Sweet alyssum

The name "alyssum" derives from the Greek prefix a- (which negates what follows it) and lyssa, "rage." But our ancestors had a particular "rage" in mind when naming alyssum: rabies. The alyssums (especially the related yellow alyssum, with which sweet alyssum used to be conveniently lumped) were used in folk medicine -- where they were regarded as antidotes to rabies.

My view

The view from the window in my room.

Gaillardia

 Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun'

also known as Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Sun' - Blanket flower

Salvia

	Common name: Salvia Latin name: Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue'

Flocks

We found these phlox's along side the road.

Phlox: from the Greek phlox, "flame," ancient name of Lychnis of the Caryophyllaceae glaberrima: most glabrous, Latin for "smooth" referring to lack of hairs on leaves and stems

Status:	Endangered
Plant:	erect, perennial, 2'-4' tall forb, usually hairless; stems slender
Flower:	red-purple, 5-parted, 1/2"-3/4" wide, funnel-shaped, lobes not notched, tube narrow; inflorescence usually several branched clusters (cymes) terminal and from the upper 1-4 pairs of leaf axils; blooms June-Aug.
Leaf:	many, mostly opposite, not divided, not veiny, linear to lance-like gradually tapering to a sharp point
Habitat:	wet; woods, prairies

Cats

Odd facts about cats

• You must have seen cats going through any opening that is available by squeezing their body, do you know why? This is because they don’t have collarbone.
• The collective name for a group of Cats is a clowder or clutter
• Cats have over one-hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
• As the cats grow, their eye color also changes

Begonias

     Plants have at least two names, a genus name, which is broad and capitalized, and a lower case species name that is, more specific. The name to the left is the genus and the one after it is the species. Sometimes these look very much the same.

Purple Moon Torenia

Large flowers bloom all summer over trailing plants. Excellent for hanging baskets, or allow to trail out of containers.

Mums

Latin name: Chrysanthemum species note: There are literally 100's of varieties of Chrysanthemums that can be broken down into three groups. Potted indoor flowering plants,  perennials known as fall mums and plants grown for use as a fresh cut flower.

Monarch

 

 We saw these butterflys in my Grandparents back yard. There were hundreds!

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly ( subfamily Danainae), in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies.

Mint

Mentha is the Latin name for mint.

~*Luna Moth*~

 Actias luna, commonly known as the Luna Moth, is a lime-green, Nearctic Saturniid moth in the subfamily  Saturniinae. It has a wingspan of up to four and a half inches, which ranks it as one of the largest moths in North America.

Tree Frogs

   Facts about frogs

• When frogs hibernate their bones sort of grow a layer, like a tree does. When you look inside a frog’s bone you will be able to see rings and tell how old the frog is by counting the rings
• One way to tell a male frog from a female frog is by looking at its ears. The ears can be found right behind the frog's eyes. If the ears are as big as the eyes, then the frog is a boy. If the ears are smaller then the frog's eyes, then the frog is a girl.
• Frogs don't actually drink water with their mouths; they drink it through their skin. A frog's skin absorbs water when it is in the water so its body gets all of the hydration that it needs that way and the frog doesn't need to drink with its mouth.

Fruit from the flowering Crabapple tree

Latin Name: Malus 'Sentinel'
Height: 20'
Spread: 12'
Flower: Red Buds, White Flowers with Pink Tint
Fruit: 1/2" Bright Red, Persistent

 

Green Beans

Buds to Beans

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable, and the straw is used for fodder. Botanically, the common bean is classified as a dicotyledon.

Fly Agaric

We saw this fungi in Colorado

FAMILY : Agaricaceae  LATIN NAME : Amanita muscaria
COMMON / FOLK NAMES : Fairy stool, Fly-Agaric, Soma,
PLACES OF ORIGIN : Ireland, Europe, Asia and North America. HABITAT : Under Silver Birch tree of a mature nature is the favorite place for this fungi to grow, also under Scotch Pine, Beech and Larch forest.
DESCRIPTION : First appears as a small white lump coming of the root. Grows into a small white ball as it pushes away from the root. As the stem appears the white veil that covers the fungi starts to tear and separate into the white spots showing the red cap underneath. The cap open up and spreads outwards. This fungi has a symbiotic relationship with the silver birch as it merges with the roots of the tree and help it to  absorb minerals in exchange for sugars from the tree. 

 

sketch

Cannnas

Cannas

  of a genus (Canna of the family Cannaceae) of tropical herbs with simple stems, large leaves, and a terminal raceme of irregular flowers.