Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

Spring Comes To the House on Maple Street

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Our yard may be unkempt and a little worse for wear but Mother Nature decided that we deserved some Spring beauty as much as the next person. This little pearl of a flower is called the green dotted snowdrop. Isn't it precious?

We also have an invasive weed growing in our yard that I fell in love with when we lived in France. Back then ignorance was bliss. I didn't know it was an invasive weed. I just loved how it framed the old buildings in the medieval villages we visited. Ah, wisteria, why do you you have to be so wild? It's too much work to tame you. I don't have the time...I have children. But I love you, none the less. Thank you for invading my tired little yard.

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And even though we cut down all the overgrown azalea bushes hiding our sweet little house...
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...one petite specimen survived hidden among some brush along side of the drive way.
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And in the backyard, near the side door is a Camellia bush. It's like a rose bush without all the trouble. Plus it's an evergreen and sometimes even blooms in the Winter. Originally from Japan, they have found a home in South Carolina. I'm so glad we have one in our yard.
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But not all Spring beauty is obvious. Sometimes you have to look for it. And as you know dear readers, I have become enamored with the plethora of mushroom varieties growing here in South Carolina. And our back 40...yards didn't disappoint mama. And I so want to know what kind of mushrooms these are...they could be edible. How fun would that be? So maybe one of you would feel inspired to be a mushroom sleuth. There may be a yummy mushroom meal in your future.

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Here is specimen number two:
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I've done a little search but haven't been able to identify them yet. But I love them just the same.

Finally, in all its delicate glory, a dogwood bloomed right outside our breakfast nook door. The blooms stayed for what seemed forever. But eventually they fell to the ground to be replaced by tender leaves.
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Thank you, Mother Nature, for the sweet gift you bestowed upon us undeserving lazy gardeners. We're so grateful.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010

A Revolutionary Holiday - Thanksgiving Part Two

Only in South Carolina would they name a town, Ninety Six. Where do you live? Oh, Ninety Six. It's like saying you live in Letter "P". The history of the name is unclear. There are several speculations as to why they named it Ninety Six. As I type this I'm beginning to reconsider the "only in South Carolina" theory. Case in point: Hoosier. Need I say more? Maybe my home state and my current state have something in common...say it ain't so Joe.

But I digress. Let's get back to our visit to Ninety Six National Historic Site while the Kileys ventured to the whoopee cushion of America. Oh man, I should have greeted them with my clown shoes and water squirting boutonniere when they arrived. Damn, another opportunity missed.

Well, South Carolina is chock full of National historic sites featuring either Revolutionary War battles or Civil War battles. And Ninety Six used to be a village in the 1700s that was eventually burned to the ground by the Loyalists. At the site they have trails explaining how the battles there were fought. There are also a few buildings that assist in recreating the village feel. For those of you who have been to Conner Prairie in Indiana just imagine a tiny little part of the living village...itty bitty. The weekend the Hoosier Kileys were here Nine-Six was having a Colonial Holiday Reenactment and it was free. There was something for everybody.

When we first arrived we met this soldier. I can't remember whose side he was on. I've slept since then. I really look interested don't I?
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Actually, I was more interested in this little guy right by his foot.

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Now before you all rush to the comments to leave dirty jokes, I must stop you. For I am truly intrigued with the variety of mushrooms in South Carolina. This one is called "stinkhorn" I guess the heat and humidity create the perfect breeding ground for fungi. This guy lost his life to the revolutionary soldier who was telling us all about his, cough, cough, fire arm.

Soon we were off to the trail.

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The kids tried their hands at making pomanders the Colonial way.

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In the cabin we got to experience what it would have been like at the inn during the 1700's complete with Styrofoam cups.

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And the innkeeper's wife...

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But quite honestly we had had enough of the kids. Something had to be done. Perhaps they had the answer to unruly children 1700's style.

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It was a great way to start the holidays...simply and with family.

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I hope yours was just as memorable as ours this year.
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