The Last Leaf Gardener

It is the season of Lent and most known for fasting and abstinence. In the past my fulfilling what I’ve given up for this period of time has been something I’ve not achieved, and it has been the same with my attempts at keeping New Years’ Resolutions (and this one of the reasons why I no longer make them which does not mean I lack habits to break or behavior that needs changing). 

In terms of New Years’ Resolutions, I try to resolve to do something positive such as be more helpful at the place where I do volunteer work, rather than promise to no longer do something such as swearing or eating the “wrong” foods.

In terms of abstinence and Lent, I’ve found that a mere few hours after I have ashes on my forehead with a resolve to give up a certain food, a particular drink, or modify my behavior, I’m back to my often miserable self.

But abstinence and fasting are not the only “activities” one “can” adhere to as he/she remembers that “we are dust and dust we will return … ,” for Lent is also a time of preparation.

And it is the fact that Lent is the season of preparation which prompted some new figurines to visit my succulent garden once the Valentine’s Day ones had left for the year! 

“Normally” during the forty days of Lent, I do not have whimsical figurines in my indoor succulent garden, even though I’ve felt that their presence has caused my succulents to thrive as I described in one of my guest blog posts for My Square Foot Garden.

The reason for having no figurines or extra decor in my succulent garden during this time has been my quasi-adherence to the “somber side” of Lent, a side I do respect, but a side I’ve re-evalated this year as Lent is also the Season of Preparation.

This year I decided to have my indoor succulent garden reflect the message of preparation by “allowing” “guests” to visit it who bring this message and these “folks” may be seen in the images accompanying this text.

The first image shows my “flower-girl” with her tools for preparing and nurturing a garden. As we all know, the calendar day for the first day of spring is less than one month from now; and while one may not be able to go outside into the garden to do actual gardening, one can, and probably should, prepare for the task which will eventually come. In the case of my urban (NYC) “terrace” garden, preparing the garden for winter and then getting it ready for spring have been done with great care, and I invite you to refer to my method of madness by clicking here.

The second image here is of a grand dame Lady Bug, and she represents the role ladybugs play in a garden, although I did not have many real-life ladybugs in my garden, but there’s always another season to prepare for!

The third image in this series is not particularly garden related; rather, it’s related to another outdoor activity, kite-flying, which is an activity associated with the month of March, a month that will be here in six days counting today (so prepare your kite and get  it ready to fly)!

The fourth image in this series shows a bee figurine who somewhat resembles a New York City doorman, but in any event, bees are insects that know all about preparation! In bygone years in my garden, I certainly was delighted to see them in the throes of their prep work as evidenced by the number of “stories” that I  wrote about them here on tumblr; as well as on Blogger; and I even featured them in one of my Virtual Stories (garden themed movies) on Vimeo which may be viewed by clicking here.

The fifth image reminds me that, whilst April Showers might bring May flowers, we have to get through the last five days of February and then thirty-one days in the month of March! Nonetheless, this fact did not prevent a new visitor (pictured here and featured on TLLG’s Facebook Page as well as a Pinterest Board) from coming to my succulent garden! The “things” which I grow here and I were especially delighted to see her clad in her yellow slicker and red rain boots! Her “attire” is truly a form of preparation!

The sixth and final image of this series features a flower-girl ready to plant bulbs! Bulbs are something I have never planted in the spring, but with the help of Juan V, bulbs for tulips, crocuses and daffodils were planted in late November as well as early December of bygone years.

It is my hope that my visiting figurines will remind me of the value in preparation  re my mundane activities as well as for the big picture of life!

Supposedly Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “I hate flowers - I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move.” I find it difficult to believe that Ms. O’Keeffe said she “hated flowers,” especially given the awareness she brought to their details by her paintings.

