Under the magnifying glass: Hummingbird Trumpet Vine

Deep hole in the ground was an earlier blog about my Hummingbird Trumpet Vine.

Preparing to plant Hummingbird-Trumpet vine

Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine in April 2015

Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine in July 2015

Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine May 2016

Clippings in a jar of water

Passage preferred

Next to tree is OK

Access to the field

Improved passage

Magnifying glass with white stick figure and magnifying glass with black handle

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Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine following the fence

Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine on the fenceAbove, and to the left, “chapter one” of the Hummingbird Trumpet Vine. Note my comment on one of the pictures “Believe it or not: Passage between my yard and the field is more valuable than the plant.” ~~ Below: “Chapter two” documents the growth of clippings.

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Clippings from Hummingbird-Trumpet Vine

Took root and growing

Vine growing rapidly

Requires constant weeding

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Three bird feedersNo exaggeration:The planter needs constant weeding! With three feeders, bird seed germinates–and sprouts–almost as fast as I remove it. If and when the vine blooms, it is close to the Hummingbird feeder.Exclamation mark red with stick figureQuestion mark with stick figure Did I hear the question “Why the grill?” Because the squirrels love to dig in my planters!!

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Hummingbird feeder near vine

White stick figure with two thumbs up

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Vine touching the ground

Weaving vine down fence

Oh boy, oh joy !!

Hummingbird feederIt takes so little to make me happy!! About 7:30 AM, I saw a Hummingbird at the location where, normally, a feeder is hanging. So it must be a return visitor, hallelujah!! I haven’t seen a Hummingbird for over a month (too hot?) so took down the feeder(s) because the nectar sours quickly. Quick as a wink, I put nectar (stored in the refrigerator) in a feeder and hung it.

As usual, outdoors early to water and weed–and replenish the bird feeders.

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Postscript, 3:00 PM: Received this email message with three pictures

This little female was so comfortable around autistic grandson William and I /we could snap several photos from about a foot away.

Hummingbird in Bend, Oregon (1)Hummingbird in Bend, Oregon (2)Hummingbird in Bend, Oregon (3)Oh boy, oh joy; the email and pictures thrill a grandmother’s heart!!

Hallelujah

Under the magnifying glass: Yellow Butterfly Vine

Magnifying glass with white stick figure and green plantSee Silk purse from a sow’s ear.

Searching for pictures of the bed frame–with Yellow Butterfly Vine–I realized it was a “poor little step-child” that “got no respect”*. Very few pictures: How rude of me to ignore my “bedfellow” of three decades (yes, a mattress on that frame from 1983-2013). If you look closely (first picture), the bed frame is leaning against the pine tree. Scarlet Runner Beans never sprouted (second picture). Giant Climbing Tomatoes didn’t live up to the hype (picture three).  “Relocated planters” prompted picture four; if you click on the picture (to enlarge) you can see the Butterfly Vine. Likewise a tiny portion of planter and vine in fifth picture. Protecting the plant against freezing temperatures prompted picture number six, and Calabrachoa blooms were topic of picture number seven.

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Bed frame against pine tree

Bed from in front of trailer

Giant tomatoes planted

Bed frame and relocated planters

Bed frame in background

Covered against freezing temperatue

Bed frame with Calabrachoa

Butterfly Vine

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*Rodney Dangerfield….

 

If I could, I would !!

White stick person on red chair under umbrellaI have a very nice lounge chair I’ve never used!! When my air-conditioner failed a year ago, I thought I’d sleep on the lounger, outdoors, overnight. However, management and staff insisted I sleep in the multi-purpose room inside CARE. ~~ My “projects” keep me so busy I don’t have time to “lounge.”

Rocking lawn chairConfession: After publishing above comment, I decided (in the interest of full disclosure) to add a picture of my lawn rocking chair.  I **do** sit in it occasionally when taking a break from projects.