Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 25 May 2014

Sunday Selections #173

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.

Like River I usually run with a theme. I am going back to the garden (for something completely different) this week.  Most of the photos are of tree dahlias which have won the frost versus flowers race - this year anyway.  I am happy, and the bees are too.  Some of the plants are over twelve feet high and the weight of the blooms is bending them sideways.  After the first hard frost they will die - but will come back next year.

As always, click to embiggen.






Also blooming in the garden at the moment (early) is one Nerine, and many, many of the purple violets.  I haven't seen any of the white or pink violets - yet.  And a stunning purple daisy.





112 comments:

  1. Tree dahlias grow over twelve feet high? What a stunning sight that must be!

    Beautiful pictures, EC. Just what I needed to brighten up a very wet windy day Down Under.

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    1. Wendy: Well over twelve feet tall this year. Which is a delight. The red ones didn't flower though - next year.
      I hope your wet and wind subsides. And would welcome some of the wet.

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  2. om goodness those lavender flowers are stunning, a lavender daisy, never heard of such a thing, just lovely all of them. Hopefully the guy is coming to till up my small plot for me to put in a perennial garden next week.

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    1. Linda Starr: The dahlias are a joy aren't they? Good luck with your perennial garden. Pictures please.

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  3. Pure and beautiful simplicity. It's still warm enough up this way for spring blooms to blossom...if we don't get some cool weather soon, they will be!

    Hope all is going well for you guys, EC. Take care and have a good week. :)

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    1. Lee: It is astonishingly warm here too. I have been in the garden in a t-shirt and sandals all day. A bit cool in the morning, early, but it doesn't last. Bring on winter.
      Have a great week yourself.

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  4. Never heard of a tree dahlia! I will have to look to see if we have them here. They must be gorgeous when in full bloom!

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    1. Teresa: They are spectacular when they flower - but it is always a bit hit and miss. If we get an early hard frost - no blooms.

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  5. Tree dahlias - so gorgeous. How I envy you your big garden.
    That purple violet is lovely. You take such good photos, EC. Thank you!

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    1. Alexia: I am hoping that the red ones I was given last year flower next season - but am revelling in these. A big garden is a blessing - and a curse. I have overdone it today so I am leaning towards the negative for the moment. And will be back out in it tomorrow.

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  6. The next to the last one grows in Georgia. I've always called them spring carpet violets but I made that name up. I don't know what they are really called.

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    1. Lisa: It doesn't matter what they are called - they are a treat.

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  7. Bbbbbbbbeautiful flowers, they are tree dahlias, wow, excellent showing.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Bbbbbig and beautiful flowers.

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  8. Wow, that's a tall flower plant! First time I've ever heard of it.
    Excellent photos.

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  9. Your Dahlia's are magnificent. They grow much like our sun flowers ... tall and gangly, but oh so beautiful. It is hard to imagine you having a hard frost as we are moving (albeit slowly) into our Spring. I have to ask, however, is one of us is color blind? Or is the person who named the daisy purple color blind? I see PINK ... don't you? Love is EC ... hope things are moving along smoothly for you and SP.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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    1. Andrea Priebe: You have me thinking now. I have always thought of that daisy as purple - and it grows beside a pale purple version. And I looked again and it is HOT pink. (And purple). Whatever colour, it is a joy.

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  10. Synchronicity!! Just yesterday afternoon, hubby and I went for a drive, and at one point, we passed a tall Tree Dahlia growing on the side of the road. When I saw it and marvelled at its humble, delicate beauty and height, I thought of you, EC, and your wonderful garden.
    And here, this morning, your latest post and first five photos, are of delightful Tree Dahlias!
    Coincidence? I think not.

    Even better, you also mention/show bees... I have long been ruminating on a new logo for my pottery & ceramics. I've found that bees have been showing up everywhere - in conversation, images, print articles and (the clincher) two days ago, as I stood holding a freshly cleaned bucket, a sweet little fuzzy striped fellow came to drink some droplets of fresh water from it..... I take that as a sign for me, and a bee will now feature in my new logo and name.
    I love that :)

    And, hugs to you and SP. Wishing you all the very best this coming week.

