Still Here Waiting For Spring

2020 is a year that I never expected to see.  In 2005 cancer was found on both kidneys.  I found in Albany a skilled doctor that used two procedures that removed only the cancer.  88% of my original kidney mass remains.  I have truly enjoyed the past fifteen years doing what I love.

This native  moss was moved this past year from our woods to our developing shade garden.  Only recently have we discovered the magic of mosses.  So far winter seems to have had no effect on these plants or the moss covering the rocks that define the walking path.

The day before the moving van was scheduled to snatch Steve and Elaine away, I was given one last chance to make some of their plants mine.  There is nothing appealing about the name slime mold but that day was a now or never situation.  Once home some quick reading resulted in placing well rotted wood in the acid soil previously lifted from our woods.  It may be that the pink spheres are reproductive organs.  They swell in response to moisture and nearly disappear when dry.  The grayish green blobs are the body of the mold.  Sumac berries are the deep red balls.  It appears that this slime mold intends to survive in its new location and we will carefully weed out any tiny trees that grow from the red berries.

This photo contains two recent transplants, wintergreen and arbutus, as well as a jumble of fallen plant parts.  The maroon colored leaves belong to wintergreen as do two red berries located at the junction of its top two leaves.  All of the other red berries are sumac.  Green leaves mark the location of arbutus.  These plants were hastily placed here on moving day.  Fortunately acid woodland soil was already in place.  Just what to do with these treasures is presently under consideration.  Our usual habit is to segregate our transplants but this looks like a more natural placement. An unseen wire cage keeps the wildlife from eating these still growing plants.  These native plants will serve as a reminder of the debt owed these two people for all that they have done for us.  Extra care will be given to keep these plants alive.

This does not look like much but it may hold great promise.  Disregard the sumac berries and find the reddish stem that still holds a leaf.  Fringed polygala has a history here.  Invasive native plants ended what had been a highly successful transplant.  Last spring we tried again.  This plant is still alive under its protective wire cage.  Just at the soil surface is the cleistogamous  flower that produces only seed.  Here we have two chances for a surviving plant.  Most people would never see the promise of a possible native plant returning here.  Check back around Mother's Day to see if the paired purple flower petals are on display here.

Goodbye Good Friends

Earlier this week Elaine placed a phone call to us.  Her house had been sold and if we wanted to dig any more plants there, we had to get a move on.  All of our Arbutus plants were dug from her front lawn.  We thought about asking for more next spring so that we could have this wonderful plant in our new shade garden.  With the sale of their home we had to move now.  As has been our habit, we took a large patch of soil to lessen the transplanting shock.  Appropriate soil from under a white pine tree was taken since that has always resulted in a successful move.  We hope that this last chance ever will give us another Arbutus patch located where visitors can easily see it.

We knew absolutely nothing about this plant that grew at the end of Steve and Elaine's road.  Recent generous rainfall had pushed this Slime mold to sent up its fruiting bodies.  Contact with other bloggers indicated that this was a Slime mold.  We cannot say no to an interesting looking new to us plant.  We need to find a suitable location for this bizarre new arrival.  When the morning trip down the hill was made to water our new plants, this one looked quite sad.  It quickly responded to some water and puffed up its pink fruiting bodies.

Wintergreen has not been successfully moved here in the past.  Our last attempt is still alive but has not grown any new leaves.  We do not usually transplant this late in the year but it was now or never.  If the new plants do not survive their move, we will still have a chance for plants from seed.  Evergreen ground covers are frequently eaten as winter ends.  These plants have been placed under a hastily placed wire cage to protect against raids by hungry rabbits, deer or woodchucks.

All of these plants grow in acid soil.  These white pine needles will provide an appropriate acid mulch for all of these new arrivals.  They will be watered frequently until the ground freezes.  We do expect that not all of these plants will survive here but at least we tried.  Both Steve and Elaine have helped us on many occasions and we already have many of their plants growing here.  We will do our best to help these plants survive here.  This special couple will be missed and we wish them well at their new location.  Thanks to both of you for all that you have done for our family.