{Only 4 Magnolia Blossoms for 2013}

• This is the second year in a row that we missed out on our otherwise gorgeous Japanese Magnolia blossoms. We had some late frost and all the buds turned brown... 
• Sad sight as this is such a show case for early spring; mostly on my Mom's Birthday which is February 12. 
• In 2011 we had lovely blossoms on both of our magnolia trees and previous also in 2004. Below you see some photos of that lucky year... Also more links below post.
• Let me show you our 4 dreary looking, surviving blossoms that I photographed today. They were the late bloomers but still got some frost damage, as is shown below.

• Frost damage and also the color is not optimal. Their botanical name is Magnolia x soulangeana.
• This photo is taken on Sunday afternoon before we took a walk.
• Lovely weather.

• ONLY 4 made it somehow... This is our 2nd Magnolia tree.

• Our biggest Magnolia tree did not have a single blossom; all turned brown from late frost.

• This was quite a show case of blossoms in 2004... Magnolia x soulangeana

• Also in 2004, looking towards the gazebo.

• Closer towards the gazebo, showing the 2nd Magnolia tree in 2004.
• This Magnolia tree took  quite a blow when a big tree fell into it and broke off a big branch.

Are you having more luck with your Japanese Magnolia or Magnolia x soulangeana trees this year?


Related links:
{SPRING 2011 IS GRADUATING!} | Previous post by me
{Sculptured Watercolors by Patsy Gullett since 1981} | Previous post by me, showing our Magnolias too
{MORE BLOSSOMS IN OUR BOTANICAL GARDEN} | Previous post by me
{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} | Previous post by me

{Some Laurens County, GA Slave Houses from the 1980s}

When we came to the United States as immigrants, on August 29, of 1983 we of course started to explore the area in rural Georgia where we were living. Right here in Laurens County, Georgia we could still make some photos of former so called 'Slave Houses'. We were quite surprised to find them. I did come across these as I was scanning old slides during the heavy rains and the flooding in husband Pieter's work shop. February it was Black History Month so this is appropriate for showing them here today.

Husband Pieter took this photo in Laurens County, Georgia.

Probably in 1985 and yes, this was before the digital camera era...

Guess these are no longer around, which is a pity as it was part of history.

This one looks quite patched up...

It must have been raining a lot too, considering the water to the bottom right in this photo...

Do any of you recall those slave houses?

PS There are some comments on my FB Page (just click this link) by local readers and they  refer to them as being also tenant houses. Sure, I did NOT grow up here in this State. Any info is welcome! 

Just tried to archive some history by saving our initial photos.

{Our Double Peony Tulips Angelique & Mount Tacoma}

• One of our most favorite spring bulbs have been the Double Peony Tulips Angelique & Mount Tacoma. The Angelique is a pink double peony tulip and the Mount Tacoma is a pure white double peony tulip. 
• First we bought them at the tax free airport of Schiphol, Amsterdam in The Netherlands. So anxious to see those bloom and it was quite a show.

• Gorgeous display of Angelique in front and Mount Tacoma in the back with white creeping phlox.
• But over time, they did disappear... WHY? Read further below for finding out.

• Gorgeous double Angelique Peony Tulips with our Chinese redbud.

• View towards the gazebo...

• Me touching one of those fragrant Mount Tacoma Double Peony Tulips.
• We did learn that they are being eaten as gourmet food by e.g. VOLES. 
• No, not moles, but voles. 
• One day when husband Pieter went to fill the bird feeders with seeds, he stepped over those tulip beds and in doing so he just saw one tulip stem disappear into the ground. 
• So after filling up those feeders, he investigated; with a shovel he dug up that particular tulip and he showed me a half eaten bulb and even the stem with the bloom had been nibbled off and that was the reason he saw it going into the ground. 
• AHA; we learned that those critters eat all the tulip bulbs and other bulbs; but not daffodils as those are poisonous. 
• SAD fact but we no longer have these beauties in our garden. As gourmet food they are too expensive for replacing them every couple of years.

• This single Mount Tacoma Double Peony Tulip was our ONLY one survivor for 2010... 
• Those voles left us with ONE bulb; isn't that generous?!
• Does any of you have tulips in the garden?
• AND have voles to feed...?

Related link: 

Vole | how this critter looks...