Solitude

"When from our better selves we have too long
Been parted by the hurrying world, and droop,
Sick of its business, of its pleasures tired,
How gracious how benign, is Solitude."
William Wordsworth

Congrats! Two of Your Photos Appear In ...

Wednesday, March 28

“Old News” alert!  This post falls under the ‘blast from the not-so-distant past’ category.

In August , I learned that two of the photos I had submitted for a Fodor’s contest were selected for publication in the seventh edition of their guide book for Turkey.  Here’s the post I wrote at the time in Two to Travel, our non-RV travel adventures blog:

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What a wonderful surprise! I open my email and find a message from Fodor’s that starts out as noted in the title of the post.  This is all a result of a photo contest I entered on the Fodor’s website.

The content of the email is short, but sweet: “Congrats!  Two of your photos appear in Fodor’s Turkey, which came out last month.  One on page 220 (horse-drawn carriage) and one on page 188 (Temple of Trajan).  I apologize that it has taken me so long to connect with you.  We’d like to send you a complimentary copy. ...”

Unless the copy Fodor’s is sending me arrives in the next couple of days, I’ll have to wait until we return from our trip to the Canadian Rockies to see my photos in print.  In the meantime, here are the two photos in question.

Temple of Trajan — Pergamum

The ruins of the ancient city of Pergamum are located in the modern-day Turkish city of Bergama.  The Temple of Trajan was built to honor the Roman Emperor by the same name and dates back to somewhere between AD 100-130.  It is the one structure at the Acropolis of Pergamum that does not date back to the city’s Hellenistic period.  Visit my Favorites — Fairy Chimneys & More gallery for more images from my 2007 trip to Turkey.

“Fayton” in Gündoğdu Square — Alsancak, İzmİr

I came across the horse carriage on an early morning walk along “Kordon,” the waterfront promenade in İzmir.  I have many fond memories of riding these buggies as a child.  They were a fun and convenient mode of transport for us ... these buggies are now primarily a tourist attraction.  The monument in the background is “Cumhuriyet Ağacı Anıtı” (Republic Tree Monument).  It was erected to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Turkey becoming a republic.  The top portion represents Atatürk and the Turkish cavalry fighting the War of Independence.  The reliefs carved on the marble base depict scenes associated with Turkey becoming a republic.  I like the contrast of having something from my childhood in the same photograph with something that didn’t exist back then.  Visit my Favorites — Ruins & Memorials gallery for more images from my trip to Turkey.

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So, why am I re-posting old news?

It was my intent at the time to scan the actual pages from the Fodor’s guide book and publish them in another post.  Well, somehow life intervened.  I got immersed in blogging about our Canadian Rockies adventure after we returned from our trip.  Then, one thing led to another and I never got around to scanning the pages.

A few days ago, as I was looking through what books to put in storage, I came across the guide book again.  It will likely not make the cut, so I thought I’d better scan the pages before it was too late.

Oh, and the two complimentary guide books I received in addition to the one on Turkey … I chose South America and Africa … both of which are on our must-return list for future travel.

Bloom Day & Genealogy

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??
Maybe you recognized that line as a riff on the recent family history series "Who Do You Think You Are?" It was fun to see Twitter-friend Megan Smolenyak on the show, helping celebrities find out answers to mysteries of their family's past. My time and brain cells have been devoted more to genealogy than to gardening lately - and until last night's blessed 2-inches of rain fell, the gardening mostly consisted of watering.
Somehow old records suddenly appeared, solving some puzzles while sprinkling new question marks all over the charts.
Some of the findings are fun: A previously unknown great-grand-aunt appeared out of thin air on the Zoelle branch! Researching this name has produced such variations as Zolle, Zolla, Zoller, Zello, Seller & Colley.
Some of the findings are disturbing: so many death certificates had forms of tuberculosis as the cause of death that I started reading about its effects on Chicago in the late 1800's-early 1900's. Now I'm feeling emotionally overwhelmed with sympathy for my poor immigrant ancestors, many of them born before TB was recognized as infectious rather than an inherited tendency. Logic and reason remind me this happened so long ago that they'd all be dead by now... even without consumption to carry them off...how is it possible to mourn for and with people you never knew?
Enough of Family Trees for now! It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, begun by May Dreams Carol. Even in that relationship genealogy comes into play... I first found Carol in a web search- not through her garden blog, but at her Grandmother's Diary.
In other months my GBBD posts may feature plants that will only grow where winters are comparatively mild - Texas mountain laurel, Carolina jessamine, White ginger or bluebonnets.But sometimes a vignette like this one looks quite similar to some place 1200 miles away and a dozen years ago.
This little reblooming daylily, a recross of 'Stella d'Oro' called 'Vi's Apricot', used to flower in Illinois -
But it bloomed in July rather than May, and never at the feet of a 'Meyer's Improved' lemon tree!
Tomato blossoms are beautiful no matter where or when they bloom.