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    1. Vicki: It does indeed seem that the bee is calling you. Loudly. And when Marie comes back to the blogosphere there will be more of the fuzzy charmers.
      I have never seen Tree Dahlias growing beside the road - a treat.

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  11. Tree dahlias! Wow, how gorgeous. My dahlias are dwarf and I have to bring them indoors for autumn and winter. Love that purple daisy!

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    1. Karen: The frost (when it happens) will cut them down to ground level, but our winters are much, much milder than yours. Come Spring it will pop its head up - and reach for the sky.

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  12. It makes me think of spring when I see your flowers and yet its not even winter as yet. I've never seen a tree dahlia that I remember but they are beautiful and those bees. I heard recently that our bees may be in danger as there is some tiny mite that is attacking bees in other countries. That would be catastrophic for our gardens and agriculture in particular. I know these are imported bees originally but they are so necessary to our life now.
    So, that's a nerine. I've heard of them but not seen one before and the little violet...so dainty,
    I too see that daisy as being more a shocking pink. No daisies in our garden for a while yet. We pull the old bushes each year and now there are dozens of seedlings coming up, even some in the front 'lawn' which suffered badly from our drought this past summer. Those poor little daisies will go when Howard is here next week with his mower, what a pity.
    Hope you and the SP are enjoying the weekend and he is feeling lots better.
    We had some wonderful rain this week. Must have had about 3 inches at our place and lots more in areas south of us. Wonderful.

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    1. Mimsie: Tree Dahlias are not 'fashionable' so they are not sold in many places that I know of. I was given the first by a friend and cherish it in her memory (she died last year) as well as for its beauty.
      I have looked again at the daisy - I can see its pinkness (now that you and Andrea have pointed it out). It grows beside a deep mauve one and I have always considered it purple. But accept the correction.
      Rain? How wonderful. We have had some promised, but not a drop arrived.

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  13. Your dahlias blew my mind beautifully! All so fine! Glad you live with this beauty



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

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    1. Cloudia: I live in clutter, mess - and beauty. And am grateful.

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  14. Aren't they all so beautiful! I love the stripes effect on that daisy. The tree dahlias are in my mum's favourite shade of purple.

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    1. River: They are a spectacular sight at the moment. There are four or five stems reaching for the sky in the back yard - and they are all a mass of flowers.

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  15. So lovely and delicate! A nice break in the day… Thanks!

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    1. Paper Chipmunk (aka Ellen): And this year, so prolific. I hope your days are ok(ish).

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  16. Beautiful dahlias - mine always get cut down by the wind, so never look as spectacular as these.

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    1. lynners: Most of our wind roars through in spring when the Tree Dahlias are just starting their journey.

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  17. My connection is slow tonight. (Not my brain, my internet connection though that could be argued.) What did load is so pretty. :-)

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    1. Birdie: Slow connections (internet or mind) are frustrating to say the least. I am glad that some prettiness did load for you.

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  18. Ah, 'tree dahlias' - there's loads of them here in Switzerland and I never knew what they were called!

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    1. Kath Lockett: What colours? I hope to have some red ones flower next year. And love the thought of a country which hasn't shoved them in the 'old-fashioned' drawer.

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  19. Replies
    1. librarygirl: When they flower they are a joy. And with winter starting next week we STILL haven't had much of a frost. Most unusual.

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  20. The petals all appear to be fabric for the finest of clothing.

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    1. Grannie Annie: What a lovely thought. And fabric made with the colours and textures of petals would be sumptous.

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  21. I love violets, but haven't scored any yet for the garden.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: They have infiltrated and taken over a number of garden beds. And are welcome. I hope some of the other colours survived our long hot summer too.

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  22. Your yard is so beautiful. *sigh* Of course, you put an extraordinary amount of work into it and it shows. What wondrous views you must have to give you pleasure. I hope you stare into the face of beauty often and remember to take deep breaths. Hugs!

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    1. River Fairchild: When I look out at the garden I tend to see what needs to be done (lots) rather than what is there. Wandering around with the camera is good therapy. It means I have to admire some of the beauty.

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  23. Glorious flowers. And the bees are happy too! After all the news about bees dying off, this is great.