But be that as it may, if Ms. O’Keeffe did say this, her experiences with flowers are most definitely different than mine: I have yet to find flowers to be “cheaper than models,” and, as for them “not moving,” well, I’m not a tripod user, and I find flowers move all the time during my attempts at a photo-op! AND, besides moving, flowers talk ALL THE TIME; as evidenced by the images at the top of today’s posting, which feature my Black and Blue Salvia in action as it was this past weekend, chit-chatting and gesturing away,enjoying life, where it grows in my urban (New York City) garden!

The aforementioned flowers are not the only animated ones in my garden! In bygone seasons, my flowers, including ones from my Echinacea Plant, Physocarpus opulifolius (Coppertina Tree), Yellow Rose Shrub, Red Rose Shrub, Orange Rose Shurb, Paeonia Suffruticoasa (Peony Tree), H.F. Clematis, Strawflower Family, and the Tulipia Family, have all weighed in with their opinions on an array of topics on my Blogger Pages — and they did not sit still whilst expressing their well respected opinions! 

In fact, not only did my flowers express their opinions within blog posts, but many of them have been featured in Virtual Stories (mini movies) that can be found within my Vimeo Library, and they certainly did not “sit still” for these venues!

Yesterday afternoon whilst watering my urban (NYC) terrace garden, I discovered that my H.F. Clematis had some new growth (seen in the first image with this entry), which was a wonderful surprise, given the trauma this vine recently endured when she was put in a body bag to accommodate the repairs which were recently made to my garden!

Seeing my H.F. Clematis’s new growth prompted me to recall a quote by Albert Camus, which is “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” especially because the way the vine looked in relation to his new leaves, gave the appearance that he was handing me a bouquet of leaves!

Of course, since I call myself The Last Leaf Gardener, you might surmise that I appreciate leaves, and it seems that the birds (including blue jays, cardinals, house finches and mourning doves) who visit my garden, are awestruck by leaves too — as evidenced by the other images included with today’s entry —  which feature a few photo-ops of my birds staring at various leaves on what I grow in my garden! The birds as you can see are mesmerized by the leaves as they anticipate the color change  which will eventually occur.

In the images I’ve included here the blue jay, baby cardinal, mama cardinal (named Cam), and baby finch, all await my ‘Tamukeyama’s’ (Japanese Red Maple) fall “fashion” show. And he will not disappoint them, as evidenced by his past color change performances that were featured in my first garden themed Virtual Story (mini movie) called The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame … almost, which may be viewed in my Vimeo Library.

Moreover, a red house finch, a baby finch and a mourning dove that are featured in the other images here are awaiting the Kiwi Vine’s anticipated leaf color change: a color change of “awesome yellow with lovely red markings,” as he said himself, when he narrated the aforementioned Virtual Story.

The Kiwi’s narration of this particular story has led him to be chosen (cast) as a “spokes-plant” for subsequent narrations in the forthcoming sequels  which I plan to produce as per my indiegogo project, a project which “gives voice to things that live in and visit my garden.”

Yesterday (September 30th 2012) was the anniversary of the premiere of the nationally televised cartoon series, The Flintstones, and the birds which visit my urban (NYC) garden had their own thoughts on how birds (and especially their beaks) were used in that animated series, and each of them prefer to use their respective beaks for noshing as you might surmise from these photo-ops!

The presence of birds in my garden is fairly new but they have certainly been entertaining me with their antics! This is evidenced in the many “stories” I’ve posted about them here on tumblr, as well as TLLG’s Blogger and Facebook “venues.” It is also evidenced in the many photo-ops I have of then on TLLG’s Board for Birds and in Virtual Stories (garden themed movies and flip books) that are in my Vimeo Library.

Moreover, they will be included in Virtual Stories and hard copy books as per my indiegogo Campaign for a project which gives voie to things that live in (and visit) my urban garden.

Cam (a cardinal that visits my urban — NYC — garden) must be spreading the word about life in my garden because a new feathered “friend” visited my garden today!

The “feathered friend” that I’m referring to is a blue jay, seen here in three poses, as he/she (I’ve yet to determine the bird’s gender) indulges in munchies that are on a small saucer which I’ve placed in the container that houses my ‘Tamukeyama’ (Japanese Maple).