Calibrachoa and green beans are pretty universal, aren't they?
The so-called Ditch Lily (Hemerocallis fulva) really did grow in roadside drainage ditches in Illinois. It was so common that I didn't bother to bring a piece with me to Texas. It's been nearly 11 years since I saw one blooming but thanks to Good and Evil Lori this Wisconsin-born orange daylily opened flowers today.
And thanks to the inspiration of MSS of Zanthan Gardens, the daylilies opened with a cloud of 'Royal Wedding' sweet peas above them
In Illinois the yellow rose would have been 'Graham Thomas' instead of 'Julia Child', the pine was a dwarf Mugho Pine instead of an Italian Stone Pine and the pale purple bells of Mexican Oregano would never survive winter, but the vine in the background would be the same -a Clematis 'Ramona' eventually shows up in all my gardens, no matter where we live.
So does the light yellow daylily, Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns' - here with other old favorites blue larkspur, yarrow Achillea 'Moonshine', yellow snapdragons and Salvia farinacea. The main difference in this scene versus one in Illinois is that the rocks are free in Texas!
If I see a beloved plant from the past on the distressed/sale table there's a good chance I'll try to grow it here. This Oakleaf Hydrangea followed me home from Countryside Nursery last winter

But before anyone calls the Reality Police and tells them to stage an intervention, here is proof that I really do know where I am. This is Austin, Texas, where Salvia 'Black & Blue' grows like a weed
Where exotic fruits like Pineapple Guava are used as garden shrubs

And tender fruit trees like 'Wonderful' Pomegranate live through the winter and bloom
Where 'Celeste' figs grow uncovered and unprotected as landscape elements

Where a fragrant double yellow Oleander from Plant Delights
Combines with fragrant white Confederate jasmine
And a fragrant white 'Little Gem' magnolia to scent the air and make one feel like a superannuated Scarlet O'Hara
Austin is a place where odd lilies like Eucomis copy pineapples
A Justicia pretends to be a Shrimp
And Cuphea llaevea mimics a Bat's face
Where Pam's passalong Aloe can survive hail and cold in the shelter of a holly tree to bloom in the shade
Where wildflowers like Texas Paintbrush can be picked up at local nurseries to grow as container plants on the patio (last year's plants even seeded in the front lawn!)
And where the tender Rosa Mutabilis that I once sighed over in out-of-zone gardening books elbows out every other plant in the front border
Here's one more look at the 'Royal Wedding' Sweet peas, caught a few days ago as the sun came through their petals in early morning light. The seeds came from the Natural Gardener - a little gift when we bought our second rainbarrel last winter.

Happy Blooming Day! Celebrate by checking out the gardens linked to the GBBD post at May Dreams Gardens. Soon I'll get a list together of everything in bloom with botanical names at Annie's Addendum.
(The GBBD List is now up)

Colour!

When a walk by the sea offers only shades of grey disappearing into the west - the wall of Hopeman harbour, Burghead on its promontory, and the hills of the Black Isle, all under a fine, small rain - you take any colour you can get.


The green of these seaweed-covered rocks recalls the lush grass of May.
Below, a burn running down to the sea brings out lilac and mauve tones in the sand.


Orange lichen on ruddy sandstone rocks, with some beach art as a bonus.

If it's time for this...

it must also be time for this:

The German Christmas market arrives in Edinburgh this week. When I was in Princes Street on Monday lunchtime the market place was full of screwdrivers being wielded, displays set up, hands being shaken in a Germanic manner, and lots of German chat as stall owners were re-united with each other from wherever they migrate to the rest of the year. The centre of town is busy with German hire vans and lorries, negotiating our chaotic roads with some flair.
But since Monday we've had westerly gales and horizontal rain, and a forecast of gales and rain for the rest of the month. The stall being set up above is west facing...

