Star Jasmine

Day 266: New to the garden this year is Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). After multiple attempts to propagate cuttings from a friend's plant, I gave up and bought one to replace a failing clematis on a small trellis at the corner of the house. As its Latin binomial indicates, Star Jasmine is not a true Jasmine, but has a similar flower form ("jasminoides" means "jasmine-like"). It is highly fragrant, particularly on evenings following warm days. It can be grown as a ground cover (i.e, "mounded") or as a climbing vine. It asks for at least 8 hours of sunlight per day, and soil which is neither too wet nor too dry. It is hardy in our Pacific Northwest climate, although if temps drop below zero in winter, it might require protection.

Baby Face

Day 265: The House of Chirp had a bad start this year. What may well have been a first-time pair began nesting way earlier than usual, and although they worked diligently on construction and things seemed to be progressing normally, first one and then the other parent disappeared. Several weeks went by while I resisted the temptation to check the box, and then one day, I noticed new activity. Shortly thereafter, I saw a bird emerge from the interior with a bit of eggshell (or what looked like it) in her beak, and not long after that, I was sure I was watching a pair bringing new nesting material to the house. Activity has been constant since then, and yesterday, the first brave little soul peered through the door to make his first assessment of the big world beyond. Now friends know the phrase well, so they will not be surprised to see it here. In my book, there is nothing...absolutely nothing!...cuter than baby birds. Okay, kittens come close (even when they're chewing on your leg or having to be retrieved from the mantel), but little baby birds top the list. Soon, this little fellow will be ready to take his first flight, and the House of Chirp will be empty once more.

Great Galloping Gooseberries!

Day 264: The gooseberries have just begun to ripen, and with hot weather coming up for the next several days, they'll be kicked into high gear. Don't ask me why, but the bushes have very few leaves this year, and are absolutely packed with berries along every densely spiny stem. I might even get enough for two batches of my favourite jam. Mind you, gooseberries aren't something you're inclined to eat straight off the plant. Even after the sugars have fully developed, they're a bit too puckery for most palates. Occasionally, I'll eat one of the ripest while I'm picking them, but they do tend to put your back teeth on edge. As a jam, however, they are a delightful balance of sweet-tart, making them well worth the hazardous task of harvesting them. Some folks wear welder's gloves to protect their hands, but walking between close-packed bushes, you may sustain damage to other portions of your anatomy not so well shielded. Gooseberry cultivation is not for the faint of heart!

Kiwi Flowers

Day 263: I'll admit my memory isn't as sharp as it was when I was in my thirties, and that's one of the reasons I maintain my blog, specifically as a handy reference for plant phenology. My head was telling me the kiwi vines were blooming late, but according to my records, they're right on time. I'm not seeing as many flowers as I think I should, but whether that is due to the odd too-hot-today, too-cold-tomorrow weather we've had all spring or to my radical pruning of the vines last fall can only be conjectured. It's possible there are more buds still to come. Today I clipped out the long, thick, non-productive canes to open the tangle to more sunlight, crucial for ripening the fruit if and when it sets. I'm still in the learning phases of hardy kiwi horticulture, and it seems every YouTube video suggests a different method to achieve the best crop.

Five-Star Kitten

Day 262: Merry had his first checkup this morning, and passed with flying colours. Any concerns I might have had were addressed and dismissed, and his doctor told me that she was very happy when she saw our names on her appointment list. I've been going to the same vet since the days when my cockatoo was still with me, almost twenty-five years now. Merry was not exactly happy about getting poked and squeezed, but he behaved himself beautifully. When we got home, the first thing he wanted was the security of my lap (where he is right now, all teeth and toenails and telling me I should be petting him and not typing...OW! THAT'S MY ELBOW!), and after a nap, he had a snack and playtime. Given the way the rest of June progressed, I am glad to have this initial visit behind us, and my little mischievous sweetheart given a clean bill of health.