Then again, perhaps the blue jay’s discovery of my garden had nothing whatsoever to do with Cam; rather this “new arrival’ may have heard about my place from my ’Tamukeyama,’ a wonderful tree who co-starred in my first garden themed virtual story (mini movie).

This virtual story is titled “The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame … almost” and it my be viewed in my Vimeo Library. 

My Kiwi Vine is the prolific (and very opinionated) narrator of the aforementioned virtual story, and at the present time he is preparing for sequels that I will be producing for my project which can be referred to on indiegogo.

“I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree, BUT, if you want something really divine, try resting in the boughs of a Kiwi Vine,” I heard a number of the birds who visit my urban (NYC) garden proclaim as they enjoyed the branches of my Kiwi Vine, as seen in the photo-ops included with this posting.

The birds of course were referring to Joyce Kilmer’s poem, “Trees,” a poem I have referred to on TLLG’s Blogger pages when discussing my beloved ‘Tamukeyama’ (Japanese Red Maple).

While it may be true that the birds which visit my terrace garden squabble over food, and while they all love to rest in a ‘Tamukeyama,’ (one of the trees that I have in my garden), they all agree that the beautiful and hearty branches of my Kiwi Vine provide a nice resting place.

If you follow, TLLG, then you may be familiar with my opinionated Kiwi Vine, as he was the “spokes-plant” (narrator) for my first garden themed Virtual Story (movie) that is in my Vimeo Library. It’s called, “The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame … almost.”

My hearing the kiwi speak as he did was the impetus for me to want to give voice to things that live (and visit) gardens, which is the basis for my Campaign on indiegogo, and I’m sure that “my” kiwi vine is thrilled about “my” visiting birds appreciating his worth!

I discovered “my” visiting cardinal seen atop a table in my urban (NYC) garden yesterday, and she was running (as seen in the first image with this entry)!

I live near Central Park; and it seems this sweet bird was preparing for a race there, which takes place today, Sunday, September the 18th! It is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and my cardinal was eager to support it — even by running when flying is much easier for her!

I’m not making light of breast cancer by including this photo-op of my “running” cardinal. Events to raise funds and awareness of this horrific form of cancer are awesome, and while I have been fortunate (so far) to not have breast cancer, I was born with Neurofibromatosis Type-One (NF-1). And one of the symptoms of this medical affliction is multiple growths (neurofibromas), around the breast area, which the medical community refers to as “distressing.”

Indeed, as anyone who has NF-1 knows, many things about it are “distressing,” which is a fact I have referred to in one of  TLLG’s first Blogger entries, but I’ll leave my NF-1 thoughts alone for now; as to not take away from today’s aim, by the Komen Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer on this Sunday in September!

My great aunt Elnie, the baby seen in the second image of the photographs above today’s tumblr entry, had breast cancer, and she ultimately underwent a surgical procedure of a mastectomy, which left her in deep mental and physical pain. 

Elnie was my grandmother’s youngest sibling, and she is on my mind today; not only because of the race for the cure in Central Park, but she is also on my mind because today is also National Grandparents’ Day. 

My grandmother can also be seen in the image (that includes Elnie) and she is standing in the back row to the right. I am my grandparents’ first grandchild — born on their wedding anniversary — and although it is often said that, “Perfect love sometimes does not come until after the first grandchild,”  I am certain my grandparents radiated perfect love long before I arrived on the scene. My grandparents gave me a great appreciation for the elderly, as I have indicated in a number of my posts on TLLG’s Blogger which you may reference by clicking here as well as here and here.

Moreover, my grandmother’s siblings, particularly her sister Grace (seen standing in the back row of the image) also contributed to my appreciation of the elderly. Grace influenced how I think about communication, as discussed on TLLG’s Blogger in a number of posts, including ones you may read by clicking here and here.