Georgia History Begins in Savannah

Darcie and I spent Thursday night of last week at a B&B called The Azalea Inn in Savannah; wonderful place if you ever get the chance.
Originally booked as a 35th anniversary get-away for dear husband and myself, he said that if he's only going to be an hour away from home, he'd rather stay in his own bed. "Fine," says I. "I'll just take Darcie." And I did. I showed him.
We're learning Georgia History this year, so I thought this would be a great time and place to start.
Unfortunately, newly-turned-thirteen-year-old daughter doesn't like history. The travesty. I think she's adopted. I love history. Adore it even. Sigh....
So, my plan of attack was to walk through the historic district holding the shopping carrot over her; history first...shopping second. It pretty much worked.
This was the first time I've walked from one end of the historic district to the other. It's only about a mile one way. I do that all the time. But walking on uneven bricks and cobblestones, dodging traffic, taking endless photos, reading the map, etc. is pretty physically draining.
We just scratched the surface. Wait till she goes to Fort Jackson, Fort Pulaski, Fort Sumter, Fort Sunbury, etc. I may have to promise her unlimited use of my Visa!

Too sweet

I said that bugs are attracted to me because I'm so sweet. My husband had to point out that they're really more attracted to... other things.
Hackberry emperor, Asterocampa celtis. His favorite foods: Sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion.
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I like that Butterflies and Moths of North America site and their detailed range maps. You can get a custom list of the butterflies in your state. It even goes down to county level, but I'm not sure if all counties have the same level of detail.
Here's another one for the more common Alabama butterflies.

Blueberries

the berries that are blue, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Across the country, farmers' markets are in full swing. These berries were a local market and looked incredibly good. Raspberries at the market were cheap, as well as tomatoes and pretty much all the vegetables. My best find was Fresno chile peppers, which are used in Indonesian cooking - score!

Midtown Greenway

No blog entry yesterday - I was on the road. Packed up the car and drove from Rapid City to Minneapolis (actually Minnetonka). A long day on the road. That was not helped by me not having reservations. I was going to took for one of the chains I usually use - Choice Hotels or Wyndham. Holiday inn as a back-up - mostly by using points.
At the information desk at the MN state line recommended drive up through Mankato - its shorter and faster. The wrong decision - you don't have all of the options to stop at to get a reservation down the road. I was going to just log into the internet for find a motel - gut neither South Dakota nor Minnesota rest areas have wi-fi (like we do in Iowa).
Anyway - found a Holiday Inn Express in Minnetonka, MN near the bike trails. About 9pm I checked in.
This morning I NEEDED to ride. I rode over to the Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail. Lots of climbing to get over to the LRT trail.

Started riding that trail from Rowland Rd (near I-494) East. For the first 2 miles, the trail surface was crushed stone. In Hopkins, the trail turns into the Cedar Lake LRT Regional trail. By then, the trail was paved.
There are informational kiosks along the trails. Someplace I read than they are generally spaced every 2 miles. The top photo is of such a kiosk.
At Cedar Lake, I accomplished my first goal - riding the Midtown Greenway. Riding right on heading East towards the Mississippi River. All this way I was riding in an old railroad right-of-way. Some places, the trail is along active railroad tracks.
I had heard the Greenway described as a bicycle expressway. In a way it is - at least a "limited access" trail. Where the trail grade separation is above street, there is a fence. All along along of the Greenway you find "exit/entrance" ramps. The above photo shows one of such ramp.

Like auto expressways, you will also find police patrolling. If you look closely - in the third photo you see a "Black & White" watching the trail. Of safety, there are also emergency call boxes along the trail system. Literature about the trails say there is no speed limit on the trails - but I thought I saw a sign about the trail rules, setting a limit of 15 mph.
On the Greenway, I realized I was at over 10 miles. Feeling pretty good, I set a new goal - Mississippi River. A cable-stay bridge spans Hiawatha Ave. In the photo of the bridge, notice the lane markings. Trail users obey these markings. A short detour off the old railroad right-of-way, then back up to the river. There, the Greenway unceremoniously ends. From there is a down-ramp to the trail along river road.
At the river, I was debating the head back the way I came or a different route back. another route would add miles and I was already at 15 miles. At a 30 mile round-trip, it was the longest ride of the year.

I opted to back the way I came. As I headed back, I realized I was facing a headwind - light as it was. With that and at about 20-25 miles I was really starting to feel it. The hills along between the trail and my motel was gruesome. I had to walk most of them - just not enough in the legs, yet.
That, and there was an approaching storm - I was happy to get back to the motel. Shower, food, a couple errands, and a nap.
One more photo of the Midtown Greenway. This one was processed with "grunge" effect.