Speaking of Beauty.......

Many posts have been addressing beauty in nature as well as art.

Today, I could not reframe from posting the most beautiful sight:


Haeden Ethaniel Judy
My Grandson
Born March 27, 2010

A Proud Grandma

Kindred Souls

Claude Monet, one of the best-loved of all artists, was a leading figure in the Impressionist circle. His first subjects reflected the world he knew; the boats of his native Le Havre, the streets of Paris, and the fields and forests of the surrounding countryside. But the subject that was closest to his heart, and dominated his later work, was his garden a Giverny, 65 kilometres northwest of Paris.

For Monet, his garden was a private haven, where domestic pleasure and artistic vision converged. Monet cultivated his garden as a continual source of renewal and inspiration and chose his plantings as carefully as he chose the colors for his palette. The paintings he created in his garden are some of his most famous.





Painting and gardening were the two most powerful influences in his life according to author Debra Mancoff, Monet's Garden in Art. I find myself sharing the same passions; Are we kindred souls?

Throughout his long and productive career, Monet believed that his art served a particular purpose: to give material form to the expression of his feelings in front of the visual spectacle of nature. What a powerful statement!

Return to the Scene

Today I returned to the Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington to capture the the Trillium with my camera. The image with my phone camera was not acceptable. I wanted a clear photo of this magnificent specimen.

I must admit that I have never seen a Trillium bud before, so this cluster of two with one blooming and a bud is exceptional. What are your feelings?





Stay tuned for the future watercolor painting.......

Photos Along The Trail

On a daily basis, I walk the Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington with my buddy, Ebony. She does that "happy dog" trot with occassional time off to sniff. I, in turn, have been enjoying the budding of spring and have shared this in previous posts.

Today was an outstanding day for taking photographs, but unfortunately I left my camera at home. Next best thing, the phone camera.

The native Trillium are out and I found lovely specimens. I also enjoyed the curling of the fern fronds.

The phone photo gallery:

The Grace of the Fern

Today as I walked the Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington, I was drawn to the curling of the fronds of the ferns. They are so graceful!



The ferns along the trail are Sword Fern and Lady Fern.

Sword Fern

Lady Fern

A few interesting facts about ferns:

Ferns are ancient plants that developed before flowering plants. A fern does not produce seeds directly, but rather develops spores that grow in cases, called sori, generally appearing as dots on the backs of fertile leaves. Rows of orange-brown shield-covered sori are easily visible on the backs of the fertile fronds of sword ferns.

The spores, when released, do not develop directly into ferns, but rather grow into a tiny leaf-like structure called a prothallium. The prothallium produces eggs and sperm that unite to generate new ferns. It takes several years for a fern to grow from a spore.

The leaves and roots of ferns grow from underground rhizomes that can be extensive and live for many years. Though the leaves, or fronds, of many ferns die back in winter, the rhizome survives to sprout new fronds in spring.

Plants Toxic to Pets

Today is the first day of spring - a day that we welcome whole-heartedly after a long winter. With spring comes warmer weather and a ton of plants with the potential to be toxic to pets.

We all love plants, but we want to keep our dogs safe. So what's a plant-loving dog owner to do? Learn which plants are toxic and plant your garden with that knowledge in mind.

Toxic Plants

The springtime plants that can result in gastrointestinal upset in dogs and cats include:

Amaryllis
Ferns
Caladium
Calla lily
Hyacinth
Iris
Tulip

Plants that are considered very toxic and can result in severe illness or even death include:

Crocus
Azalea
Rhododendron
Tiger Lily
Easter Lily
Bittersweet
Clematis
Daffodil
Day lily
Foxglove
Lily of the Valley
Narcissus
Morning Glory
Death Camas

Though some plants can cause serious illness or death, irritation of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract are the most common problems. Vomiting usually occurs soon after ingestion, which removes most of the plant from the system and reduces additional toxin absorption.

The most important part of treating ingestion of a toxic plant is to determine if your pet actually ate the plant, how much was ingested and which part of the plant was eaten. The entire plant is not always toxic. Sometimes only the seeds, the leaves, stems or roots are toxic. Also, plant identification is crucial in diagnosis. Get a sample of the plant if you are unsure of the name. This information can help your veterinarian determine the best course of treatment.

Unfortunately, there are very few specific treatments or antidotes for toxic plant ingestion. Supportive care, including intravenous fluids, may be necessary. Without proper care, some plant toxicities can have devastating effects on your pet's health.

By knowing which plants could pose a threat, you can work towards preventing your pet from access to the plant and keep your pets safe and your yard beautiful.

Red Flowering Currant

Now in bloom, the red flowering currant is one of the most beloved and showy of native northwest shrubs. The brilliant display of carmine red flowers in spring are welcomed by gardeners and hummingbirds alike.

A few facts:

Red-flowering currant is native to western coastal North America from central British Columbia to central California. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 4 m tall. The bark is dark brownish-grey with prominent paler brown lenticels. The leaves are 2-7 cm long and broad, with five palmate lobes; when young in spring, they have a strong resinous scent. The early spring flowers emerge at the same time as the leaves, on racemes 3-7 cm long with 5-30 flowers. Each flower is 5-10 mm diameter, with five red or pink petals. The fruit is dark purple oval berry 1 cm long, edible but bland.