To continue my grandparents’ and their siblings’ legacy, and to show my appreciation for the elderly, I have volunteered in an assisted living center for close to nine years, and, prior to this, I  was a one-on-one visitor (volunteer) to the homebound.

Now, I hope, through a project I’ve launched, that I may continue the legacy of both my grandparents and great aunts by raising awareness regarding the value of the elderly community in our midst. The slogan for my endeavor is “The very old, they are miracles like the just born; close to the end is precious like close to the beginning.”

And, my project will hopefully raise this awareness, as the Komen Foundation is doing (through their race in Central park today) for their cause.

In my case, I will be raising awareness, not with a marathon, but through the “voices” of things which grow in my garden via Virtual  Stories (garden themed movies) as well as “hard-copy” books. Some of the Virtual Stories may be viewed in my Vimeo Library.

If you’d like to read about my project, you may visit my pages on indiegogo, as well as former entries here on TLLG’s tumblr Pages and TLG’s Blogger Pages.

Out of the blue … on a blue flower “belonging” to a Black and Blue Salvia plant which grows in my urban (NYC) garden a lone bee was hard at work today, seemingly unaware that it’s a holiday weekend! 

Where have she and her friends been feasting this year? Certainly not in my garden! In 2011 I wrote ten posts about the antics of “my” visiting bees (and featured accompanying images) on TLLG’s Blogger Pages, but have only one entry there (so far) for any bee stories in 2012!

Three months ago, to the day (June 2nd 2012), here on TLLG’s tumblr pages, I wrote about how the Thymus Serpyllum (Creeping Thyme) was “talking” about the fact that a “lone” Oxalis “shamrock” had suddenly appeared in his container, equating the experience with the ol’ “waiter there’s a fly in my soup” routine! 

Since that day, my sweet Thymus Serpyllum has died, succumbing to the effects of this past summer’s horrendous heat wave as discussed on TLLG’s Blogger pages, and leaving a gaping hole in my heart, as well as in the awesome container in which it once lived; a container that is beautiful to look at but quite hard to grow something in, as you might surmise upon seeing the first image posted with this entry (a photograph which is from 2009).

“My” Thymus Serpyllum was not the first plant to make its home in this unusually shaped container. When I first got it, I grew a “purple shamrock” variety of Oxalis in it as seen in the second image with this posting (which was taken somewhere between 2005 and 2008 in my urban — New York City — terrace garden).

However, even though I winterized my garden thoroughly (for details click here), this was one of the containers I feared would crack; so I brought it inside, figuring the Oxalis would survive in my indoor succulent garden.

Unfortunately, the Oxalis did not survive the adjustment from outdoor life to indoor life, and the following growing season I planted my Thymus Serpyllum in the container, but left it outside during the winter (since my winterizing methods had proved successful for the things I grow as well as for the containers they live in)!

In any event, with my “methods of winter protection,” my Thymus Serpyllum survived a few winters and its container did not crack, but this year, it was the summer weather, that brought my Thymus Serpyllum’s life to an end; leaving, as I said at the onset of this entry, a gaping hole in my heart and in the container she lived in during her life in my garden!

During  ”my” Thymus Serpyllum’s life here, she provided much inspiration for many a photo-op, including ones where she was willing to have a “mod” look “for the sake of art,” as evidenced in the third image accompanying this entry.

It was hard to see my Thymus Serpyllum die (even though Juan V consoled me by planting a Hens and Chicks succulent in what had been her home) this past summer. However, my Thymus Serpyllum did not die alone!

My Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox), Coral Bell Heuchera, and my beloved Japanese Larch (who was the newest kid on the block in my garden, having only arrived in the spring of 2011, when she immediately reminded me of something that I’d always known, “there is no billboard as lovely as a tree”), were also casualties of the “lazy, hazy crazy” days of summer!

Having things that I grow in my garden die always leaves a hole in my heart, but nature does what she can to remind me that she has not forgotten my loss, and the “fate” of my “awesome” container’s inhabitants was no exception!

