My First Frost Flower!

A friend at UUBN brought Frost Flowers to my attention several years ago.  They are created from the ooze, a kind of sap, from several plants, one of which is White Crownbeard (Verbesina virginica).  But the miracle is this:  My friend gave me two White Crownbeards which I planted in the spring and they did fine all summer until last week  I noticed they were gone, probably due to a critter finding them to be a delicious treat.    

But today, while taking a walk I found a Frost Flower on the site of the eaten plants.   No plants -- but a beautiful miracle of nature.  

Turns out the flower is formed through the root and a very small stem which sometimes may not be visible.   

A Nice Day in Pontiac, IL

We drove up to Pontiac today to check out the Amtrak station because when the girls are here over the holidays, we are going to ride the choo choo from the new Uptown Normal Multimodal Transportation Center to Pontiac, a mere 45 minute ride.  We wanted to check things out so Little Red Car had an outing on a beautiful autumn day.  

Oompa checking schedule

Just like at Six Flags!

Meema posing for a picture.
  Sign is about Jesse Fell.  
He planted 
many trees in Pontiac
 just as he did in Normal.

What a beautiful courthouse! 

 

Nicholsons and Us to Kauai Next February, 2013

After years of badgering our dear friends about how much we think they would adore the northern shore of Kauai, they decided they would join us in January 2013 for a trip to the Garden Island. Both Vicki and I are breast cancer survivors.   We like to cook!  John and Ed graduated from Colgate, however Vicki and I are surprised thee two gentlemen received their diplomas because we know about some of their wild escapades.   See the Ugandan paper beads Vicki and I are wearing? 
We wish Kate and Bill Burnell would come along.  Maybe another time.   Bill is the third reprobate of the Colgate trio.   Kate is also a breast cancer survivor.  

 

La Traviata IN THE SYDNEY HARBOUR

Several weeks ago at the Palace Theater located five minutes from our house, I had the privilege of watching La Traviata performed on a large floating stage IN the Sydney Harbour in real time via the marvel of cyberspace.  Unbelievable performance! Even if you are not an opera lover, you may enjoy the hyperlink above. 

This performance held special significance for me because we have been fortunate to have traveled to Australia twice.  Once I cried in the Sydney Opera House after a performance -- can not remember what we heard that evening but it was symphonic.   I did not want to leave.  An attendant asked us if anything was wrong and suggested Ed and I return in the morning when the gift shop is open so he he could buy me a beautiful pin of the Opera House.  I treasure the pin.  

The Brilliance of October Red

Globe Amaranth, 'strawberry fields'

And an everlasting -- pick and no need for water.  Because the nurseries do not sell this plant, I grow it from seed under the lights.

The old fashioned Snapdragon --keep pinching the blooms for continual color

A show stopper, Pineapple Sage only blooms in the Fall.  The plant stands about 5 feet tall. 

Giant Amaranth -- One comes up yearly with original seeds probably stuck to one of my shoe soles from when I worked the Trail Garden with of the Herb Guild of McLean County many years back.

Red Snapdragon, Daylily leaves, Spicy Globe Basil

Lea Thau, Kickstarter Campaign -- SHE MADE IT!

Lea Thau. Peabody Award producer is right up there with Ira Glass.   

Tonight Lea Thau through Kickstarter, raised $20,000.00 enough to begin Season 2.  For 10 years, Lea was the executive director of The Moth, a public radio program that features people telling true stories that happened to themselves in front of an audience and without notes.  I never delete the stories in my Itunes library because they are  enlightening, some are funny, some are sad, some are unbelievable,

Lhakpa Tsering: Man on Fire

This is one of my favorite stories written by Peabody Award winning producer Lea Thau -- Lhakpa Tsering Man on Fire.  It is about a 9 year old boy who walked from Tibet to Inda and made a life for himself beating all odds.   

When Lea traveled to India with her 9 month old son to try to mend her broken heart when her fiance left her, she worked with Lhakpa  and took down his story.  

  
At the beginning,  Lea mentions her Kickstarter campaign -- happily Lea has already reached her goal. 

Barok O Lee

Michelle Obama is on TV as a part of the Democratic Convention.    The First Lady, a champion for kids, teaches them to become fit by eating nutritious foods and to keep moving -- to exercise. 

Barok O Lee is one of those highly nutritious foods. 

Listening to Michele speak so eloquently about her husband brings a smile to my face.  A majestic couple.  

Addendum to this post:  One of the staff at Extension emailed me to say sending this to the MG's via the MG Google Group was inappropriate.   This is one of the unfortunate ways the MG program is changing. 
    

Thank Goodness for Old Panty Hose!

 

The Rains Came

At this time of year, the corn cobs should be visible about 1/3 of the way up the stalk but this year many stalks show no signs of actual cobs or the cobs are very small.  The soybean harvest will probably be about what it was in years past.   

The farmers make out like bandits because of federal insurance so the politicians are trying to rewrite the US Farm Bill. 
 
Then last Thursday through Sunday we received over 8" of rain, so much rain, the Lions Ear (12 ' high) and the Purple Moonflowers   keeled over.  Old panty hose came to the rescue as Ed and I tied the sorry plants to the fence.