March 30, 2007
My neglected yard
I still haven’t gotten around to the yard work I said I was going to do the day I told you about my herbs. We’ve had a few rainy days, but mostly I’ve just been putting it off. I enjoy working out there and should make it a regularly scheduled habit as it used to be. Yesterday I took my new camera out to the front yard to see if there was anything worth sharing going on. The jade plant seems to thrive on my neglect, offering up its waxy, succulent version of shamrocks in plentitude.
The pikake outside the front gate has been barren for a few months, but I found several sevreal almost-ready buds and a few clusters of tight green buds still biding their time. The fragrance when they bloom will be overwhelming. One small blossom, which will be about as big around as a quarter, will sweeten an entire room for several days before turning into a dry brown ball of confetti.
The plumeria are equally fragrant, and between those and the pikake I’ll be living on benedryl again soon. I should chop down the plumeria, I know, and root out the pikake bush, but they bring me much joy despite my itchy eyes and sniffles. They also both make lovely leis, of course, though I don’t usually buy that sort, worrying that the person I’m gifting might suffer similarly.
The hard green nuts of the palm trees will open up into fluffy white clouds of tiny flowers. Their fragrance is strong also, but musky smelling rather than flowery. The bees love these, so I’ll be whacking off this stalk before it has a chance to realize its full beauty. Yep, I’m allergic to bees, too, and benedryl won’t help what they do to me.
Almost as soon as I noticed the moon in that last photo, the sun dropped down behind the roof of the house and the front yard began to dim and cool. The palms and plumeria keep it pretty cool in this corner for most of each day, but I was suddeny wishing for more clothing than my shorts and tee shirt about the time I took this picture. If you look closely at the palm frond arch at top center (click the picture to enlarge,) you’ll see some debris peeking through. A pair of doves nest here. Their eggs will hatch shortly before that frond drops off of the tree, and they’ll select one a little higher up for their next batch of young. I’ve been watching this happen for the last ten years and am still amazed by the accuracy of their natural timing.
A single plaintive bark called me back from my reverie. To the beagle, those lengthening shadows mean just one thing. It was time for me to put the camera away and scoop out some kibbles for my hungry boys.
Technorati Tags: life in Hawaii, gardening, plumeria, pikake, outdoors
Posted by skeet @ 7:38 pm • Photos, Home & Family
RSS feed for comments on this post.
TrackBack URI
March 30th, 2007 at 9:29 pm, Tricia Says:
I love seeing photos of plants in warmer climates. I can’t grow any of these plants so I’m more than a little bit jealous of you right now. Especially since many of your plants are about to flower! LOL
I’m allergic to bees too, and as you know I’m a gardener. It seems that it’s mostly bumble bees that enjoy my yard and they are pretty hard to make angry so I’m just careful when I’m puttering around in (literally!) my garden. No problems yet!
Love the new theme and the header too! Great job.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:53 pm, skeet Says:
Bumble bees are pretty harmless, but honey bees can be agressive and there are so many around the blossoms that it’s hard not to disturb one or two when working. My epi-pens have expired & the goo inside turned pink, so I’d be in a bad spot if I got stung anytime soon.
The most wonderful thing about all of these plants is that they’re self-sustaining in our tropical environment. I’m on the arid leeward coast and rarely remember to water, yet they thrive!
March 31st, 2007 at 3:30 pm, hyphen8 Says:
Love the new header, LOL!
I’ll have to check to see if it’s my non-standard browser, but some of the photos are coming out huge!
I think I like the one of the palm seeds though…
March 31st, 2007 at 4:47 pm, skeet Says:
My bad! I’ve reduced the size of the photos, but it’s just too many on one page & is still causing a very slow plage load, even though I took out two. Looking at a different way to add photos so that won’t happen in the future.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:55 pm, Shalini Says:
The Plumeria looks simply wonderful. Glad you decided not to take it down. I just love the symetry of the flowers and the fact that they have flowers all year round.
April 1st, 2007 at 10:59 am, Whim Says:
What beautiful pics! I feel your seasonal pain Skeet. I’ve had bad allergies since I was a kid. Here’s to breathing easy this spring!
April 1st, 2007 at 1:20 pm, Karen Says:
Very beautiful and interesting post. I love your new design on your blog.
April 1st, 2007 at 2:27 pm, hyphen8 Says:
I came to check and the new photos all look fine, but these are still huge. Oh well.
There’s a ti plant in the neighborhood that flowers periodically. I can’t even see it, but it drives my sinuses crazy. And when our mango tree is flowering…forget it. Close all the windows and run the fan. :s
April 1st, 2007 at 11:36 pm, skeet Says:
Shalini, I need to trim it back pretty drastically, because it’s starting to overhang the neighbor’s drive way & I don’t want it to annoy him. But, no, I’m just not ready to take it down. The roots are huge though, and a neighbor’s plumeria roots did some serious road damage before any of us noticed. I’ll have to take it out when the ground starts to bulge, sigh!
Whim, yeah, maybe this is the year we’ll outgrow our allergies, haha!
Mahalo, Karen! There’s still some work going on behind the scense, but I’m liking it a lot already!
Oh, 8! did you have to remind me? Mango pollen and the juice from the fruit (eats my skin like acid!) I’ll have to send you the link to the post I did when my ti bloomed last time. Sick, sick, sick!
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 pm, hyphen8 Says:
I do eat mangoes (some kinds anyway) but I’m careful who I offer them to. I was once told that they’re related to poison ivy. I don’t know if that’s true but a lot of people have allergic reactions - and supposedly it’s a bad idea to burn mango wood because of the fumes.