Sat/Sun June 25/26

[Don]

Good morning all and welcome to the weekend. DW and I are planning on taking it easy today, although I have been outside trying to adjust one of the sprinkler system nozzles so that it will reach one of her Hydrangea plants. It is looking a bit poorly and I think it hasn't been getting enough water in these hot days. Hope we can save it because those things are not cheap to replace.

Nothing new to share today - I have a photo in mind that I want to try to get, but it is a bit of a drive to get there. I will probably wait on that one. I want to take my 4x5, my pinhole and my Mamiya 645 to give them all a work out.

[Man From Ironbark]

As with propagating roses, hydrangeas offer some options. You can root hydrangeas from "hardwood" cuttings taken in late fall or early winter when the year's new stems have grown firm and mature. But hardwood cuttings are slow and challenging to root.1 Most professional hydrangea growers use "softwood" cuttings, which root quickly and yield far better results.

Time your softwood propagation for late spring or early summer, when new stems first start to harden. In most regions, this happens between May and mid-July. At this stage, new hydrangea stems bend but snap off easily, and cuttings are predisposed to vigorous growth. A premium rooting hormone helps stimulate root development even more. https://www.gardentech.com/blog/how-to-g...m-cuttings

[Dave]

Good day gentlemen and all those who follow.

Another shot of one of the succulents in the front yard. (It's really not as dark as it may appear - I think the site's white background makes it appear darker)...

   

[Rich]

Greetings all!

Dave, well seen and exposed! Just enough light to fill in the shadows!

Went to our monthly City Band concert in the park Wednesday evening. The theme was Big Band. Was very good!

[damar]

Thanks for the weekend kick-off, Don!
You just described my hydrangeas situation to a T.
It's droopy and dry looking. I cut one of the only 3 blooms and
brought it inside to put in a vase. Yep ...perked right up.

Thank You MFIB for the tips on rooting hydrangea cuttings. I took cuttings last year and (I do have rooting hormone)
but I kept them in the basement and forgot about them.
I'll try again this year.
Don is right..they are not cheap.
Mine is out of range of the irrigation system and the regular garden hose. ( I need to join 2 hoses)

Hi Dave! That is an excellent succulent capture. I like the crop too.
Pretty color and details under a touch of light.
It's a winner!

Hi Rich!
That is a nice looking stage! Big Band sound sounds like fun!

See that pine tree to the right? yep...chainsaw time! LOL
Cool candid of the crowd!
Things look lush and green too.
Looks like a nice summer in SD!

Yesterday, the red tail hawk family was out flying around and screaming
(I'm not kidding, sometimes I get tired of hearing it...kinda like a rooster that never shuts up!)
They sometimes carry on for a few hours. I think they probably have their young out of the nest and 
this is just inter-family comms.

It was a long shot. (closely cropped) he is in the top of the leyland cypress in my front yard.

   

[Dreamin]

   

   

[Man From Ironbark]

One cucumber pollinated. On to the next one. Phew.

[damar]

Natalie, your Bee & Blossom photos are super! I love the bee in flight!
Your frames look good too!
MFIB: cute comment!

[Dreamin]

Thank you!  Peter, LOL!!! I saw about 8 cukes growing and once they come on, I'm going to have to eat a lot of cukes!  I did not plant pickling cucumbers. I did bread and butter canned last year and with only me eating them, I don't need any more.....and they grew funny anyway, all horse shoe shaped and bitter.......

   

[Luv2shoot]

Good Sunday morning all.

Wonderful image this weekend and thank you all for sharing.
Natalie, I took a photo of a zucchini blossom, the first one to bloom in my garden this year.  Unfortunately, there were no other blossoms so that that bloom could be fertilized.  they are pretty blooms and look very much like your beauty but much bigger. Of course, I am sure you know that. 

Natalie, I have been taking my cukes and slicing them into chunks and adding chopped tomatoes, olive oil, and a little garlic salt to make a really refreshing salad.  I can't wait till I get the tomatoes fresh from the garden.

Hey, Peter.

Patty,  When in Florida, sometimes there are bands of crows and they drive me crazy with the screaming.  I like how you got of a photo of the Hawk with its mouth wide open screaming its head off.  They is a good shot considering the distance and atmospheric interference, and of course, he was screaming so he wasn't perfectly still.

Dave, I am going to follow your lead (in a way).  I love your dimly lit succulent.  The lighting adds mood to your shot which is expertly cropped.  It is the red outline of each well-focused petal that makes it striking. Of course, the red and green combination adds a lot to the color composition.  It is a winner, Dave.

Rich, I would have enjoyed the BIG BAND concert.  It looked like a nice crowd but those bleachers must be quite uncomfortable seeing that people brought their comfortable lounge chairs to sit in.  I probably would have done the same.  It has to be fun to have so many events that you give you opportunities almost every weekend to take photographs. And we really enjoy them.


Yesterday I attended a memorial for a very close friend of mine.  There were 240 people in attendance!  The venue was at a beautiful historic golf course, Indianwood about 30 miles north of Detroit. The program included speeches given by friends and family. Great touching and funny stories were told as the gal lived life to the max and was such a fun, friendly and loving person. The program ended with an emotional finale when were directed to go outside on the patio overlooking the 18th green.  From below the rolling hills that lead up to the green appeared two bagpipers that walked up the hills playing AMAZING GRACE.  And when they were finished playing two additional tunes, they turned around walking down the hills until they disappeared from where they came.  That put many of us over the edge.

I made a rather large cake for the event, it was my friend's favorite flavor, Chocolate with chocolate icing.  It was not enough to feed 240 but the kitchen sliced it perfectly into thin slices (it is a rich cake) and I was amazed at how many plates of cake they brought out. 

After baking, decorating and the emotional event yesterday, I am taking the day off but not before I post this beautiful Candy Apple Red Packard. 

Enjoy your day and call a friend this week and tell them how much they mean to you. 
You know I feel that way about all of you , my FF friends.
Blessings to all,
LORELL