GARDENING – Page 18 – Skelton Sketches

From Small Beginnings…

Posted on April 30, 2011April 30, 2017 by lindaskelton

OK, so I haven’t made it up Scout (yet) this week and I haven’t been out and about on any wonderful walks and there just isn’t a lot of ‘Spring’ happening yet but I have planted little wonder seeds and am watching the small beginnings emerge in the greenhouse…

Here are two of my favorites. The first, a little wild lupine from seed I gathered one very rainy day tromping down an old logging road and remembering the profusion of yellow blooms I’d seen earlier in the summer at that spot… OK so it’s a little like growing a mighty weed… but beautiful. And yes, Jim, it will be moving to other quarters before it becomes invasive!

The second little seedling is a happy little licorice-scented volunteer that blooms crazy purple bottlebrushes. I don’t ever seem to use ‘Anise-hyssop’ but I grow it for the love of the scent and the carefree blooms. (Or should I say, it grows itself from the zillions of pepper-sized seeds it scatters). My job is merely Protector from the weeding wizard! So far, so good.

Meanwhile, out and about there are these sweet little fir cones forming bright wee bouquets…

…and Miss Ash, the broccoli look-alike, a young ash grown from seed but destined for destruction as a garden plot is being developed at its feet… and that will never do. Poor ash.

And that’s the week’s findings in the horticulture department. Blessings on all your seed-sowing.

—LS

“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].” Psalm 126:6

Anticipation

Posted on March 19, 2011April 30, 2017 by lindaskelton

“I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious time ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens…” —Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Rom.8:18-21

And every springtime we get to practice the anticipation of life coming from death, beauty from drabness, warmth from chill…

On rainy afternoons such as today’s it’s hard to imagine summer sun, but there are hints of spring underway all about the yard…

In the coy beauty of a prim bud…

and the rain-drop ornaments of lupine leaf…

Spring is on the way! Resurrection life is no false hope.

So ‘we rejoice in hope of the glory of God!’ (Rom.5:2)

Here’s hoping you’re seeing hints of springtime’s promise in your days, whether through rain or shine.

—LS

SPLENDIFEROUS SEEDS!!!

Posted on October 1, 2010April 30, 2017 by lindaskelton

OK, so I think seeds are pretty cool. I save them every year in hopes of planting them come spring… pretty cool, but not really very pretty. Well, I had another look this week and Behold what wonders God hath wrought!!

What do you think this is?!

No, not a peppercorn. In fact it’s only the size of a pencil point…

Or consider this fleck:

A lizard toenail? Or a seed the size of a ground pepper flake?

Here we have same color, whole new shapeliness. Again, picture pepper…

Our next candidate may be more familiar–think sweet smelling fragrance but really only a fraction the size of a pea:

This one looks like a neighbor, only sleeker and smoother and found in the wild on a very rainy afternoon.

But these are getting boring. Now for something completely different, and no, it’s not a seashell!

In fact it’s only the size of a pencil eraser in diameter… Can you guess it?

Our next candidate re-seeds itself prolifically in my garden though I continue to save quantities of these pointy seeds just case. They are similar in size to a Grape Nut (or a grape seed for that matter)!

Here’s an innocuous little fellow, not an avocado though. Think tiny black speck again, like pepper. And it grows in the warmth of the greenhouse with the green peppers. Mmmm…. love the smell.

OK, here’s one I don’t even know. It may be a #2 that snuck it’s way into the wrong bucket but will have to remain a mystery till it shows its stuff… Pretty cool shape anyway.

But the scariest one is yet to come, are you ready?

#10

Oooo, hairy too! I didn’t see the hairs till magnified. Good thing people grind these up before they eat them! Look carefully and you may recognize this one. It’s roughly the size of a peppercorn…

And last but not least, here’s the one that got us started on this macro-scopic journey. Who’d have known that such a seed, making such an exotic flower and such an ornate pod, would itself be so cool.

#11

This one is also edible, seen on muffins, bagels and etc…

Here’s the pod it comes from:

And that’s the collection to date!

Care to guess what’s what? The possibilities are as follows:

a) Basil

b) Sweet Pea

c) Kale

d) Sweet William

e) Poppy

f) Yellow Lupine

g) Cilantro/Coriander

h) Hollyhock

i) a tall perennial with feathery spikes of purple flowers that I have yet to learn the name of!!

j) the mystery one I have to plant to see if it’s just another #2

k) Swiss Chard!

And just to encourage you to try, there will be a seedy reward for the grand winner who correctly matches the most seeds with their respective plant…

Submit your guesses in the Comment Box at your leisure.
Thanks for playing ( ;

–LS

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (IICor.9:10,11)