! It was a good thing the log didn't take long to move because I forgot he had a sprained ankle.



When my brother rolled the log over, we saw the strangest, velvety blue mold on one side. The brightnesss of the blue was startling.

I have no idea what kind of mold that is. Too bad I don't know how to find out. What if it's good for curing some kind of rare disease?



There's mold growing on the outside of the terra cotta pots on the deck now. I was going to wash it off when my expert gardner mom told me people pay money to get a pot that looks like that. They even buy paint to FAKE the mold on it. Honestly. And there I was, about to scrub off all that unsightly, slimey stuff. Go figure.

Frog

It's been ages since I posted. Every day I spend a little time with the roses and deck plants. Alas, the plants were neglected while I was on vacation so the petunias and geraniums took a serious hit. Several are now dead.

I cut some of the petunias way back, almost to dirt level and some are rallying, some are still just a stick.

This morning I had my nose in the geranium while removing dead leaves. I better pay attention more next time.




If the frog hadn't moved an eye, I would have missed him altogether.

[Click on the photos for a bigger version.]












The other day I was working on the deck for about an hour, watering and pruning. Then I went in the house and cleaned my bedroom for a while. After 30 or so minutes of cleaning, I sat on the edge of the bed with pen and journal to write something. I was writing for a couple minutes when PLOP!!! a huge grasshopper dropped off the top of my head right onto my paper. GASP!!! I covered it with a shirt and finished my writing.

What chills me is pondering the fact that the grasshopper was on my head at least 30 minutes. Am I getting so old that I can't feel a grasshopper on my head? If I had not noticed the frog, and he jumped, would I be walking around with a frog on my head? How long till I noticed? Would I care?

I like his yellow spots.