Butterflies & Dirt

Monday, May 12, 2014

Froggy Adventures

On Saturday my husband and I found many creatures in the stream behind our apartment building. As we walked along the water's edge, frog after frog leapt into the creek. I have posted a few of the discoveries from our walk. There was much more activity on our trip then what is captured in the few pictures below. However, it's still possible to catch a glimpse of the adventure. Have fun!

This is possibly an American Bullfrog or a Northern Green Frog.

Can you find the frog?

I love the bright green on this frog!

Someone has been here! These are deer tracks.

This is a gentle reminder to dispose of trash properly. It doesn't just disappear. It has to go somewhere. Please also consider reusing and recycling when possible before disposing of any item.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Outdoor Adventures

I had to share some pictures from my walk on Friday. It was so beautiful outside I couldn't keep myself from posting these. The flowers in the pictures below have fallen off the rest of the way. I'm glad I was able to capture the moment. I hope you enjoy them!

Friday, May 9, 2014

A Garden Visitor

May 8, 2014. Lizard hiding behind planter. (Please click photo to enlarge.)

I went outside to water the tomatoes yesterday and discovered a lizard basking in the sun! I would have had a better picture, but I was fumbling around with batteries in my camera. I managed to get a quick picture before it scrambled away.

In September, there was also a lizard spotted in the garden. This one had blue on it! It's possibly the same lizard I saw yesterday as a juvenile, but I'm not an expert in this area so I'm just guessing. I uploaded pictures onto the Maryland Amphibian & Reptile page. If my pictures aren't too small, maybe my visitors will be identified. I suppose I could take a guess, however, out of the six species of lizards that exist in Maryland. I think it is either a Common Five-lined Skink or the Broad-headed Skink. If I go by size between the two, I would lean toward the Broad-headed Skink as they can grow to be a little over 12 inches long according to a field guide on lizards by Maryland's Department of Natural Resources. The creature I found yesterday was about twelve inches long. As you can see in the picture above, the lizard's tail accounts for most of the length.

If I get feedback from the pictures, I will do another post with the results. Or, if you happen to be an expert on lizards, I would love to hear your thoughts!

September 20, 2013. Lizard basking in sun on planter. (Please click photo to enlarge.)

Monday, May 5, 2014

Cotyledons

Did you know that the leaves in picture above are called cotyledons? These baby Super Sioux Tomatoes have not yet developed what are referred to as their true leaves. Cotyledon means seed leaf as the cotyledon are part of the seed plant's embryo. In other words, they are present prior to germination. True leaves develop post-embryonically (after germination) and are distinctly different in appearance. Prior to germination, the cotyledon store food for the plant. When the cotyledon emerge, they provide the tomato plant with a means for photosynthesis. True leaves, however, are better at this job. Also, not all species' cotyledon are photosynthetic.

Eventually, cotyledon die and fall off. If they have not died off before my husband and I prepare for transplanting, we usually bury them in the soil in the new pot. This helps the plant focus its energy on new growth.

Sources:

Oxford University Press. Dictionary of Biology. 5th ed. New York: Oxford, 2004. Print.

To read about the initial planting please visit Planting Begins!

To continue this series please visit Garden Progress.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Growth Spurt

On the evening of my last post, a new tomato baby arrived! The babies experienced a growth spurt. Below is a picture of the tots posing for the camera today. Enjoy!

Super Sioux Tomatoes (Please click to enlarge the photograph.)

To read about the initial planting please visit Planting Begins!
To follow the progress of the growing vegetables from day one please visit We Have Babies!
Do you want to learn about Cotyledons?
To continue the journey please read about our Garden Progress and How Our Garden Grows.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

We Have Babies!

My husband has been eagerly hovering over our planters since we started our garden. Today, he finally spotted some seedlings pushing through the soil. Two of the baby tomatoes are here! One has not poked through the dirt yet, but we are hoping it will arrive soon. The herbs are taking their time as well. While we are waiting, it might be time to prep for our other vegetables!

I photographed our new arrivals, on the bottom left and bottom right, but it might be difficult to see the tiny babies. Both little ones are in the center of each pot mentioned. They are a light yellow color and are about the length of someone pushing a sewing needle in and out for a tight stitch. Please click on the picture if you need to enlarge it. Thanks for checking out our babies!

To read about the initial planting please visit Planting Begins! or continue the journey with Growth Spurt.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Old Shoes

When it is time to replace a pair of shoes I have found reasonable options for the old pair. It can be nice to have an old pair of tennis shoes around for dirty jobs. Some people like to save a pair for mowing the lawn, for painting, or for messy arts and crafts. Personally, I tend to hang onto one pair of sneakers until they are worn out. When I am ready, I buy a new pair at my local shoe store. I donate the old set to the store and walk home in my freshly purchased sports shoes. The old shoes are sent to an organization called Soles 4 Souls. This program collects new and used shoes and clothing gives them to people in need. I will post the link below, if you are interested in pursuing this route. However, I encourage you to check your local shoe stores or thrift stores regarding the types of programs available as this particular organization may not be in your area.

For shoes that are beyond wear, Nike accepts donations for shoes. The donated shoes are grinded into a pulp and used to make surfaces such as tracks and tennis courts. There are drop off locations at some of Nike’s retail stores. If there isn’t a store near you, the shoes can be shipped. Before I discovered the Soles 4 Souls program at my local store, I shipped old shoes to Nike. Since I don’t have a location near me, I used to wait until I collected several pairs of old shoes and then I would ship them. It is cheaper if you can find a location or another program in your area as you do have to pay shipping.

Please share how you reuse or recycle your old shoes. Have you ever used a boot as planter? I have not tried this myself, though I have seen some lovely pictures! I would love to hear your creative ideas. If you have pictures that would be wonderful as well.