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    1. Guyana-Gyal: There is bad (dreadful) news about the bees world-wide. I am very happy to make some at least of them happy in my garden.

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  24. So beautiful! I love dahlias and am reminded again that you are entering into winter as we head into summer. :-)

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    1. DJan: It is a very slow move towards winter so far. Minimal frosts and bright sunny days.

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  25. I remember seeing tree dahlias on your blog last year and thinking how unusual and beautiful they were. I'm glad you got to see them bloom again this year. I hope all is well with SP and you as we begin a new week.

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    1. jenny_o: I don't remember ever having the tree dahlias bloom on consecutive years. It is really very, very mild still. And my greedy self is hoping that the dahlias (and the red ones) bloom next year too. Though winter will be very welcome.

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  26. That nerine is very striking. Does it take any particular maintenance?

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    1. John Wiswell: None - it is a set and forget plant. In the fullness of time it will multiply (hopefully) and might need dividing.

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  27. Hi Sue,

    Another blooming marvellous post. I really need those resplendent colours right now. Thank you in more ways than one.

    In peace and wishing you and your loved one well.

    Gary

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    1. klahanie: Hi Gary, I am always happy to share (overshare?) my garden. With you, and with everyone else.
      Have a great week - and I hope Tristan finds a new home soon.

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  28. Love that purple daisy! Wow!

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    1. Strayer: It is dramatic isn't it? And thrives. There are many, many bushes dotted about the garden.

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  29. Those are so beautiful - your photos really make the colors pop!

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  30. Replies
    1. DeniseinVA: They are a delight as autumn draws to a close.

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  31. All are beautiful but I think my favorite is the red one. :)

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    1. Al Diaz: My favourites change with the season - and with the wind.

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  32. I've never seen a tree dahlia. The flowers are gorgeous. I also love the orange flower, the Nerine. I've never seen one of those either. I wish I had your green thumb.

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    1. Carol Kilgore: There are some plants for which I have a very, very brown thumb. So I am grateful for what will grow.

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  33. You're going back to the garder and I'm coming with you. With all those beauties you have it's been a lovely visit to your blog for me. Thanks. :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. A Cuban in London: The garden almost always gives me peace, serenity and often healing. A haven. Which needs rather a lot of work.

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  34. Those dahlias. Just. Wow. You're amazing, both as a gardener and photographer. I am planning on growing some flowers this season and I hope I can coax half as much beauty as you do out of these plants!

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    1. Raquel Somatra: Thank you. I feel I should tell you though that I tend to plant things which require little care - set and forget plants, and have a good point and shoot camera. No expertise involved.

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  35. OOO,
    the last hot pink flower flowed into my heart! LOVE to you, Sweets. xxx

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    1. My Inner Chick: They are blooming happily all over the garden - and flow into my heart too.

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  36. My comment is gone. God, but I hate it when that happens. What I was saying is that I'm no embiggamist and never have been. Maybe embiggamy is acceptable in Australia, but here in patriotic, God-fearing America, we don't engage in it. Sure a lot of us are big--as if fat--but we're far from being card carrying embiggamists, although a lot of the Mormons used to be.

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    1. Snowbrush: Has blogger no shame? Not publishing one of your comments is a sin. A bigger sin (in my eyes) than the sin of embiggening.

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  37. What gorgeous shots of these lovely flowers!

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    1. ladyfi: Thank you. The patches of colour in the garden are a delight.

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  38. Dear EC, just today I was looking at my tree dahlias and wondering if they will flower this year. My Dad & I bought the original plants about 30 yrs ago and they have been moved and split up and continued on in many gardens, and now this one on the Central Coast of NSW. I just love them. As I love all those flowers you have shown in this lovely post. Thank you. Oh, and when we bought the tree dahlias we got them from a rare plant nursery, so even then they were out of fashion.

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    1. Carol: Fashion in plants is something I don't understand. Mind you, I am not a devotee of any fashion.
      I hope your tree dahlias make it this year. Ours are still going, flowering more prolifically than I can remember.
      Gardens are such a solace aren't they? Mind you, with the hospital mayhem and other joys I still haven't finished putting the spring bulbs in. Next week if I am lucky.

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  39. 12 ft. high! That must be such the sight! I love flowers and yours are gorgeous.

