Gloria

I have been spending a lot of time by the pond lately.  It's a lovely place to read.  And every day I feed the fish.  The vast majority are nondescript minnows.  And there are a lot of sunfish that we caught and moved to the pond because who doesn't love bluegills and sunnies?

And then there is Gloria.  Gloria is a Grass Carp.  (This is not a picture of Gloria, but this is what she looks like.)

Grass Carp are sweet vegetarians who eat the weeds (but not cattails) in ponds.  In NY you have to apply for a Grass Carp permit -- based on the size of our pond we were approved for 2 carp.  So two years ago we had 2 carp put in the pond -- at the time they were maybe 10 inches long, and I did not give them names.  They were delivered in May and we didn't see either again that summer, but we did see the weeds start to disappear.  Last year I started feeding the fish in late May and I did not see any Grass Carp.  Finally in June I saw a much larger fish than we had put in the year before.  She would come to eat the veggie pellets I feed the other fish.  For a couple of months we assumed that both carp were still in the pond, but by the end of the summer we were certain only one had survived.  The other carp probably succumbed to The Beast when he ruled the pond, or maybe a Kingfisher or Great Blue Heron -- he likely met his fate soon after coming to live in the pond when he was relatively small.

So this year when I started feeding the fish I worried when I didn't see any carp for a couple of weeks.  But then she suddenly appeared, gliding along just under the surface of the pond, with her mouth open to scoop up the floating pellets.  She is now about 3 feet long and so pretty when her green and gold scales catch the sun.  Grass Carp can grow to 5 feet. Yikes!  That will be like having a small adult swimming in the pond.  Because she has now survived 2 years and she has grown to a size that will be far too intimidating for turtles or birds, I have named her.  Gloria, for Gloria 'I Will Survive' Gaynor.  (This is a picture of Gloria which does not do her justice, but it is really hard to photograph a fish.)

Peonies!

I am a huge fan of peonies.  They were always a part of my Mom's and both grandmothers' gardens.  Dan's grandfather raised them commercially, and Dan's cousin (who now lives in the grandfather's house) still maintains the huge peony field at the farm.  I put a couple of peony plants in a few years ago and this year is the first time I have masses of beautiful blooms.  We are supposed to have thunder storms (and possible hail) this afternoon so I've just cut several.  They are now in the living room.  Among their other attributes, peonies smell absolutely amazing.

This particular white peony is my favorite - it is called Festiva Maxima and is known for a splash of red in the center.  Gus and Meara used the peonies from the farm for their wedding and most were this variety.

The Plant Room

This is my second favorite room, the kitchen being first.

This was one of the ferns from Gus and Meara's wedding.  It spends the summer outdoors & winters in the plant room.    

Sunday Miscellany

Another spectacular sunrise.

Sunday is my day for tending the plants.  I noticed this morning that the Christmas Cactuses (Cacti?) are blooming.

Violets

I'm often amazed to read that African Violets are considered easy houseplants.  I started with one plant over 10 years ago and it took a lot of trial and error before I found success.  I now have 9 and I manage to keep them all flowering most of the year.  Each one will be flowerless 1 or 2 times a year for a month or so but fortunately it is rare for all to be flowerless at the same time.  Even with only 9 plants I spend at least a half hour each Sunday nurturing them.  Different varieties have their own little quirks but I have found a routine that works for all of them under most conditions.  Mine thrive in a window facing East & they like being on this lovely shelf that my husband created - keeps them far enough away from the window to avoid touching the glass when it is too hot or too cold.  I also have grow lights for the winter months because they like light 10 or 11 hours each day.

You want to keep water off of the leaves or they will develop brown spots.  I never had much success watering from the top so I put the plastic pot into a small bowl - the pot should be even or a bit above the bowl.  I put some stones in the bottom of the bowl which keeps them from sitting in water but still provides a little humidity, especially in the summer heat.  As an added bonus the bowls are a pretty display on their own.  I check each plant each week - if the bowl still has water or the soil is still damp, I do some pruning but add no more water.  When they do need water I put it directly in the bowl & put the plant pot back in - the amount I add is based on how dry the plant is - if the plant doesn't need water but the stones are dry, I add water just to cover the stones.  Regardless of how much water, never use cold water.  Tepid water is best.

Other than providing light and water, I also check the flowers and the leaves.  I remove all brown flowers and all leaves that are spotted or soft.  Even if all the leaves are perfect I gently cut some out when the pot seems crowded.  I have no facts to back it up but it seems that pruning the leaves helps the plant to produce more flowers.

These steps may not spell success for everyone.  And not everyone wants to put the time into a simple houseplant.  But they have become a hobby for me and I enjoy taking care of them.  I have them in the kitchen where I spend a lot of time and the violets make me happy.