Frog Eggs! Wednesday, Apr 17 2013 

Julie's Pond acairfearann 15:24

We had been a little puzzled the other day, as we didn’t see many frog eggs down in the ponds. I, personally, suspected the three wood ducks that have been hanging around (note to Jamie: they came back after the chainsaw yesterday, I presume they will come back after walking past on the way to get in some practice today)
Well, I don’t know where those eggs were yesterday…but my goodness there are a lot in the little ponds today! Hopefully, the water levels will stay up in those areas, because there aren’t many eggs in the main pond (I still suspect the ducks). However, those little ponds do behave like vernal pools, so the race is on! The main pond, being spring feed and impounded, does not dry out. Or at least, in my opinion, since it didn’t last year, it won’t this year.

 

Crocus photos Tuesday, Apr 16 2013 

gardening acairfearann 14:33

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What is blooming? Monday, Apr 15 2013 

gardening acairfearann 12:53

It finally being spring. The elevation changes around here are very evident; down in the valley (lower by about 500 feet) the red maples and star magnolias are just starting to bud out, as are the forsythia and quince. Up here, while definitely almost there, they are not quite there yet.
The crocus continue, primarily the big vernus and flavus types; your classic big bold crocus colors. But the smaller chrysanthus (cream yellow/blue pastels), which have been going for nearly a month, are still quite showy. A few of the ‘Ruby Giant’ tommasinianus are still blooming, but the straight species is done. Interestingly, the small biflorus (very little, white with dark purple striping) which I had thought would be early is only just started up.
The daffodils are contemplating life. Van Sion, the old doubled yellow/green, is blooming quite happily.
The scilla, primarily the classic Siberian blue, is blooming. We also have some of the white/pink/blue bifolia type; those have a pyramidal bunch of upward facing flowers in pastel shades, rather than the Siberian’s few bells of cerulean blue.
The snowflakes, Leucojum vernum, which is Not the more commonly sold Leucojum aestivum, is still blooming. L. vernum blooms beginning in early March; L. aestivum is in May.
The Galanthus are essentially done.
The few remaining Chiondoxa gigantea are blooming. They aren’t especially happy where they are, too many leaves.
The Hellebores are finally starting up. (so much for being Lenten Roses!!!)
The Pulmonaria (Sissinghurst White and Mrs Moon) are blooming.
Others? A bit of chickweed
Yes, yes, I know, you would like pictures…

 

Historical Perspectives Sunday, Apr 14 2013 

Historical Events and Projects , acairfearann 12:15

I am poking at the project of working through the Ellsworth letters (mostly Emily Webster Ellsworth, Oliver Ellsworth, and Caroline Cleveland Smith with dates between 1820-1860)* I say poking, because the transcription is going to be daunting and it is an open question as to how many people are actually interested. Still, on my first letter I think there is some promise.

This is from July 1847 from Roswell C. Smith to his daughter Caroline (later the wife of Oliver, who was the grandson of the chief justice Oliver and son of William Wolcott Ellsworth). It is a curious letter in many respects, but it is also an interesting glimpse into a very new technology: railroads. Caroline was travelling from New Haven to Hartford by the railroad, rather than the stage. We would look at this letter and wonder why her father is making such a fuss (she was grown and living independently) until we remember that the railroad is the first Mechanical form of travel. A horse or a stage coach, though potentially quite dangerous, will attempt to react and avoid someone stepping out in front of them; they may not succed, but a reaction will occur. A rail car (or an automobile or a plane or an industrial engine or a power tool or…) cannot and will not. We, theoretically, understand that there are many mechanical devices which will continue on their path regardless of a person being in the way.* However, in 1847 many people unless they worked in some of the factories would have little or no experience with this. Looked at that way, the paragraph makes a bit more sense, in my opinion.

“It will be rather difficult for you to pick out your baggage, get it carried up to the City Hotel etc. but you will know more after the trial. Recollect not to stand outside or in front of the cars at any time, one man, Mr. Stockport, who married Miss Benjamin of Norwich, Foster’s wife’s mother’s daughter, lost his life instantly by so doing. Keep in the cars till they stop. In Hartford the baggage is taken off a few rods behind where the cars stop, before it comes to the depot, it goes over a little bridge near ?, then backs some ways into the Hartford depot. Always remem. to stay inside of the cars till they stop. I may give Burgess some directions, as I shall probably be there the day before you arrive as I shall learn by your letter.”

*That is what the box says…whether the list is accurate…no one knows.
*I say theoretically, Youtube gives us hours of proof that we seem to be incapable of figuring out physics.

 

84 Canal Street, New Orleans Saturday, Apr 13 2013 

Historic Photos and Historical Events , , acairfearann 14:09

I have periodically mentioned the New Orleans connection. Morris Smith’s other headquarters were located in New Orleans from the late 1840’s through the 1890’s. Subsidiary stores were in Tennessee and Kentucky. Hartford seems to have been the only New England store.*
Morris never owned a house in New Orleans, when the girls joined him down there they took rooms; but otherwise he stayed either with his partners or at the office itself.
This is the only known picture of Morris’ store, the date is unknown:
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It Does Not look like that anymore!