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    1. mail4rosey: They are an incredible sight - particularly in full bloom.

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  40. Dear Sue, I went back and read all your postings since I last left a comment, which was "A Long Day" on May 13. The postings about "the skinny one's" operation and the minimal recuperation in the hospital saddens me and also angers me. I'm reading a book right now about the mess the U.S. health care has been in and how we got here and I can feel a growing rage in me. So I understand, as much as I can at afar, your feelings with regard to what seems like a cavalier attitude exhibited by the hospital staff. I so hope that both of you are getting rest and that the subsequent doctors' visits will yield the information and the assurance you need. Remember that old adage: "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." I say, Squeak loud and long in the doctor's office! Peace.

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    1. Dee: Thank you. We have a new medical crisis now, but are still wrestling with this one. We see the specialist in about a fortnight and I WILL be asking questions. (In a squeaky voice?).

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  41. I love dwarf dahlias and our regular run-of-the-mill dahlias, but your tree version definitely takes the cake. They are simply stunning. Over twelve feet tall! They must be a real feast for the eyes.

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    1. Susan: I love our dahlias too - all of them. And we also have the dwarf and the run-of-the-mill varieties. Which flower more often than the tree dahlias. A trade off I am prepared for.

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  42. What beautiful pictures of your flowers! We have some purple irises growing, but that's about it.

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    1. Cherie Reich: We will have irises later - and I planted another 75 Dutch iris yesterday. Anticipation...

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  43. The Nerine is really interesting - looks like a bunch of flowers in one. I'd never seen one before.

    Take good care, EC.

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    1. Rawknrobyn: They are gorgeous - and come in a range of colours. Someone who lives nearby has a clump of them (twenty or thirty) out at the moment and they look wonderful. In time I hope ours do that.

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  44. A splendid collection. Each more beautiful than the next.
    I envy you.

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    1. Friko: I frequently envy your garden. And always admire it.

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  45. Those are really beautiful. I think I remember seeing a picture you sent Little Lotta. The flower and the photo both are incredible!

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    1. Furry Bottoms: I am garden obsessed (among other obsessions). There are lots of photos of the garden here - and I am glad you liked them. The photo I sent to Dana was of a different daisy, but I am glad that you (and she) liked it.

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  46. After always reading your Words for Wednesday on Delores' posts over the past few months, I had to come over here and follow. You're such a talented writer. And those Dahlias are Ginormous!!!

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    1. Optimistic Existentialist: Thank you. Shuffling feet and blushing. I am a reader and a dabbler. I do love my ginormous dahlias though.

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  47. As usual, your flowers are lovely - I always enjoy them. The purple daisy - I think we call them African daisy - is a real beauty. I have them in my garden at the moment as well - they reseeded from last year. It's nice to see that we have something currently in our gardens that is the same in both hemispheres!

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    1. Carola Bartz: Yes, it is an African daisy - and you are right, it is lovely to think that the same things are blooming in our gardens at the same time - half a world away.

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  48. I love the drop of water on the petal of the second to last photo. Great colours.

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    1. LL Cool Joe: I like that drop of dew too. Thank you.

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  49. I just came by to look at your pictures again. *sigh* they're so peaceful.

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    1. Furry Bottoms: Thank you so much. I find peace in the garden and am very happy to share it.

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  50. Like Furry Bottoms writes: your photos are both lovely and peaceful. May the days ahead be good ones. :-)

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    1. Roland D, Yeomans: Thank you - and may your good wishes boomerang.

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  51. So I finally was able to identify a mystery flower I found in Northern California. Even my sister in law with a degree in tropical botany was unable to identify it but there it is in your blog, the tree dahlia. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos with the world.

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    1. Sue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: Welcome - and thank you. The warmth and the wonder (and the education) I find here in the blogosphere blows me away. Glad I could solve a small mystery for you.

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  52. It always fills me with peace to look at your crazy birds (corellas) and your amazing flowers.

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    1. Susan Kane: I am glad to hear it. I don't think there can ever be enough peace in our lives (or the world).

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  53. Replies
    1. Kim @ Stuff could...: And a week later they still are. Which is almost unheard of. Our winter starts today and we haven't had a significan frost!

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