possumandpine

[possumandpine]

California Poppy

Sometimes, you just have to laugh at yourself. I started seeds indoors in late January, and it simply did not work. I had maybe four seeds germinate. I was furious with myself. I had spent so much time sowing seeds, having grow lights and heat mats set up. I meticulously wrote down what I had growing in which cell and tray. All for nothing. So, I did what I call “rage seeded.” I planted almost…

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#flowers #garden tour #homesteading #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Feral Petunia

I have never planted a petunia at my homestead. But they are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Each year, they pop up. Each year, a different spot, a different color. Usually pinks, creams, or whites, they appear. I’m not sure how they got here, or how to get rid of them, but I let them do their thing. So…yeah…. This is my feral petunia, helping to entice pollinators into the yard.

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[possumandpine]

Red Potato Flower

This is the first year that I am growing potatoes. I am growing both red and purple potatoes, so I get to see some cool differences between them. If you look here, I have a photo of the purple potato blossoms. The purple potatoes have a hint of violet to their foliage, especially the stalks. The purple potatoes also have pale white flowers with flecks of purple. However, as you can see above, the…

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#flowers #food #garden tour #homesteading #native plants #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Yucca!

On the corner of my property are a few yucca plants. This is the first time that one of them have flowered, and I am so excited! There are multiple types of Yucca, all native to the New World. The type that I have growing here is the Yucca filamentosa, sometimes called Adam’s Needle. The bottom part is the foliage (not pictured), which grows about two feet tall in sword-like leaves that stick…

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#flowers #garden tour #native plants #native shrubs #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Gift for a Gift

I recently traded oxalis with a friend. He has a gorgeous carpet of Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea) growing on his property. I fell in love with it (I’m a sucker for anything purple). He thought that the Iron Cross Oxalis I have is rad, so we decided to swap a few plants. The Violet Wood Sorrel is so tiny! The leaflets are about the size of a fingernail. Like most oxalis, they will do great…

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#flowers #garden tour #homesteading #native plants #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Edelweiss

Edelweiss, edelweissEvery morning you greet meSmall and white, clean and brightYou look happy to meet me A few years back, one of my friends who lives in Virginia started growing edelweiss from seed. It is native to the mountains, which leads some folks to believe that it cannot grow in warmer climates. However, this plant grows outside in zone 7. Edelweiss is considered an herb, and has…

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[possumandpine]

Native Grass

These delicate purple flowers are Sisyrinchium angustifolium, better known as narrowleaf blue-eyed grass. It is a native grass, and for the past few years it has been spreading more and more in my yard. I am so happy, as this is a low-maintenance ground cover that is perfect for someone who does not want to mow. When I see the flowers, I try to mow around them so that they have the chance to go…

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[possumandpine]

Nightshade Flower

Did you know that potatoes are in the nightshade family? Related to the eggplant, pepper, and tomato, potatoes produce gorgeous, small flowers. The foliage is toxic, full of alkaloids, so please do not eat the leaves!

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[possumandpine]

Quick Project

I did a quick project, and of course, I remember *afterwards* that I should have done a before and after photo. Oh well! I bought a used bakers rack and painted it white so it blends in with the house a little bit better. Then I simply put whatever house plants that could fit on it. Ta-da! My plan is to have some smaller plants in hanging baskets (or propagation jars in macrame cord), hanging to…

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#flowers #garden tour #house plants #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

New Project

I tried macramé for the first time. I think I did ok. I had to redo this about three times in order for the knots to be spaced well enough to hold the jar. I’m not sure if this textile craft is for me, but it truly requires patience. I’m no stranger to textile crafts – I crochet all the time, and doilies are my go-to. However, the knotwork with macrame is a bit…. different. Maybe I will get the…

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#flowers #hobby #house plants #macrame #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Pink Wood Sorrel

I have pink wood sorrel all over my property. It is such a beautiful oxalis. It clusters in soft mounds, up to a foot tall. Throughout the entire spring and summer, it has small, soft pink blossoms. Wood sorrel is hardy in zones 7-9, so it is normally a house plant in most of the United States. In climates where it can grow outside, it is a great border perennial plant. It propagates itself via…

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#cooking #flowers #food #garden tour #house plant #native plants #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

After Work Surprise

Before work, I ran a few errands, and picked up this little guy in the discount section of the garden center. I knew it would be cool and over cast enough for it to be safe in my car while I was at work. However, I completely forgot that I bought it, and when I jumped into my car I surprised myself. It is a syngonium, but I am not sure of the exact variety. It is a brownish pink when it is not in…

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#flowers #house plant #nature #photography

[possumandpine]

Wisteria

Ah, wisteria. So beautiful, so invasive. There are some that are native to the Eastern United States. Unfortunately, what we normally see all over the place this time of year is the invasive Chinese Wisteria that was introduced from Asia. I grew up not knowing much about wisteria except its name, and that it is purple. I remember when I was a young teen, my mom purchased some from a local…

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[possumandpine]

Khachapuri

Easy to pronounce, yet difficult to spell – khachapuri is a fairly easy dish to make. Pronounced as catch-ah-purr-e, it is basically a stuffed crust pizza with a poached egg in it. This dish is from Georgia (the country, not the state), and I have been wanting to make it for some time now. I feel dishonest if I share the recipe here as copy-and-paste, since I got the recipe from Food Wishes. I…

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#baking #cooking #food

[possumandpine]

Earth Day

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[possumandpine]

Jumpseed

Known to many as an annoying weed, the jumpseed is common to most of the Eastern part of the United States. Jumpseed goes by many names, but it is in the knotweed family. It blooms small, white flowers in late summer, and easily propagates itself. Jumpseed is edible, but the young leaves are what should be eaten. Due to the larger leaves becoming fibrous and bitter, the plant can be seen as…

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[possumandpine]

Rosemary

Rosemary is an interesting plant. It can be trimmed and trained to grow in a gorgeous topiary shape. It is used in cooking, in medicinal uses, and is simply a well-rounded plant. Pick something you want in your garden, and rosemary fits right in. My rosemary was planted as a tiny thing. I’m sure it was a Christmas tree for one of the years when I was tight on space and funding. On thing that I…

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#flowers #food #garden #garden tour #homesteading #nature #photography