I’m impatiently waiting for spring. So when my hibiscus bloomed last weekend I soaked it in, starting with a time-lapse video of the flower opening.
Winter Flowers
In a recent email from Olympus I received a link to a tutorial on taking photos against a black velvet background (https://tinyurl.com/jo8a6um). Knowing I had a piece of velvet (velveteen?) I decided to try it. My results are not nearly as beautiful as Peter Baumgarten’s, but I’ll keep trying!
Winter Garden
It’s been so mild the last few days, nearly all the snow is gone. I took my camera out to “the back 40” to look for beauty.
Amaryllis
Before heading to Australia brother John gave me a few plant to look after. A fern, 3 bonsai trees and 2 amaryllis bulbs. Over the last couple of days I’ve been enjoying the first amaryllis blooms. Here are pictures of the progression.
The second amaryllis bulb is doing nothing. But I’ll keep watering it for now, maybe something will grow yet.
Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows—he has no idea how it happens. The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps—harvest time! Mark 4:26-29 MSG
Beautification Project
Our gardening committee is working hard trying to make this place look better. It is slow work, but it is happening.
Here is a view of the south-west corner of the property before we began our efforts:
Sue, Gina and I have been working at getting all the hawthorn roots out of the ground:
Today we transplanted hostas: 
Now doesn’t that look a lot better?