Visual Escapes and Daily Inspirations: Share Yours

Posted by John, Volunteer Mentor @johnbishop, Mar 16, 2020

Let's create a space to offer a daily reprieve.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty and fear into our lives. Some of that fear and uncertainty can be caused by over thinking what is going on or unnecessarily worrying. So, I'm making sure I wash my hands frequently, not touching my face, staying away from social gatherings and all of the recommended guidelines to help avoid getting or spreading COVID-19 but it can be a little boring. I try to not watch news all day long while I'm in this self imposed captivity. I like to take pictures of birds and other creatures from my window as a welcome break.

I invite you to join me in sharing pictures, favorite poems, sayings, mottos, funny moments. Let's take a daily break together.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Jun 15, 2020

Loving my blooms.

lioness | @lioness | Jun 15, 2020

In front of our building

mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Jun 15, 2020

In reply to @lioness "In front of our building" + (show)

Are they lantanas? Very pretty.

lioness | @lioness | Jun 15, 2020

In reply to @mayofeb2020 "Are they lantanas? Very pretty." + (show)

@mayofeb2020 I think they are . Up the road we have some beautiful pink flowers they are low to the ground not sure what they are .

nancyguy | @nancyguy | Jun 16, 2020

In reply to @johnbishop "Was walking in my backyard and saw a couple of patches of these fungi. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/56315?locale=en-US" + (show)

Would be great if they had tags: "Certified Edible Organic Mushrooms."

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jun 16, 2020

In reply to @nancyguy "Would be great if they had tags: "Certified Edible Organic Mushrooms."" + (show)

@nancyguy the only edible mushrooms around here I've seen are Morels. I used to search for them for a friend but have not done that for many years and I don't particularly like mushrooms so have no incentive to look 🙂

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jun 18, 2020

I figured better to get a picture now, before the deer find my sunflower!

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Jun 18, 2020

@gingerw, I may have a relative of your sunflower standing as a singular proud sentinel in one of my back beds. Like your great pic, mine too looks sturdy, well leafed and happily biding its place among the other much shorter bedding plants. Think of the feast the birds may have later!

When I first started my flower gardening, I thought the idea was to add as many plants of differing types and heights as could be crowded together. The idea was to replicate those marvelous gardens shown on tours and in the pages of the gardening magazines. It took a few years for me to realize that the spaces between plants added interest and more focus for the "showboats". The beauty of flower gardening is that it creates an ever changing palette of things to try.

Earlier in the spring, I had one single sunflower in one of the front beds as well. While it also dwarfed its neighbors, I didn't have the heart to pluck it. The largest hail stone storm I've ever witnessed...some the size of baseballs which the local weatherman held for viewers to see, knocked the front yard flower over and created a 3-4" green leaf carpet covering my entire front. The miracle was that many of the shorter bedding plants survived in both yards.

While I have planted sunflowers in the past, these two were probably the result of some far thinking wise birds who dropped the seeds in the hopes that it would later bear harvest for them, yes? Thanks for sharing the pic of yours!