A snowy moon for Katie

Katie, the much-loved blogger at gardenpunk, is very ill. Before she got sick she wrote about her new truck, the truck she had dreamed of:

A truck where I can drive out into a field, stand in the bed, and take pictures of the rising moon. A truck I can take to the snow.

I thought she'd like this picture. Adventures ahead, Katie! Come on back!

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I wrestled an Anaconda in my garden today

Green Anaconda Photo: Ltshears

It was 20 feet long--green, sinuous and slippery.

I was pulling it down from the lamp post at the end of my driveway when suddenly it wound around my ankles, and then coiled up to my waist. I tried to grip it to get some control, but it kept sliding through my hands. We struggled for what seemed like hours and I was panting, sweaty and wondering how much longer I could last. Luckily I had my pruners in my pocket and I was finally able to subdue it.

I'm not sure what the turning point was in the fight, but I think it caught sight of the label on the front of my tall rubber boots--Hunter--and that weakened its will.

This 20 foot garden terror has the Latin name of Hedera helix.

It's English ivy.

Once it gave up I crammed it in the yard waste container and slammed down the lid. We're due for a yard waste pick-up in a few days, but I wish it were sooner. I hear thumping from inside the container.

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Cupid's garden

Psyche Opening the Door into Cupid's Garden, c. 1904,

J.W. Waterhouse (1849-1917)*

Who knew Cupid was a gardener? Of course he used a classical landscape design. And a whole lotta lawn. But Cupid's not to blame; the anti-lawn movement was centuries in the future.

We're in Cupid's favorite week with you-know-what in the air. These are my garden loves. Yours too?

1. Striped flowers
2. Nibbling the first leaves of agastache
3. Wild violets
4. Rangy rhododendrons
5. Garden swings
6. Afternoon sun shining through redbud leaves
7. Crows yelling at each other while they roost for the night

I got an early Valentine when the inspiring blogger Deja Pseu at Une femme d'un certain age tossed a Beautiful Blogger Award my way. In return I had to list seven things about myself. If you are a femme and hitting un certain age, drop those seed catalogs and rush to her always fab blog.

My Valentine to Deja Pseu--a candy heart that says TRÈS CHIC.

P.S. Gardening chic is not an oxymoron if you follow Angela's advice at Gardening in my Rubber Boots: use Armor All to shine up your Hunter Wellington boots. What do you bet Psyche had Wellies on with that pink gown of hers?

*Mr. Waterhouse was an English painter. This painting is in the collection of the Harris Museum, Preston, Lancashire, England.

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The groundhog's song

Photo: Supherman

Oh, I'm Punxsutawney Phil

From the Keystone State.

Today I'll tell you all if

Spring is going to be late.

To all you eager gardeners

Who hounded me from my bed.

Go back to your flower shows*

And gardening books** instead!

*Show time! Catch the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. Philadelphia hosts the world's largest indoor flower show. Garden experts from around the country will be flocking to the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show in San Mateo.

**I wrote two book reviews for The Union newspaper. Click to read author interviews about Fearless Color Gardens by Keeyla Meadows, and Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin.

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