More African violets!

On By CarynIn Flora

I told my plant friend (who is also a singing friend) how I’ve been researching the African violets and how well the ones I have are doing, and she sent me home with a new African violet and two leaves from a miniature African violet! The collection grows!

Photo description: African violet with medium dark green leaves and a frilled bloom with purple and white coloration

I also found out that once a plant has lost its identity and name it is called a NOID, or No-ID. There are so many named varieties (16,000 according to the African Violet Society of America FAQ) and African Violets bloom differently under different conditions, which makes identification of a named variety impossible by visual means. A hybrid plant is named if it comes from a traceable named source. Most big box store African violets are not named, according to the AVSA. So I will be learning the descriptive terms and use those to describe my violets. I like that there are so many varieties, and they are growing well for me.

Photo description: tiny makeshift greenhouses made from ceramics cups with plastic liners filled with African violet soil and each pot has a cut leaf from a plant for propagation purposes, small cow creamer being used to carefully apply moisture

Aloe vera

On By CarynIn Craft, Flora

I am rearranging the plants in my home (to make room for more African violets), and my aloe plant had become quite tall and rangy, but had new growth underneath. I cut off the larger plant and processed it with the intent of collecting the fiber.

Photo description: large aloe vera plant cut at the base
Photo description: removing the gel by slicing the leaf along the inside of one spiky ridge, then using a spoon to scrape the gel off the skin

The gel scraped from the inside of the leaf is very viscous. I did save the clearest sections from the center in a mason jar, but the rest I wiped from the counter with a dry paper towel because water just makes it more slimy. I rinsed the skins and will let them dry before trying to comb out the fiber.

Photo description: collection of scraped and rinsed aloe leaf skins

I do love aloe vera gel for sunburned skin, and I read that if you rinse the gel well it is edible. Aloe latex is a substance that is next to the outer layer and can cause an unpleasant laxative effect if too much is ingested. I can’t even get past the idea of the feel of the slime in my mouth, so I think I will stick to topical applications.

Big boy

On By CarynIn Wildlife

My eldest spotted a white-tailed buck out in the back, back yard!

Photo description: side view white tailed buck past a steel fence, photo credit to my eldest
Photo description: front view white tailed buck past a steel fence, photo credit to my eldest

In the photos we took, I counted 10 tines on his antlers. Big healthy boy!

Catnip box

On By CarynIn Cats

For my amusement, I left out a large box with packing paper and sprinkled catnip inside.

Photo description: Missy the dog checking out her cat, Izzy the calico, in a large Amazon box
Photo description: Izzy the calico licking her lips after eating catnip with ears turned back
Photo description: Thor the very large tabby swatting at Sophie the dilute tortie inside the box
Photo description: Sophie the dilute tortie telling off Thor the very large tabby
Photo description: Thor the very large tabby inside the box looking very confused as to why the girls like the box. The box lid had to be folded down so he could hop in.

I am definitely amused.