Evidently some seeds from my “purple shamrock” Oxalis were still “hidden” in the container where Juan V planted Hens and Chicks, for the Oxalis is now thriving in the container with my Hens and Chicks, as evidenced in the fourth image posted with this entry! 

Life and death in a garden has taught me so much about “real life” and reinforced what I have always known (thanks to having a wonderful grandfather and grandmother) which is that “The very old, they are miracles like the just born, close to the end is precious like close to the beginning.”

The quote is from a play (“I’m Not Rappaport”) by the late Herb Gardener, and it is the slogan for a campaign I’ve launched on indiegogo, where I’m embarking on a project to raise awareness about the value of the elderly and physically challenged folks in our midst.

I will be doing this through Virtual Stories (garden themed movies) that I have been successful at creating; many of them can be viewed in my Vimeo Library.

“I feel in my heart that through the videos I create, I can combine my passions and make a difference in the quality of the lives of the elderly, particularly those who may no longer have many loved ones around them.”

“Viewing my stories, especially in groups that would encourage discussion in conjunction with accompanying books (created by me) can take them back in their own history, open up memories, exercise their minds, and allow them to connect with others on a deeply spiritual level — all sparked by my narrator, the ephemeral Kiwi Vine, who made his debut appearance in “The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame … Almost.” (Unlike other plants that undergo rigorous winterizing methods, The Kiwi Vine thrives year round in its natural state, making it an excellent narrator for the garden.)”

“With an imaginative combination of animation, music, voiceover, and photography, as well as charming storylines, my unique videos have a broad appeal, as evidenced by my growing following on Facebook, Pinterest, flickr, tumblr and my blog, The Last Leaf Gardener. The videos are not only visually pleasing, but also offer unique insights into life in the garden and gardening.”

“I am also currently creating a series of books to accompany each video in this series, allowing users to engage in a truly interactive viewing experience.”

A couple of weeks ago, whilst I was on the way home from a much needed appointment to my retinal specialist (who monitors me carefully due to my legal blindness), my friend Victor pointed out a fruit vendor on the street who was selling quenepa (pictured in the first image accompanying this post).

Victor is familiar with this taste treat from his home country (Trinidad), and he subsequently told me that some folks know this fruit as a Spanish lime. 

The vendor told us that his Jamaican friends call this fruit “genips,” while in other parts of the Caribbean they’re called “mamoncillos,” and evidently in Panama they’re called “mamones.” 

However, the vendor was familiar with the idea that Victor mentioned; which was that this fruit is often called a Spanish lime, but he was quick to point out that, despite this reference, they’re not limes at all.

“Actually, they’re in the same family as lychees, which makes sense considering their similarly leathery skin. Beneath this green skin is a large seed coated in a slimy, peach colored flesh, which actually tastes a bit like a lime,” he claimed.

“The most common way of eating them is to remove the skin and suck the pulp from the seed,” he continued, then quickly added his preference: “I like to soak the peeled fruit in rum and sugar to make a drink.”

The way the vendor described that the quenepa is eaten (removing the skin and sucking out the pulp); caused me to think of the eating habits of “my” visiting cardinal, house finches, mourning doves and sparrows! All of “my” visiting birds seem to nosh in my urban (NYC) garden by “sucking” out what’s beneath the shell of a given seed and discarding the rest!

The antics of these birds are often funny, and I’ve documented some of their magical moments by creating Virtual Stories (garden movies) in the form of Virtual Flip Books. I have given them the titles, “Meet the Finches Book One,” which is “dedicated” to “my” visiting house finches, and “Words in my Beak! Book One,” which is “dedicated” to “my” visiting cardinal. Sequels are being produced for each of these, as well as “first run” stories for “my” visiting mourning doves and sparrows.

The aforementioned Virtual Stories are a part of my Vimeo Library, which includes an array of topics; however most are garden themed.