*I have yet to do any research on the company, which is a pity as the little I know is fascinating. For all I know there is loads of information somewhere, but not here.

 

Green Fire Friday, Apr 12 2013 

gardening acairfearann 15:06

It is always astonishing to watch the fields turn green in the spring. One day they are brown, the bleached flat brown of late winter grass that has neither shine nor movement; and then a few days later they are vivid green. You can see it happen: first along the north hedgerow where it is warmest, and then in fingers along areas of wet ground, and then in regular bands where the hay was cut the shortest*, and then the patterns vanish into the grass. Last will be the area shaded by the south hedgerow. On a day like today, when the ground is warm but it is cold and raining, you can actually see the difference during the course of the day.

The lawns are going to look exceedingly good this year. For the first time in living memory, they all got raked in the spring. So no thatch, no matted leaves. We hadn’t raked them in the fall, just let the leaves get mulched in by the mower.

*The cutter bar must have needed a bit of adjustment, not much, just a centimeter or two, but there are noticeable stripes.

 

This is how you trim a tree Thursday, Apr 11 2013 

Modern Photos acairfearann 08:45

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We sometimes have to get some work done by professional arborists. This crew spent a good bit of yesterday taking dead wood out of the two oaks on the north lawn. There are three guys in the photo, can you find them? Tree climbing is an art, so is being able to drop a large amount of wood with the only damage being one, one!, daffodil.

 

Photo of the Day Wednesday, Apr 10 2013 

gardening and Modern Photos , acairfearann 13:09

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They aren’t actually blooming yet, from last year!

 

High Spirits Tuesday, Apr 9 2013 

Historical Events acairfearann 12:38

The romance, if ever there was, of long voyages is rather gone these days… The excitement of people leaving for months or years, with no possible contact but the odd letter (which may or may not correspond with letters sent by the other party), cannot exist in today’s world.
Here is a short excerpt of a letter written by Edward B. Hooker to Helen Yale Smith just after she left for Europe in 1873. A bit of background, she had just turned 18, he was a senior in highschool. They were close friends, but nothing more; although a passing comment in one of Edward’s letters suggests that he would have been happy to be more… In regards to context consider also that this letter to Helen could not have possibly reached her for several weeks, as it would have been on the next mail boat and would then have had to be forwarded to which-ever hotel she was in. All unknowns.

“My gracious how I did yell and cheer when the Baltic left the dock. You must have heard me. Didn’t you? I saw you and Mattie waving your handkerchiefs to a part of the dock entirely remote from our position. Then I up and yelled and I think you saw us for you waved in our direction. I proposed three cheers and gave most of them myself. I don’t see how I managed to stand up on those beams I was so excited. As a last farewell my little deringer made himself heard. Did you hear it?
We all kept up bravely while we were on (could see) the ship, but when she gradually faded away and grew beautifully less and less there was a general caving in. In fact I own to a slight dampness myself. Then the sad remains of us went back.”

Edward would be in Europe during 1875, but they did not see each other again for over two years, though many letters went back and forth. His letters still exist, though not hers, and we see a shift in them from a bouncing teenager to a young man.

 

If I hear one more Monday, Apr 8 2013 

gardening acairfearann 15:30

happy chirp from a weatherman about ‘sunny and in the 70’s and isn’t it wonderful!’ I will not be responsible for my actions. My winter squash bed (deep, soft, soil) has cracks in it, in early April. We have a slightly unique problem here, we are much more sensitive to drought issues than the rest of the area. The top of the hill naturally ends up with less water than anywhere else (that old issue of water running Down hill), so strike one. The house-lot is five acres of massive trees, not simply mature but running to as big as possible and as many as possible. Consider how much water must be contained in one dormant 100 foot tall tree and then multiply that by 10, then add about 30 40-80 foot trees…that is a lot of water. Then have all those trees break dormancy. You are looking at thousands of gallons of water which are required.
It is better than last year, slightly less dry, I suppose. And yes, I enjoy complaining about the weather. Railing against something one cannot possibly control is quite satisfying. You can’t feel guilty about the weather.*
In other news, I still haven’t gotten the colour balance in the crocus fence line right, entirely too much white and yellow happening. Clearly the only solution is more bulbs right? What a shame. Meanwhile, picture me swearing at daffodils; narcissus obvallaris (the Tenby daffodil) to be precise. It apparently hates this country, it bloomed well the first year…but by its second and third years…piffle. I’ll stay with my classic King Alfreds and van Sions.**

*I’m sure someone can!

** Which almost certainly are actual King Alfreds and not 20th century imposters, but that is another story.

 

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