Birds are fairly new to my urban garden; however, I plan on including them in what I hope to produce for my “giving voice to what lives in (or visits) a garden” project, and I’ve launched a Campaign on indiegogo that has the details.

According to Holiday Insights, today, August 23rd, is “Ride the Wind Day,” and is a holiday when one should celebrate it by “flying in an airplane, flying a kite, parachuting, hanging a glide, taking a motorcycle ride, riding in a sail boat, OR just kick back and enjoy one of the last days of summer.”

Why do I “follow” the Holidays Insight web-site?

Well, as a designer of invitations and event program covers, I find it a good way to keep abreast of what celebrations are occurring no matter what the reason may be. However, I beg to differ with anyone who calls August 23rd “one of the last days of summer,” as summer officially ends the last week of September, which is nearly one month from today! August 23rd may be one of the last days before Labor Day, but, it certainly is not one of the last days of summer! Life is short enough without rushing the seasons away, which is something I discussed on Blogger this past March, when folks rushed the onset of spring.

Be that as it may, rather you, dear reader, believe August 23rd is “one of the last days of summer” or not,  August 23rd is indeed “ride the wind” day, and, apropos of its premise, which asks us to “leave (our) troubles and worries behind us for a spell, as (we) waft in the air,” I am sharing some photo-ops (please click on a given image to read its caption) of birds which continue to visit my urban (New York City) garden and bring to me great joy as I observe their antics!

One would think that birds always leave behind their cares as they fly around, but I have found that their pensive expressions indicate that they too have worries and concerns; however, my visiting birds do kick back and enjoy life on many occasions, as evidenced by the many images I have of them on my Pinterest Board for birds, as well as the Virtual Stories (mini movies), I have created for “my” visiting cardinal (“Words in my Beak Book One”) and my visiting house finches (“Meet the Finches! Book One”), which are in my Vimeo Library.

Moreover, I have featured “my” visiting birds in a number of posts about cardinals and finches on TLLG’s Blogger Pages as well as here on tumblr where you find related posts by going to the search engine (located at the bottom of my tumblr pages), and putting the word Cardinal or finches or mourning doves in the field provided.

Additionally, I hope to include the antics of birds in my “giving voice to what lives in a garden” project, which I’ve launched on indiegogo where my fund-rasing deadline ends fifty-eight days from today! 

BUT, what about celebrating “ride the wind day,” dear reader? How do you plan to ride the wind? I will be celebrating the day in the evening with good friends who have prepared a picnic; not in honor of ride the wind day, but in honor of my birthday, which is tomorrow.

For tonight, I’ll ride the wind with a birthday eve celebration that is sure to include a chilled bottle of “Paul D” vino!  

Perhaps my sweet visiting cardinal (seen in image at the left) who flew the coop (my urban – NYC – garden), so to speak, which was an “incident” that broke my heart (as I discussed in my Blogger pages), returned yesterday not only to nosh, but to remind me that today, August 19th, is National Aviation Day, in honor of the birthday of aviator Orville Wright.

This holiday was created by a presidential proclamation by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, and my cardinal (as well as house finches and mourning doves which also visit my garden), has mixed feelings about it, as aircrafts have interfered with the space where birds fly, and often the media will claim that it is the birds who interfere with flight paths — just ask the geese in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (whose “story” was discussed on TLLG’s Blogger pages in August of 2011).

Whatever the reason for my cardinal returning, I’m delighted, as my web-kin cardinal (pictured here at the right) does not have the same singing voice as his “real life” sister and comrade. 

I certainly hope that, after her absence, my cardinal will stick around for some time and allow me to photograph her for the sequel to my Virtual Story (garden themed movie that “lives” in my Vimeo Library), “Words in my Beak (Book One.”

As some of my tumblr followers know, I’m hoping to include my Virtual Stories about the birds which visit my garden in DVDS that I’m creating for a project which “gives voice to things that live in a garden,” a Campaign I’m promoting on indiegogo.